[Mysticeyes]

Originally Posted by aargee

@Mysticeyes - I always have this feeling that TN's greens are not that pleasing as KL's greens. May be few areas such as Valparai/Pollachi has great greens & pleasing to eyes compared to KL. Is this just my feeling or do you also feel the same? I feel some freshness still with KL's green & TN's greens are slightly dried up. Since you're from KL, what's your observation on this?

Might be OT, but a valid point you've got here aargee. Kerala used to've serene green cover almost till mid of 90s. Soon after that the rate of urbanization went up and even the farmlands/ agricultural areas of the hardcore rural areas were converted into housing plots. Now, barring Palakkad, Kuttanad and very minor areas, the cultivation has become extinct.

Compared to that, the paddy regions of TN have remained almost the same and infact, TN is getting more greener with new irrigation canals and water supply schemes for cultivation being promoted by the Govt. The new generation which is coming in KL is strange to the farming and even we are finding it difficult to get people for 'coconut plucking' nowadays

Culturally, people of KL has undergone a major shift in last 10 years, even in the remote rural areas..talk about materialistic tendencies. But, from pics, you can see that the traditional ways are still being followed in TN..there lies the charm we are searching for. Roots still remain in TN whereas, we are cutting off the roots..

[MX6]

Mystic eyes has put that reason up here. TN's greens is all in the Paddy cultivation region. And it's seasonal as well. And depends on water supply from rivers and canals. Kerala enjoys good monsoons and it's greens are not restricted to the fields. It's got a wealth of tropical rain forest which TN doesn't boast off except in some bordering regions that are nestled in the western ghats.
Rural TN is more of an agrarian society still. except for major cities, rest of the populace are in to cultivation. Where as in Kerala you have huge shortage of land. Kasaragod to Trivandrum is one huge interconnected place with a town springing up every 20 minutes. With land coming at a premium, Kerala has to depend on TN for even rice. And fellow keralites having tough time are being pushed to gulf for sustenance, with atleast one malayalee per family residing on the other side of Arabian Sea. The boon of Kerala is their Bane too.
How can one expect to find persons for 'coconut plucking' when they know sure that their survival is based on how quickly they catch a gafur and go to gulf in his kappal that actualy is supposed to go to Kaalifourniye?
Every state in south has intelligently adapted to the resources that way and project a different flavour.

[aargee]

Sorry about the OT @Mysticeyes; you got it completely wrong my friend; never mind. The farm land conversion to chopping trees are nothing less compared to TN.

even we are finding it difficult to get people for 'coconut plucking' nowadays

Yes to an extend, however, its not the same case everywhere; its quite true with Ernakulam (where there're almost no trees compared to 2000's) & TVM. But this is the same trend even in Chennai. We've about 10 trees that needs to be cleaned & we're unable to find someone who does the job. I'll better get my Son trained

we are cutting off the roots..

Same case with entire India.

Sorry about the OT; I just thought to pen down what I'm seeing. If you don't mind, I'll post 2 different greens from TN & KL & you can see the TN's greens are little dry compared to KL's greens. I'll stop with this I guess & look forward for your posts on Kalladakurichi.

[Mysticeyes]

getting ready for cultivation..in 1 month time, both the sides would be lush green




scaring off the birds


'national vehicle' of TN


lunch break


shaded road to thenkasi




near the diversion point-for nellai, take right, keep left for thenkasi (4km)

[vrprabhu]

DSC06325 - the empty long road leading towards the distant mountains, green paddy fields on either side and the lone tree with its blooming red flowers - is hereby nominated for the "Picture of the Year" award...


Superb... you have transported me back to the rustic villages of TN.

May mysticeyes and the fabia log many more miles like these!!

