Kuzhiturai - Tharai Paalam

A low level bridge (Tharai Paalam), which is located at Kuzhiturai near by Maarthandam, Kanyakumari. It has been blocked the high flow of water wasted at rainy season and make the commuters to travel one end to another.

Both end has been closed at the time of heavy rain, because it was slippery due to the form of Algae, while walking on the bridge. This photos are taken at the time of heavy rain, otherwise it will open for commuters to cross from one end and other.

Kanjamalai

Kanjamalai Siddhar Kovil is located at EIam Pillai in Salem District. 

Hill Name : Kanjamalai

Speciality : Lots of traditional Herb's, Temples and wells are situated around the Hill.

We start our journey with three members team from Chennai Central to Salem junction. We reached at early morning and get the town bus to reach the new bus stand.

Then had some breakfast and get refreshed, then get into the bus to reach "Elam Pillai Stop".

Kanjamalai Enterance

A pot full of making "Bonda" with a new kind of stove, really amazing to see this and we wait for that bonda to be ready. Buy some bondas and start walking to reach the hill. While seeing around most of the herb plants are not properly maintained (name boards are placed but plants are not available)

Me and my friend Sakthivel

 

When we walk over the road you can found a Temple (Arulmigu Sithaeswara Swami) within 500meters. Near by the Temple they will provide iron buckets with the rope for Herbal Bath. 

Just Pay 10 rupees per bucket and enjoy bathing, beware of monkeys around the areas. 

Read the below guidelines on the board they specify for the safety of the surrounding to keep clean. Please avoid plastic bags.

Chandrasekar ready for a bath

A clear view of well

We got a bucket and ready for the bath. Really a freshness experience after having a bath in the well. After took a bath, we took the path to find the Sithar Kovil.

The surroundings are fully planted with Herbal trees, but the worst part is they never maintained properly. Just we saw the plant names boarded with the yellow stones.

Gudiyum Caves

Gudiyum Caves

Gudiyum Caves - it's our second Trekking experience which gives a very good explore for us and our team's support gives more enthusiastic to reach two caves on the same day. We planned our trip on 10th October 2015 and started from Koyambedu around 7AM (actually it's too late). If you plan to reach without traffic, start earlier as much as possible. So we set a meeting point near my house and start our journey with my friend's car.

Anoop, Anand, Vishwanathan, Saravana, Mohanraja

After some point of time, everyone get hungry when we see the hotel on the way. So we decided to have a breakfast at MOTEL and buy some snacks, water bottles etc.

Diet Idly

We quickly had the breakfast and start our journey further, Suddenly our driver realized that the stepney is not ready. Then we looking for a puncture shop, then we found a shop on the Thiruvallur Road within 2kms. Due to the worst road condition, check the stepneys, tyre pressure and most importantly have a enough petrol for the uninterrupted journey.

Stepney ready and its fitted

Finally we reached our destination around 9.30AM and bit confusion on the exact entry point to the Caves due to the misguidance by some one. Finally a person show the correct root for the entrance. Then we drive on the way at the thaar road to watch the right side to find a board mentioned as "Sri Mannachiamman Kozhi Pannai". Then slow down the vehicle and take the right side of the road, it start from Red Sand Road in the few meters there is a land mark of "Mundhiri Thoopu (Cashew Garden)".

Sign Board is available to identify and take the right direction, some times its hard to find out the correct direction, the RED SOIL road is the land mark.

I bet in every team there is a person who do differently apart from the nature (aarva kolaaru). He is the one of my best friend. Check below his some kurangu activities.

This is the first cave, which we reached after long hours of journey. Take some photos and halt for some time.

After taking a rest, we identify a small path on the left side of the cave. Climb on that way as it go, it will bring us in the top of the cave. It is more slippery, be careful on the walk, better wear a sports shoe with gripping bottoms.

The way we walk on the side is too sloppy, so each have a stick and continue the ride. 

We make as a direction to point that a narrow way is available to reach a first cave. Among the stones someone mark it in red color for the direction, then only we realized the path is exits in the direction. So we make it in bigger arrow to helpful for some one.

Kollimalai Hills

Budget Trekkers started its first travel to Kollimalai Hills, located in Namakkal District at Tamil Nadu, India. The mountains are about 1000 to 1300 m in height and cover an area of approximately 280 km². The Kollimalai Hills has 70 hair pin bends to reach the top of the hills.

Here the below major places to visit at Kollimalai Hills.

1. Agaya Ganga Waterfalls, near Araaleshwar Temple to reach down 1200 steps.
2. View Points : (a) Seekuparai (b) Selurnadu
3. Boat House, at Vasalurpatty on Solakkadu - Thinnanurpatty Road
4. Siddhar Caves
5. Masila Falls
6. Arappaleswar Temple also known as Fish Temple, built at 12th century.
7. Botonical Garden
8. Santhana Parai Valley & Dam.

Checklist items for this Trip:

1    Water / Cool Drinks
2    Snacks
3    Tablets / First Aid Kits (around 70 hair pin bends, have some vomit tablets if you are uncomfortable)
4    Odomos
5    Lighter
6    Torch Lite
7    Jerkin
8    Bedsheet
9    Camera
10  Mobile Charger 

Route from Chennai (Itinerary) :

From	To	Mode of Transport	Dep. Time	Arr. Time
Chennai Central	Salem	Train (Yerkad Express)	22:40	05:30
Salem	Rasipuram	Bus	06:00	07:40
Rasipuram	Karavalli	Bus	08:00	08:30
Karavalli	Semmedu	Bus	08:40	09:35

Budget Per Head : Rs. 1500 /-
No. of Persons : 5 Members
Trip Date : August 2013

     We started with our enthusiastic team Members (Anoop, Vishwanathan, Karthikeyan, Prasanna and Mohanraja) on August 2013. As per the plan we reached sharply at 10 PM on Chennai Central Railway Station(MAS), after boarding we settled in our compartment then we took some spicy meat fried with pepper, a great preparation by Prasanna.

     Next Day morning we reached Salem Junction (SA) sharply at 5.30 AM. We packed everything and get down from the train and took a public transport to reach the Salem Junction New bus stand. Then get the bus details from the local people and finally we  reached Semmedu location after 4 hours of journey.

A wonderful journey commenced again through bus. It gives a nice and fearful experience on the hair pin bends. Most of our friends are facing vomit sensation, when the bus reach 60th hair pin bend.

Note: For safety keep a vomit control tablet or a lemon and small polythene bag (for worst case). 

Finally we reached semmedu around 10'clock, then find out a room near by the bus stand.

 
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