Day 4 - On To The Mountains

23-12-2014

796 KM

Deep breath!!! We some how just got escaped from a situation, we had never expected. As usual, we got up early in the morning and after a warm see of from the priest Madhavan at Alanallur, we started heading towards Palakkad in search of a place to get freshen up. After riding a few Kilometer, we saw a sign board of Kanjirapura Dam and took the road on the left. We started sighting, the spectacular view of Kanjirapura Dam after riding around fifteen kilometers from the high way. While we were keen to find a place to get freshen up, we rode another five kilometers and saw a suitable place near to a church. With the expectation to get something better, we reached at the meeting point of Thenkara Canal and Kanjirapura Dam after some local findings. As we were getting in to the interiors, funny incidents started making our day more interesting and I would not miss to write one of those with a ten year old school kid. While we were finding our way to the meeting point of Thenkara Canal and Kanjirapura Dam, the kiddo totally got shocked with our appearance. May be the padded jacket, knee pad, fully loaded motor cycle and sophisticated helmet made him believe that, at least we were not from this planet. With no further delay he ran away, when I asked some questions with broken English blended with Malayalam accent. After reaching Thenkara Canal, we realized the water level is too deep and not safe for us to get in. With disappointment, while we were planning to return, one local person suggested us about a small stream joining the same dam. With no time we checked the exact location on our faulty map and stated towards the same with out any knowledge about that area. After riding about another ten kilometers, we reached near to the water stream.

With Priest Madhavan at Alanallur

Clear water right from the mountain, made us so exited that in no time, we were both in side the stream. Thought the water was quite chilled, we were enjoying the bath with full enthusiasm. While were busy bathing, I saw one of the female who took the other edge of the bridge to cross the stream, keeping her head down. It was here most of the local people started suspecting us as maoists. The next moment, we both were out of the stream and a local police informer was with his best in interrogating us. It was then, I realized language matters sometime. Though it was quite intense and harsh to us, later we realized it was all about their safety. The interrogation would have been more intense and things could have been worst, at some time, I felt we would end up with spending some time at the police station with a FIR lodged against us. Thanks for the identity card, we were carrying with us. Everything got sorted out, after we produced our identity. In that whole process, we had to submit our identity card photos and received a strong impulse to head towards Palakkad as soon as possible. Later we came to know that, we were very near to the police station, where the maoist attack happened yesterday. Soon after that we took the most shortest route to reach the national high way. We just stopped near to a hotel to fill the left over space in our stomach after receiving those Malayalam scoldings, which we never understood. We just had a chat with local people over here and now we are confirmed that, we are out of the danger zone. We came to know that, we have missed the Siruvani Resorvoir somewhere. But I will not dare to go back and visit that now.

Interrogation Spot

Interrogation Spot

Ohh!!! what I see over here the "appam"!!! my favorite. "Appam" along with Egg curry, "vada" and "dosa roast" ("Masala dosa" generally called "dosa roast" in Kerala as the popular "appam" is one verity of thick "dosa") made me very happy. Not sure about Santhosh, the default veg "Kadla Curry" will definitely help him recall those scoldings.  After an intense start to the day, I am now stopping my write up to enjoy my breakfast. 

I never though that, some day I have to spend a night at a place like this. But I would not hesitate to thank these villagers, who helped us arranging this place after listening to our travel plans. The situation at Valparai is quite different than our previous days. Though there is not much fear about the maoists, the place is heavily populated with wild animals specially leopards, elephants and Indian gours. More to that this place is surrounded by Alliyar Resorve Forest, Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Idamalayar Reserve Forest, Eravikulam National Park and Indira Gandhi National Park. Though this place is paradise for animal lovers and have lot of scenic places around, tenting and camping is an offence as per the low of Indian reserve forest.

In side of our resort for tonight

The most safest resort. Nice strategy to avoid elephant attack

Shakila is so brave to stay out

Earlier today after having a tummy full breakfast, we head towards Palakkad. Just before reaching Palakkad, we called our friend Angita to check, if we could visit her house. After realizing that her house comes on the way to Chalakudi from Palakkad, we dropped the plan and took the city bypass route to reach Pollachi. The climate was getting hotter and humid, as we were moving towards east to enter Tamilnadu. We had to take two to three breaks to ensure, we won't get dehydrated and with that we reached Pollachi. The sign boards at Pollachi were quite confusing, which lead us to move towards Palani road. The city road was quite cozy and looked quite unorganized with moving traffic from all directions. Again thanks to that, we at least tried confirming the road from local people. We took a longer circular route to reach Valparai road, soon after we realized that we had taken the wrong route. After Pollachi on the way to Valparai, there are no gas stations. We were in motorcycle and somehow managed with the fuel, we had in our fuel cans. After riding some distance on the way to Valparai, we started feeling the refreshing mountain climate. In no time we reached Alliyar Reserve Forest check post and the forest guards looked so strict for camera usage. The reserve forest welcomed us with a very beautiful scenic Alliyar Dam and we spent a lot of time capturing that from high altitude far from the forest entrance gate.

