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Old 13th August 2010, 09:15   #16
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I never felt like watching some place in TN, all these places remind me of KL. More of greens & water, more of KL. Take another 5* from me too
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Old 13th August 2010, 09:39   #17
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Great pictures! Wow, I want to make another trip to Valparai!

I hope the place remains this way, and doesnt disappoint one with rampant development all around when one visits a few years from now..

And that Valparai-Chalakudy stretch is something to be experienced.
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Old 13th August 2010, 10:11   #18
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That is quite a OO Productions job, Sriram!

Something you forgot to mention to your folks is that the Athirapalli Falls is popularly known in TN as the "Punnagai Mannan" Falls, because that movie was picturised there, and that is how the Falls first came into the limelight in the 1980s - and that is how I also discovered the Valaparai-Athirapalli road on my mobike in 1987 one fine misty day ex-Coimbatore (I used to work/live there then)! I rode into Valparai, checked out with the locals what else is there to see and they said, "Saar, just a little more distance" to the Punnagai Mannan Falls, and that "little" distance turned out to be 70 kms or 2.5 hours of riding on these narrow roads!

BTW, you have not mentioned the racket the giant cicadas (crickets) make on the stretch after Malakkiparai, and the giant arched bamboos which are surely the most splendid flora of the route.

Another interesting piece of info is that Malakkiparai estate of Tata Tea (now Kannan Devan Tea) is the highest-yielding tea estate in the Tata Group!

Any elephant or bison sightings?
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Old 13th August 2010, 13:21   #19
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It’s be 12 years that I been to Valparai, thanks for your pictures for reminding me the beauty of this is place.

I still remember I used to peddle to Balaji temple which is owned by the Peria Karamalai tea Industries. Situated in Karamalai. Very famous beautiful temple.
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Old 13th August 2010, 13:27   #20
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KESriram: 4th snap, #6 post on this thread. Reminded me of our trip couple of months back on the same route. Same place, wifey left her slippers at the stream after our cleaning of the lunch plates. Did you find any pair lying around?
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Old 13th August 2010, 13:39   #21
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Are you guys sure that its the lion-tailed-macaque or is it the Niligiri Langur? They look similar. I had seen one when through Silent Valley once - this biosphere is north of the Walayar.
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Old 13th August 2010, 13:55   #22
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Wow, good amount of water in Atthirampally. Guys visiting this weekend are lucky I guess.

Good macros. Cheers.
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Old 13th August 2010, 14:22   #23
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Fantastic snaps-very well done-mouth's watering to go there_ I hope I can make it this month??
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Old 13th August 2010, 14:26   #24
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Any update on the check post timings at Malakkiparai and Peringalkuthu Dam? I remember that driving on the Valparai-Athirapalli road was restricted between 8 pm and 5 am.
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Old 13th August 2010, 14:48   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hvkumar View Post
Any update on the check post timings at Malakkiparai and Peringalkuthu Dam? I remember that driving on the Valparai-Athirapalli road was restricted between 8 pm and 5 am.
Sirji, In May 2010 whaen I was there I had a chat with the officer at the checkpost, and he was telling me till 19:30 normally all vehicles are let. After 18:00 the scrutiny is a little high about the need for you to cross. But he also mentioned afterwards also there were instances of vehicles let inside.
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Old 13th August 2010, 14:52   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laluks View Post
Sirji, In May 2010 whaen I was there I had a chat with the officer at the checkpost, and he was telling me till 19:30 normally all vehicles are let. After 18:00 the scrutiny is a little high about the need for you to cross. But he also mentioned afterwards also there were instances of vehicles let inside.
Thanks, Lalu, you are right about the selective restrictions. There is some commercial traffic between Vlaparai and Kochi (tea planters) who are normally allowed, but rookies like us are not. I was once forced to sleep in a tea shop verandah at Peringalkuthu Dam Check Post because the guards would not let my mobike through - it was already 9 pm when I reached that point.
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Old 13th August 2010, 14:52   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laluks View Post
Sirji, In May 2010 whaen I was there I had a chat with the officer at the checkpost, and he was telling me till 19:30 normally all vehicles are let. After 18:00 the scrutiny is a little high about the need for you to cross. But he also mentioned afterwards also there were instances of vehicles let inside.

I think these kerala cops there are quite strict.I travelled in may as well and they instructed that even the number of water bottles carried into the forest should remain when you check out at the other end-No discarding plastic there. i left valpaarai at 9 am and crossed out at 11.30 ish.

Cheers!
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Old 13th August 2010, 14:54   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PRADEEP KUMAR View Post
I think these kerala cops there are quite strict.I travelled in may as well and they instructed that even the number of water bottles carried into the forest should remain when you check out at the other end-No discarding plastic there. i left valpaarai at 9 am and crossed out at 11.30 ish.

Cheers!
Quite a contrast to the Kalhatti-Masinagudi road where I could "persuade" the cop to let me through at 4 am in the morning!
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Old 13th August 2010, 15:33   #29
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@Pradeep Kumar. Excellent. I wish they extend this plastic rule everywhere.
In pune zoo (katraj), one needs to leave behind a deposit of 10 bucks or so for every plastic they carry inside, which is redeemed on the way out when you show that you didn't throw that inside.
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Old 13th August 2010, 17:07   #30
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HI Sriram

I can imagine the funtastic time your folks must have had. Brilliant write and pics that make me wanting to be sat there on the middle of that road enjoying the rain.

Subs
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