A Day in Abhayaranyam Ecotourism

Abhayaranyam, an ideal weekend getaway from Ernakulam is situated near Kaprikad at Kunnathukadu Taluk in Ernakulam district, Kerala State.

Entry fee is Rs.50/-. An ecotourism shop functions near the main entry gage of the mini zoo which sells sandalwood oil and honey etc. The canopy walkway offers plenty of shade and you can walk around the park within 2 hours with a few stops along the way.

The walkway sections are divided by several themes like bamboo forest, butterfly building, mini zoo etc.  There are benches all over the walkway which offer a handy spot to rest. During the walk, you can see tree houses on the way.

 

Deer and Sambar Park are another attraction here. Hundreds of Deers and Sambar are kept here, and visitors can enjoy the animals roaming around in a natural forest area.

Home to various species of birds, butterflies, spiders, and mushrooms, Abhayaranyam has an elephant shelter and also a training center for mahouts.

You can enjoy the green and lush of the area with the view of the river here. There is a bathing session for elephants which is an amazing site for the visitors.

Make your way back to the entrance area afterwards to follow the trail down to the lower entrance/exit. It is an ideal destination for a one-day trip. 

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Chasing Palakkad's iconic Ramassery Iddly in Alappuzha

Can I eat the famous Ramessery Idli without travelling all the way to Palakkad ?. That was the question in my mind for the past few months. Finally my dream came true as KTDC Ripple Land Restaurant, Alappuzha organized a five day 'idli festival'.

The crowd was less than I expected on a Saturday and when I entered the food stall which was temporarily arranged in the parking area, the air with the smell of different types of idlis, held a delicious promise. Here five types of idlis were served - egg, chicken ,sambar, seafood and  chocolate idlis.

The genesis of these idlis can be traced to  people who migrated from Kanchipuram in Tamilnadu to Palakkad  in search of employment.  I stood for sometime at the cooking area  to watch the making of these Idlies. They are  flat, similar to dosa in shape and only half an inch thick.  An eight inch round clay containers are covered with pieces of wet cotton cloth. A ladle full of batter is poured on each of the prepared clay steamer containers. These are then stacked one over the other, and carefully placed in the steamer. The steamer is then covered with another blackened pot. 

This flat shaped idli is best enjoyed with sambar , chutney powder, coconut chutney and spicy onion chutney.  It is worthy that Alapuzha can enjoy the taste of Palakkad's Ramassery idli  without travelling to Palakkad.

In the afternoon, I went for a boat ride starting at 1.30 pm. To explore  the  backwaters of Alappuzha  in a budget  friendly way, I took  government ferry travels from Alappuzha to Kainakary.  Ticket for upper deck is Rs.60 in one way per person. 

This one and half hour journey gave me a chance to see the village life from the boat,  women washing clothes and  men fishing along the way.  The surrounding is lush green with a large spread of water, small canals, lush green paddy fields, small boats, house boats packed with tourists, cormorants and toddy shops dotting the entire landscape. I reached Kainakary at around 3.30 pm. There was a halt and had tea and snacks . 

Returned to  Alappuzha at around 5 pm.  Drifting down the backwaters of Alappuzha  is an quintessential experience.

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A walk through paddy fields

It was two days off from my work. I drove to Chelakkara to spend the weekend with my family. Our house is situated at Pangarappally which  is a small and picturesque village just 1 km from Chelakkara town. Paddy fields, vegetable cultivation and abundant greenery surrounded by hills makes the village very beautiful.

It was refreshing to see blankets of rice paddies stretching across the landscape behind our home. I wore the traditional mundu and T shirt and walked through the muddy path covered by grass. That  kindled memories that flashed through my mind.  Born and broughtup in Paruthipra village in Shoranur,  our house is also surrounded by paddy fields and a pond in the midst. I used to walk with Ammamma through the muddy path in the morning. It was there where I learnt swimming in the pond.  It was there where I joined  school  for the  1st standard in the near by LP school. It was there where  I grew up writing alphabets on the slate and sung the national anthem.   I turned nostalgic.

I spent most of the time outdoor with my camera.The house was surrounded by trees. I am happy simply to be in the  midst of trees, grateful for the clean air, birdsong and all the green.  

We spotted  a Giant Malabar squirrel sitting on a branch of a coconut tree.

