Skywatch Friday�Dhanushkodi

A village swept away almost 40 years ago by a tsunami, Dhanushkodi was once the only land link between India and Srilanka as a train and a ferry used to connect these two countries from this village

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December�a quick travel update

The blog has been silent for the last ten days as I have been travelling in and around Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. I was in Ramesvaram and Chettinadu over an extended weekend last week and then we went for a wedding to Jamakhandi and decided to take off to Bijapur, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal from there. Been a rather exciting phase but now, am a bit travel weary and nursing my tired feet. Refreshing myself by looking at this gorgeous blue in Ramesvaram .

The force of the cascades - Feeling Alive is Awesome

There can be no other feeling more wonderful than dipping your feet in cold , running water and feeling the spray on your face as the cascades knock you down with force . Try bathing in a waterfall , when the rocks are slippery and the water almost lures you to a different world. There is nothing more exciting and energising in life .  You throw your hands in gay abandon and let yourself be purged by the milky white waters rushing through the cliffs in mountains and descending downwards to join a wayward river.

My earliest memory is a bath in the Courtrallam Falls, often referred to as the Spa of South India. With the Western Ghats bordering it, the mist of Agasthiyamalai in the background, the waters of Courtrallam is formed through several rivers that have their source up in the hills and they bring down with them medicinal properties. There are nine waterfalls in all here, but the three main ones are the Old Coutrallam, the Five Falls and the Main Falls. I was barely a child when I went to Courtallam as our native village is down South in Tirunelveli, barely an hour away .

During my recent visit, I drove down to another beautiful falls, called Manimuthar, an absolutely stunning scenic spot, lost to man . A few monkeys and some locals join me as I let the waters rejuvenate me .

Waterfalls either come with a fancy name or they do not have a name at all. In Kodaikanal, the tourists are familiar with Silver Cascade, but deep inside the mountains is a fall that has taken the world of advertising by storm. This waterfall was one of the earliest to be branded and we walked through rain and hail to experience the force of the cascades.

Recently I visited Goa and saw an entirely different side to the beach country. Goa is not just a destination � it is a state of mind. I travelled into the deep forests in Goa and hiked around and came upon this cascade of waters. Not all waterfalls are famous or have a name, but sometimes its the experience that you remember. We spotted snakes and birds and listened to the hooves of gaurs who thumped around the rocks as they left. In Mollem, we crossed two rivers and a wildlife sanctuary and climbed up rocks to see the milky white Dudhsagar Falls , but that will soon be another post.

One of the most gorgeous waterfalls  down South is the Athirampally Falls bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The mist, the spray, the foam, the rainforests, the mountains in the background � Athirampally is absolutely gorgeous as she takes a fall into the valley below. We hiked up and crossed the border and saw the Vazhachal Falls gently tumbling down the rocks.

And finally the Chitrakoot Waterfalls in Chhattisgarh. Now, this is an experience I can never forget. The fury of the cascading waters was echoing in our ears as we woke up to see the massive waterfalls greet us from our rooms.

We took a boat and went right below the massive waterfalls and let ourselves be completely drenched . The spray hit us, the foam blinded us and the sound was absolutely deafening, but what an experience ! Something that needs to be soaked in.

More alive is awesome experiences include Shimsha in Karnataka ( I am yet to visit Jog), the Corbett Falls up north and of course, the Hogenakkal Falls in Tamil Nadu . 

