Off the beaten track in Tamil Nadu

The only state of India to host the Western and Eastern Ghats culminating in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu boasts five Unesco World Heritage sites and a southern tip plunging into the sea at the point of confluence of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean

Contrary to popular opinion, Ooty, Kodaikanal and the neighbouring Union territory of Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) are not the only holiday/vacation options that the south-eastern seaboard state of Tamil Nadu (pop. 81.5 million) has to offer people in search of rest, recreation and infotainment. It also boasts — perhaps not enough — five Unesco World Heritage sites and a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, and is the only state in India to host the Western and Eastern Ghats, culminating in the Nilgiri mountains. With an impressive 1,076-km-long coastline, its southern tip plunging into the sea is the point of confluence of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
Therefore, instead of vaunted Ooty, you could take off to the undiscovered climes like the hill station of Valparai, 107 km from Coimbatore, or instead of just passing through Salem, you could venture a mere 30 km to the pleasant hill resort of Yercaud or discover that Rameswaram is much more than its reputation of a pilgrim town.

Valparai
Nestled within terraced tea gardens on the slopes of the Anamallai Hills range, skirting the Anamallai Tiger Reserve and the Indira Gandhi National Park, unhurried and relatively unknown Valparai (pop. 70,600) is easily accessible in 160 minutes by road from Coimbatore via Pollachi. The smooth tarred road has 40 hairpin bends. Enroute is the Aliyar Dam, a huge water body and the contiguous Aliyar Park, equipped with an aquarium, a small theme park, and a well-maintained garden — an ideal picnic stop. As the road curves around the Indira Gandhi National Park, a keen eye may spot huge lion-tailed black-faced macaques, langur monkeys, the Nilgiri Tahr deer or even a herd of elephants. And then, as the disparate greenery on hill slopes is replaced by rows of neat tea bushes, Valparai emerges, quiet and secluded.

Among the pleasures of this tranquil retreat is soaking in the beauty of the Anamalai Range, experiencing sunrise and sunsets from vantage points, embarking on night safaris for close encounters with leopards, black panthers, gaurs and elephants or bird watching treks in the surrounding areas. Tours are arranged by most hotels and homestay managements.

Excursions ex Valparai. A recommended day excursion is to the Athirapally Falls between the Parambikulam Wild Life Sanctuary and Eravikulam National Park. It’s a scenic two-hour drive (67 km) from Valparai through lush forest with enchantingly diverse flora and fauna and melodious bird sounds, and along the way is the Sholayar Dam, the second deepest in Asia. Set aside a day to visit the foot of the waterfall.

Just 65 kms from Valparai, tucked deep within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is the beautiful hideaway of Topslip. Here, the state government offers residential accommodation in lodges and tree top houses with modern amenities which are surprisingly comfortable. Elephant safaris on huge tuskers take you into the heart of the unmotorable Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Guided treks on foot and river rafting are other options.

Since Topslip is sited in the middle of dense bamboo and teak forests, it’s advisable to carry water bottles, snacks, mosquito repellants and basic medicines. Moreover, Topslip and the adjoining national parks are closed for a specified period between April and June, so it’s better to check with the forest department before planning a visit.
While at Valparai, make time to visit the village of the Muduvar tribe, so named because they carry their children on their backs or muduhu. Although not entirely cut off from civilization, the Muduvars (like the Todas of Ooty) are far removed from it. They eke out their livelihood by gathering honey and indigenous herbs from hill slopes which they sell to middlemen, who buy cheap and sell dear. The Muduvars are an endangered tribe and visits to their protected villages requires a permit from the forest department of Tamil Nadu, which is normally procured by the hotel or resort. For teachers and parents with children’s groups, a trip to the Muduvar Reserve is an opportunity to learn history, geography, sociology and anthropology.

Residential accommodation. Valparai is off-the-beaten tourist track, so accommodation options are limited but extend across the price spectrum from budget to luxury.

