2nd January 2020, 21:40
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| BHPian  | Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD The Kerala delineation The initial plan was to just drive to Wayanad and return. However, mom and wife wanted to explore some more into Kerala and I obliged happily. Kerala was in the book almost every year around this time but never materialized. Back in 2010, I was fortunate to glide over a few places in Kerala with Bhpian Samba. Every now so often, in our discussion Kerala came up, especially the Munnar stretch! We had just 10 days to plan and book hotels this time as the decision to visit Kerala was finally made. The hotels were not at all justifying the prices but we had to book them anyways. Since we were planning with a senior citizen and a five-year-old we decided to stick mostly to tourist areas with an exception of few untampered locations. Finally, we zeroed out on the plan after discussing with few folks from Kerala, acquainted via the common love for Travel and Automobiles. Social media surely has made life easy when trying to connect with the right people for information.  The planning involved getting the Duster a thorough checkup with the injectors. The ASS guys at PPS Amberpet were kind enough to do a thorough scan and checkup. As requested they re-torqued all the bolts at underbelly, suspensions. Fluids and brake pads were checked and the known point of worry for electrical sensors scanned with values appropriate for a journey.  Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Vizinjam beach - Kovalam Beach - Varkala beach - Allapey - Kumarakom - Thekkady - Munnar - Kochi - Wayanad - Hyderabad.  Day-1 Hyderabad - Kanyakumari, 1274kms, 18 hours.Hyderabad - Kanyakumari was bliss to drive, 18 hrs with few routine breaks but it can be done in 16 hours by the right people. NH44 still has 3 unmarked quad humps that are bone-jarring, to say the least. Good headlights help a lot at night. After, Hosur there were construction works in progress that feigned the authorities to depreciate the highway further to veer the expansion. I did notice a lot of small-town and villages on either side inside TN. During the sunny hours, the junctions surely will make one halt a few times thus reducing the average speed, making the drive a bit more taxing. We stopped for some home-cooked dinner after filling up at a pump in KA and these puppies were more than happy to join us.  Duster was busy munching the miles. 110 PS dusters have an inherent issue of injectors failing and to be prudent I try to fill up from COCO fuel pumps. With Essar and Reliance expanding at almost every place it's easier to settle with better fuel quality nowadays. All COCO pumps are very well maintained. Some like HP have their own dedicated spot for travelers to take rest.  There are a lot of options for good food en route both in KA and TN. We had started from Hyderabad around 5 pm on the 20th and reached Kanyakumari at around 10:30 am on 21st. Dusters AWDs ride quality is known to everyone by now and folks woke up post 8 am in the morning. First Sight of the Mountains - that took away whatever tiredness of night drive.   Just before entering Kanyakumari the scenery exploded into rich green mountains and small lakes.  Wind turbines are in abundance in the Muppandal, north Kanyakumari. The Muppandal Wind Farm is India's largest operational onshore wind farm. This project located in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. The project was developed by Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency. Its installed capacity is 1,500 MW, which makes it one of the world's largest operational onshore wind farms.   Kanyakumari was in the vicinity.  We reached the Hotel around 10:30 am and checked in the room around 11. I freshened up quickly and took a power nap of about an hour. Others were busy enjoying the hotel compound meanwhile. We were at the edge of India and that was reason enough to be elated for all of us. Kanyakumari is a coastal town in the state of Tamil Nadu on India's southernmost tip. Jutting into the wild Sea, the town was known as Cape Comorin during British rule and is popular for watching sunrise and sunset over the ocean. We checked with local authorities and confirmed that the last ferry to the Vivekananda rock memorial would be at 4 PM. After a lazy lunch, we headed out. Everything was at a walkable distance from where the hotel was located. A small map of the adjoining places should help.  We decided to go for the ferry ride first to the Vivekananda rock memorial. The magnificent Vivekananda Rock Memorial is located on a small island off Kanyakumari. It has the picturesque Indian Ocean in its backdrop and hence serves as a peaceful and serene destination for visitors from all across the globe. According to historical tales and legends, it is believed that Goddess Kumari performed austerity on this rock. There is a 'Dhyana Mandapam' located beside to memorial which serves as the meditation hall for the visitors to meditate. With its serene surroundings and majestic construction, the Vivekananda Memorial is an unforgettable experience. The island on which the statue is located is said to have been the site where Vivekananda attained enlightenment. The Shripada Mandapam has a study hall and a museum, where you can explore Vivekananda's life and work in depth. The popular rock memorial is situated in Vavathurai and was built in honor of Swami Vivekananda. The waiting and booking process Timing 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Tickets have to be bought on the spot. You will have options for both normal tickets or premium tickets to avoid the queue. Charges for the ferry to the rocks from the mainland are minimal at Rs.25 per person. The entry fee of Vivekananda Memorial rock is Rs.50 per person. Reaching Vivekananda Rock Memorial is not a difficult task as it is well connected to the land. Government of TN ferry services run between the island and the mainland with minimal charges. The waiting process and the area are clean and well organized with authorities overlooking the entire process. The pathway leading to the ferry is very well ventilated and is astonishingly cool.  There were few ferries that were available and to ensure things don't get overcrowded.  First Sight of the rocks.  The majestic architecture of the memorial is divided into two major sections, namely- the Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam. The Vivekananda Mandapam has the following sections- Dhyana Mandapam (which is the meditation hall with six adjacent rooms), Sabha Mandapam (which is the assembly hall), Pralima Mandapam (statue section) two rooms, a corridor and an open prakaram (outer courtyard) round the Sabha Mandapam, Mukha Mandapam, Namashtubhyam to the Son of jagadamba. This Mandapam was erected in honour of Swamiji and is believed to be the place where he got the aim of his life.  