Skywatch Friday�Kudrevatti , Tamilnadu

The journey they say is the destination. This was a journey that started in down south Tirunelveli in a village called Kallidaikurichi one sunny morning. We crossed the river Tambiraparani to the neighbouring town, Ambasamudram and walked into a rather welcoming office of the Forest Department to get the necessary permits to enter the Kalakadu Mudanthurai Tiger Reserve. My journey was to take me down through the hot biodiversity reserve with endemic flora and fauna , the home of several rivers , rivulets and reservoirs. But the forests took me on a road not taken to the land where ferns grew in abundance.
We drove without a destination in mind and without an agenda as well. No tigers or leopards crossed our paths, nor were we looking for them. The trees cast long shadows, wrapping us in a green world. And then in a little clearing, I saw it . With the mountains of the Western Ghats bordering it, the little Manimuthar, that has its source in the hills flowed here and cascaded down as a waterfall. Tourists sing praises to Courtrallam Falls, but Manimuthar tumbled down as the lady in white and a dam greeted us on the way.
The mountains gave us company. A herd of spotted deer crossed our paths. The monkeys glared at us, a crested serpent eagle posed for us. The landscape kept changing with every turn on the road. Dense evergreen forests, open grasslands, little streams and dams followed us where ever we go. The skies were a distinct blue and the clouds came down to touch you. But it was not just the beauty of nature or the invisible presence of the wild that fascinated me ; it was the absolute silence that greeted me everywhere. There was no tourist or even a local around, but for a local tea shop near Manjolai tea estate .
We drove on without stopping and crossed tea plantations at Manjolai until another dam interrupted us � the Upper Kodaiyar Dam . The landscape changed again and we saw open grasslands , but the mountains were still with us. Sometimes road trips are just about aimless journeys moving from one scenic spot to another, lost in the lap of nature.
But finally we did pause in our journey. There was no milestone or a board that announced our destination. It was just the wind that swept across our face . There were no roads or houses huddled together. There were just open grasslands with the mountains circling us and just a viewing point in a corner. We climbed up the steps and waited for the mist to clear.

This was Kudrevatti - one of Tamil Nadu�s best secrets which would give a hill station a run for its tourist tag. The mountains just got closer as the entire canopy of the forests spread itself around me , almost embracing me in a carpet of green. But in the middle of the green cover was a sea of blue as we could see a couple of dams from the scenic point . While Manimuthar dam was clearly visible Karayar dam seemed to be in a veil of clouds. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity until the mist soon descended wrapping everything in its fold ensuring Kudrevatti remained a secret.

This story was published in my column Inside Story last week in The Hindu Metro Plus. To see more beautiful skies around the world, visit Skywatch

A wet and wild weekend in Valparai

The rain tumbles down , a gentle drizzle at first . It slowly gathers force, raising its tempo, drowning all sounds of nature . The green becomes greener but the sky wears a dark sheath of grey. The forests close in on us, the creepers magically entwining us into their world. I am warned that is going to be a wet and a wild weekend.

But there is something about the rains in a tropical evergreen forest that brings out the real wild person in you. We are heading to Valparai, a plantation town, a hill station, a bio diversity hotspot and a tropical rain forest � all rolled into one. Located in the Anaimalai Range of the Western Ghats, this is one of the most pristine spots in Tamil Nadu.

The rains become a part of the landscape as we stop for the first glimpse of the Anaimalais. The mountains are in your face and intimidating, but the scenery is breathtaking. Low hanging clouds merging with the mist, playing hide and seek with the mountains, roaring waterfalls, quiet lakes � there is no dearth of them. I count the many shades of blues and greens as the weather turns nippy. The road curves and the winding hair pen bends treat me to some of the most beautiful vistas of nature. There are about forty of them and the mist comes calling as we climb uphill .

The rains come down in full force, but sometimes it is the gentle drop that drips from the ferns and leaves that refreshes you. I feel a gamut of emotions inside me. Initially it is all about gay abandon, then the rains rejuvenate you as the forests come alive. Then as the earth gets wet and the skies are forever wrapped in dark clouds veiling the sun out of view, you long for some warmth . However the rain forest eventually wraps you into a world of magic, a world which is green, misty and wet. There are ferns and orchids everywhere with droplets of water dripping from them . The mist and the rains take turns to come calling. The waterfalls beckon. I learn to ignore the leeches and lose myself in the roaring cascades . And for a moment, I almost throw my umbrella and rain coats and rain poncho and let the rains drench me to the bone.

There are patches of tropical evergreen forests and then there are rolling tea and coffee estates .But it is in this rich bio diversity hotspot, that some of the endangered and endemic species live, fighting for survival. And I am hoping to spot a few of them � from the critically endangered primate lion tailed macaque to the nilgiri tahr, to the great hornbill among several others.

Our journey comes to a halt as we have company on the road. A herd of nilgiri tahr is effortlessly climbing uphill, only to lock horns and engage in a mock fight. The birds call as a lone nilgiri tahr comfortably sits high up in the grassy patch overlooking the entire valley.

