South India Trip with a difference

As i was writing this, Vijay Sarvagnam, a dear friend from school days passed away. It brought down the mood of the trip but also reminded me to cherish and appreciate the times we had together. 

I would like to dedicate this piece, however insignificant, to his memory.                                               

When i started writing this piece, i didn't have a clue on what title to give. I just started rambling along, hoping it will dawn on me miraculously.  I also promised to myself that i will keep it short. It did not and i did not. Result, a poor title and a longer-than-should-be narrative.

It was August, the monsoon retreating, having shown its might, and it was time for another trip - the last one more than a year ago.  But this trip was different from all the others.  This time, it was  a bunch of us, all 65+, who have been pals from pre/early teens. It was as if we had gone back in time, with the clock winding back 50 or more years. Every one (except one) studied in the same school and class in Delhi (I use the term "studied" rather loosely -  most of my teachers would not agree).  As a group we used to spend much of our times together, doing all sorts of things that boys do.  We were together till the time our individual careers took us to different corners of the country and the world, but in touch we were, though sporadically.

Planning for the trip was kept to the minimum, uncluttered. Coimbatore airport was the rallying point and Cochin was the exit after 9 days. No one was sure where we would go, where we would stay or what we would do in interim period.  We left the wanderings to be dictated by our moods and the weather.

So it was a with a lot of excitement that i left home for the trip.

As usual, i will refrain from giving much details of the places that we visited. The internet provides more information than i can ever hope to do.

The Team

Starting from back left seat, we have KVS and PM, front row from left to right, we have LV, TVS and RVC.

The Team

Day 1 and 2

Coimbatore Airport

One by one people trickled in and it was as if all the intervening years had melted away, as we greeted each other. No one had changed so much as to be unrecognisable.  The raucous greeting noises that we made, made quite a few heads turn and look at the motley group curiously.  Grizzled hair, receding hairline, a couple of paunches could not contain the enthusiasm and energy and pleasure. I felt proud of us.

Outside Coimbatore Airport

Ooty

After a cup of excellent coffee at the airport coffee shop, at about 1530 hrs., we set off on the first leg of our journey - Ooty. TVS had booked an Innova (5000/-, which was on par) and we piled on with our meagre luggage and set off.  The car gobbled up the 90 kms distance in about 3 hours and a half ( 90 kms? 3.5 hours?? Gobbled???  you may ask. I just wanted to use the word.). Mettupalayam is near mid way and the weather was a bit sultry initially. Post Mettupalayam,  the car started climbing and it started getting perceptibly cooler.  The winding drive was lovely and a sight for our city fatigued eyes.

We passed by Wellington and Coonoor, briefly stopping for a tea break in Coonoor.  At ooty, we checked in into Tamil Nadu Tourism Hotel (Charing Cross, Upper Bazaar) which proved to be adequate.  Large campus, big rooms, ample parking and a decent restaurant though with a limited offering.  The garden in the grounds was well maintained reflecting the efforts of the gardening staff.

I think the hotel was value for money (2200/- p.n.). Nothing to write home about, but clean. Room service was a bit slow, but none of us were in a hurry for anything.  That was what was good about the trip.  As we had not planned for anything, every thing happened when we wanted them to happen.

Next day, we sauntered down to the famous Botanical garden, less than a kilo meter from the hotel. Pleasant weather and clean sidewalks, good for a stroll.  We bought the entry tickets (40/- and worth it) and walked into an environment that is, unfortunately, few and far between in this country.  There was greenery everywhere, well planned and excellently maintained.  The pathways were neatly cobbled and immaculately clean.  There were huge lawns with benches to rest. We spent about an  hour in the gardens thoroughly enjoying the variety of flowers and trees with unpronounceable names, in which i could see the dedication of the staff of Tamil Nadu Horticultural department that maintains the garden.

One piece that caught my intrigue was a small garden in an elevated area which was named as "Italian Garden". In a "tongue-in-cheek" thought, i imagined it to have a political reference.  As i write this i did a bit of net search and found out that that particular piece was built by Italian prisoners of World War I !!

We then took an auto rickshaw (100/-. No meters, fixed fare.  But pleasant auto drivers and no sense of being taken for a ride) to the railway station to meet up with the ever so famous "toy train". Lovely, quaint station immaculately maintained and dispensing tickets from couple of windows.  Bought lower class tickets at 35/- apiece. First class at 185/-.  As we waited for our train, the incoming one chugged into the station, hooting.  There is something very captivating about train whistles, bringing up memories, nostalgia and hindi oldies.  We piled on after it had disgorged its passengers.  A small family that had got on with us got down hastily to change compartment,  maybe nervous of our boisterousness.  They were replaced by a bunch of college students who added life to the journey with their exuberance.  They were impressed when they got to know that we were a bunch with over 50 years of comrade-ship  and insisted on taking a group photo with us.

