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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Trekking and Camping at Brahmagiri Hills

Experience the tranquility of Thirunelli temple situated on the foot of Brahmagiri hills and a walk through a land blessed by untouched nature and enjoy the monsoon season in the lush green forest of Wayanad and Western Ghats.

The camp was conducted on July 27 and 28 at Thirunelli, Wayanad district in the Indian Sate of Kerala. There were 40 participants in the camp. We, a gang of 20, from Ernakulam started at 6.30 am in a 20 seater Force Van. Participants  boarded from different locations. We had  a stop at Akshya hotel near Pookunnam for breakfast. After that our route was Ponnani -Kozhikode- Thamarassery- Mananthavadi-Thirunelli. 

Had lunch from a hotel at Kozhikode Bypass. And further uphill most of the way, the most picturesque being the hairpin curves at Thamarassery Ghat Pass also known as Thararassery Churam. This is the first time am travelling in this route. I craned my neck out of the Van while passing through hairpin curves, which I had seen in movies. I could see visitors taking photos from the view point, but we did not stop with a promise from the coordinators  that we will stop at this place during our return journey.

We passed Kuttettan's Unniyappamkada at Thetta road, on the way to Thirunelli.  Travellers on a trip to Thirunelli Temple and tourists  are  fans of this Unniyappam.  The secret of this Unniyappam is that it is made  of pure coconut oil from Kuttiyadi and it is larger than the normal Unniyappam.

Further ride is through deep forest with bamboo groves on both sides. Spotted bunch of deer on the way. We were lucky to spot one barking deer . When I took my camera, it ran away. 

The forest department has come up with instructions to comply with the forest rules. Do not get out of the vehicle, be careful not to blow the horn, drive carefully, don't intentionally harm animals, most importantly, don't throw away plastic debris etc.

We saw one elephant passing through the forest.

Our Van sopped in front of the Appappara Forest Office for reporting. It was a 11 hour journey and all of us were tired.  Most of us got out of the vehicle to watch the surroundings. Spotted one Malabar giant squirel passing through tree branches.

Our stay was arranged in a homestay run by Mr. Prasad, which is near to the  Agraharam Resort. Then a short walk to Thirunelli temple which is dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu, which is situated on the side of Brahmagiri hills. As per records, it was an important pilgrimage centre at time of Tamil Chera King Bhaskara Ravi Varma.

Thirunelli Temple

It was around 8 pm. After pooja, we had a wonderful dharsan of the  Lord. Had prasadam as Uppuma with Pickle and Chukku Kapi. It was good especially in the rainy season.

Soon we were back to the camp site. Since there was a possibility of elephants on the way, we took vehicle on back to the camp. We tried to find the path through as darkness overtook us.

There was a session about dos and donts for the next day trekking. Our dinner was waiting for us. Had fabulous hot Kanji Payar, Vegetables, Leaf curry and Pappad.

We retired to bed.

DAY 2

After break fast,  we assembled at Thirunelli Inspection Bunglaw. All of us collected Tomato rice packet for lunch. After a few instructions from the coordinators, we started our trek. Two of the forest officials  also accompanied us.  We crossed few small streams on the way.

A few kilometres of trekking,  we crossed a stream with water so crystal clear, cool and pure that we drank it straight. I spotted pug marks of giant tigers in a tree which has a height of about 15 feet.

And all of us encountered many leech bites on the forest trekking path. We already had salt with us to remove leeches from our body.

After forest treking path, we reached grassland area. From there, we got wonderful view of Thirunelli Temple and surroundings.

Ariel view of Thirunelli temple and surroundings

Soon we reached near to the watch tower. From the watch tower, you can see the way to Pakshi Pathalam. Trekking to this place is now banned. Then we started to climb the hills .

When we are going up, we could see the view of  the watch tower below.

Soon we reached the top of the final hill after crossing three small hills. From there you can see a village in  Karnataka state. We descended back to the watch tower. We dined on the grass, in the open air, surrounded by this scenery. 

We returned down the hills and sometimes took shotcuts through the forest and arrived  at our camp by 3.30 pm.

Me and Mr.Biju decided to visit Papanasini. We gladly hired an auto and reached the temple. Then few steps down to the place. we decided to take bath under the waterfalls that are coming through Papanasini.