In the evening, we visited nearby temples. Anthimahakalan Kavu, a famous Siva temple is at a walkable distance from our house. Lord Siva in the form of 'Anthimahakalan' is the main deity .

Thus, two days passed. It was time to go back to Kochi. In just two days, the eye strain, the result of hours spent in front of a computer, was all gone.

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Tracing The Seven faces of A River at Ezhattumugham

I sat on the rocks in the middle of the river observing people walking through the suspension bridge and forget about myself by the picturesque surroundings. The forces of water was divided by the rocks and created  pools all over the area. A complete mystical feel, and it was so good to be tranquil there.

I am in Ezhattumigham Prakriti Gramam (Nature Village).  It has been 8 months, my travel plans had been suspended  and I learnt to live in an era in an  entirely new way of living.  By the mid of March, it was almost certain that a lockdown was the only option then to fight COVID-19.  By that time, COVID-19 had started to spread and fear and uncertainty took hold.  Except the initial lockdown of almost a month, I resumed my official duty on the last weekend of April and my outing limited between home and  office. The only option was to look back to good old days through my previous blog posts. Every post opened up  a clear whiff of nostalgia.

Now months into the pandemic,  I was glad that tourism centers have  re-opened slowly with COVID-19 protocols. I did few research for places to visit for one day travel and that allowed us to stay away from places that were too crowded. On a sunny Sunday, we decided have a joy ride to Ezhattumukham.

Ezhattumukham Prakriti Gramam, a park on the side of a check-dam across Chalakudy river at Ezhattumugham is the tourism project undertaken by the Thrissur District Tourism Promotion Council, to woo tourists.   After breakfast we started our drive from Kochi. Contrary to my previous travels, we carried lunch with us. After Angamaly Jn, we took a right turn from Karayamparambu Jn.  Ezhattumigham Prakriti Gramam is just 17 kms from here.

Before reaching Ezhattumukham, we stopped at the check post where the details of the  vehicle etc were provided to the counter. We were  given  a number which we have to inform during our return journey. Further drive was through the narrow road amid oil palm estates of the Plantation Corporation.

Parked my car in the parking area. Tourists began to arrive at the Ezhatumukham Prakriti Gramam to spend a few moments amidst the natural beauty. I came out of my car and walked towards the gate. There was a thermal testing in the gate and officials collected visitors details. Contrary to my expectations, I found a long queue in the gate, waiting for entry to the park.

Once inside the park, you can see children's park and an outlet selling tea and snacks.  We walked down to the river on one side of the park.

Here seven streams  are formed in the Chalakudy river due to islets and boulders and that is how Ezhattu-mugham (seven faces of a river) gets its name.  After  some time in the river, we then walked through the suspension bridge  which links Ezhattumugham in Ernakulam district to Thumpoormuzhi tourist spot in Thrissur district

The view of the river from the top of the suspension bridge was beautiful. You can watch visitors  walking  on the boulders and islets through shallow water, right to the other bank of the river.

People who want the silence of the forest and the beauty of the river come here. To me Ezhattumugham is a place to unwind and relax.

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A journey through Munroe Thuruth (Munroe Island), Kerala

One fine Sunday, before the crack of dawn, I boarded my train from Ernakulam Station  to Munroe. Reached Munroe at around 8 am. Only few trains especially passenger trains and Memu trains have stop in this station. Since our meeting point was at the station premises at around 9 am, I waited there for an hour. There were less people around the station. Having nothing to do, I strolled around the station for sometime and met one of my co-travellers in a coffee shop.

A little about Munroe. Munroe Thuruth is a cluster of eight islands, interconnected by narrow canals , located in the middle of the Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada river. The island community is named after Colonel John Monroe, a British officer who took the initiative to construct canals in the region and link the backwaters.

We then took an auto and moved to a homestay where our boat was parked.  I sat on a chair near to the river side. The water was crystal clear, the air was chill and crisp.  There was a Shikara boat parked near  me.

I was silently enjoying the beauty of the scenery.  A picturesque river, sheltered by trees that dipped their boughs into the murmuring waters and a boat resting on the water. An absolute treat for the eyes.

The best way to reach Munrou islands is by riding a boat. Soon we started our ride  in three groups. There are a few roads and bridges connecting some villages but most of Munroe is still navigable only by boat. The views on the sides are houses, fish farms etc.

