Kerala unraveled

 From Areekkal Waterfalls, I decided to embark towards the nearby Kochareekkal Caves, a one of a kind cave system in central Kerala. The roads were a little rough, which is usually expected from the roads of Ernakulam district. The cave is located at a mere 100 metres away from the main road, so I parked my car at the same. After a very short walk through the dense rubber plantation, I reached the entrance point to the cave system.  I was greeted by a bosque of huge trees towering above the caves. Locals, unmoved by the magnificent view it offers, lazily moved about their daily chores like washing clothes and bathing nearby.  I descended a few steps towards the cave and found a small lake nearby as well.  The cave was very peculiar in its shape. It consisted of 3 openings giving the appearance of two eyes and a mouth, hence known as the dragon's face. Proper pathways and stairs welcomed the visitors and I was glad that this area is also maintained quite nicely. The p...

PART 1  Another of those boring sundays came by and I was in no mood for rest...Kerala is in no way short of tourist paradises. In fact, my hometown Kottayam is just a stone's throw away from many popular tourist spots of Kerala including Kumarakom, Alappuzha and Vagamon...But I was in a spirit for exploration and wanted to visit somewhere relatively unknown.. So I set out towards the sleepy little town of Piravom..Nestled within the banks of the Muvattupuzha river, the town easily resembled any other borough of Kerala...  Further north of Piravom, I came across the village junction of Pampakuda where a dilapidated yet maintained signboard told me to take a right towards Areekkal waterfalls. A few more kilometres inwards and I was already at the small junction which served as the nurture point for Areekkal waterfalls. There is a parking space and a ticket counter from where I purchased tickets for the falls. A neatly stone-laid stairway accompanied by handles took me towards t...

After a long period of not travelling, I finally got a chance to resume what I love the most. The journey started at around 7 in the morning. The journey took me through various towns and villages filled with boisterous and ebullient folks consumed in their morning chores... A deviation from Muvattupuzha was all it took to transform the busy urban atmosphere into the silent rural one typical of Kerala villages... The roads were a little harsh but negotiable during the final few kilometres to my destination. The same ended in front of a densely wooded area with an arch stating "Welcome to Paniyeliporu" On the left was the ticket counter and on the right was a wooded area, which to my surprise, also served as a parking ground.  The trees there clearly acted as demarcations for spaces for vehicles to park. A much welcome example of how to do things the eco-friendly way. The tickets were priced at Rs.20 per person and parking was also charged extra.  From the entrance, there is a...

 Thejus R Been busy for a while, but the new year brought me right back to where my heart is..Travelling... This time, my journey took me to the outskirts of the spiritual city of Pandalam, where a gigantic structure awaits the eyes of every visitor..... Mavarapara boasts of a huge rock structure created after quarrying for granite.  I stopped my vehicle below the rock and quickly ascended the risky trail uphill. The view expanded into infinity as my feet got me higher and higher up the mountain.  The view from the location above was truly gracious. Green paddy fields with a water source cutting right through. Plantations on either side and blue tinged hills of the western ghats decorating the horizon. I ascended to reach a point were I could see the rock in its full might. It truly seemed like straight out of fantasy land.. The rock was nearby. I entered the narrow trail leading to the top of the rock and was really surprised to see a moderate number of visitors of all a...

Thejus R It was a sunday and I was feeling bored..So I set out on an adventure to the ecotourism hotspot of Adavi. My ride took me through the small towns of Pathanamthitta and Konni. From Konni, I took a left and crossed the Achankovil river. The roads were so good and the forest was green and serene.  I pulled up towards the parking spot at Adavi and walked down the path graciously guarded by bamboo railings. A garden was set up towards the left side and down the path, stood a restaurant owned by vanashree, a ticket counter and toilet complex as well as a swing for those enthusiastic ones. The tickets were priced at Rs.500 for 4 people + 1 child. After taking the tickets, a beautiful path was taken, which eventually led towards the banks of the Kallar river, where the coracle boat awaited for me... I was such an eyeful location and the water there was so pure and sparkling in the sun.  I began my journey through the boat after donning my life jacket and went towards the Kall...

 A quick drive through the MC road and the Changanassery bypass would take you to the beginning point of the Changanassery-Kaviyoor road.  A drive through this road would take you till the Kaviyoor junction. From this junction, the road splits to two. One leads to the famed Kaviyoor mahadeva temple while the other leads you to the Kaviyoor rock cut cave temple.  Situated in a scenic backdrop, the Kaviyoor cave temple is maintained by the archaeological department of India and is an excellent candidate for the exhibition of ancient rock carving architecture, once lost from our culture.  The road to the area is well paved with colorful interlocks and a spacious parking space exists, protected by a tamarind tree from the top.  A steep flight of stairs took me to the entrance of the small structure which remains ill maintained but still beautiful. A huge rock called Kaniyanpara towers the temple and the view from the top is amazing even though reaching the top is ri...