Hill Palace Museum, Tripunithura, Kerala

 

If you have not visited the largest archaeological Museum in Kerala so far, you might want to reconsider. Located in Thripunithura - around 12 kms from Kochi city - Hill Palace Museum  is the largest archaeological Museum in Kerala. The palace built in 1865 was the former residence of the Kochi Royal family.

As the name suggests, the palace is situated on a hill top. Once you enter into the palace compound, you are welcomed by the entry steps that lead to the hill top which is beautifully painted in a striking combination of red and black .

Front view of Hill Palace Museum

Left to the entry steps is the children's park. You will be mesmerised by the view of an old pond beside the children's park.

The Hill Palace is a single-storeyed Kerala style' Ettukettu' and is the oldest building in the palace complex.

Home to 14 categories of exhibits, the major share of attractions in this museum have been contributed by the Cochin Royal Family .

Ranging from  oil-paintings, murals, sculptures in stone and manuscripts, inscriptions, coins, belongings of the Kochi royal family, rock-cut weapons from the Stone Age, wooden temple models, plaster cast models of objects from Mohenjodaro and Harappa of the Indus Valley Civilisation, there's a lot to admire here. Also exhibited are over 200 antique pieces of pottery and ceramic vases from Japan and China.

Moving into the Paliam gallery, you can find collections donated by the Paliyath Achans, who were hereditary Prime Ministers to the Cochin Maharajas for a long period. The Royal Crown and gold ornaments decorated with precious stones are some of the exhibits here which shows the wealth and splendor of the Rajas of Kochi.

Weapons Gallery

Old weapons collected from different places are displayed in this building.

Left to the Weapons Gallery is the Royal Chariot Gallery.  Here, you  come across displays of horse drawn coaches imported from England and formerly used by the Maharajas of Travancore. You can find stone sculptures ranging from the 10th century up to the 18th century in the Sculpture Gallery.

From the Sculpture Gallery, you can walk to the Heritage Museum.

Short cut to Heritage Museum

Here there are  traditional household utensils, artifacts and items for religious worship .  A big copper vessel is placed in the Heritage Museum compound.

Heritage Museum

Near the Cloak Room, you can spot a beautiful wooden bird house.

This 54 acre museum complex has also a deer park.

Entry time is restricted from 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM and 2.00 PM to 4.30 PM and is open to the public everyday except on Mondays and Holidays.

Footwears , Bags, Camera, Mobile Phones etc are prohibited inside the Museum. You can keep your belongings in the Cloak Room.

So if you’re someone who loves art then make sure you have this museum on your itinerary on your next trip to Kochi.

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Road Trip to Munnar, Kerala

My journey began from Kochi at around  6.15 am taking the route via  Pookkattupadi-> Perumbavoor-> Kothamangalam-> Neriamangalam-> Adimali-> Munnar.

Enroute a tea and pit stop at Neriamangalam.  Neriamangalam forest range is called the "Chirapunchi" of Kerala because of the high availablity of the heavy rains. The Neriamangalam Bridge, built across the Periyar River, is known as the gateway to the high ranges of Idukki. Munnar is 60  km away from the bridge.

Neriamangalam Bridge

The most challenging part of the drive is through curved roads. En-route a natural structure on both sides of the road was something to click.

Next up is Cheeyappara Waterfalls which is 11 km from Neriamangalam bridge. This is truly a sight to behold.

Cheeyappara waterfalls

The  drive to Munnar is probably one of the most scenic routes in this trip. Stop to take a few pictures before you drive to the next place.

Beautiful green fields sprawling across the horizon make the tea gardens of Munnar one of the most beautiful landscapes.  The best thing to do is to take long walks along deserted roads or inside plantations, and become part of the romance that Munnar excudes.

After 118  kms drive from Kochi, we reached Munnar. Spotted a Eucalyptus forest near the bus stand. After reaching Munnar, we had breakfast in a nearby restaurant. After a cup of tea,we began our journey  around Munnar.

There are various routes through which you can explore the surroundings of Munnar. We selected the Mattupetty direction.  Just 2 km from the city, you can visit the Rose Garden. We skipped this place and drove ahead to Photo Point which is 3 km from the city. This place is on the main road and parking is difficult. The lush green tea gardens are owned by Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited and you can take photographs from the road only.