Row and small boats, prey ducklings and rare species of birds are common here. As we moved ahead, we came across a series of canals connected by small bridges where sometimes we had to bend our head  at some places as the boat passed under these bridges.

Fisheries are an important source of income for the people. You will find many Karimeen (Pearl spot fish) kettu throughout the journey. Small roads in the middle of the lake is a common sight in the island. All around, you can see coconut palms.

A little way off where the canals end, the boat soon enters the Ashtamudi Lake. In the middle of the lake is a mangrove forest which is shaped naturally. Such tremendously beautiful formation of nature is something to cherish. All we could do is relax, look, and breathe in the perfumed air. We photographed by stopping our boat  at the centre of that structure, which I had only seen in social media till date. We spent a  long time in that beautiful spot.

We returned our ride from this point. It was already  2 pm. when we finished our boating. Our lunch was ready, which was served in plantain leaf. Everything served was hot and fresh and I really enjoyed fish recipes.

Soon we bid goodbye to each other and started our return journey. We took an auto till ferry to catch Jankar. A ferry to the island is normally crowded.  After crossing the river, we got our bus to Kollam.

It is sad to hear that these eight islands are sinking everyday because of the effects of climate change. It is believed that the island would be entirely submerged by the year 2050.

It was a great weekend travel by enjoying village life, food and boating through canals and lake.

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Culture Trail: The Dance of Gods

After the day's sight seeing at Kannur,  we went straight to our place of residence. A house in the countryside which is the home of our friend where his grandmother alone stays. Soon we were all ready to refresh. The ladies in our group  dressed in traditional Kerala Saree and the men dressed up in traditional shirt and Mundu .  20 of us set out to see the Theyyam performance at the Sri Dharmadaiva Temple at Nadakkal Tharavadu in Pazhayangadi, in the Indian state of Kerala. So after a 15 minutes journey, we arrived at the Kavu.

Theyyam means “ GOD” in Malayalam Language, and is practised in Kolathunadu (Kannur and Kasargod districts)  in Northern Kerala. When it comes to Kozhikode, it is known as 'Thira'.  I learnt from a conversation with a local expert that a similar custom prevailed in the Tulu Nadu region of neighbouring Karnataka and there are some information that these art forms  originated from Kudagu.

When we reached, Vellattam by different form of Theyyams had already  started. The compound was packed with many people. There were few chairs which were occupied by first comers. We could hear the 'thottam paattu' which describes the origin of the theyyam and related things in a song format. There was Chendas along with 'thottam paattu'  during Theyyam dancing. I spent sometime watching  Theyyam Chamayam.

The fire was blazing in the middle  of the compound. Theyyam was performing around the fire with certain ritualistic and divine movements. It is said that this divine dance is to propitiate Gods, Goddess , forefathers, local heroes and heroine’s accompanied by rituals and other devotional hymns with Chenda. Invoking god or goddess in his body, the Theyyam dances through the compound.  It is a custom that each theyyam will come to the audience to bless them and in turn people will give Dhakshina.

We were going to watch Vellattam by various Theyyams -  Thaiparadevatha, Kandanar Kelan, Vayanat Kulavan, Vishnumurthy and Kudiveeran. After that Purappadu by Sreebhootham, Kandanar Kelan, Vayanat Kulavan, Kundor Chamundi, Kurathi, Vishnumurthy, Thaiparadevatha and Gulikan.

A little about Kudiveeran Theyyam : The story goes like this. Kudiveeran  lived by invoking  fear for the enemy and doing  good towards his people. The King of Heavan, who heard the life of Kudiveeran sent Yaman to earth to take Kudiveeran. The Warrior had surrendered to destiny and had disappeared at Thrinunelly and thus the warrior became Kudiveern Theyam.

It is believed that Vayanat Kulavan Theyyam, an old age goddess Theyyam will appear whenever we pray. The dance steps of this goddess are slow and steady.

We watch slaughter of chicken as part of the rituals. What  attracted  me is that people were telling their stories, good or bad, that happend in their homes to  the Theyyam  just  as we normally communicate to God. 

Then it was turn for Sree Bhootham Theyyam, and it was different from other Theyyams. There was only conversation by the Theyyam.