Vivekananda Kendra aka. the living memorial lies alongside the rock memorial. Its existence was first mentioned in 1964 and it was officially founded on 7 January 1972 after a groundwork of 9 years. The Kendra has twin objectives of man-making and nation-building. It was decided by Shri Eknath Ranade that Vivekananda Kendra should be a cadre-based organization and all those citizens of India who want to serve the nation will be given a chance to serve the God in man.  Our Lady of Ransom Church Kanyakumari was located just on the east banks. Timings are 5 am-6:30 pm. The church is a Catholic church located at Kanyakumari Town in the Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu. The church belongs to the catholic nomination and it is one of the most historic religious sites. We had to skip the Church visit and could only get a glimpse of the structure from the memorial rock.   Thiruvalluvar was a noted poet and philosopher, known for his contribution to Tamil literature. Globally renowned for his work Thirukkural, which is a collection of 1330 Tamil couplets. The Thiruvalluvar Statue was built in the memory of this great man and stands atop a small island rock, about 400 meters away from the coastline of Kanyakumari. The creator of this marvelous statue was Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati, who also made the Iraivan Temple. This spot was opened to the public on 1st January 2000, and since then, it has been attracting people from near and far.  We were not allowed to this statue as it was low tide and the ferries ran the chance of hitting the rocks.  The overall height of this structure is 133 feet (symbolic of 133 chapters in his book), including 38 feet high pedestal and 95 feet tall sculpture. Interestingly, the statue of Thiruvalluvar represents wealth and pleasure while the pedestal on which it stands depicts 38 chapters from the Thirukkural based on 'Virtue'.  The evening was well spent on the memorial rock. The sea breeze was blowing high and the atmosphere was epic. We witnessed Sunset at the edge of our Country.  We came back on the mainland while the memorial and statue were all lit up.   It was pretty late when we returned and the Gandhi Mandapam had closed down. The rest of the evening was spent at the Temple and adjoining markets. 3D render of the GPX data. https://ayvri.com/scene/7dj2o14g5e/c...013a68wcdykq0o Last edited by ARAY : 31st January 2020 at 11:03. |
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8th January 2020, 11:52
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| BHPian | re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Day-2  The plan for Day 2 was to start early and reach Kumarakom before the sunset. Visit a few beaches and tourist attractions on the way. However, while traveling with kids and elders the definition of starting early is quite different. After breakfast at Kumarokom we started for Padmanabhapuram Palace, Chakala, Thuckalay. My plan was to stick to the west coast and that paid off. Traffic was next to none and we came across several scenic spots on the way. The Duster was Parked at the south most parking lot of India. It's not a big deal at all, yet felt significant.  Next destination - Padmanabhapuram Palace We were accompanied by a guide and she knew the facts to the t. The palace was constructed around 1601 AD by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609. It is believed that the Thai Kottaram was built in 1550. The maker of modern Travancore Anizham Thirunal Marthandavarma(1706 -1758 ) who ruled Travancore from 1729 to 1758 rebuilt the palace in around 1750. Padmanabhapuram originally known as Kalkulam, in Kanyakumari district was once a thriving capital of the powerful Venad Kingdom which later became popular as the erstwhile princely state of Travancore.  Tickets are available inside the premises to the right and one needs to leave the footwear to the left. The place is very well maintained.  Padmanabhapuram was not the first stronghold of the Venad rulers in the South. The nearby Valliyur, Veerakeralaeswaram (also known as Veerakeralapuram), Thiruvithamcode, Charode, Puliyoorkurichi (Udayagiri), and Eraniel still have remnants of settlements, palaces, old fortifications and major temples that predate the foundation of Padmanabhapuram.  Kalkulam was probably chosen as an apt place for constructing a palace due to its strategic location and proximity to the rugged mountain ranges of the Western Ghats which provided natural protection to the palace and the settlements.  The abundance of fertile farmland and a plentiful supply of water were the major attractions that invited the royals and other settlers to this region.  The Padmanabhapuram Palace is situated in a four-kilometer long fortress and is divided into a number of sections, each of which has a significance of its own. A number of unique articles such as old Chinese jars, a variety of weapons, brass lamps, wood and stone sculpture, furniture and large mirrors, paintings, a wooden cot, and a polished stone cot are housed in the Padmanabhapuram Palace for safekeeping.   The Palace is a fine example of Kerala architecture. The carvings in the palace are made of rosewood and beautiful sculptures with old-time murals adorn ceilings and walls. There are windows colored with mica, Chinese carvings on royal chairs and artifacts created wholly out of exquisite wood like mahogany.   The Queen, or the Queen Mother's palace, called the Thaikottaram, has fully painted ceilings, carved with rosewood and teakwood, with as many as 90 different floral designs. The intricately carved wooden structures and the finesse with which the authorities maintained them were remarkable.  While discussing the beaches of Kerala and having seen Poovar we were skeptical in covering all the beaches. So I asked to check via google maps and any Beach with a slight curve on the landscape should be more interesting than the other. Not to discriminate against other beaches but we have had seen enough of straight coastlines. Vizinjam Beach became our next destination just because of the location.  The location didn't fail to impress and our hypothesis on deciding a beach was enough to make us happy. The lighthouse -  The Harbour area.   Duster could go all the way till the entrance of the beach but not inside as the entrance was blocked. We parked at the Beach Hotel and had one of the best Kerala meals. To determine between a rocky and a sandy beach - 1. In terrain map, ones with light yellow mean sandy beach, ones with white landmass and blue immediately means the lack of a beach or a rocky beach. 