We look for the endangered primates, lion tailed macaques and find them in their own world, blissfully unaware of the dangers that face them. Today there are barely few hundreds of them in the Anaimalais. Locals, NGOs and wildlife conservationists are striving to protect these species in this pristine environment. Some villagers learn to coexist with these primates as we see them in their own habitat, busy with their day.

The birds are next on our agenda. We spot woodpeckers, eagles, babblers, coucals, thrushes, mynahs but the moment that I have been waiting for is yet to arrive. We squint through the greenery and look for the Great Indian Hornbill . As we almost give hope, we see them hiding amidst the leaves. We wait patiently and saw the majestic colourful birds fly away , a spectacle to behold and an image that will never fade away from my eyes .

We head out in the night and catch a glimpse of the flying squirrels gliding gracefully from the trees . We look for frogs, civets, insects and several other nocturnal creatures and attempt to photograph a few through our macro lens.

Valparai is not just a story about a tourist destination . It is about a journey through the forests that opens our eyes to conservation , to the shrinking rain forests and to the endangered species. We go on a wilderness trail across lush forests, encountering wildlife, soaking in the waterfalls and getting drenched in the rains, learning a bit about wildlife photography understanding the bio diversity of the region from conservationists .

However it is an understatement to say Valparai is beautiful . The plantations and the forests present a fabric of green . The mists are everywhere ; the rivers and the waterfalls follow you wherever you go . And the legend goes, that an old man called Velu claims to have �Seen God� in the human form here. Velu still comes to the viewpoint at Seen God or Nalamudi Poonjolai everyday, hoping for a second darshan . You should probably believe him, because in that rich dense canopy, there is a possibility that God does exist somewhere .

Now, if this experience does not leave you Alive and Awesome, I cannot imagine what else can .  

To see more photographs of Valparai click here . If you would like to travel with me, visit my Facebook page or you can follow me on twitter

Skywatch�my village down south

 

My ancestors come from a beautiful village called Kallidaikuruchi located down South in India in a district called Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu district. I visited this place early this year and I am still mesmerised by the trip . All around you are views like this with The Western Ghats for company. This is no picnic spot or destination..just a piece of natural beauty on the road enroute to Manimuthar Falls/Dam.

To see more beautiful skies around the world, visit Skywatch.

A weekend getaway to the Nilgiris

I had been dreaming of the Nilgiris for the last few weeks. They kept surfacing in my conversations and thoughts. So I decided to head out there this weekend. I am going to be in Coonoor and hope to roam around if the weather holds. I have no agenda and I hope to just relax and take it easy . See you guys next week and have a great weekend.

 Backpacker has loads of updates and stories coming up for you this week ; so stay tuned. Ciao !

Five places to visit in Naanjil Naadu

 
Ringed in by oceans and mountains , my journey took me to the erstwhile land called Naanjil Naadu that has been sung about from the days of Sangam era. Today, the region is identified as a part of Kanyakumari and Nagercoil districts, where God�s own country, Kerala first had its origins. Scattered with temples, forts, rock cut caves, palaces with paintings, inscriptions and carvings � there are monuments left behind by these rulers as souvenirs of their reign.



The INTACH tour organised by Tamil Nadu chapter took us to towns and villages, to deserted lakes and forts, to the banks of small rivulets, up a hillock, into dense forests to look for the remnants of the many dynasties that ruled Naanjil Naadu .The Ay rulers from Sangam era reigned here till the 9th century . Early Pandyas had built monuments that led us towards Tirunelveli. The Cholas had left their stamp here ,and the Venad rulers who were the founders of modern day Travancore state ruled from Padmanabhapuram palace here. However everything is not just about heritage. Steeped in cults, we learnt about both facts and folklore, while I got lost in the landscape painted in front of me - natural, social, political, historical, spiritual. While we visited several obscure and nondescript towns and deciphered several inscriptions with the help of our expert guide, Dr V Vedachalam, retired senior epigraphist from Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department, these are the five places in Naanjil Naadu that I would like to visit again.


1. Chithraal

Angels and celestial beings apparently hovered around this hillock and hence it is referred to as Thirucharanattumalai . I would believe this as this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The scene is virtually breathtaking. The sky is clear, the floating clouds touch the distant peaks of mountains, the greenery is refreshing and the breeze comes calling. An abode of Jaina monks, Dr Vedachalam explains to us that �charanathar �according to Jainism refers to those celestial beings who fly in the skies and are seen in places of worship or living spaces which could be mounds or mountains too.