Annadhanam ( a sacred tradition of offering food ) was arranged in the Kaavu. Food was hot and fresh and all of us had dinner. They also served hot black cofee occaasionally during the night. It was already 5 am and by that time a big bonfire was prepared at the middle of the compound. All of us were anxiously waiting for  the performance of Kandanar Kelan Theyyam.

It is better to know the story of  Kandanar Kelan before in order to enjoy his performance. A person called Kelan came to a hilly area in search of his livelihood through farming. One day he set fire to the area. But unfortunately, the fire spread  and Kelan was in the midst of the fire. To save himself Kelan climbed a tree. There was a snake on the tree. Kelan and snake fell into the burning fire and both died.

Vayanatt kulavan on his rutine hunting in the area saw the burnt body of  Kelan and touched his body with his bow. Kelan got his life back immediately. Kelan who got a rebirth befriended Vayanatt Kulavan. As Kelan was found in the forest fire, he was called Kandanar Kelan. Thus Kandanar Kelan also become divine and was being performed as Theyyam.

Soon, Kandanar Kelan ran into the compound in all his glory. I quitly sat down at a distance, positioned my camera towards the fire. The Theyyam  performs the fire to show the exit from the forest fire. It was a sight to behold.

The theyyam ran and jumped over the fire. Two helpers on either side supported him as he ran swiftly over the blaze. He was jumping and running over it again and again. One can only see Kandanar Kelan breathlessly as he ran  through the fire without any security.

It was absolutely a visual treat. None of us even knew it was morning. At around 6 am,  we returned back to our residence for sleep. The Van was quiet on the drive back home. Probably, all of us were reliving the stunning performance of Kandanar Kelan !!!

DAY 2

It was around 11 am, we were back again to the Kavu. The compound was filled with multiple Theyyams. As in the night, people were packed in the place. I could see devotees communicating with the Theyyam and in turn Theyyam advises the devotees and offer blessings.

Thaiparadevatha Theyyam is actually Badrakali Devi and this Theyyam is known in different names particularly the name of the village where the theyyam is performed.  Thaiparadevatha Theyyam is also called by Amma, Achi, Pothi, Thampuratti etc

I took blessings from Kundor Chamundi Theyyam and  Kurathi Theyyam.

It was already 2 pm and after lunch, we were ready to leave. By that time Gulikan Theyyam was running around the compound.

Gulikan is a local form of the Hindu God of death, called Yama. The intricate and fascinating dance steps of Gulikan stands apart from that of the other Theyyams. It is said that there are eight kind of Gulikan Theyyams.

According to legend, to save the life of Markandeya, Lord Siva opened his third eye and put Yama into ashes. After that there was no death on earth. Deva's complained to Lord Siva. To solve the problem, Lord Siva pressed  his left thump finger on the ground and his finger splitted and Gulikan was born.

When I sat on the bench at Pazhayangadi railway station waiting for the train, scenes from the trip raced through my mind.  I  boarded the train with a lot of great memories in my head. I could smell that hash for days.

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A Road Trip through Kannur

St.Angelo Fort

I reached Kozhikode, slept very well and left for Kannur the next morning for my two days trip to Kannur, in the Indian state of  Kerala. It was a memmorable train journey from Kozhikode to Kannur because I met a new friend and  most of the topics in our conversation  was about my journey, Theyyam performance and sight seeing spots in Kannur. I was very much excited about Theyyam. We reached Kannur railway station and said good bye. Had my breakfast from  the railway station restuarant. By that time, all group members assembled at the station premises. Our conveyance was ready and we, a gang of 20 started our journey , singing and dancing in the Traveller.

We moved to St.Angelo Fort which was the day's first destination. We were lucky to meet Gokulan Sir, who is working in the Kerala Police and  deputed to the Fort for the past 13 years. He was very fluent in English and he explained about the Fort.  According to history, St Angelo Fort is  a composite feature of the Portugese, Dutch and the English architecture right from the early 16th century A.D.  It was sold to the Arrakal Raja in 1772 by the Dutch. The British finally seized it in 1790 and thereafter it was their base in the Malabar till 1947.

The fort is surrounded by sea on three sides while a dry moat runs from a land side of the fort on one side.  The main gate is towards the land.  We visited chapels, house of mercy prison, offices and other amneties which were built by the Portugese.  Presently,  the canons are fixed in the merions and bastions on the fort wall, pointing towards the sea.