The train was going to Coonoor, about 20 kms away, and the journey was memorable.  The journey proved to be as entertaining as i had imagined it would be. Passing through countryside, tunnels and valleys in an hour. Got off, had snacks and took a bus back to Ooty and rickshaw (50/-) back to the hotel. The rickshaw was driven by a very courteous and pleasant mannered woman who said that there were 10 lady drivers in Ooty.  As we got off, we gave her our collective good wishes.

Evening was spent in the rooms, with KVS regaling us with songs of yesteryears. From our schooldays, he has mesmerised us with his singing and continues to do so. The evening became better with a couple of "chotta". Dinner and bed.

During the course of the tour this became a tradition - travel / see sights for 6 to 7 hours, freshen up, have a couple of "chotta", dinner and bed.

Snippets

Ooty is in Nilgiri hills, which is named after the blue colored "Neelakurinji or Kurinji" flower which blooms once in 12 years (last in 2018). Ooty is situated at about 7500 feet above msl and is said to be "eternally stuck in spring season".


The Ooty Botanical garden is almost 200 years old and is spread across more than 50 acres.

TTDC Hotel in Ooty

Botanical Garden, Ooty

Another View

Ooty Station

Day 3 to 5

Munnar

Sometime during the earlier evening, we had decided to go to Munnar.  Unfortunately, KVS and PM had to get back to their bases and we parted company.  Good things don't last, good practice is to appreciate them whilst one can (No more philosophy, i promise).

Up at 5 am. After a good breakfast at the hotel restaurant, LV, TVS and self left Ooty at 1000 hrs. for Munnar in a comfortable Mahendra Logan sedan (4000/- 230 KMs). Pretty nominal. Took about an hour to go to the local RTO for an interstate permit (370/-). The young and very friendly driver then took us to a chocolate outlet with some great collection of home made chocolates, biscuits, confectionary, local tea and coffee.  Both tea and coffee from Ooty are reputed to be excellent. All of us bought a bunch of things and the shop gave us a complementary pack of chocolate. (a word of advice. During the trip we came across a number of "must buy" things. After reaching home, the must-buy became "what am i going to do with them?". Go easy on purchases).

Started towards Munnar at 1100 hrs. Excellent weather, cool and sunny. Drove down to Mettupalayam. Quite a bit of traffic, narrow 2 lane road and numerous hairpin bends made the going slow. But no one was complaining.  The hills were green throughout and big tall trees.  Ås we went downwards, it started getting warmer and we started shedding layers of clothing. Reached Mettupalayam at 1240 hrs. Compared to Ooty's 15 degs., it was a blistering 25. Stopped for a cup of tea and onwards.

Drove about 90 kms on the plains, quite forgettable. Then came to Anamalai, a tiger reserve. The name in Tamil means "Elephant mountain". It forms part of the western ghats and spans between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The road is under the jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu Forest department and its Kerala counterpart. 

The road narrowed to a single lane twisting constantly. Cliff wall on the one side and precipice on the other. Disciplined driving taking no risks. A healthy respect to the other traffic on the road. A lot of damage had been done to the roads by the very heavy rainfall in the region during monsoon.

The air cooled down again to hill station standards.  After driving for about 3 hours, we reached Munnar to be met with a cold drizzle, pot holed roads and chaotic traffic.

Is this the fabled Munnar?

We checked in into Hotel Green Ridge (2100/- p.n.). A compact hotel with neat rooms and good service. We were met courteously by the reception staff and with minimal fuss, checked in. A bit of rest, couple of "chotta", dinner and bed. 

The next couple of days made me change my mind about Munnar. It was the most enjoyable days of our trip, so much so that we extended our stay by one more day. We did the usual touristy things. We saw the rose gardens, hill points, enough tea plantation to last a life time, spice farms and so on.  In one of the farms, that also sold ayurveda medicines, we splurged. The tea factory was worth visiting as we got to know a lot about its production and benefits. We got introduced to a variety of tea called "white tea" (25 gms., 350/-) mostly exported.

The highlight of the trip was spotting a group of elephants coming out of the tree line and grazing on the meadows.  Information about the elephants seemed to spread like wildfire and soon a large crowd gathered on the hill to watch them.  It was a great sight to see them in the open, utterly oblivious of the human presence.

Snippets

Munnar (pronounced Moonaar, i learnt) in tamil means 3 rivers (Moonu Aru). The name comes from the confluence of 3 rivers  (Mudirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly). It is at an altitude of about 5000 ft.

We heard a story from the locals of reorganisation of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where TN gave Munnar to Kerala and Kerala gave Kanyakumari to TN.  There is enough material recording the merger of KK with TN, but there is nothing on Munnar being transferred from TN to Kerala.  Even Kerala Tourism site does not mention this.  https://www.keralatourism.org/munnar/munnar-history.php

But the story was colorful in its own way.