High-end: Hidden Valley Resorts (Rs.4,125 per night), Valaparai Mountain Terrain Resort (Rs.4,956), Lovgrand-Deepika’s Residence (Rs.4,140); Mid-range: Greenmount Homestay (Rs.1,960), Talltree Netst (Rs.1,840); Budget: VVV Grand (Rs.598), Wins Cottage (Rs.828), Pravin Homestay (Rs.1,026).

Residential accommodation at Topslip is administered by the field director, Anamallai Tiger Reserve.

Dining options. Valparai is a small town with modest restaurants offering local cuisines. It’s advisable to plan accommodation where meals are included. Multi-cuisine restaurants are located at an hour’s distance in Pollachi Town.

Visiting seasons. The best time to visit Valparai is October-March when the weather is cool and pleasant. Summer (April-June) temperatures range between 15-25oC .

Yercaud
High up at 4,970 ft above sea level in the Shevaroy Hills of Tamil Nadu, Yercaud (pop. 37,000) is an ideal and convenient weekend getaway from Bengaluru and Chennai. A pleasant hour-long drive from hot and crowded Salem through 20 hairpin bends ends at the Yercaud Lake which gives the hill station its name — yer (‘lake’) and kadu (‘forest’). Unsurprisingly, all activity in this charming hill station is centred around the lake.

Inhabited initially by Tamils from Kanchipuram who fled Telugu invasions, Yercaud appeared on the map in 1842 when the governor of Madras Presidency, Sir Thomas Munroe, discovered the Shevaroy Hills. Later between 1820-29 David Cockburn, collector of Salem planted imported coffee beans from Arabia, and pears and apples from South Africa for the first plantations and orchards. Yercaud is literally perched atop the hills affording magnificent views of the valley from all vantages. The weather is always pleasant even in summer (April-June) when the temperatures range from 24-27oC. Winters can be wet and cold but for discerning visitors, they add to the charm of Yercaud.

Excursions ex Yercaud. Multi-level challenge treks are organised by local groups that offer panoramic views of coffee plantations. Experienced trekkers can take on an excursion to 90-ft Killiyur Falls — result of an overflow from the Yercaud Lake. The waterfall is the reward at the end of a testing two-hour trek offering greatest challenge during the monsoon when it is dangerously slippery! The less adventurous can opt for a picturesque drive on the 32-km Loop Road which goes deep into the forest under a canopy of trees.

On the lake, there are advanced boating facilities and from the Lady’s, Child’s and Gent’s Seats one can take in some spectacular views of the Shevaroy Hills and the valley below. Also worth a visit is the National Orchidarium which houses a range of flora including the legendary insectivorous pitcher plant. At the silkworm farm, you could learn how silkworms are reared, silk yarn is spun, and purchase rare cuttings and saplings from the Rose Garden. Yercaud has quaint by-lanes like Cockburn Road and Tipperary Road, lined with pretty colonial cottages.

For those to whom a holiday is all about contemplation, meditation or nothingness, Yercaud is the place. Pull up a chair on the sit-out (every hotel and guest house has a great sit-out since they are all precariously balanced on one cliff or the other!), put your feet up and watch the clouds float by.

Getting to Yercaud. Salem is the closest railhead. It is 229 km from Bengaluru and 362 km from Chennai. Roads to Salem from Bengaluru and Chennai are well-maintained and the distance can be covered in three and five hours respectively. Private and state transport buses and cabs ply at regular intervals between Salem and Yercaud.

Accommodation. High-end: GReaT trails Yercaud (Rs.13,800 per night), Shambala Resort and Spa (Rs.6,900), The Brooks Resort and Spa (Rs.4,591); Mid-range: Ackk Palace Inn (Rs.3,055), Grandwood Coco Resort (Rs.2,922), SL Silveroaks (Rs.2,760); Budget: Green Park Hill Resort (Rs.1,650), Madha Home Resorts at Backwater (Rs.1,767), Royal Resorts (Rs. 1,656).

Yercaud is a round-the-year destination. However, since monsoons run from June to September, the ideal months to visit this hill station are March-June and October-February.