2. Switching to the Satellite map the above can be reconfirmed with flights capturing images of waves crashing and rocky terrain accordingly. - We used the same method to explore the lesser-known beaches of North and South Goa last year. Again it's a good idea to enter beaches only with watchtowers ( in abundance in entire Goa) not so much in Kerala. Vizinjam Beach was mostly visited by foreign tourists and they were in abundance. We were determined to get cracking at Kerala cuisine. Roasted Tuna with mustard sauce  The state Fish, Karimeen  Kovalam was geographically well situated with just the right ingredients for a great beach, unfortunately, crowded would be an understatement. At the entrance, we got a hint when we saw the number of vehicles parked. Since our next destination was Jatayu Earth's Center we decided to leave early from the beach. URL for booking tickets http://booking.jatayuearthscenter.com/zone/2Entrance Ticket Details For Jatayu Nature Park Cable car ride + Jatayu Sculpture visit: INR 550 + 18% GST Walk way + Jatayu Sculpture Visit: INR 250 + 18% GST 14 Adventure Activities: INR 500 + 18% GST Paintball: INR 1000 + 18% GST Tent Camping: INR 1200 + 18% GST Trekking: INR 500 + 18% GST Zip Line: INR 250 + 18% GST Heli Ride: INR 2400 + 18% GST The giant concrete statue of Jatayu is built on a mighty rock named Jatayupara (para means rock in Malayalam) by the sculptor Rajiv Anchal. In the words of Mr. Rajiv Anchal, this symbolism has great relevance in today’s social scene since the crime rate against women is on a high. Each guest at Jatayu Earth’s Center is requested to understand and emulate the inner meaning of this inspiring creation. Source - Booking URL Length: 200 feet (61 meters) Breadth: 150 feet (46 metres) Height: 70 feet (21 meters) Floor area: 15000 square feet (1400 square meters) The Jatayu Sculpture at Jatayu Nature Park is the world’s largest bird sculpture. Helicopter rides were stopped for the day so we went for the cable cars.    The Chopper  After entering the premises we were greeted by this gigantic concrete sculptor. The colossal statue is 200 feet long, 150 feet wide and 70 feet tall, making it all the largest functional bird statue in the world with an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. Jatayu is an embodiment of valor and chivalry. Risking his life, he tried his best to save Sitha from her abductor. Hence the Jatayu sculpture uprights as a towering tribute to women’s safety and honor. Mythology speaks of how the fight went on between Ravan and Jatayu at the time of the abduction of Sita. The brave bird fought with just one wing. Duster 110PS owners who have experienced Injector failure - Does Jatayu not remind you of Duster when it goes into limp mode? The automobile chugs along with 3 or fewer injectors!   Jatayu also represents a bygone era when humans, animals, birds and other living forms cared for each other and lived peacefully on this Earth. It was pretty late when we exited the premises. Searched for the hotel in Kumarakom and headed straight. We reached pretty late at night and called it a day. GPX Summary for the day -  The route had several Wildlife sanctuaries and hills a little into the mainland. Kerala surely needs some more trips to explore the less explored. Last edited by ARAY : 31st January 2020 at 10:06. |
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8th January 2020, 19:30
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| BHPian | re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Day-3  Kumarakom and Alleppey. This was the first time in the trip we were witnessing backwaters. We decided to go for a houseboat trip in the morning hours to avoid congestion and heat. Initially, I thought that the narrow canals leading to the main backwater would stink but luckily that was not the case. We had a very bad experience at Allapey when the water route from the hotel to the Vembanad Lake itself was along the narrow channels. Not a very pleasant sight  While choosing a hotel from where one wants to experience the House Boat cruise ensure to choose the hotel as close to the main water body as possible. That will save time, avoid smelly water and congestion. GPS path as recorded by the mobile app.   The hotel owner was once closely attached to Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat and took great pride in narrating the process of the saltwater barrage and how it was constructed. That evening was well spent hearing the elderly person narrate the sequence of events with such detail. I recorded the audio. A few pictures from the boat ride.  Vembanad Lake is the longest lake in the country and the largest in Kerala. It stretches over an area of 200 sq km and is a delight to look at. It lays right by the Arabian Sea, with a narrow reef separating it from the sea.  India’s famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race is hosted on the waters of this lake, pulling in enthusiasts from all over the country and the world.  Currently, the lake is declining in size and is facing a major ecological crisis, owing to land reclaiming. It is estimated to have reduced by 40 % of its original size.  The government of India has recognized the wetland under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme. Lake has its source in four rivers, Meenachil, Achankoil, Pampa, and Manimala. he major rivers of Muvattupuzha, Meenachil, Pamba and Achencovil rivers, are all navigable up to distances of about 30 km upstream in the tidal reach. The Kottappuram-Kollam segment of the west coast canal system has a major chunk passing through the Vembanad Lake and spans a total of 209 km. It has been declared as a National Waterway.  The Ramsar Convention has defined the Lake as a Wetland of International Importance. The lake proves to be essential for the locals that live by the shore as their livelihood depends on the lake waters. In addition to this, the fragile ecosystem carries more than 100 birds as native.  The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the northern fringes of Kumarakom village. It comes in the way of the Central Asian flyway. Other than Cormorant and Pond Heron I failed to spot anything else.   Locals also call it Vembanad Kol or Vembanad Kayal. One may go boating in the beautiful lagoon and explore the islands lined with lush green coconut trees.  The Vembanad Wetland system has formed an intricate network of estuaries, lagoons, and canals which spans over 196 km in the north-south and 29 km in the east-west directions. Almost all villages in these areas can be accessed via water transport.  There was rice cultivation on either bank, small temporary canals fed water to the fields. Paddy fields were in abundance.   