St.Angelo Fort

Our next stop was  Arakkal Museum at Ayikkara which is located  3-4 km from the city of Kannur. Arakkal is the only Muslim dynasty of Kerala.  Now it is under the Department of Archeology.

The heritage artifacts belonging to the Arakkal Dynasty are in the museum. As we entered the museum, we could see articles from the Quran, important documents and paintings written during the British Dutch period, antiquities of various kinds, carved furniture, and crystal plates. The rest of the Arakkal history, the Durbar Hall and stick with the lion's head are still preserved here.

Arakkal Museum

It was already 2 pm and we had famous Thelassery Biriyani from a restuarant, on our way to V-Pra Kaayal Floating Park.  After lunch, we hit the road.  The road was narrow but good .

Entry fee to the park  is Rs.10/- only. The park is constructed on top of Vayalapra Kaayal.  We had spicy buttermilk from the  shop  near the entrance.  Then we started our walk on the path built in wood on top of the river. I could see food courts selling different kinds of foods, shops selling anticrafts etc on the side of the path.

V-Pra Kaayal Floating Park

It is packed with various activities like pedal boating, kayaking, group boating, party boat and kids water ride.  The end of the bridge have everything, we got from a modern mall. Play zone ? Juice shop?  Cool bar? Ice cream shop? Vedio game? They all are here.

Our next destination in the chart was Kerala Folklore Acadamy Museum, but it was closed that day. We had  great expectations to know about theyyams  prior to witnessing  its performance in the whole night.

Then we moved to Madayipara, which  was our last sight seeing spot in the chart. The real fun started as the road starts to kink on its way uphill.

Madayipara, which is a hillock, spread across an area of 700 acres, with  picturesque landscapes has  the remains of an ancient fort called the Madayi Fort built by the Vallabha King of the Kolothu dynasty, now in ruins including  a Jew pond.

Madayipara

According to legends, the Greeks, the Arabs and the Jews  setup camp near Madayipara long back. Once, it was the administrative hub for the kings of Ezhimala. Tipu Sultan is said to have signed some treaties here with the British.

It is said that during the Onam season the whole hillock is covered in a carpet of blue flowers. Since we visited the place in summer, the entire landscape was yellow in color with long blades of grass and red flowers. The exquisite beauty of the biodiversity of Madayipara is that it keeps on changing its face every season.

We quitly sat down at the edge of the hill. The sun was about to set. The sky turns in a blaze of orange and red shade as the  sun sets behind the hills.

Sunset at Madayipara

It was a memmorable place for me : lovely sunset, photography, some fun filled group activities with more than a place to sightsee and explore.

There was something left in the days program  that was much awaited-  Theyyam performance in the  night..

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Sacred Journeys : Sri Subramanya Temple at Peralassery

Stepwell at Peralassery Sri Subramanya Temple

I  travelled to Kannur district to visit three main temples, for reasons best known to me. Situated 14 km away from Kannur,  in the Indian state of Kerala,  the snake temple - Sri Subramanya Temple in Peralassery is unique for its architecture and associated legends

DIVINE EXPERIENCE AT THE TEMPLE

According to legend, Sri Subramanya had visited the area in the form of a snake. The story goes that, Prince of Ayodhya, Sri Ram, during his course of wanderings in the forests of South India in search of his kidnapped spouse Sita, visited this particular site in Peralassery. Sri Ram sensed the presence of Sri Subramanya and decided to install an idol of Lord Subramanya. This is as far as legends go. Other deities in the temple include Ayyappa, Ganapathi, Naga and Bhagawathi.

Offering of hen’s eggs to snake gods is a key feature at Peralassery Sri Subramanya temple. The prasadam is delicious payasam, made out of rice, milk and jaggery pudding.

MARVEL AT THE ARCHITECTURE OF STEPWELL

The stepwell at Peralassery Sri Subramanya Temple is the largest of its kind in Kerala. The well itself is geometrical star-shaped, and has steps leading to it. 

The steps leading to the water is the first thing that attracts you. The stepwell resembles the many baoris (stepwells) found in parts of North and West India such as Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat. There are many stories, which make these structures interesting. As per the local belief, the waters of Cauvery River mysteriously make their way to the stepwell on Thula Sankramam (Tula Sankranti–Libra Solstice). The pond is full of fish. The beauty, architecture and legend associated with this place will give you a different kind of experience.