Papanasini is a wild stream that originates from the Brahmagiri hills which later joins River Kalindi. It is believed that River Ganga and River Saraswathi join in Papanasini and is known as the Southern Kashi.

It is a majestic stream falling under a bridge, sweeping between mountainous banks, which is  peace and enjoyment; and after a quick bath , we  returned to the resort.

When we reached  the resort, the rest of the team had already arrived. By that time Kappa  and black tea was ready. 

It was around 5'o  clock, we started back to Ernakulam.

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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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A Monsoon Weekend in Agumbe

When it come for long travel, I always prefer flight or train. But  this time I was excited as am going to travel from Ernakulam to Udupi in Rajadhani Express. And I wanted to add an extra dose of fun by travelling in First AC.  This is the first time I was  traveling in Rajdhani Express. Since my booking was in First class, I was allotted  a  coupe. It looked like a  mobile dormitory and it can accomodate two persons.

I boarded the train on 21st June from Ernakulam South at 10.35 pm. My co traveller Mr.Ronald introduced to me. He was also travelling to Udupi. We settled in feeling like a VIP travelling in a train.  Within few minutes, a waiter came to arrange my bed.

I slept through the night, with no disturbance. By 6 clock there was a knock on the door, my breakfast and tea was ready. By the time we completed the breakfast, we were inching towards Udupi station. 

Reached Udupi at around 7 am. Took a cab with other four friends to Agumbe. The cab ride to Agumbe was memorable. The scenary - valleys, greenary - was breathtaking, as was the way .The driver was taking  hairpin curves.  Reached agumbe at around 9 clock.

Agumbe is situated in  South Kannada and is a small village in Theerthahally Thaluk in Shimoga district. It is about 2000 feet above sea level and is getting an average rainfall of 7620 per year and is known as Chirapunji of South India.  There is no better place than Agumbe to walk in the rain forest and greenary.  If you have read Malgudi days, a book by R.K Narayan or seen the brilliantly televised version by director Shankar Nag, you will surely associate with Agumbe.

Our stay was arranged in Mallya Residency which is the only lodge in this area. It is  facing a small bus stand and few small houses.

We assembelled in a vast grass land area. We had an introduction session and some fun filled activities. Then we moved to Sringeri which is a pilgrimage center that is best known for coffee plantations.

Legend says that while on a trip to Tunga river, Adi Sankaracharya saw a special sight and installed the first math. I have been working on that story for a long time. Sringeri town today revolves around the Sharadamba Temple and Sharada Peetham with Tunga River flowing beside them.

There is a hanging bridge across Tunga river and we spent some time by crossing the bridge.

From the bridge, you can see the newly opened temple gopura.

Sharada Devi is the principal presiding deity of Sringeri. It is believed that Adi Shankara brought Sharada Devi here from Kashmir.

Sharadamba temple

Sree Vidyasankara temple is one of the major attractions of Sringeri. Walked around the temple and the multitude sculptures is simply amazing. It was constructed in the first century in Hoysala, Vijayanagara architectural style.

Sree vidyasankara temple

After visiting the temple you can go down to Tunga river. You can see devotees feeding the fishes on the shores of Tunga river. Even you can drink the cold water flowing from the rain forests far away.

It was alrady 2 pm and all of us were hungry. We stopped our van on our way to Sirimane waterfalls. We opened our packed lunch. We could hear gurgling rivulets of water rush few meters away. We washed our hands from this rivulet. After lunch, we hit the road.

We made our way through down steps from the parking area until we were standing in front of the Sirimane waterfalls. The rocks below the falls were slippery. We made our way, losing our steps several times as we climbed to the falls.  The cold water of the falls chilled me to the bone. Dodging beneath the waterfalls had soaked everything.

Sirimane Waterfalls

Day 2

In the morning we went to Kundadri Hills for sunrise. It is situated at a distance of about 17 km from the lodge. As you climb the steps, you can enjoy the mist spreading the whole area. 

The main attraction in this place is  an ancient Jain temple. Then of course clouds and cold winds. There are two pools near the temple. From the view point on the right side of the temple, you can see Agumbe village and farms. 

A gentle fog begins to envelop us and visibility soon drops to a few metres and it provides a stunning natural spectacle.  And this is an experience which I love - walking through the mist.