The rocks are carved with bass relief sculptures depicting Thirthankaras and yakshis that date to the 9^th-10^th centuries. There is the serene Mahaveera, the snake hooded Parshvanatha along with Neminatha, the yakshis - Padmavathy and Ambika, also known as Dharmadevi looking out into the open. Right atop the cave is a small structural temple dedicated to Bhagavathy deity. Sitting beside the rock, I look out for angels as hillocks surround us in the distant horizon with pools of water reflecting the colours of nature.

2.Thirunandikarai

Deep inside a dense rubber plantation, a stream flows besides an ancient Shiva temple . There is not a soul in sight. If you squint through the woods, a path takes you down to a rock cut cave temple with empty cells. The temples are located in Thirunandikarai, which gets its name from the stream, erstwhile a river called Nandiaaru.

While the Shiva temple built in the 10^th century resembled the architecture style of Kerala monuments, the rock cut cave temple was probably built around the 7^th century was probably a Jaina monument. As the birds sing to the dawn, we walk up to the cave temple and see traces of early paintings on the walls. Inscriptions here refer to Vikramaditya Varaguna of the Ay dynasty and even to Raja Raja Chola, who had celebrated his birthday here. The lush greenery, the birds, the sun streaming through the woods, the silence � Thirunandikarai takes you to a different world, one of peace and beauty.

3.Padmanabhapuram palace

The origins of the present day Kerala begins here as this was where the Travancore state was born. Built in the 1600 by the ruler, Iravi Varma, the palace is located inside a fortress with the backdrop of the Western Ghats around it. The moment you step inside the palace, you enter a world as old as 400 years old. Even the 300 year old clock tower shows you the time. Made of jackfruit wood and a combination of granite, coconut shells, egg white , the palace takes you into the King�s Council Chambers, the Mother�s Palace, the Performance Hall among several other chambers. Pillars made of jackfruit wood, galleries of paintings, brass lamps and wooden sculptures, a wooden cot with more than 60 pieces of tree trunks all give it an unique Kerala stamp. It is believed that the ruler Marthanda Varma dedicated his kingdom to his family deity Padmanabha and Padmanabhapuram lost its significance when the capital was eventually shifted from here to Trivandrum in the 18^th century .


 

4.Vattakottai

This is my all time favourite . I am standing at Vattakottai, a circular sea port and am encircled by the sea with the mountains at the backdrop. Built in the 18^th century by the Travancore kings, the fort was apparently constructed by a Dutch Naval officer De Lannoy who was initially with the Dutch East India Company but eventually became the commander of the Travancore army. The symbols of two elephants and a conch shell stand silently in this picturesque fort which hardly looks like imposing. And as many fort lores say, a tunnel was apparently built here too, but it is now closed. But as you gaze at the blue waters with the low hanging clouds and the waves retreating from the shores, one cannot imagine this was once a battlefield.


5.Parthivapuram

An idyllic little village with an idyllic little temple, Parthivapuram or Parthivasekarapuram seems like just another Indian hamlet, but for the fact that it goes back to the 9^th century . One of the oldest places we visited, the Vishnu temple in Parthivapuram was built by one of the oldest dynasties who have ruled right from the Sangam era � the Ay Dynasty . King Karunandadakkan . Dr Vedachalam gives us a very interesting insight into this village. A copper plate found here informed us that there was once a vedic school here in the 9^th century. The Ay rulers had clearly mentioned details regarding the education system, the basis of selection, discipline related issues and even a code of conduct for the students. As we sit in the portals of the temple, listening to stories, we are literally transported to a different era.

This was published in Yahoo recently .  You can read more stories on Naanjil Naadu here. A story on Thirunandikarai was published in my column, Inside Story in The Hindu Metro Plus

Travel Tuesday - Getting poetic in Athirampally

Our forest officers are poetic as well. I was driving through the dense Athirampally - Vazhachal forests , when I saw this board , dedicated to Frost's Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening

A tour of Naanjil Naadu

There is a certain fascination, a sense of a timeless journey, an anticipation of a discovery when you look at a map. Pouring over the colourful piece of paper that marked countless villages and towns, I stood there ,imagining the contours of the map changing while we took a journey down history. We were looking at a map of the present day Nagercoil and Kanyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu, but the stories took us to the times when parts of the region was referred to as Naanjil Naadu.