Photo Point

You can visit Elephant riding place just 8 km from the city. We skipped this place and drove ahead to Mattupetty Dam which is 11 kms from the city.

The lake and dam surrounded by hills and tea plantations is one of the best scenic places in Munnar. You can go down the dam to enjoy the beauty.

Mattupetty Dam,Munnar

There are a lot of stalls near  the parking area, selling local accessorises and food . Boating Centre is just 1 km from the  Dam. You can enjoy boating in the lake and you also have an option of hiring an exclusive speed boat.

En-route we saw an elephant family at elephant arrival spot. Watching elephants was a pleasant experience.

Echo-point is situated, at a distance of 19 kms from Munnar,  on the main road on the back waters of Mattupetty Dam amidst rolling hills. As the name suggests,  every loud call made from a spot on the lake embankment is returned manifold by the echo from the surrounding hills.

Echo-point, Munnar

At a distance of 23 kms from the city, Kundale Dam and lake is another place to visit on the way to Top station. There is nothing much to see here except a curved shaped dam  .

Kundale Dam, Munnar

Then I drove to Top station road. The clouds hang low or gently sweep across, alternatively masking everything in a translucent curtain and clearing up to reveal stunning vistas.

Top station view point is situated on the Kerala-Tamilnadu boarder at a distance of 34 kms from Munnar. You have to walk 2 km from the parking area to the view point. This place is under Tamilnadu Forest Department - Theni forest division.

Top station was a historic shipment point for the trasnportaion of tea leaves via a rope way
carriage contructed in 1924. This ropeway is spread over 3 stations: top station, central station
and bottom station ( Kurangani) from where the tea chests were transported to Bodi,  the nearest railway station.

Top station is home to the Nilgiri Marten, a rare mammal found only in the Western Ghats of India.

From the view point, you will get a breathtaking view of the Top station valley, Kolukkumalai and Meesapulimala Peak.

This place is known as trekkers paradise. Pass for Indians is Rs.200 and for Foreigners - Rs.500. You have an option of rock climbing, cycling and jungle stay.

After tea, we started our return journey by 3.15 PM and reached Kochi at around 8 PM.

How to get there

Fly to kochi from any other city and head to Munnar via NH.

Where to stay

Munnar has several good options.

What to see and do

Enjoy a fun ride 

Stop at various points

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Jungle Safari And Trekking Into The Wild at Konni Forest, Kerala

I was on the lookout  for an adventurous  trip  to enjoy the monsoon in Kerala. That was when I heard about Konni Tourism.

Konni, a forest village in Pathanamthitta district, in the Indian state of Kerala, situated on the banks of the Achencoil River is popular as the place for the purest breath of fresh air in Kerala.

Started off  from Ernakulam South Railway Station at around 5 AM in Vanchinad Express.  We reached Chenganoor station at around 7 AM.  An hour's bus journey from Chenganoor will take you to Pathanamthitta and from Pathanamthitta,  a 10 km journey to Konni.  Finally we reached Konni at around 9 AM.

KONNI ECOTOURISM

Konni Ecotourism offers various activities to visitors. A visit to Elephant Training Centre, trek to Kattathipara, Jeep ride in Konni Reserve Forest, Bowl Boat Riding at Kallar river - all in a day will give you unforgettable memories.

The Elephant Rehabilitation Center has many facilities including elephant viewing and elephant feeding. The center has elephant cases in various sizes and are built with strong woods. The trainers train the young and baby elephants. Visitors can make a close watch of these elephants and their behaviour. It is very interesting to watch the feeding of the baby elephants and their movements.

You also have an option of an Elephant ride with extra payment.

JEEP SAFARI

Took entry ticket for jeep safari and started our maiden journey into the wild of Konni forest. En-route we had breakfast. We crossed the famous Achencoil River. We had a pit stop near a rivulet for photo session.

A SMALL TREK

Soon we reached Kattathipara tribal village. Our plan was to trek to the Kattathipara viewpoint to enjoy the scenic beauty. The climbing gets trickier when we are  close to the peak. The trekking path was very tough.