It was beginning to rain  heavily and the sky was darkening with mist. We left the place as we had to visit Kavaledurga Fort.

Had break fast on our way to Kavaledurga fort. Our break fast was arranged in one house. They arranged hot Kesari bath, Khara bath and badam milk. We strolled around the farm and planted one tree.

The journey to Kavaledurga fort is also memmorable. A short trek from the main road leads to the Fort. This fort was built in the 9th century. The Fort now seen was renovated in the 16th and 17th centuries by Venkatappa Nayaka. The remains of the old palace can be seen today. You have to pass through seven levels to reach the summit and at each level, there is a gate.

Kavaledurga Fort

I have to say, the ruins are impressive. The grounds are massive and whole structure is shrouded in mystery.  The ruins at the top is breathtaking. Everything around us was wet. After walking for hours, our feet were cold.

At the summit of the hill, there is a temple known as Srikanthesvara temple. There is big pond at the top with well laid steps. Soon we started to descend and proceeded to Agumbe for lunch.

After lunch and rest for sometime, the last activity in our chart was a private Forest Walk. We began to walk with the guidance of one forest expert. We stopped to look at everything around us. The blooming of wild mushrooms growing by the road have color mix of yellow and orange.

 

We returned to our lodge and packed up. We were trying to figure out how to make our way back to Udupi to catch the train to Kochi. Four of us took a cab and got down at Manipal for dinner, then back to Ernakulam.

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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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A Day with Artisans at Sargalaya Arts and Craft Village

This time my travel is to Sargalaya Arts and Craft Village in Iringal which is near to the coastal town of Vadakara. I reached Kozhikode late night for next day's program and took rest in a Hotel. Next morning,  after having breakfast, boarded  a private bus from Kozhikode new bus stand at around 8.30 am. I stared out of the window and tried to make sense of the cityscape. 

Reached Oil Mill stop, Iringal at around 9.30 am. I was informed to wait at the bus stop. I walked around the place to find a tea shop and found Richus Thattukada and had a tea. When all members in the group arrived, we took  an auto and headed to Sargalaya craft village. We, a gang of 20, were anxious to meet the people who have devoted their lives to art or are living a life of art.

The session started at around 11.15 am. We sat on the benches facing Parakulam. Mr. Rajesh Sir and Mr.Sivadas Sir briefed us about the craft village. 

Spread across 20 acres of land, Sargalaya Craft village is developed and managing by  Ooralangal  labour coorperative society.  Started in 2011, it is the first craft village and it gives importance to both  tourism and craft. It has already invested 27 crores in two phases and attracts more than 4 lac visitors per year. It consists of 27 huts for craft making and has one craft training acadamy.  Around 100 craftsmen are associated with this place.

We started from the hut where clay models by  Mr.A.K.Arun were displayed. The models  that he made were simply beautiful. If you want to see the craftmen at work, this is a great place to visit.

Then we visited huts for  bamboo products, flowers made up of natural products etc. Another hut showcases Kayar products, then a Naithu shala which produces 3 meter cloth  a day. We were simply mesmerised seeing these works. 

Naithu Sala

The Craft village is really beautiful. Every year, Sargalaya  hosts 19 days handicraft exhibition. There is one aqua section also. We had lunch from the canteen in the village.

It has one lake  and is known as parakulam and has boating facility. Boating was interesting and 4 persons can use pedal boats at a time.

Then we headed to Kunjalimarakkar  Museum which is around  2km from the craft village. Our guide explained about the history of Museum.

The Kunjali Marakkar Museum is the old house of Kunjali Marakkar,  the naval chief of the Zamorin of Calicut. Marakkar was the honored title bestowed upon the family of valorous fighters, who were the admirals of the Zamorin's fleet. Kunjali Marakkar fought valiantly against the Portuguese army and the Portuguese were able to capture him only through treachery. After his defeat, he was imprisoned and later, beheaded in Goa.

Some of the prominent displays include the sword used by Kunjali Marakkar, cannon balls and some other war relics belonging to the period of the Zamorins.

It was already 5 PM  and we decided to bid goodbye till we meet in another place. 