Ruled by various rulers from the Sangam Age to Travancore kings , with a bit of influence from the Cholas, to early Pandyas, this region had the reign of the Ay rulers, the Venad kings and had also seen battles fought between the Cheras and the Pandyas. Ringed in by oceans and mountains, the locale is scattered with  temples, forts, rock cut caves, palaces with paintings, inscriptions and carvings - monuments left behind by these rulers as souvenirs of their reign. God�s own country found its origins here, long before , Kerala the state was formed. Steeped in cults, we learnt about both facts and folklore, while I got lost in the landscape painted in front of me - natural, social, political, historical, spiritual.

We travelled to towns and villages, to deserted lakes and lush fields, to the banks of small rivulets, up a hillock, into dense forests to look for the remnants of the many dynasties that ruled Naanjil Naadu.The Ay rulers who had reigned for a long period from Sangam era to even 9th century had  left their stamp here. Temples such as Parthivasekarpuram are testimony of their workmanship. Early Pandyas had built monuments that led us towards Tirunelveli. The Venad rulers who were the founders of modern day Travancore state ruled from Padmanabhapuram palace here.

Our guide and expert, Dr V Vedachalam, Retired Senior Epigraphist from Tamil Nadu State Archaelogy Department told us that one of the earliest references to Naanjil Naadu dated back to a song sung by the legendary poetess Avvayar in the Sangam era . The song was in praise of the generosity of a Naanjil Valluvan, a tale of how the Vallavan had sent an elephant loaded with sacks of rice to people who had asked him for a small quantity of rice.

The landscape of the present merged with the past as we heard snippets of legends and history woven together . We stopped by the monuments to step into the milieu of the those times. One of our earliest stops was to Suseendram, where the temple was amidst a flurry of festivities.Dedicated to the trinity - Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, the shrine was also thronged by devotees who worshipped Hanuman, an 18 feet tall diety. Dr Vedachalam however took us around the temple to show us some nondescript rocks tucked away behind the shrine. As we crowded around him, we saw various inscriptions  that dated back to the Chola and Pandya periods. We then climbed up the dingy dark tiers of the Gopuram, disturbing the bats residing there to see some of the most colourful paintings lost in the darkness here. Deities and mortals found expression in rich tapestry of colours as the walls were painted by the artists of a bygone era, only to be vandalised by locals.

Naanjil Naadu tour for me was not just about a dynasty or a religion. The influences were varied, as Dr Vedachalam explained that most of the monuments had altered as beliefs and cults changed over the passage of time.   We were at the Nagaraja temple at Nagercoil when we learnt of the cults relating to Jaina yakshis and snake worship and how they had been woven together and transformed over a period of time.  Jainism had been prevalent here in ancient periods and several Jaina sites tucked away in hillocks  took us back to the era.

As we climb a small hillock called Chitharal near Kanyakumari,  Dr Vedachalam explained to us that the site was known as  Thirucharanattumalai in the ancient times. �Jains believe that this is the abode of the monks who had lived in the natural caves here. In fact �charanathar �according to Jainism refers to those celestial beings who fly in the skies and are seen in places of worship which could be mounds or mountains, sometimes inside towns and living spaces too,� he said.

Atop the hillock, the rocks were carved with bass relief sculptures depicting Thirthankaras and yakshis. There was the serene Mahaveera, the snake hooded Parshvanatha along with Neminatha, the yakshis - Padmavathy and Ambika, also known as Dharmadevi looking out into the open. Hillocks surrounded us in the distant horizon as we saw pools of water reflecting the colours of nature.

Dr Vedachalam said that the sculptures dated back to the 9th-10th centuries as inscriptions referred to the patronage of the AY dynasty ruler, Vikramaditya Varaguna who reigned around the period. More inscriptions written in �Vattaezhuthu � (one of the oldest Tamil scripts) referred to monks and nuns who had lived here .

