Simply Pleasure, Valparai!

Day 2: Dec25, 2008

Been long update on my travel to Valparai, it’s so excite to remember the wonderful journey again by sharing with you all.

We moved from Pollachi guest house by 9 and reaching around 10am by Aliyar dam, fare on the widely unloaded road. We sight the hills faraway; surly can’t find the sign of a dam till reaching the curve bridge. It just located on the foothills of Valparai, so none can miss its existence. Few of our members climbed the many steps, and I am being using wheels, reached the terrace by taking the road end of the dam. I could really see what I seen through pictures via net. It’s a vast bank, goes like a C shape boundary of pathway. As soon reaching top, I could find a house remind me of some Tamil movies taken here. It’s called Chinna Thambi house, where the move was taken, and a famous political scene in Amaithi Padai was shot. The dam gives a panoramic view of the beautiful Western Ghats and largely extended reservoir, and the other side with green coconut groves until visible.

We moved some distance above dam, which could be stretched more than a couple of km to walk. As we proceed, the cool breeze blows on our face, holding the nature and its pleasure. Below the dam there was a small garden with a fountain - not sprinkling currently, an aquarium and a mini theme park. Seems like a boat ride is available in the dam, were we could fine some boats lonely floating in the reservoir To add some information, Aliyar dam is one of the longest in Asia, build in 1962, to store the waters collected throughout the hills of Anamalai range. It’s an important water source to Pollachi and its surrounding places, which extends till Erodu district. The water flows to this reservoir is from Upper Aliyar and Parambikulam dam in Kerala. Its wonder to know the water system and its connectivity through dams! There are more to go through dams further into this travel, and almost every link would conclude with Aliyar!

view of vast coconut groves

On the way before climbing ghat, we stopped at monkey falls. As the name refers, there are a lot of monkeys around this site, where our family members went to take shower in the falls. Meanwhile, me and driver bro parked the vehicle and waited, in time to get some nice entertainment from monkeys. As we watch, one monkey enters into a vehicle to steal something, was driven by we and there was a lovely scene of three monkeys sitting on a branch feeding each other. After the falls and a check post later, we encounter the first hairpin bend which continues like zigzag till 13-14 bends. At every bend we sighted different views of aliyar dam and far more, to stop at the 9th bend - lomes view, for more views. And where above the hill there, we sighted some Nilgiri thars, those rarely had seen.

On the way, we stopped at AttaKatti to collect our lunch parcels in a small hotel, as we know it may take eventide to reach Valparai! At the end of the waterfall estate, we parked our SUV beside a private estate to have our lunch and I went little further around the place in wheels to view cluster of clouds striking the above tea gardens and hiding the homes. There was a board sign’s ‘mist spread zone’; and I wished to experience the cold within mist, but last only the cold breeze. Throughout the way it was scenic, to have clear visions of evergreen tea gardens, and far away hills surrounds with fog! On the last and closing 40th hairpin bend, we saw a sign board that Balaji Temple 7km. So dad decides to visit the temple first, and the sky open to light sunshine moved us ahead. Along the way its quite tea estates; and the temple lies in one of the highest place in valparai, called Karamalal. The road to the Balaji Temple is such rough with many potholes and being very narrow upward, the SUV hardly climbed the hills. Reaching atop we smelled oily from clutch, where later to realize that almost every vehicle odor the same, riding upward.

With no idea how well the place gives way to my wheels, so I and sister remain to leave others to visit the temple. My bro, who took the camera to capture some pictures of the temple was warned by the guard, and advised the pictures would not remain. Whether it’s true or not, I lost number of pictures in my cam including those taken at Balaji Temple, when checking the pictures later! Some told they have some magnetic instrument to sweep pictures taken at temple, which I can’t believe how it’s possible without my cam! At the other hand I doubt may someone erased the pictures unaware, even though I could have lost the whole pictures of the day, but I lost only whatever taken after aliyar :( none would do that, as they know how important those pictures are.