One of the most outstanding features of this lake is the 1252 m long saltwater barrier, Thanneermukkom, which was built to stop saltwater intrusion into Kuttanad.   Our Ride for the morning had 3 - JBL GT1500W JBL Tubular Subwoofers + 6 GT629 Mid Speakers   The Driver asked us to connect via Bluetooth and I decided to play below album. Even on the open backwater the bass and thump were pretty deep. Enjoyed some Karemeen in the restaurant with low bass - that was good enough to make the ambiance epic! https://music.amazon.in/user-playlists/8783eb5721f44c869e9946532b79bf51i8n0?ref=dm_sh_ccd 6-e1ad-dmcp-a9f0-7a861&musicTerritory=IN&marketplaceId=A21TJRUUN4KG V We enjoyed Karimeen from one of the islands. I was skeptical initially, however, the fishes were caught fresh and on close inspection ( as a Bong its kind of inherent 6th sense ) we agreed for some. It was called Chettinad fry but tasted almost similar.   Before Lunch, we took a dip at the pool. it was heated and we were immediately freshened up.  We returned from the House Boat ride at 12 pm and the Chef at the Hotel had promised an authentic Kerala meal. The Kerala thali was epic, to say the least. He ensured to dial down the spicey quotient to few notches and that made all the difference.  The definition of a good hotel for petrol heads would be the one where you get to park it close to you even at night. It's definitely not a mandate but an emotion hard to explain.  We had a lazy lunch and decided to go to Alleppey. The owner of the hotel informed us about the Traffic due to Christmas week. We ditched google Maps at few places and finally reached Alleppey.  I was mildly glum after seeing the first glimpse of all of Allapey beaches. Last time we stayed at a hotel with private beaches and that made a lot of difference. The beaches were heavily crowded, probably early morning the scene would have been different. To get a relatively secluded beach one would need to travel further South or North of Allapey as the core is saturated. Post Kadalamma Beach was less crowded. We had enough time so headed straight. We took a few pictures and spent the evening watching the sunset, enjoying the sea breeze. After a sumptuous rather opulent dinner, we headed back to the hotel and called it a day. Note: To spot a secluded beach a good idea is to search for hotels via Google Maps for that area, Allapey in our case. From there you can get redirected to all booking portals and check for reviews and all.  Last edited by ARAY : 31st January 2020 at 10:07. |
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9th January 2020, 20:58
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| BHPian | re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Day- 4  Kumarakom - Thekkady, 122 km Kumarakom to Thekkady was rather adventurous. We started from Kumarakom post-lunch as it was just a 3-hour drive. Stopped to click pictures at several places. We were moving from beaches to hills. 3D render of GPX data First glimpse of hills after a long time.  The Duster Chugged along the narrow alleys of beautiful tea plantations  Kumli is the main plantation region Kumily, also known as Kuzhumoor, used to be the capital of the Thekkumkoor Kings. Kumily’s economy is largely dependent on agriculture. Agricultural laborers constitute the majority of the population while estate laborers constitute 10% percent of the total population. Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeated the Thekkumkoor Rajas. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern-day southern Kerala, the district of Kanyakumari.  It was with the advent of the British in the region that it underwent drastic changes. The British either bought or obtained on a lease, vast stretches of land and hilly areas of this region from the feudal lords or from the princely state of Travancore. They converted the forestlands to plantations of tea, coffee, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and other spices. People from Tamil Nadu and Kerala were brought to work in the plantations. The 1920s saw the arrival of Malayalis to this area in great numbers. There are different stories about the events that led to this. Hundreds of acres of land have been devoted to plantations of tea and spices. Apart from these, the other major agriculture produce here includes tapioca, rice, coconut, sugarcane, coffee, areca nut, ginger, lemongrass, and vegetables. It was late in the evening when we arrived at Thekkady and the Periyar river followed us along. The hotel was located very close to the Periyar National Forest entrance. We spent the rest of the evening at the river bank and a nearby tea plantation.  Day -5  The day was planned for in and around Thekkady. Our first point of interest was Periyar National Park. There are a few varieties of tickets available. We decided to go for the 3 hour trip through the forest in the dedicated MnM Commanders. We started very early for the 6:30 am safari. The Periyar lake did remind us of a lot of Sungetsar lake in Tawang- Arunachal. Tree branches spiked out of the water. There was no sighting of Elephants. We returned back pretty sad. The boat trip had a very long queue and mismanaged so we had to opt out else we would have missed the rest of Thekkady. The hotel owner Mr. Jacob saw that we were kind of unhappy with Periyar National Park. He suggested an offroad trail with a local Driver and car. The conversation went like this - Mr. Jacob: How was the forest Safari. Me: We have seen better. Mr. Jacob: Humm, you can book a local Jeep who can take you to offbeat locations. Me: ( lighting up ) Offroad you say? Mr. Jacob: Yes they have Jeeps. Me: Yes I have seen a lot of MnM Commanders plying in the area. Mr. Jacob: yes yes, shall I call one of them? Wife looking at me: I know what you are thinking. Me to Wife: most of them are RWD MnM Commanders and the terrain is Dry, I checked. Me: Mr. Jacob, kindly call. 15 mins later the MnM Commander arrives I check to reconfirm the Commander is RWD. Me: I want to take the Duster AWD and he can be our guide, Ill pay the same amount. Vehicle Owner: Checks the Duster and signals something in Malayalam. His Signal was that of changing a Gear. I assumed he was asking about a 2nd gear for low range box? I open up the gate of Duster and show the humble AWD knob. Vehicle Owner: gives a thumbs up. Smiles at me and nods. Mr. Jacob: Just be careful Sir. Me: I would never underestimate any terrain, I will be careful. Thanks. The Commander Owner sat at the passenger seat. Every one boarded. He started giving Directions. After 5 odd km, the road disappeared. I moved to Auto, underbelly scraped, there were 4 adults and 1 kid in the Duster including the driver recently promoted to guide. After the first underbelly scrape, I was more careful. It did scrape a few more times but the echo was less dramatic. The drive was super slow but I was happy, super happy. I didn't engage 4wd Lock. Auto did the trick. After a while, I felt something was wrong. The Symmetry and behavior of the monocoque were slightly different. I stopped at a somewhat flat surface and saw this.  