Right atop the cave was a small structural temple dedicated to Bhagavathy. Dr Vedachalam said that it was earlier a Jaina temple as the yakshi cult gave way to the Bhagavathy cult over the passage of time. A later 19th century inscription in Malayalam belonging to the Travancore king Moolam Thirunal Maharaja referred to the shrine here.

Our journey took us into fields and plantations. We were inside a dense rubber plantation, watered by a small stream called Nandiaaru . Watching the morning sun streaming through the trees and listening to the call of the birds, we were in the village of Thirunandikarai, which literally translated to the banks of the River Nandi, bordering Kerala. We stumbled upon a Shiva temple that resembled most monuments built in the architecture typical of the state. The sanctum was circular in this 10th century shrine , which had a few inscriptions that dated to the period.

However, nestled behind the temple, a path led us through the dense plantations to a rock cut cave temple, probably a Jaina monument that dated to 7th century or even older. The frescos painted on the walls of the caves had completely faded ,though some of the outlines still existed, leaving us to guess the images.  An inscription mentioned that an 8th century monk called Veeranandi had stayed here and spread Jainism in the region.

Dr Vedachalam told us that an 11th century inscription relating to Raja Raja Chola was found here and it indicated that the monarch had celebrated his birthday here and had defeated Muttom . Inscriptions relating to Vikramaditya Varaguna of the AY dynasty were found here as well.

Our journey took us to more temples such as Tiruvattaru, more rock cut caves as in Rettai Pothal, palaces like Padmanabhapuram, forts like Vattakottai , reservoirs like Veeranarayanam and finally we ended up inside the jungles  of Western Ghats to visit Nambiyaaru , a temple located uphill close to Thirukkurangudi shrine. We had travelled across the districts - Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and even to villages close to Kerala border. We climbed hillocks, went on the sea shore,  crossed rivers, drove though the mountains and forests to revisit the Naanjil Naadu of those days. We had probably travelled back to the Sangam era in just three days as we travelled down the historic and spiritual route.

This story was published in Sunday Herald recently. Coming up soon is Five places that you must visit in Naanjil Naadu, an article published in Yahoo. For more Naanjil Naadu posts on backpacker, read here.

Offbeat India - Vattakottai

A Dutch naval officer leads an army against an Indian king, only to be defeated by him. The story however does not end there. The king, impressed by the foreigner hires him and makes him a commander in his own army . The Dutch officer then trains the Indian army, builds forts and even helps them defeat their local and international rivals in war.

You would probably read about these kinds of stories only in India, even if it is set more than 300 years ago. This story, which may seem more common in multinational companies today was set in the 18^thcentury when kings and queens ruled over India and the Europeans were knocking at their doors to establish trade and to eventually take over power.  I am speaking of the stories relating to the Travancore � Dutch wars that were set in the 18^th century. The king is Travancore Maharaja Marthanda Varma and the Dutch naval officer is Eustachious De Lannoy who was with the Dutch East India Company before switching loyalties.

It is a beautiful day with perfect cotton candy clouds floating over the clear blue sky. The seas surrounding us is calm as it gently caresses the shore. A lone tree stands , its dead branches almost touching the sky. In the distant horizon, we can see windmills dancing to the tune of the breeze. I am at Vattakottai, a circular sea fort built on the coast near Kanyakumari, by De Lannoy for Marthanda Varma.  Standing from the ramparts, I look out into the picturesque view of the Western Ghats encircling the oceans � the Bay of Bengal on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other.

Vattakottai was one of our destinations  as  part of the heritage Naanjil Naadu tour where we explored the monuments left behind by various dynasties in and around Kanyakumari and Nagercoil.  The Venad kings started their reign over Travancore from this region before moving  base . Even today the ancient Padmanabha palace ringed in by the Western Ghats stands as the testimony to the origins of the dynasty. It is believed that the ruler Marthanda Varma dedicated his kingdom to his family deity Padmanabha and Padmanabhapuram lost its significance when the capital was eventually shifted from here to Trivandrum in the 18^thcentury .

As we enter the granite fort, the outer walls greet us with the symbol of two elephants with a conch shell, but the fort itself is neither imposing nor formidable. It just seems like another nondescript hidden destination that lets the eye gaze at some of the most beautiful vistas around.  It was believed that one can see the Padmanabhapuram palace from here, but all I can see is a fabric of blue � the sky and the sea seems to merge.  The coconut trees grace the shore, as some parts of the wall jut out into the sea . And as many folk lores say, a tunnel was supposed to have been built here too , but one wonders where ,  as the fort seemed isolated , surrounded by waters.  