TEMPLES IN AND AROUND

Parassinikadavu Sri Muthappan temple is just 29 km away from Peralassery temple. There are many features to make this temple unique.  The deity worshiped in this temple is Sree Muthappan, a personification of two Gods – Thiruvappana (Lord Vishnu) and Vellatom (Lord Shiva). His life is best portrayed through a traditional dance known as Muthappan Theyyam.  One of the interesting fact is that, here dogs are considered to be sacred as it’s the vehicle of Lord Muthappan. The temple is a private one belonging to a family. The temple provides free meals to all visitors.

Sri Rajarajeswara temple is a Shiva temple located in Taliparambu and  is just 37 kms from Peralassery Temple. Taliparambu is one among 108 Shiva Temples in Kerala created by Lord Parasurama and is regarded as one of the ancient Shakti Peethams. This temple is also popularly known as Rajarajeswari Temple.  As per the custom, only men enter the Naalambalam during  daytime, while women stand outside. Women can enter the Naalambalm all days after the Athazha pooja is over in the evening.

There are plenty of other places to visit when traveling to Kannur.  I have been a huge fan of Theyyam - the ancient ritual in Northern Kerala.  This time my purpose is not sight seeing. I bid adiue to Kannur only to  return again to watch the Theyyam , a few months later !

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Train journey from Shoranur to Nilambur

How about travelling in a train with a group of 50 friends.  On a Sunday morning, we were travelling from Shoranur to Nilambur. The focus of this train journey is  not reaching the destination but to enjoy the day with like minded people. This route is often described as " Green Tunnel" because both sides of the railway line is covered by trees, mostly teak. Since we were travelling in monsoon, nature had become more greener.

We started at 6.30 am from Shoranur.  It is a 60 km journey, that will generally take about 2 hours. As it inches through dense greenery,  it crosses bridges, rivers etc . It  is one of the most scenic train routes in Kerala. We reached Nilambur at around 9.30 am.

Nilambur is located in  Malappuram district which is a world of fascinating views. There is an argument that the name 'Nilambur' is derived from the word 'Nilamburam'. It means that the place is the land of bamboo's. This is the city where you can see the influence of  the Chaliyar river and the Nilgiri hills.

After having  breakfast, we proceeded to DFO bungalow which is the first place in our chart. We splitted into two vehicles. On reaching the bungalow, the team first visited the bungalow and a few of them even proceeded to sky walkway.

The bungalow is located on the banks of the Chaliyar river amidst dense trees. It was built by the British in 1928. The main parts the building are made of spear and teak. The main attraction of the bungalow is spacious halls and varandahs. The bungalow was the official residence of DFO till 1970.

Old DFO Bunglow

Then we proceeded to sky walkway. It is a six meters walkway and you can enjoy the sound of birds chirping by walking among trees and touching the tallest branches. Regardless of how long the bridge is, the views are endlessly astounding.

Sky Walkway

Next place in our chart was Conolly's Plot. The main attraction of the place ia a hanging bridge across Chaliyar river.

Though I started walking on it, I was so much scared and couldn't even reach the middle of the bridge. But the surrounding river view as seen from this bridge was just breath taking.

Once you cross the bridge, you will reach Cannoli Plot - one of the oldest teak plantations anywhere in the world.

The place was named after H.V Conolly, the district collector of Malabar during British rule, who  along with local sub forest conservstor Chathu Menon, successfully carried out planting of new teak trees between 1841 and 1885. In 1993, the area was preserved for research purpose.

One of the major attractions in the plot is the oldest teak known as Kannimari.

Conolly's Plot

It was around 2pm. Almost everyone was hungry so we headed for lunch. Post lunch, we moved to last place in our chart, Teak Museum. It is a must see.

You can see the root-system of a gigantic tree in full size. Some of the attractions are the traditional granary and a miniature model of a sailing vessel(Uru), made of a teak wood.

Teak Museum

I got back to the  station with a lot of great memories in my head. I could smell that hash for days.

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Kayak through Periyar

Being Sunday, I went for a Kayaking journey through the Periyar river, which is surrounded by the lush greenery of Thattekad Bird Sanctuary.

I drove from Kochi to Kothamangalam and then turned to Thattekad road . After a few kilometers drive,  turned  right to Chaarupara road and further drive was through a straight road till Inchathotty bus stop.