A full 2 inches long sharp rock had penetrated the rear left Tyre. The Maxxis Bravos were 35k+ km old and I should have changed the shoes. Moreover in the AWD due to Negative Camber and loaded boot, the inner walls rub more. I had noticed the weak link while starting from Hyderabad. I was thankful it happened at daylight. We changed over to Stepney and drove back to the Hotel. It didn't take me long from the Sabrimala viewpoint. We were getting off to go to the hotel. The Commander Owner signaled us to quickly board his vehicle. We jumped in and he took us for a spin. He took us to a lot of places inside the nonrestricted part of the forest. I asked about the name of the places he informed in broken English that these spots are known only to locals, tourists don't come here, he took us there only to cheer us up. When was the last time any driver did that? There was an NCC camp too that was under construction and several Spice gardens on the way. It was a significant day for Sabrimala devotees however the parking area was well managed.  Sabarimala Viewpoint   The Wounded Horse never gave up. Duster did take us into the interior tea gardens through some offroad trails.   We were back at the hotel by 3 pm. We had a late lunch and the plan was to go for Mudra Cultural Centre. To witness Kathakali and Martial Arts. Moreover the next day we were on for Munnar and I wanted to fix or get an extra tire. I was pretty sure the Tyre was a total loss so wanted an extra pair. It was Christmas week and most of the shops were closed. However, we found a shop. The puncture shop confirmed that the Maxxis will go for a total loss. I asked him to give a tire with some grip so that I could continue with the journey. The Rock had penetrated and had hit the inner wall of the Mag Wheel.  For reference.  Location of the Puncture Repair Shop. 9° 42' 6.18" N, 77° 15' 39.83" E After a lot of shuffling through the tires, finally got a used Kumho Solus ta11 215/60 R16 for Rs 1200. The bravo 771s were 235 60 R16, stocks were 215 65 R16. Since it was the rear left wheel, I didn't bother much. The plan initially was to get all 4 tires changed again to Maxxis Bravo at Kochi. ( We didn't get a shop that had a ready stock of Bravo) The evening was well spent watching and learning about Kathakali. Kathakali dance form of Kerala is a colorful dance drama and one of the seven classical dances of India. The kiritam and other wooden ornaments worn by the performers are intricately carved with glass, stones, gold and silver foils, bead and peacock feathers. These are designed as per the qualities of the dancers: pacha (green) is benevolent and noble; Kathi (knife) symbolizes evil and demon-like characters. The word Kathakali literally means story-play. This dance form is noted for the elaborate makeup, detailed face gestures, attractive costumes, and well-defined body movements. In Tradition, Kathakali represents the narratives of the exploits of various deities and demons. Ornamental silver fringes are above the peacock shape made of green glass pieces, between the top of the second dome and the finial. The top of the dome has concentric circles with the rows of decoration repeated. The disc is like a perfect piece of jewellery, is picturesque on both sides and has a circular row of vines of golden stems and leaves, green buds, grapes with peacock feather stems, and a golden circle of foils converging on a round piece of glass in the center.     And then she turns into a Demon, kiddo was scared so was I for a moment   The same campus hosts show for Martial arts. Kalaripayattu (sometimes shortened as Kalari) is an Indian martial art and fighting system that originated in modern-day Kerala. Kalarippayattu is a healing martial art that includes the knowledge of Marma, the vital energy points of a human body. A Kalaripayattu Gurukkal (teacher) is also a trained Ayurveda physician. Kalaripayattu practice prepares one for unarmed self-defense skills, enhances mental strength, conditions the body, boosts stamina and strengthens the immune system, bestows greater power of self-control and concentration, tone ups the muscles, conditions the human body and helps improve blood circulation and enhances posture. It also is considered to be among the oldest martial arts still in existence, with its origin in the martial arts timeline dating back to at least the 3rd century BC. Traditions and methods of teaching of Kalaripayattu varied between different regions of Kerala.  Thanks to social media, a childhood senior came to know that I was at Thekkady, he had flown down from WB for vacation. He called, we got in touch and in the next 5 mins, we planned for dinner. Such impromptu plans are the best. Here we were who hardly met for the last 10 years but planning for dinner together with family. It was a great feeling indeed. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and called it a day. Last edited by Chetan_Rao : 31st January 2020 at 23:29. Reason: Typo. |
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13th January 2020, 20:56
| #5 |
| BHPian | re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Day-6 The plan for day 6 was to start for Munnar, however, we decided to start a bit late. The owner of the hotel at Thekkady informed us about honey farms that would fall on the way out of Thekkady. We stopped at one of them. A person guided us carefully among the beehives, well man-made they were but substantially scary. He explained the entire honey-making process from scratch and it was quite an interesting enlightenment.   After the explanation he even allowed tourists to carefully touch the beehives and its layers inside. The backyard of the Honey farm was the Periyar river. We asked and he guided us to the beautiful river. The place was gorgeous, to say the least, and the camera was definitely not doing justice to the scape.   Our next destination was Idduki Dam. Location: 9° 50' 47.11" N, 76° 57' 48.27" E Idukki Arch Dam is the world’s second and Asia’s first arch dam, constructed across the Kuravan and Kurathi hills. 550 ft. high and 650 ft. wide, the dam lies close to the Cheruthoni barrage. To its west is the Kulamavu Dam. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary is located close by. This prestigious project of our nation is situated in Idukki District and its underground Power House is located at Moolamattom which is about 19 km from Thodupuzha. Idukki Dam is 43 km away from Moolamattom.    