THE VAST MOUNTAIN RANGES

Beautiful view of mountain ranges covered with meadows is a sight to behold. We were blessed with rain from the top of the peak.

Soon we reached the village and continued our safari. Our lunch was arranged in a house and we had to cross a small stream to reach the house. After lunch we continued the safari.

THE TEMPLE IN THE FOREST

In the middle of the forest, we found a 2000 year old temple (Kurichi Siva temple) which was identified by Archaeological Survey of India.  We were informed that there are many other temples also in the forest.

THE POND IN THE FOREST

There was a pond beside each temple. Recently Forest Department identified 24 Munira within the forest, thus proving  that there was life inside the forest long back.  It is possible that either people were attacked by enemies or vanished in natural calamities.

We continued our ride through the wilderness of the forest. There are various types of medicinal plants, herbs and small streams inside this forest reserve. We were on the constant lookout for elephants, bison's, deer, monkeys and birds but no luck.

En route there were few areas used for farming. I was excited to see the technique used to prevent elephants from destroying the farm produces. One cracker covered in a plastic cover is placed between two  pieces of rock  connected by a small chain. When an elephant touches this chain, the top piece of rock will fall ,thus causing the cracker to burst. This will drive the elephant away.

Soon we reached Nellikkapara Kotha view point. You will get a clear view of Kattathipara and other surrounding areas.

TOWERING TREES

Spotted different kind of trees and species. It was nice to see the trees entangled with each other, creating a sort of natural art installation.

EXOTIC FRUITS

Spotted red colored fruits (Moottil pazham in Malayalam language) which were used by the tribals. The colorful fruits were a delight to watch. The pulp inside the fruit is really sweet.

Soon we came out of the forest area. The 8 hour and 30 kms off road experience in the dense forests, which has the purest breath of fresh air in Kerala was memorable. Out next destination was Mannera water falls.

CELEBRATE EVERYTHING

A bath below the water fall  was a rejuvenating experience. But beware of leeches. I got a bite of leeches. Remember not to remove the leeches from your body. Instead if you put salt on the leech, it will automatically get detached from your body.

The Mannera falls up close.

Our final place in the chart was bowl boat riding or coracle rafting at Adavi Eco-tourism. In local language it is called Adavi Kutta Vanchi  ride. It is located  5 kms from Mundomoozhi which is 13 kms from Konni. Situated on the banks of Kallar river, Adavi has about 5 km river frontage.

Riding time is restricted from  8.30 am to 5.30 pm.  A ride of 30 mins for 4 persons will cost  Rs.400.

The ride is a great experience where we get the feel of nature with  no sound other than that of the jungle .

Of course, Konni is a  perfect getaway for all of you who want to breathe in fresh, clean air amidst the lush green woods with added flavor of adventure in the monsoon.

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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum) is one the premier art and history museums in South Mumbai. Visiting museums is often a part of the tourist experience. I walked several times through this place but for one reason or another, visiting inside the museum had not yet happened.

Once you enter the museum compound, you will be surprised to see the Indo-Saracenic style building which was designed by the British architect, George Wittet and it features  British, Hindu and Islamic architecture. The  largest dome atop  is similar to  Agra’s Taj Mahal and the entire compound is beautifully decorated with  tall palm trees and pristine lawns.

This museum has three floors . Two of the upstairs galleries are air-conditioned.

The Three Floors of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

Sculpture Gallery

The sculpture gallery features many Indian religious figures. One section is dedicated to Akhnoor Terracottas, Wood work of Gujarat etc. It exhibits Buddhist, Jain and Hindu sculptures.

There is a section dedicated to Lord Vishnu with different engraved sculptures on stone.

Lord Vishnu Sculpture

Pre & Proto History Gallery

The gallery has a display of Assyrian Collections. These alabaster stone reliefs once decorated walls of the palaces which are of great importance in the history of ancient art and civilisation.

The Royal Chariot

The great bath at Mohenjodaro is a brick structure surrounded by varandha's, rooms and galleries. A flight of steps lead to the pool.

The Great Bath

Himalayan Art Gallery

The Himalayan Art Gallery on the first floor showcases many artifacts from Nepal. As soon as you enter, you see a six-foot clay sculpture of Maitreya Buddha. thirteenth-century gilt bronze Maitreya that is the gallery’s most valuable exhibit.