The drive continues through the tea gardens, to reach valparai by 5.30pm. With the address, we found our relative house, who have booked cottage for us next to there home. To tell, it’s a wonderful stable! We are pleased by the way the home and yarn appears, with more space for parking and gardening. I am so attracted by the views of tea estates and flowers in the garden. The relatives we met there are unknown before, where no memories we meet each others in any occasions, but they most welcomed us, in such a way it pleased receiving there respect and love! Man, it’s an ever evening that we played and been so happy like that, teasing each others. Our uncle cheered the evening and throughout our travel. Till our dinned we spent time in the yawn, playing bat and ball in the pleasing weather. It’s no more like Ooty or Kodaikanal that we head down before the night dawn. This gives a simply fantastic sense!

Thanks so much for spending your valuable times here reading this long post :)

Kadamparai Dam and downhill - Valparai!

Day5: Dec 27, 2008

By 9 in morning we stared to climb down the valparai hills after taking some pictures with our relative’s whom accommodate us throughout the stay and some kind of love, to greet us again. I haven’t ever fascinate with such colorful flowers treated my eyes and sense this much like those in the garden home we stayed. It’s bitter to know the group took control the home next day plucked all the flowers that bloomed and smiled at me to reflect. The flower pictures I shared here are those taken at the garden. With half a mind, I left the place saying bye to twitter sweet birds that welcomes morning, the blowing wind in fragrance of tea and the warm gave sunshine. Sign by boards, I peer along the way around the trees where lion tail monkeys are yet to leap. At last with little disappointment we found the elephants near Shivaji estate – belong to late actor Shivaji Ganeshan, and where a couple roaming far away the hill and later to have a group of elephants below the valley and inside the shrubs.

After having cuppa in the waterfalls estate - the last tea garden within valparai before climbing down, we turned right near the 20th hairpin bend that head to Kadamparai Dam. The dam was within a distance of 15/20km, and the road lead between teak forest and Tiger valley. We were stopped by a check post and after hardly convincing the old lady, who was in charge, the block was opened and we passed the upper Aliyar and reached the Kadamparai Power house gateway. This was a power house situated at an invisible site inside the hills! It was a 6km tunnel carved in a single rock, with a passage of two Lorries to come and go! Awe… it was interesting to know the main process of this Power house is to recycle the dam water and generate Hydro Electric power. The very special about this was the recycling process. Throughout day the water from Kadamparai dam is open to generate electricity and throughout night, half the current stored are spend to recycle the water from Upper Aliyar to Kadamparai dam. It was like up to down and down to up.

It was highly restricted and very special permission is needed to go inside the tunnel. Those who have went and came, and who recommend us to visit sounds awesome about the silence and fearful noise, to experience never before and to a multi theater effect. As we had some other plan, we couldn’t visit the Kadamparai dam, which was few km above from the power house gateway. As I have lost the pictures I was covering while climbing up valparai hills, I wish to recapture those scenes and stopped at few places, where the one was Lomes view. From here one get a wonderful view of Aliyar Dam and the zigzag dreadful hairpin bends, and from here above the hill were the only place in valparai I saw the Nilgiri Thar. These are some goats, rarely seen on Western Ghats at the least existence.

There are few waterfalls on the way, the water that arrives from Parambikulam dam in Kerala. One of the falls was such forceful and drizzle on the road, the other with little showers left the children to enjoy. If you remember the Sholayar dams, the water that runs through Kerala and into Parambikulam dam is diverted again into Tamil Nadu and what rushes here as falls. This water is also diverted to Thirumoorthi and Amaravathi Dams. It was a sunny day and as per our plan we head to Thirumoorthi Dam and falls, about 35km from the foot hills. After having lunch at a small town – Tali, and leaving my parents and other to let shower, we spent sometime near the dam banks where lot of people where cooking and taking boat ride on the dam. The place near the falls are much crowded like a village festival and many busses and cab vehicles enter and exit continually wanted me to get away as soon. By evening we visited the Amaravathi Dam! That could be a separate post soon…

Pumped storage power plant and my blog

Professor of SASTRA University Thanjavur, Muralisachithanadam, wrote to me about his lecture on Pumped storage power plant posted in YouTube... on the notes taken from my blog. I was really happy when he mailed me more than couple of emails to let me watch the lecture… I was quite out of idea when I wrote about the Pumped storage power plant? But it seems I have been writing about it indirectly through my post on Kadamparai Dam in Valparai.

