Aruvikuthu Waterfalls

Idukki, Kerala. August 2022.

Road Signs!

 That's how the road welcomes you to Ooty in the summer months. Glendale, The Nilgiris. March 2023.

A Day Trip to Koorumala Viewpoint & Areekal Waterfalls

As the sky cleared, I left the streets of Cochin early in the morning, and made my way to Piravom, a small town, an hour away. The plan was to explore a couple of lesser known and unexplored destinations in this region, and I started off with Koorumala Viewpoint. Winding past rubber plantations and open lands, the road gradually narrowed as I neared the viewpoint. The final stretch has to be walked as the road gets really tapered to a pathway. 

The lady at the ticket counter smiled and said, “You should have come an hour earlier, when the whole place was covered in mist”. I smiled back and walked up the rocky hillock which had a few scattered crosses and a watch tower, a few meters away. The panoramic view from the top was absolutely stunning with mist blanketing the surrounding lush greenery and silhouettes of distant hills. Though this viewpoint is located in Ernakulam district, on a clear day you can get a view of some regions of Kottayam district, and a watch tower located in Alappuzha district. Evenings too are an ideal time to visit here and enjoy the mélange of colours that splashes across the sky as the sun sets. I strolled around a bit before the sun made its presence felt as the mist cleared.

I soon made my way past the winding roads to Areekal Waterfalls, a multi-tier waterfall near Koorumala Viewpoint. The moss laden pathway was a delight to walk on, and the cascading waters could be heard more evidently as I went down. Tumbling over tiers of rocks, the water splashes and fills up the natural pool at the base. You can wade into the pool and enjoy some moments of fun while exploring here. Walked further down along the pathway to have a full view of the water thrashing down and flowing away down to form a creek. I was the first visitor in the morning, and had the whole space to myself. As I meandered along the pathway gazing at the beautiful waterfalls, the cloudy sky slowly opened up with a drizzle. I walked back up to the road, but not before having a quick glance of this hidden beauty near Kochi.

     

How to Reach:

The nearest town is Piravom, 12 km away from Koorumala Viewpoint, and 22 km away from Areekal Waterfalls. Cochin is the major city near Piravom, 31 km away. It is recommended to visit these places in your own vehicle as public services are not frequent. 

Food and Accommodation:

There are a few eateries near Areekal Waterfalls and a couple of shops near Koorumala Viewpoint.

By the Moyar River!

 Mudumalai National Park, The Nilgiris. March 2023.

Hues of Summer Sky!

Evenings during the summer months are a delight to gaze at, as the skies splash myriad colours while the sun sets. From yellow to orange to crimson to purple to mauve, you'll miss a colour if you blink even for a couple of seconds.

Kotagiri, March 2023

Rangarayana Doddi Lake

 Ramanagara, Karnataka. November 2022.

Pooyamkutty to Mamalakandam- A Beautiful Drive!

After a satiating breakfast at Kothamangalam, we left behind the hustle of the small towns and meandered our way past rubber plantations to Pooyamkutty, with the river, Periyar popping up intermittently. While the main intention was to drive through the lush greenery of Mamalakandam, we decided to explore a few other places as well enroute to the final destination.

Kuttampuzha was the first pit stop, where we took a short detour to get to Anakkayam Beach. From where the road ended, a narrow pathway along the Periyar River led us to the beach. A secluded place with hardly any visitors, we were welcomed by serenity and scenic frames. While technically this isn’t a beach, but a river bank with sand. A large tree with its branches sprawling like tentacles made a beautiful frame against the tranquil waters and lush greenery behind. A lone fisherman, probably a local having some moments of solitude, was the only human presence in the vicinity. After loitering around for a while, soaking in the serenity on offer, we walked back.

Enroute to Pooyamkutty, we stopped by at Blavana ferry, to watch a jeep loaded with rice and other daily necessities make its way across the river atop 2 tied up canoes. In today’s times, when modern technology and developments have reached every corner of the globe, this rudimentary means of transportation was quite captivating. I was told by the locals that the supplies were carried to the tribal colony across the river. As the jeep sailed its way to the other bank, we left for Pooyamkutty, a couple of kilometers away.

Pooyamkutty gained prominence after a couple of Malayalam movies were shot here. While there isn’t much to explore here, the aerial view of the gushing Pooyamkutty River, a tributary of Periyar River, under the bridge and the lush green surroundings, offers a beautiful frame. A winding road took me down to the bridge, which further leads to Manikandanchal, where there are tribal colonies. I crossed the bridge, gazed at the beautiful waters and then walked up to the magnificent huge trees lined up on either side of the road. Looking up at them, I strolled around for a while, and then returned back, as visitors aren’t allowed beyond this.

Drove back to the tiny hamlet of Pooyamkutty, and some short eats later, headed to Mamalakandam. The road became narrow, the lush greenery turned dense and apart from the rumbling of the car, it was only the cricket’s sound that could be heard. The road wound its way through dense greenery, with steep slopes, dips and wonderful views on offer. We took a pit stop in the middle of nowhere, to admire the beauty of nature. The leaves swayed to the swooshing breeze, and a waterfall could be heard at a distance. A lone tree house (more like an ‘erumaadam’) stood tall near to where we stopped, but had no access to get up there.

As more vehicles made pit stops, we drove further down, and slowly, the forest gave way to tiny clearings and settlements of Mamalakandam. A small pathway from the road led us inside, and we walked the path listening to the sound of gurgling waters in search of Urulikuzhi Waterfalls. After searching for a bit, we saw a large stream flowing over flat rocks and making its way further down. The dips in the rocks resembles like an ’uruli’ (a large vessel), and that’s how the place gets its name, Urulikkuzhi Waterfalls. The place reminded me of Paniyeli Poru, but there weren’t any whirlpools or under currents here. We sat by the bank on the large open rock and enjoyed some moments of silence before getting back on the main road.

Govt. High School, Mamalakandam was where we headed next. This probably is one of the most picturesque schools in Kerala, with a magnificent backdrop of a hill and Elamplassery Waterfalls gushing down it. The frame is so captivating that it made me wonder how students are able to concentrate in their classes, when the nature outside is absolutely surreal.

On the way back to Kochi, we stopped by at the gushing Valara Waterfalls and the stunning Cheeyappara Waterfalls. The sign board near the waterfalls had Munnar written on it, but I was content with the beautiful drive between Pooyamkutty and Mamalakandam, and the lovely pit stops we had. The drive through the forest and chasing the Periyar River was a wonderful experience.

How to reach:

Pooyamkutty is 78 km from Kochi, and it is ideal to visit in your own vehicle. There are buses from Kochi and Muvattupuzha to Pooyamkutty, but is not frequent. The nearest major town in Kothamangalam. The route from Pooyamkutty to Mamalakandam does not have public services, except for one KSRTC bus in a day.

Food and Accommodation:

There are small eateries near Pooyamkutty Bridge and at Mamalakandam. The region also has a few homestays.

Cheeyappara Waterfalls!

 Cheeyappara Waterfalls, Kochi - Munnar Road. August 2022.

Valara Waterfalls!

Valara Waterfalls, Kochi - Munnar Highway. August 2022.

Suvarnavathy Dam- Surreal and Secluded

Engulfed by lush greenery and silhouettes of hills, Suvarnavathy Dam lies secluded away from the touristy maps. An ideal place to spend some moments of solitude, this sprawling reservoir in Chamarajanagar district is also home to a few species of birds. Take a stroll along the pathway and capture some wonderful landscape frames.