Munnar - A fortunate sighting

Tea Garden in Munnar

A random shot in Munnar hills

Another Random Shot

Day 6 

Thekkady

Having come to Munnar, the rest of the route defined itself. We left for Thekkady, at a distance of about 110 kms, at 0900 hrs. which we reached in about 3 hours, not  Thekkady, but  a town called Kumily.  We learnt on the way that there is no town called Thekkady.  It is an area that is near a town called Kumily at a distance of about 10 kms. Road to Kumily was narrow but smooth throughout.  This is something we noticed. The state has done an excellent job in road maintenance, at least in places with tourist footfalls.

We checked in into the hotel (Hotel Michaels Inn). An excellent hotel, again value for money (2200/- p.n.). Again courteous and friendly.  Gave us one of their largest rooms.  Lunch at a nearby veg. restaurant and off to Thekkady boating. Took a bus that goes to the Thekkady Periyar lake. Took about 20 to 30 mts. The ticket is valid for the return trip also.  We got off near the boat jetty to be met with a crowd of about 500 milling around to buy a ticket for the boat.  We managed to get tickets for the next trip (200/- , 1330 hrs). There were 6 or 7 boats waiting. Got into one of them and the rain started to sleet. The ride was for about an hour and half and we coasted along the lake at a sedate pace.  The pilot tried to locate animals on the banks, but all we saw was a startled wild pig, which dashed away in terror and a few deers. 

Back to the hotel and tradition followed. 

There is also a jungle safari that goes through the Periyar wildlife sanctuary. We probably would have taken it had we known about it.  Win some, lose some.

Hotel Michael Inn - Thekkady

Some of the boats on Periar Tiger Reserve boating

Bus to Periyar Tiger Reserve on the way to boating

Day 7

Kumarakom

It was a toss-up between Alleppey and Kumarakom as the next stop with a tantalizing stay in a boat house..  We chose Kumarakom as we were told that it is in a rustic location as compared to Alleppey. Kumarakom is inland while Alleppey is on the shores of the Arabian sea. 

The ride from Kumily to Kumarakom (about 110 kms, 3.5 hours) was uneventful.  We found the boat tied to a post behind a small farm house.  We climbed aboard and had our first curious look at a houseboat.  We didn't know what to expect, but what we saw was good.  A large open deck (no footwear) furnished with a sofa set, dining table and benches  and a passage leading to the 2 bedrooms and the kitchen, like a train corridor.  The bedrooms were well appointed with attached bath and a/c.

We had lunch (local cuisine of chapatti, rice, sambar, a couple of curries and curd). We then got underway and i went under, tired out. TVS and LV also had their short siesta. The rest of the ride was pure ennui. It needs some special disposition to just loll around and looking blankly at the slowly moving waters, the only excitement was seeing a passing house boat.

The reminder of the journey was not so pleasant, the service getting poor and the food poorer. Night tied to a jetty with power for the a/c coming from a power outlet on the land. 

Breakfast and get away from the boat.  While LV, as is his wont,  was charitable in his opinion of the experience, TVS and i felt that maybe we should have stayed in a hotel and taken a long boat time in the back waters.  But that is only our personal opinion.

Open Deck covered against the rain

Bedroom in the House Boat

Day 8 and 9

Kochi

We had cut short one day in Kumarakom / Alleppey and added it to Kochi. By this time, the tour had begun to take its toll on me and bit on the others.  We stayed one night in hotel where the rack rate was 4500 but was listed at 2500/- at makemytrip.  We showed the price to the manager and TVS arm-twisted him to agree to 3000/-. In the evening we went to Kalady (pronounced Kaaladi, meaning footstep in tamil and malayalam) about 40 kms from the hotel. 

Kalady is said to be the birth place of Adi Shankara. It was worth the 40 kms. drive through heavy evening traffic. The memorial for Adi Shankara is a beautifully and tastefully architected building. As we climb the circular tower, Adi Shakara's life is depicted in pictures of vibrant colors. Not sure how many steps were there to the top (I lost count after 100 or so), but all of us somehow made it without collapsing.  Maybe as a result of the energy in the memorial. 

Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthambha Mandapam - Source wikipedia.org

Next day we moved to CPWD guest house booked by LV and only LV had the drive to visit Chottanikara Bhagwati temple, dedicated to goddess Lakshmi. 

Thus ended our 9 days of a very fulfilling trip. Next day, up early and dispersed back to home from Kochi airport.

Epilogue

These are some of my/our thoughts from the trip:

1. Though a large number of years separated out meetings, there was no awkward silences or searching for things to talk about. It naturally continued from where we had left off. It did help that TVS is a natural conversationalist.
2. We felt that 9 days is a bit of a stretch and future trips may be restricted to about 5 days
3. Restrict the number of places to visit to 2 or 3. Spend atleast 2 days at each place. Gives time to recover in body and spirit and absorb the local color.

It is good to get back home, to the worn slippers and the comfortable memory mattress, however pleasurable the tour was.  

Some Videos (tap on video to get into a full screen mode)

1. Serene backwaters (10 mb)

2. Waterfall in Munnar (Name forgotten - 13 mb)