[Mysticeyes]

@ aargee & MX6, let's keep the debate for another thread

@vrprabhu - we were determined to drive slow that day..far away from the crowd, to wade through places where life is 'crawling'. I'd blast my horn at mad drivers driving recklessly in a city, but I wouldn't do that if I've to wait for cows or ox to finish cutting across the road. 'coz that's when you realize that there are moments in life when you still have time to breath fresh air and just walk around parking your car (to put other way around, no pint in blasting horns to ox).

as for fabia logging many more such miles (if some1 can bear the petrol cost) , I'd be the most happiest guy. Have been dreaming of the trivandrum-bangalore trip for long. The same had to happen last month, but got canceled due to some other reasons. I had planned to take deviations from NH and visit interior places in that drive. Now, it can only be compensated through the detailed visit through the same Shenkottai-Kalakkad route, which I'm pretty much determined to, making it a 2-3 day trip.

At times, our life needs to be still like this-totally lost or carefree in the vastness of nature

[MX6]

Just read a very impressive story of another great man from Nellai district (from Mannarkoil village this time).
From studying under the streetlights to CEO of a US firm! : Rediff.com Business

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by MX6

Just read a very impressive story of another great man from Nellai district (from Mannarkoil village this time).
From studying under the streetlights to CEO of a US firm! : Rediff.com Business

Very inspiring story of Kal Raman!

[sbala]

Awesome pics and nice write up.. I was in these places 10 years ago when i was doing my schooling in Tirunelveli. Really nice place... you have so many places to visit near by Tirunelveli.

And i thought KL has more green presence than TN.. but your pics made me change that..

BTW - Are you using DSLR? Which model is that?

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Mysticeyes

but I wouldn't do that if I've to wait for cows or ox to finish cutting across the road.

When a man with 6 senses doesn't yield for a blarring horn, how can we expect an animal to move with only 5 senses

Originally Posted by Mysticeyes

'coz that's when you realize that there are moments in life when you still have time to breath fresh air and just walk around parking your car (to put other way around, no pint in blasting horns to ox).

Very true indeed

Originally Posted by Mysticeyes

At times, our life needs to be still like this-totally lost or carefree in the vastness of nature

Very true; but you also need to get a 1.9 TDI

Keep the pics rolling

[ampere]

VRP you took away my words as well! Snap 6325 is real awesome with a touch of red.
The open road is just too good.

[Mysticeyes]

Originally Posted by aargee

Very true; but you also need to get a 1.9 TDI

Keep the pics rolling

1.9 TDi??? fabia's second service was over just two weeks back (its an Aug.2008 car) and you know how much it has run? hardly 13000Km. Now, should I be going for diesel?

@sbala, I'm using Sony H-50, which is a prosumer cam. Hope to upgrade to DSLR by next year.

through thenkasi town


farmland-thenkasi


short break-having 'nonku'



may be the effect of 'nonku'


puliayara- this was were the song 'randakka randakka' from the movie 'Anniyan' was shot





Capturing the essence of our trip-call it whatever one might feel..serene, exhilarating, introspective..

[ampere]

Man! You were guys were having a ball!
The emerald green colour is breathtaking! And with hills in the background, its taking the game even further! Very nice indeed.

[Mysticeyes]

two weeks and not much activity on the thread.Time to shut down the thread?some final snaps from the trip

the road to kerala border



tamiladu (puliyara) - first glimpse



we were late to arrive..by 1 minute. else this scene could have been shot from a vantage position






I thought of writing a detailed travelogue on the trip. However, being the lazy bone I'm, I had to limit it to pics.

But, with nearly 20GB of pics, 18 pages of a corporate diary exhausted by detailed notes of places & people, more than 750Km of sheer driving pleasure (my fabia is grinning wide after having completed the 'up' portion of the journey), I've decided to write a detailed travelogue once the journey is completed ('down' portion is still pending)

It was a drive..of sheer lunacy once again, two nuts in search of solitude, on a peek of the life & people in NH 7 from Kanyakumari to Bangalore. Now, that would be another thread once we get back to hometown.

A sneak peek

[joe1980]

In one of your pictures on page 3, I saw a hoarding containing the picture of a Tiger. Did you make it to the Tiger reserve? Eagar to know!