Also on display are various ceremonial items such as musical instruments, water jugs, lamps and incense burners; figurines of Buddhist icons such as  Goddess Tara and poet-saint Milarepa and mythological paintings.

It has a display of seventeenth-century wood sculpture of Mahabhairava, Shiva’s angry avatar; a nineteenth-century jewelled plaque of the deity Chintamani Lokeshvara and a drawing of an eleventh-century Tibetan fresco.

Indian Miniature Painting

These miniature paintings showcase in intricate detail the life, culture, looks of people from yesteryear's.

Mughal Style paintings

Krishna Gallery

Cheera Harana

Sir Ratan Tata Gallery

Tata Gallery has a good collection of  European Paintings. The Tata collection comprises two major sections, the European and the Far Eastern.  Sir Edwin Ward, James Jebus Shannon, Jorge Romney, Thomas Gainsborough and Robert Hillingford are just some of the artists whose works are on show.

Lady Ratan Tata donated the furniture for the galleries.

Sir Dorab Tata Gallery

Indian Textile and Consume Gallery

This climate-controlled room showcases glimpses of the textile traditions of India. The Otni & Balni at the entrance reminds  us of  an era when hand picked  cotton and spinning wheels were used to spin yarn. The gallery has a good collection of  Religious items and  Royal Costumes.

The gallery has a large collection of shawls from Kashmir, ikat cloths from Gujarat and Sarees from Thanjavur and Kanchipuram.

Arms and Armour Gallery

This gallery exhibits a large collection of Indian weapons through the ages.

You can admire a collection of swords and armour belonging to Emperor Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.

 Chinese and Japanese Art Gallery

The Chinese and Japanese Gallery occupies part of the top floor. Many snuff bottles from China are on display in a large glass case.

Natural History Section

Natural history section is situated on the  right of the ground floor. This section has a large selection of stuffed animals, including  fish, snakes and birds.

The entry fees to the museum is Rs.60 and Rs. 20 for permission to take photographs.

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A walk through Kamala Nehru Park and The Hanging Gardens

Old Woman's Shoe at Kamala Nehru Park, Mumbai

After visiting Mani Bhavan, I took a cab to Kamala Nehru Park which is located in the posh area of Mumbai Malabar Hills. I could not postpone visiting this place for a later time since I would be released from my current assignment on 12th and might have to leave Mumbai soon. In the end, we would be judged and keeping this in mind, I always work and live to my satisfaction.

Soon I was in Kamala Nehru Park. I had entered through the open gates. There was a huge old woman's shoe located inside it.  I stood infront of the shoe structure to take a photograph.  I could see kids trying to climb on the shoe and some of them even climbed to the top through the dingy steps inside the shoe. I have always been a kid and  I was trying to run away from that kid for the last several years but now trying to get closer to him.

I walked again. The pathways were nicely laid out with a couple of pergolas and benches, several lawn areas and lots of trees and shrubs.

I stopped at a viewing gallery from where I got  a spectacular view of the Chowpatty, Marine Drive and Nariman point.

View of Marine Drive from Malabar Hill

 

Just opposite to Kamala Nehru Park is the Hanging Garden which is a terraced garden and is made on a  water reservoir. I  crossed the road. My plan was to take  a quick walk, and then to go home. There were many people inside the garden.  The garden is situated on a slight elevation on Malabar Hill and  is a favourite spot of Mumbaites. 

Topiary art is displayed in  animal and human shapes cut into hedges which  make this spot unique.  The garden is covered with numerous trees, shrubs, and an array of colorful flowers.  I spent  some more time there as I had no haste to reach home.

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Mani Bhavan, Mumbai

If you have not visited Mani Bhavan, Mumbai - the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, you might want to reconsider. It was Mani Bhavan that Gandhiji stayed between 1917 and 1934 during India's freedom struggle and it is the place from where Gandhiji initiated the Non-Cooperation, Satyagraha, Swadeshi, Khadi and Khilafat Movements.

This three storied building  is situated near Nana Chowk, Gamdevi, Mumbai. The  visiting time is restricted from 9.30 am to 6 pm and is open everyday.

A plaque outside the museum has the full name of the place with Gandhiji’s trademark  'Charkha'  on top of it.