From Idduki, Munnar is just 50 km. But on the hills, as we all know 50 km is a very long distance. It was late and we crossed a few beautiful places on the way. I couldn't help but stop a few times.   We were at the outskirts of Munnar around 17 km left when the Duster and its owner witnessed things that sent chills down the spine. I braked hard, really hard, I felt ABS kick in, Traction control light blinked few times on the console. A group of elephants ( Probably 6+) was crossing the road about 50 m further ahead. Immediately turned off the vehicle and headlights, there were no other vehicles on road. I had anticipated something like this could happen however there was a huge difference between what happened and what I had imagined. Everyone else in the car was sleeping. I could barely see in the moonlight, huge shadows moving across. It was a good 5+ minutes of silently camouflaging with the dark. It's hard to describe the situation, however, imagine your self in a forest area with no headlights but just the moon and to make matters more exciting your brain already knows that there are wild elephants few meters ahead. Moonlight was not enough to proceed further and the eyes had not completely adjusted yet. Decided to wait 5 more minutes. Eventually, when the noise of branches and dry twigs breaking went farther off and one could only hear on concentrating hard from the peek of the driver side window gap, turned on the vehicle, the crackling of the diesel heart broke the silence of the night. Turned on the headlights, white light was slicing through the pitch-black like a hot knife! Next ? Next was- Zip - Zap - Zoom! Location of picture- 10° 0' 16.77" N, 77° 1' 21.63" E Notice the broken trees and branches in the distance.  We reached the hotel around 10:30 pm. Kiddo asked, "Did we miss anything on the way". The rest of the evening was spent narrating the sequence of events, I saw his eyes change from being sleepy to fully round with awe and astonishment. I was very happy to witness his enthusiasm, this is what road trip is all about. Finally called it a day. Day-7 Day 7 was planned in and around Munnar. We decided to ditch the itinerary as it was peak season. While entering the town last night, we realized it would be crowded. The plan was always to stay away from the main Munnar town, stay somewhere in between tea plantations. We woke up to this view.     The tea factory was less visited during the morning hours. We have seen a tea factory and processing at Ooty but decided to go again for tea lovers, my mom, and my wife. We set sail bypassing the traffic and through narrow roads of tea gardens. Google Maps is very well mapped in the region and is almost 100% accurate. You can decide on the route to take on the fly and Google map re routs very quickly. The KDHP Tea Museum is an industry and history museum situated in Munnar, a town in the Idukki district of Kerala in South India. Tata Tea Museum is its official name, but it's also known as Nalluthanni Estate where it is located, or Kannan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) Tea Museum.  There is a dark projector room where the Museum plays the history of the tea cultivation of the area. Its a session worth watching. It creates an atmosphere of inspiration from the early planters. The tea estate is owned by Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (P) Ltd. (KDHP) – the plantation dates back to the 1880s. The museum opened on 1st April 2005. The tea museum preserves the aspects of the genesis and growth of tea plantations in Kerala's mountain region in the Idukki district on the Western Ghats at the border to the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. Tata Tea opened the museum which houses curiosities, photographs, and machinery, depicting a turning point that contributed to Idukki's flourishing tea industry. Set up at the Nallathanni Estate, the museum is a tribute to its pioneers who transformed Munnar into a major tea plantation center of Kerala, from the rudimentary tea roller from 1905 to a fully automated tea factory. Visitors and tea lovers can see various stages of the tea processing – Crush, tear, curl - and learn about the production of Kerala black tea variants. The power generation plant of the estate dates back to the 1920s; a rail engine wheel of the Kundala Valley Railway that shuttled between Munnar and Top Station by 1924. A section of the museum also houses classic bungalow furniture and office equipment of the Colonial area in Kerala. Tea tasting across different varieties of tea is another attraction. A 2nd-century burial urn was discovered at the Periakanal tea estate; it is also displayed at the museum.  While exiting the KDHP tea factory, we noticed that the parking lot was surrounded by mountains with tea plantations all over. On closer observation, I noticed pluckers at work.  We stopped at quite a few places en route the wildlife sanctuary. The scenic beauty was in abundance so were the tourists. Getting a clear shot was becoming difficult. Munnar and the overexploited Horse.   KL government would not over spoil the natural resources by over-utilizing the hills, that's given. Unlike parts of the middle Himalayas.  We decided to go offbeat and take the road further that goes to Coimbatore. The further we went, the landscape became furthermore beautiful. This road is after the wildlife sanctuary. We went for the sanctuary but the waiting time was 2+ hours. We had to drop to do justice to other places.    Our next destination was Matupetty Dam, Kerala livestock development and Indo swiss dairy farm were on the way.  Indo Swiss farm was closed that day and we could only catch a futile glimpse. Epicly gorgeous none the less ! Mattupetty located at a distance of around 13 km from Munnar, is a serene city that is extremely popular for the Dam and Mattupetty Reservoir. Built-in the middle of hills, the main objective of this dam is to store water for hydroelectric projects. One of the main tourist attractions in Munnar, the Mattupetty Dam is the perfect place to enjoy pleasant views of the surroundings. The lake created from the dam offers boat rides for both tourists and locals to explore the serene surroundings.  Munnar was great, tourists are in abundance but if one can ditch the usual hotspots there is a lot left unexplored. Munnar definitely demands more time. We came across this lavish School.  Sunset was definitely breathtaking in the valley.   We were passing the Hydel park on the way to the hotel, anticipated that the park would have closed by now. The gates were open and the parking full. We went in. It was well lit within the premises but not enough for some landscape shots. Cable riding and few fun adventure activities are hosted for kids. We had a lovely evening. We returned to hotel pretty late and called it a day. Last edited by ARAY : 21st January 2020 at 16:46. |