The professor narrates the subject simply to understand anyone in Tamil and I am so grateful for his note of thanks and picture on me at the end of his lecture (video below). Kadamparai power project is an engineering marvel and manmade wonder! The unique about this hydro power project was the power plant is situated deep inside the hill, travelling 6km into a tunnel that cut through a single mountain rock. I have nothing to say rather feeling wonder, how incredible our engineers are to make successful a project design that borrowed from Germany which failed at the level of execution and operation there.

 I visited the Kadamparai site in 2008, but we couldn’t get permission to go inside the tunnel to visit the power house which is 7 storeys inside the tunnel! I was happy at least getting chance to make visit to the site and learning its amazing process. The power generated here were in two modes: In the generation mode, the machines will be operated to cater the peak hour demand for full load, depending on the storage level of Kadamparai Dam and the Upper Aliyar Dam. In the Pump Mode, the machines will pump the water from Upper Aliyar Dam to Kadamparai Dam during night hours on grid frequency above 49.4 Hz and heavy under drawl of UI from central pool.

I really thank the professor for making an impression among students about the Pumped storage power plant and encouraging them to take notes from my blog. The Kadamparai pumped storage power plant is a marvelous project that not many know about its efficiency (even not many engineers aware of it) which is first of its kind in India. It is also one of the highly protected sites, surrounded by wildlife activities and tribal settlement and getting permission is toughest… even if not visited, leaning about this project is must.

Check the professor’s interview on Pumped storage power plant below in Tamil :

Athirapally and Sholayar Dams

Day 3: Dec26, 08

More than the Rainforest, there was much we covered on the first day in Valparai, visiting Athirapally Falls in Kerala. We plan to begin early our travel, as we need to cover much distance across dense forest, but somehow we managed to leave home by 9 and reached Sholayar dam by 10. We could see the backwaters of Sholayar reservoir about 9km on the way before the dam. That was a pleasant view of the reservoir water in sky blue color and clumps of tea gardens around. We moved after taking some pictures and because of some restore working going on, the permission was denied to enter the dam. Then after breakfast in a small restaurant near sholayar, we proceed… What’s special about the Sholayar dam is ‘it’s a second highest dam in Asia constructed by rocks’. This is one important place in valparai to attract tourist.

On the way some 30km away we found a scenic place called Sholayar dam-2. In the middle of thick forest of bushes lies this undisturbed blue pool! This space is completely haven of nature which needs to be protected from humans claim and one of my favorite sites is this, what I wish to survey again. As it was in the mid-rainforest, seems never get dry and receives water from Sholayar-1. The water from this dam passes through three large pipers and not clearly, after used for hydropower, the water is drive into a channel which persuade into small falls and lake on the way later to flow from an height of 80ft as Athirapally falls to merge with Chalakkudy river. A small falls I mean is something more delight than the huge Athirapally, which is crowded and unfit to enjoy the water than just viewing the stunning waterfalls. We stopped at somewhere in between before to Athirapally, to find a large stream and falls where my bro and uncle went to bath, which was occupied by some guys and with there support they stepped into the forced water. They never have a mind to leave the place and unless we forced to bring them out of water.