There is a small counter at the entrance for enquiry.  Entry is free and photography is allowed inside the museum. Once you enter the place, there is a library with a statue of Gandhiji where people offer their tributes.

The library contains more than 50,000 books on Gandhiji, Gandhian thought and allied subjects. The rooms on the ground floor have been  converted into a picture gallery that displays an array of photos depicting important events, copies of documents, noteworthy clippings and letters.

Picture Gallery

On the wooden stairs leading to the first and second floor, Gandhiji's pictures depicting his life have been  installed.  On the first floor is a simple auditorium where you can see films related to Gandhiji.

On the second floor is Gandhiji’s room that was used during his stay . There is a glass partition and  people can see a small bed, a writing table, few books and his favorite Charkha with open windows and doors. You are not allowed into this room.

Gandhiji's Room

This room has miniature doll-like figures depicting Gandhiji's life.

Of course, visiting Mani Bhavan is something all of us need to do.

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A journey through the Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Since I saw the Hindi movie 'Dil Se' , travelling in Nilgiri Mountain Railway had been my dream. Since then I had fantasized with the song "Chal Chaiyya Chaiyya" in which Shahrukh Khan dances with Malaika Arora and other dancers.

Nilgiri Railway is one of the three railway lines in India that has made it to the UNESCO listed World Heritage Sites. The Nilgiri Express is also known as the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) or the Blue Mountain Railway. 

The train covers 46 kilometers from Mettupalayam to Ooty in five hours. For a shorter visit, we can prefer Ooty to Coonoor.  With a  lot of excitement, I reached  Ooty (also known as Udagamandalam) station in the morning.

They are running a trip between Ooty and Coonoor  for tourists.  This trip starts from Ooty at 9 AM and reaches Coonoor at around 10.15 AM. This will return at 4:30 PM and reaches Ooty by 5:45 PM. One way is just Rs.10/-  and you don't have to wait in the queue, as they have a separate reservation window just opposite the station.

There were five stations between Ooty and Coonoor (Fern Hill, Lovedale, Ketti, Aruvakkadu, and Wellington).  The train runs on a meter gauge track which is rare elsewhere.The old steam engine is replaced by diesel engine which runs with jetropha diesel. Running at a speed ranging between 15-20 kilometer per hour, NMR offers the perfect choice  to enjoy the delightful scenic beauty of the Nilgiris.

The train passed  adjacent to the  Ooty lake.  Some prominent songs and visuals of  Bollywood, Tamil and Malayalam movies were shot along the Ooty Lake that spreads across 65 acres of the land in Ooty.  You can enjoy the picturesque beauty of the eucalyptus trees that cover the lake.

Gorgeous views of tea plantations; houses atop on the small hills and lush green field added up to the beauty.

If you remember the Malayalam movie ,' Classmates' , there was a song, where this train was seen and even in Priyadarshan’s  ' Summer in Bethlehem'  this toy train appears in some of the scenes.

Several movies have featured this train,which was started by the British in 1908.  The beautiful scenes of nature - mountains on one side and deep valleys on the other  is something you can cherish. There are about three tunnels on the way to Coonoor where the train pass through.

Running along the narrow gauge through the Eucalyptus forests, the Nilgiri Toy train is yet another historical mountain railway in India.

Ketti station is the 3rd station and lies exactly midway between Ooty and Coonoor and the valley lies just ahead of the station. After the train left Ketti station , I was completely spell bound by the view I was offered by this majestic valley.  Make sure that you  get a window seat on the right side if you are travelling from Ooty to Coonoor.

After crossing Aravankkadu station, the train passed through a big arch bridge.

Then the toy train curves its way through dense forests. With every turn that the train took, our hearts skipped a couple of beats.

After an hour of shrieking with excitement and taking a dozens of  photos, we saw the Coonoor station in the distance.  Deep valleys, forests, cultivation , tunnels, mountain ranges, picturesque beauty all around  make you feel that the train should not stop at Coonoor.  Do not forget to capture those moments for your memory forever.  For me, the entire train journey felt like I had been transported into a Bollywood movie!

If you are holidaying in Ooty, your trip will not be complete, if you miss the toy train journey.

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