Rameswaram

Sited 160 km from Madurai, Rameswaram is more than a mere temple town for devout Hindus. In the epic Ramayana, it is identified as the locus where Lord Ram’s simian army built Ram Setu or Adam’s Bridge between India and Sri Lanka, for the invasion of Ravana’s kingdom. It is also the sacred location where Lord Ram prayed to Shiva, atoning for the sin of killing the Brahmin Ravana. Since Hindu scriptures have it that a pilgrimage to Varanasi is incomplete without a visit to Rameswaram, it attracts visitors from across the country.

However, Rameswaram the temple town (pop.44,856) on Pamban Island boasts other attractions such as rail and road bridges that connect Rameswaram island to the Indian mainland. The 100-year-old Pamban Rail Bridge over the ocean, is one of the ten most dangerous bridges of the world, sited in a whirlwind zone. On some stretches, wind speeds could drive a speeding train off the track! Therefore, an anemometer erected at the centre of the bridge automatically alerts train drivers when wind velocity crosses 55 km/hr, warning them to reduce speed to a crawl. Work to build the 6,776 ft long rail bridge commenced in 1902 with excavations conducted by the Khurai families of Gujarat, experts in constructing Himalayan bridges. It took 12 years to complete the Pamban Rail Bridge — India’s first cantilever bridge. Until 2007, only narrow gauge trains ran on this track. However on the suggestion of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Indian Railways strengthened the bridge track, and today broad gauge trains easily cross the bridge. This is also vying the Unesco’s World Heritage status.

Dhanushkodi, an abandoned town at the south-eastern trip of the Pamban Island is must-visit in Rameswaram. As recounted in the Ramayana, after the defeat of Ravana, his brother Vibheesana, fearing more strife, is believed to have requested Lord Rama to sever links between Sri Lanka and India. To this end, Ram struck the land with the end (kodi) of his bow (dhanush) and it came to be known as Dhanushkodi.

Dhanushkodi is said to be the starting point of the Ram Setu (Ram’s Bridge) and at the point of confluence, it is lashed by the waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. Geographically, it is the southernmost tip of India and a mere 15 km from Rameswaram. The last half hour journey to Dhanushkodi is across a deserted stretch of wet, slushy mud in which ordinary vehicles tend to get stuck. It is advisable therefore, to travel in a four-wheel drive vehicle driven by an experienced local driver (Rs 150 per head).

For first-time visitors as well as returnees, the visual impact of the tip of India — a raw, stark and untainted landscape — is awesome. The wind velocity could knock you off your feet, with the roar of the ocean and wind absolutely deafening! Even the staunchest atheist or agnostic can’t help connecting the other-worldly experience of literally standing on Land’s End, as in mythology. At another level, it’s the ultimate adventure trip.

Ten minutes from Land’s End is the ghost village of Dhanushkodi. The Pamban Rail Bridge used to end at Dhanushkodi village, until on the midnight of December 22, 1964 a 20-ft-high tsunami washed away the track with an entire train of 115 passengers, and the village itself. The relics of the village and the raging wind highlight the helplessness of man in the face of nature’s fury. Since that awful night in 1964, Dhanushkodi village has been declared a ghost habitat unfit for human inhabitation.

And finally, there is the iconic house in Rameswaram where India’s most loved scientist, statesman and former President Dr. Abdul Kalam was born and raised. Visitors must also take in the waves-bereft Rameswaram beach. Legend has it that Lord Rama stilled the waters so that his simian army could build the Ram Setu bridge.

Getting to Rameswaram. The most convenient option is by road from Madurai (173 km). Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) buses ply between Madurai and Rameswaram and trains from Chennai, Bengaluru, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tirunelvelli. Madurai is the closest airport.

Accommodation. High-end: Hotel Star Palace (Rs.3,040 per night), Daiwik Hotels Rameshwaram (Rs.3,591), Justa Sarang (Rs.2,395); Mid-range: Ocean Sands Residency (Rs.1,380), Hotel Annamalai (Rs. 1,472); Budget: Hotel West Gate (Rs.920), Beachview Cottage (Rs.764).