As per our itinerary,  our meeting point was at Inchathotty at 9 am. After reaching Inchathotty, I waited there for sometime for all the people in the group. There were few small shops selling tea, snacks and cold drinks.

The main attraction of this place is the hanging bridge which is considered as the longest suspension bridge in Kerala.

It was constructed as a walking bridge from Charupara of Keeripara Panchayat to Inchathotty of Kuttanpuzha Panchayat. Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Company Ltd completed the design and construction of the bridge. The view of river and the coast area from the bridge is breathtaking.

Since I had an experience of kayaking in Dharmadam island , I opted for a single kayak. The instructor gave the instructions and we set to go.

The 3 hour kayaking trip starts near to the hanging bridge. The sun was bright. One of the best part of kayaking in Periyar is that it gives you an experience of getting close to nature.

Navigating through dense tropical jungle  is like making your way through libyrinth. As we made our way through the scenery, I felt like in an english movie scene.

Except with the initial nervousness, the three hour journey was fantastic.

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Beach Camping and Kayaking at Dharmadam,Kerala

After waiting for  long, the time finally came for a kayaking trip to Dharmadam. Dharmadam is a small town  in Thalassery of Kannur district, in the Indian State of Kerala. Going to Dharmadam is easy by train and bus. One fine Saturday morning, I boarded Island Express from Ernakulam. It was fortunate that I reached the station much early to take ticket. Since it was a long weekend due to Vishu festival, there was an unbelievable rush at the ticket counter.  

Reached Thalassery at around 1 pm. My friend already informed about Hotel Paris for lunch. The summer was hot. I walked about 1.7 kms and was very pleased to find  the hotel, bustling with helpful-looking staff. Had a fabulous Non Veg lunch

Then took bus and got down at bridge stop. Took an auto to our camp which was near to the Dharmodam beach park.  It was around 2:00 PM, when I reached the camp site. It had five separate tents beautifully arranged and could accomodate 5 persons each in a tent.  The tent  there was a pleasant surprise - I guess you could call  it a junior luxury room.

It was such a beautiful location facing the sea. I strolled around on the beach absorbing the surroundings. I could see couples stroll through the beach holding hands and giving each other hugs and kisses.

A different attraction on every corner- from beautifuly arranged tents,  hammock under palms etc. Resting in hammock with sweet soud of waves, the view of the beach and cool breeze under the shade of palms make it a perfect relaxing place.

Our first activity in our chart was kayaking around Dharmodom Island. Dharmadam Island is located 100 meters away from the main land of Dharmadam. It is surrounded by the Anjarakandy river on three sides and the Arabian sea on the fourth side.

It was my first time so I was a bit excited as well as scared. We were given few minutes lesson by the guide. After a little bit of practice, my hands had become used to the grip of the paddle and the strokes had begun to come naturally.  

Since it was my first time, we shared a double-seat kayak. I sat in the back seat. Person sitting in the back seat have the control of the Kayak. We had moved against the tides. We took a round through  the Dharmadam Island and witnessed the beautiful view of the sunset.

We  reached back after sunset. After a long kayaking trip, our first priority was tea and snacks.

After dinner we walked through the beach. There were some surprise activities.  Vishu festival was coming after one day. We celeberated Vishu in the beach with fire crackers.

Day 2

Nothing can beat a morning  walk through the beach with an amazing sunrise. Few minutes after my casual walk began, I arrived near to the Dharmadom Island, where rocks projected in different structure. That was an ultimate morning stroll - the sun coming near you,  the alternate sound of quite then crashing waves, a good ocean smell.  A moment later, while standing around rocky beach, a strong smell of kelp and seaweed completed the sea side aromas.

I saw locals catching fishes. I stopped sometime , inhaling the smell of dead fish. Few steps further, the sight of a cemetery which was constructed for film shooting,caught my attention. After a leisurely breakfast,  we had a kayaking trip to explore the forest of mangroves around Anjarakandy river.

After 2 hrs of joy ride , we reached back to the camp around 10 am. It was low tide. We walked to Dharmadam Island through sea. We sat there for some time. You can spot corals everywhere.

It was around 1 pm. when we were back to the camp site. After having a yummy lunch we packed. Then on to Thalassery, then back to Kochi with a promise to come back again.

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