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Exploring Janakikad

For long day's travel, I always prefer to reach the destination early and take rest. So the travel will be more convenient . This time as well, I  reached Kozhikode on 9th evening to attend a group get together on the next day at Janakikad which is near to Kuttiady in Kozhikode district in the Indian state of Kerala.

After refreshment from the hotel, I went for a walk out of SM street or Mithai Theruvu. The street were crowded, but l felt myself alone. You can buy anything from textiles to sweets from this street.  Had Kozhikoden snacks -Unnakaya and Banana stuffed with sweet coconut filling -  from one of the hotel in the street.  It was late when I reached back to the hotel and I was tired. A slight breeze was in the hot March air. I finally drifted off into the land of dreams.

Woke up in the morning at 6'0 clock. In the early hours of dawn, the day was already growing hot. After breakfast , took a private bus from Kozhikode new bus stand. I took side seat to get the views around.

It took 2 hrs to reach Paleri. I caught an auto from the bus stop .  The driver was enthused enough to put songs. After a few minutes, we reached a long bridge crossing Kuttiadi river . It is too small and hardly one four wheeler can pass at a time.

After crossing the bridge, the auto stopped infront of the entrance of Janakikad Eco Tourism Center. And I waited there for all group members to arrive. Tickets are Rs 30 for adults and 15 for children. Admission is allowed from 10 am to 5 pm.

We have a group of 40 people. After introduction, we started the  forest walk. We had a butterfly expert and a guide along with us. This 320 acres of forest is covered with rare herbs and trees. Our guide explained various plants in the forest. Scenic beauty with chirping sound of birds made the walk refreshing. It was interesting to walk with a group of friends by enjoying  the view of Kuttiyadi river on one side and a walkway leading to the forest. There are also some iron benches for relaxation.  When we were listening to the guide, someone suddenly shouted  'Ocyceros'.  By the time I took my camera, it had vanished.

It was already 2pm. And we crossed the bridge for lunch. Had fabulous fish curry meals in Kozhikoden style.

Again we returned back to Janakikad to take bath in Kuttiadi River. The Kuttiadi River is also known as the Murat River and yellow river.  The bath and enjoyment  lasted  for 2 hrs and this is the most exciting experience I found in this place. There is a facility for dress changing as well.    

The day made me  feel so refreshed and  close to nature. I returned to Kozhikode on my way back to Kochi.

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Cosying up with Nature in Iringole Kaavu

We were a group of 39 people assembled at Iringole Kaavu beating the heat of March. 

Iringole Kavu,  a sacred grove, is a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga in the midst of forest and is situated just 2.5 km from Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, in the Indian State of Kerala. Sacred groves are known as 'Kaavu' in Malayalam language.

We assembled near to the Kavu at around 9'o clock. The breakfast was already arranged by the coordinators. After breakfast , we started the walk along with two biologists. There are three entrances and a small pathway through the forest to reach the temple.  We spotted various butterflies, birds and orchides in the Kaavu. Cottonia peduncularis, Artocarpus hirsutus were few that  we spotted during our walk. The information provided by the biologists was really helpful to understand the  multiple flora and fauna in the the forest.

We split  into  five groups and each group collected plastics and bottles, left behind by other visitors / tourists , in a polythene bag. This was our small attempt to help create an eco-friendly environment and preserve nature . 

It was around 1'o clock , when we reached the Durga temple. By that time the temple  was closed.  The temple is surrounded by 50 acres of thick forest. There are many ponds in the area. The 'theerthakulam' or temple pond here is lush throughout the year.

We had a traditional Sadya in platain leaf in the Oottupura located near to the temple. After lunch , we had a workshop to make paper pen  from waste paper and at the bottom of each pen a seed of a tree was placed  that would eventually grow into trees.  The seeds were collected from the forest around the Kaavu. 

It was time for some entertainments. We sat on the steps infront of the temple. We had a wonderful time for group activities by singing songs. The theme of the song was Vanchipattu.  It was already 4'0 clock and some of our group members were  coming from distant places and we decided to bid goodbye.

Next day I returned back to the Kavu with my wife. Had darshan and took prasadam. They  offer Jaggery( Sarkara in Malayalam language) as prasadam. Had sometme near  the pond reminiscing last day events.

Then we moved towards the car looking for any given opportunity to return back to Iringole Kaavu.

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