I haven’t expected the Athirapally Fall to be such crowded tourist place. This is a place renowned as shooting spot and it is also called as Punnagai Mannan Falls, where the movie's suicide scene was shot. Except me and driver, everyone climbed to the top of the falls to take a dip in water before it falls and we parked our vehicle somewhere to view the falls. After they return, we had our lunch in a hotel there and it’s the Kerala cuisine that savor’s different. On our way back we stopped at few places to take snaps including a waterfall beside the road and I know it could be something wonderful when it flows fully. It had darkened even before we left the dense forest. The sky opened and closed with either sides of trees and shrubs with crying of monkeys and birds. About 7 in evening we stopped nearby Valpari to have our coffee/tea, and got to hear some scary stories from the village guys about Cheetahs attack and there surprise at seeing our pet, told, the villagers wishfully had many dogs alike ours to only get distress by losing them to cheetah. They also advised us to keep our pet safe, where cheetah could come for its smell. Valparai with milk shortage often, people here got to taste Cuttan Chaya (a tea made with hot water or black tea).

I think and felt how wonderful the nature was about to be boundless ones and still, where rivers had there freedom to run and flow wherever it needs, to fill our thirst. But our stupid minds blocked with sketches and fight each day for the natural resource. The Sholayar dams remained to be an important part in storing water and connecting interior states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in support of water shortage or flood. The dam water that flows into KL is driven back again into the TN through the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project, after filling there needs. Something I wonder about Valparai is ‘it has the excess number of dams of 6 within a small region of hills’ that are nearly connect with each other. I think these links could be an ideal in connecting dams and rivers across nation. The purpose of everything was to save the water, the integral part of our lives and future, and the though that rose at that period of time should be praised actually.

PAP – Best Water Resource Development

Water, the chief ingredient of life is reliance upon rain. We can live even without eating for few days or a week but no life is survived without drinking or sucking water fall as rain. Life becomes trouble in case we took refrain drinking water for whatever reason such as hunger strike; though however noble it might be. Today obesity has drive people to drink plenty of water – which eases digestion and helps removing toxin from body. The advance technology in desalination has made alter routes for getting drinking water from sea, but the natural rainwater still holds lot of benefit on health enhancement.

It’s apparent that no life exists in earth without water and it’s a cycling process where trees help producing rain and rain as its resource. We man disrupt either by placing our self in front row, driving others as much possible aside by building endless homes and business to extreme anti-environment and producing immense population shrinking our  sources. The water was sought not only as a life source or health benefit but also to gain trust of vote in election. The politicians bear water as a vital element to score higher in election, no matter how people suffer or fought for life.

In Tamil Nadu the best water resources developments took place during the Kamaraj’s administrative – the former chief minister of TN; who widely known as Kingmaker in Indian politics, who’s tri-tenure or the nine years administrative (1954-1963) as CM of TN were considered as golden period. During his regime witnessed number of dams built across the state and each one of them were an engineering marvel. The uneducated genius - Kamaraj - plays a pioneer on interconnecting rivers and his head of administration has dug number of tunnels diverting the water to utilize fully.

Among the many major plots he charted on irrigation front, feeding thousands of acres of lands across the state, the 'Prambikulam Aliyar Project' is notable! Carried out on the state boarders of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, PAP is a multipurpose and interstate river valley project diverting and integrating the eight west flowing rivers to the east side to the then drought pone area of the Coimbatore and Erode districts of TN and Palghat of Kerala.  The irrigation network consist of seven major canals, comprising one diversion weir,  seven storage reservoirs, conveyance system and interconnecting tunnels to divert water impound to the plains of Coimbatore and Erode.

Except the three reservoirs slip into the Kerala state, I have drawn to five of the seven reservoirs lie at various elevations ranging from  +3800 feet and +1050 feet across the Anamalai Hills. Lying at difference in elevation has also made it possible for these reservoirs to generate hydro-power. The Aliyar Reservoir built across the Aliyar River at the foothills of Valparai has its source in the Anamalai Hills. Apart its own catchment area of about 76 Sq. Miles, water to this reservoir is diverted through the Aliyar Feeder canal and the Contour canal from the Parambikulam group of reservoirs.