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14th January 2020, 17:58
| #6 |
| BHPian | re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Day-8 The day was pinned for Munnar to Kochi. 130 km approximately 4 hours. We, however, exhausted 6 hours as we stopped multiple times en route. Somehow leaving the hills is becoming tough for us as the days go by, not sure why. However, we were woken up by these Red-whiskered bulbuls that day.   While the rest were helping repack, I spent a good 40 mins waiting patiently for this Oriental Garden Lizard to catch a dragonfly. It just ran around the bush and I just sat there for that shot. I will assume it was a noob, not a mature one, thus missed claiming its breakfast.  Came across this Willis CJ3B in Kerala. The owner was an elderly individual busy in his daily chore. Kiddo pointed out the Jeep and seeing his enthusiasm, we approached. The owner got down and smiled. We had a few questions, he addressed in fluent English. He opened up the newspaper sized RC book. The RC book itself was a legend, a 1963 model, direct import from Germany. Served in the 55th war regiment, World War 2. The bolts at the rear bench area proved that some heavy artillery was mounted once and used often.    All parts were fully restored and working. The 1963 engine with the waterproof ignition system of the legendary M-38 was replaced with a 45 hp inline 4 diesel heart.  The car was very well maintained and the owner explaining the entire import process so vividly showed the care.   Came across this waterfall en route - 10° 2' 22.65" N, 76° 50' 50.68" E  Stopped by at one of the restaurants and I had one of the best Malabar Biriyanis ever. It was love at first bite. What followed was that for the rest of the vacation it was Malabar Biriyani all the way!  It was pretty late when we reached the Kochi area. The road leading to the hotel had backwaters on either side and had quite a few Chinese fishing nets. We wanted to witness the working principle of the net. The owner of one of the nets said he would pull up the net in the next 1 hour. Our hotel was just 1.7 km off. While the rest checked in, wife, kiddo and I came back to the same spot to see how things work. The owner mentioned those modern ones have a motor to pull back the cantilever and even the bamboo posts were replaced by metal rods. We were told fishermen even use sound waves underwater to lure fishes.     The rest of the evening was spent toe-dipping in the warm ocean water. The beach was crowded till around 9 pm post that it got scanty. We were located somewhere here.  The beaches get really clean and less crowded further south which we realized the next day. Last edited by ARAY : 31st January 2020 at 10:13. |
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18th January 2020, 10:38
| #7 |
| BHPian | re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Day-9 This day was dedicated to in and around Kochi. Although we were at Cherai, so we decided to take a ferry to the rest of Kochi. A good part of the first half was spent basking in the Arabian sea.  After a light late breakfast, we headed for Kochi. Wanted to take the ferry the red in the map suggested that the bottleneck would be major, we decided to go for it anyways.  Although Google Maps suggested the route more inclined towards the mainland. Immediately we found very less crowded beaches driving south of Cherai.   Image coordinate to find a less crowded beach - 10° 6' 35.93" N, 76° 11' 14.15" E I followed the beach road as long as possible until the seawater had carried over so much sand that it was risky to drive over. I drove over a few of the roads covered in sand and finally quit just before duster was about to get royally stuck. So we stopped at this place - 10°05'02.7"N 76°11'38.1"E. Although Google map shows a few beaches the water was inside the mainland by quite a margin. There were rock walls built to counter the rage of the ocean.    After taking a detour and getting back further into the mainland we crossed this beautiful backwater. The roads at this part were relatively empty.   The wait for the ferry was a good 45 plus minutes. It was pretty hot in Kochi in late December. Ferry ticket is for the vehicle only. It needs to be purchased at the counter located just before the jetty area. For Duster, it was Rs 63.  The loaded mini truck you see, yes it overtook me while deboarding from the ferry and almost hit the car at the front. Probably the guy was in a hurry. But when the loaded truck braked hard to avoid rear-ending the whole ferry shook and swayed. Authorities asked him to park and rest was history. But it was quite an experience for us all.  It was early afternoon when we reached. We had lunch at one of the hotels. Parking was a huge deal. A compass driver had almost occupied the space of 2 vehicles. Engaged Auto in the AWD and parked with two tires on some huge rocks. AWD is definitely not a necessity in India but thanks to a few of Darwin's favorites it comes in pretty handy. We headed for St Basilica Church. Marriage was in session while we entered the premises. Tourists and family members of the bride and groom stood and watched the ceremony. We joined them. 9° 57' 54.00" N, 76° 14' 36.00" E   Next Destination - Mattancherry Palace Built-in oriental style, Mattancherry Palace, situated in Ernakulam district of Kerala was originally built by the Portuguese and presented to the king of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma, in the year 1555 AD. It was later taken over by the Dutch who improved it through extensions and repairs in 1663 AD. Since then it came to be called the Dutch Palace, though at no time did the Portuguese nor the Dutch stayed there. One of the oldest buildings in Kerala, the Mattancherry Palace is a portrait gallery of the kings of Cochin. Photography inside is strictly prohibited.   We went for St Francis Church in Fort Kochi and next was Jew Town. This was the most fascinating part of our visit to Fort Kochi. Jew Town is possibly the oldest settlement of Jews in India. The first settlement of Jews as early as the 12th century were embarked on this region. They stayed on till the 1950s after which they moved on to the other part of the world. Most of the Synagogues here were re-used as buildings for different purposes but the one that still remained was the Paradesi Synagogue. The Paradesi Synagogue was closed by the time we reached it and all I got to see was the clock-tower. This formed the center of this Jew Town. The Cheenavala or the Chinese fishing nets hang in there with all their glory, still intact and usable. The nets operate on a cantilever mechanism with the help of few fishermen.  