Alliyar Dam

Alliyar Dam

On the way to Valparai

Alliyar Dam

Alliyar Dam

On the way to Valparai

Alliyar Dam 

Alliyar Dam

On the way to Valparai

Alliyar Dam

On the way to Valparai

On the way to Valparai

We enjoyed the curvy hair pin bends covered with dense forest while climbing up and soon after that the green tea garden valley view made us forget all that happened during the first half of our journey. It was a spectacular end less valley view covered with clustered clouds, while the sun playing hide and seek between the clouds and the mountains. It was afternoon, when we were covering that stretch and the crimson sun rays along with the fog was creating a beautiful poster perfect scenic atmosphere.

On the way to Valparai

Tea gardens on the way to Valpari

Curvy roads on the way to Valparai

Tea gardens on the way to Valpari

Tea gardens on the way to Valpari

Tea gardens on the way to Valpari

Though we were very excited with the place, we started looking for a camping place for tonight. Knowing that we were inside the reserve forest, we were looking for the options near to a small village on the valley. We noticed some small villages on the way, but our cruel mind never satisfied at the first glance and directed us to visit Valparai first and then decide where to stay, who knows Valparai would be even more beautiful. On the way to Valparai, we met Uday the BSF Jawan and exchanged our night accommodation plan. Initially, he tried scaring us with animal presence over this area and later with the word maoist. Though he was bit scared with our experience and travel plan, I never tried scaring him with the incident that happened in the morning. While riding towards Valparai, we realized climbing down from high altitude. And we were correct, Valparai is actually located at a lower altitude than other hill stations. 

After filling the fuel at Valparai, we started hunting for a hotel to gather some calories for rest of the day. And that's where, Hotel Mary Maatha made us taste Tamilnadu style food. I am a big fan of Tamilnadu cuisine and I utilized that opportunity to over eat out of my capacity. Night halt knocked again and we dropped our self to the Valparai Forest Department Office, after sipping a glass of hot black tea. "No Tents", "No Sleeping Bags" came directly out of the forest guards with a strong dominating pitch and even with more scary facial expression. Out of curiosity, I asked if we could use the office premises to sleep. Second time it was much polite answer with a smiling face saying "only accused are allowed". I seriously realized Santhosh would have stopped me in asking my next question. That was "By the way what crime we have to commit for the eligibility?" And that was our last conversation with the forest guards. Thanks to the forest officials, who made us realize putting tent or sleeping out side would be dangerous for us.

Gas Station at Valparai

Though we were unlucky with animal sighting, we got to see lot of lion tailed monkeys around Valparai. The best encounter was with an Indian Gour, which was just five meter away from me. By the time I arrange my DSLR out of the bag, it disappeared into the forest. Though it was a deny from the forest office, with some hope for spending tonight in tent made us head towards Balaji Temple around 7 KM from Valparai. On the way to the temple we met some villagers and they accidentally agreed to help us after listening to our travel plans; some how I believe Santhosh's over acting skills with those funny tamil words made the magic for tonight. With a smile face, when we reached the temple, we realized the temple is located inside a private property and even private vehicles are not allowed inside. In spite of the disappointing tourist temple, we made our self happy capturing some good sun set moments.

Indian Gour 

Indian Gour about to chase me

Lion Tailed Monkey

Near Balaji Temple 

Near Balaji Temple

Near Balaji Temple 

Near Balaji Temple

On the way to Balaji Temple

On the way to Balaji Temple

Near to Balaji Temple

On the way to Balaji Temple

On the way to Balaji Temple

Near to Balaji Temple

We were very happy after the night accommodation

It was quite dark, by the time we reached the village after sipping a glass of black tea right in front of a tea factory. Thanks to the villagers, who arranged a small cozy place adjacent to Ganesh's grocery shop. Though it was small and cozy, we thanked them. Anyway Santhosh and myself are quite adaptive to any kind of situations and it is just a matter of one night. While arranging the luggage, we spent lot of time with villagers discussing about our travel plans and got to understand a lot about their life style at this remote location. End of the day I realized exactly the opposite, what I realized about language in the morning. We were invited for dinner by villagers, but we denied not to trouble them, rather settled our self with camp fire cooked magiee. In fact one of the villagers offered us green curry leaves, which was really very tasty. After spending some time at the camp fire with some villagers, we finally said good night to them. After coming inside the room, we realized there is nothing to lock the door, somehow we managed to block the door with the help of stones. Santhosh and myself spent some time with the map to figure out the places around Valparai. Now with a strong determination to wake up early in the morning, I am stopping my write up here and going to say good bye to another day of our expedition.

Cooking time near to our so called resort