What you see in these photos is the Contour canal rode from Parambikulam, which is one of the major canals running for a total length of about 250 km. apart various branch canals, distributaries and minors through which about 4.25 Lakhs acres of lands get irrigated. About 5 km from Aliyar Dam, we saw the contour canal crossing the road to Valparai, and this canal carries water to Thirumoorthi reservoir about 35 km from here. The water was at its full fledged during our uphill ride and we stopped there for a while, while our relative explaining its progress. It felt something wonderful when looking at the fresh water rushing through the canal and fact that they pass number of tunnels lasting certain kms into hills. 

It seems one of the best sharing projects so far between the states with no major issue based on sharing. To note a point, the PAP project had carried out quite throughout IndiraGandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park which beholds number of endanger and wild animals. It doesn't sound easy for me to dug deep tunnels into the haven of wild animals and infectious insect bites… and in time when everything was suppose to done manually. I couldn't stop praising those heroes involved in this project and the engineers with amazing talent on finding routes. 

Something about travelling and Great Hornbill

If you know I’m a travel enthusiastic, travelling is my passion which I like to have often. Lately I have strong emotions to go out in seek of some remedy to my insane and it works well when I was in travelling and resting in hills. I was forced to leave home and see people as a consolation to my insane, and I am somehow comfortable now, with various moments gripping my mind and sweeping or hiding away those injurious thoughts.

Though whatever I planned hasn’t happened quite, I tried to enjoy a lot of things that came in as surprise and felt that more than expecting, enjoying the thing that comes in hand does not disappoint. It was a wonderful journey into Anaimalai hills of pollachi and sighting some rare and wild animals, forest atmosphere and pleasing weather in hill tops, while bright sunshine and farm houses and flowing canals in-between coconut groves and tea estates of valparai are few more resumes again.

Except pollachi IB – the one we stayed last time also, the various places we stayed may be more or less in comfort, but has something to wonder at its structure and surrounding. The nights are embraced in moderate cold and pleasant inside, and the sustain silence makes easier in listing to birds chirping and hornbills singing. Just opposite to our bison lodge in topslip, the great hornbills have build there nests in the large number of trees and makes clear and loud vocal at night.

One afternoon, while wandering without heading to lodge, we’re glad to meet an old man, who was a guide in topslip, taking visitors into the forest by foot and in van. He was taking rest under a bus stop opposite to our lodge and we get to chat with him for sometime about the forest and animals, and thus he says that this is the time hornbill’s nest and breed chicks. So the visitors are not allowed to go inside the large clumps of trees.

As we’re interested about the great hornbills, and liked to know something about it and he says they make unique sweet noises while flying above and makes it louder in breeding season to call the male, and later they sing in unison. The female bird builds the nests in hollows of large trees and imprisons itself with a plaster made up by feces, leaving a slit and lives until the chicks partially grow. During this time the male brings food and feed female through the slit and the chicks follow the same method and seal it again, ones the female comes out.

It was a surprising sight on the Sholayar dam - Valparai, where I saw a great hornbill for the first time, chased by crows to sit and go on by a nearby tree. First looking at its mass I thought it was a huge crane, but only seeing its long colorful curved beak I find it was a hornbill. While staring at the beauty, I went wow… at moment looking at its magnificent and being late in capture, the gorgeous was chased away by crows, but somehow I manned to click few shots that came out here.

While traveling somewhere around anaimalai, I thought are we illegal to this land and when I think back it sense me right. We just go in seek of nature and in love, but not almost realize we’re entering someone’s home and just lost our space in urban development. Many years age we have been sharing the similar amount of space and greenery, but we destroyed everything for our comfort and development and go in seek of nature which is pure and pristine left over at forest and mountains terrain. Sometimes we have to acknowledge the mistake about not controlling our desire and should always keep in mind that our existence should not disturb any nature resources, as we’re like thieves at that present and should follow the universal rule of maintaining silent and let no marks exists. We can’t keep much distance from the nature resources and it has something for every one of us to live and we also have to keep in mind that we let live the resource as it is for our future to exist. Its nature, we always crave for what we don’t have.