The area opposite the beach turned into a live kitchen as the night flourished. There were around 15 restaurants in a row serving fried fish and other local seafood delicacies. Must say in that small place and crowd traffic was very well managed.  The return journey to the base was done via the mainland. It was already late in the evening but we stopped at a few places near the Central Kochi beach to have dinner and to shoot some pictures. We arrived pretty late at the hotel and called it a day.  Day - 10 This day marked the start of the return leg to Hyderabad. The plan was to halt at Wayanad and start for Hyderabad the next day. We woke up early to spend some time at the beach and to bid adieu.  I was informed by few KL folks that the road leading to Wayanad crosses via Forest area and its better to reach before sunset because some roads could get blocked by forest authorities, while others confirmed that there was no such rule. To avoid the discrepancy we started early to reach before the sunset.  Roads were great as usual and we entered just on time.  The hotel was located near Banasura Sagar Dam, Padinjarathara which was a good 1 hr from the gate. Entering Wayanad we realized it's very pretty and somewhat similar to Munnar.  Banasura Sagar Dam is the largest earth dam in India located in the foothills of the elegant Banasura Hills in Wayanad ideal for a weekend getaway. This dam is built across the Karamanathodu River which is a tributary of River Kabani. It was constructed in 1979 on behalf of the Banasurasagar project in order to support the Kakkayam Hydroelectric power project. The main purpose of the construction of this dam is to meet the water needs for drinking and irrigation.   .The rest of the evening was spent loitering around the hotel premises at Wayanad. Day-11 The plan was to visit Banasura Hill and then start for Hyderabad.   Banasura Hills to Banjara Hills was a fun drive. We crossed Bandipur and met a few of these guys on the way.   We reached Hyderabad around 4 am in the morning. The Duster AWD never failed to impress while offroading and while driving on the ghats. Strikes a good balance of both worlds. A picture to conclude this beautiful journey.  Summary Total days - 11 Total kilometers - 3500 Total states crossed one way - TS, AP, TN, KL Total fuel - approximately 300 litres ( hills + mild Off-roading+ flat land ) KL is a beautiful state and few fallacies about the state were immediately uprooted and great new knowledge was acquired from the locals and few elderly folks who were more than happy to share the legends of the land. People are super helpful and when they say 100% literacy... We experience that first hand, communication was no challenge and everyone cooperated. We were lucky to be there at the time of Christmas and New year, these guys celebrate and know how to enjoy the celebration. The entire cities were so gorgeously decorated. Food was top notch and local delicacies were smacking, to say the least. In love with Kerala - Puttu and Kerala Biriyani and of course Karemeen ( state fish ). Kerala thali was so damn awesome. What matters to travelers and petrol heads like us - Roads were mostly single lane. The hilly regions have some epic curves and scenes. Traffic was very well controlled in big cities as well as in small towns and villages. I was very happy to see the police at almost every junction be it big or small. Traffic police and police, in general, were very helpful in reconfirming directions. KL is known for accidents and the skid marks ( with and without abs) on the tarmac are enough to tell you a story about the nature of the curve. Tailgating helps a lot. Did some Off-roading at Thekkady with a local guide and humble duster AWD impressed yet again. The region sees a lot of MnM commanders Rwd, Duster AWD clambered slowly and steadily. Had a nasty tire puncture but that was sorted, the same evening, which was great. The bottom line - KL is a beautiful state with great people. Didn't notice a single statue of politicians or "great men" just figurine of farmers and other working community. It's a vast state with major untapped natural beauty. KL would need several trips and yet be insufficient. The next plan for KL would be completely offbeat and more into the wild! I hope this thread would help fellow travelers and enthusiasts planning for a trip to Kerala. KL is gorgeous with welcoming people, definitely needs more visits. Last edited by ARAY : 31st January 2020 at 10:14. |
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31st January 2020, 11:02
| #8 |
| Team-BHP Support   | re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing! Last edited by CrAzY dRiVeR : 31st January 2020 at 11:04. |
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31st January 2020, 21:19
| #9 |
| Distinguished - BHPian   | Re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD A very well documented travelogue.  The pictures are lively, the narration is spot on and your Bong Duster is looking fab as-usual! Rated 5*. Sharing a decade old pic of one my good friend at Alleppey!  We covered 1500 km in a couple of days, covering most of Kerala in a Maruti Alto!  Early morning at Munnar, after a sound sleep in this small hatchback! Its written 'Addicted to highways' on the front windshield! Good old days!  Last edited by Samba : 31st January 2020 at 21:21. |
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1st February 2020, 21:40
| #10 |
| BHPian  | Re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD I haven't read the entire log but whenever I see a thread from you, I know exactly what to expect. Long, overnight drives; superb photography, exotic locations. Only that you keep extending the bar everytime. This time too, being no exception BR, Sayak |
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2nd February 2020, 09:15
| #11 |
| BHPian  | |
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3rd February 2020, 04:06
| #12 |
| BHPian Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney, AU
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3rd February 2020, 05:50
| #13 |
| Team-BHP Support  Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: S'pore/Thrissur
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| Re: Hyderabad - Kanyakumari - Kerala in a Duster AWD Beautiful travelogue! This is indeed a reference guide for anyone traveling across Kerala (including Malayalees). Loved the amount of detailing that has gone into every post. Thank you for sharing  |
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3rd February 2020, 12:49
| #14 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: KOL-DEL-LKO
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3rd February 2020, 22:02
| #15 |
| BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bangalore
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