A huge open courtyard, probably a parade ground leads us to a flight of steps with a ramp. We look down from the walls , built at a height of almost 25 feet and the sea greets us.  The British apparently destroyed the fort in a much later battle , but today, Vattakottai stands in memory of the Dutch commander who had served and trained the Indian army under the Travancore kings.

Starting July, I am starting a new series called Offbeat India. It will include stories, photo-posts, my columns - Inside Story published in The Hindu among other posts. This was published in my column in The Hindu Metro Plus recently. 

Skywatch Friday - The Western Ghats from my village

Driving around my village Kallidaikurichi, views like these spring up on you. The Western Ghats border the open fields as you walk along the stretch .

To see more glorious skies visit Skywatch 

Chithral - a Jaina site on a hillock

The clock strikes noon and the sun is at its peak. A group of heritage enthusiasts are climbing up a small hillock in a village called Chithral, near Kanyakumari. I trudge along with them and pause for a moment, waiting to catch my breath.  The scene is virtually breathtaking. 

The sky is clear, the floating clouds touch the distant peaks of mountains, the greenery is refreshing and the breeze comes calling. The weather gods seem to be on our side for a while as the trees create a canopy for us, sheltering us from the mid day sun. For a moment, I forget the heat and lose myself in the journey, for as always, these journeys are filled with legends and myths of cults and beliefs. 

Chithral is part of the itinerary of the Naanjil Naadu tour, organised by INTACH, Tamil Nadu, as we set out to explore heritage among caves and hillocks. Dr V Vedachalam, Retired Senior Epigraphist from Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department explains to us that the site was known as  Thirucharanattumalai in the ancient times.

 �Jains believe that this is the abode of the monks who had lived in the natural caves here. In fact �charanathar �according to Jainism refers to those celestial beings who fly in the skies and are seen in places of worship which could be mounds or mountains, sometimes inside towns and living spaces too,� he says. 

We continue to trudge along a bit until the rocks part ways and create a narrow tunnel like approach for us. And then we see it. The rocks are carved with bass relief sculptures depicting Thirthankaras and yakshis. 

There is the serene Mahaveera, the snake hooded Parshvanatha along with Neminatha, the yakshis - Padmavathy and Ambika, also known as Dharmadevi looking out into the open. Hillocks surround us in the distant horizon as we see pools of water reflecting the colours of nature.

Dr Vedachalam says that the sculptures date back to the 9th-10th centuries as inscriptions refer to the patronage of the AY dynasty ruler, Vikramaditya Varaguna who reigned around the period. More inscriptions written in �Vattaezhuthu � (one of the oldest Tamil scripts) refer to monks and nuns who have lived here and also speak about a well known Jaina monk Akshanandi, who was a donor and a patron. 

Right atop the cave is a small structural temple dedicated to Bhagavathy deity. Dr Vedachalam says that it was earlier a Jaina temple as the yakshi cult gave way to the Bhagavathy cult over the passage of time. A later 19th century inscription in Malayalam belonging to the Travancore king Moolam Thirunal Maharaja refers to the shrine here. 

As we sit in the cave, gazing at the sculptures, Dr Vedacahalam points to the carving of yakshi Ambika or Dharmadevi and narrates the story about her cult. �It was believed that Ambika was an ordinary housewife who was thrown out of the house by her husband as she had given away all the food to the Jaina monks. As she walked away with her children, people noticed her divine powers and started worshipping her.  

One version says that the trees flowered and gave her fruits and even a dry reservoir suddenly filled up with water, while another version mentioned that a �kalpavriksh� or a wishing tree gave her all that she desired. When her husband got to know about her � divine powers� he came over to call her back, but she out of fear committed suicide and became a yakshi ,� says Dr Vedachalam adding that today one can always see Ambika as a yakshi with Neminatha and she is usually flanked with her children and a lion, which is her vehicle. Inscriptions in vattaezhuthu had been found here with references to the yakshi cult as well. 

We spend more than a couple of hours here, losing ourselves in a world of arts and cults, completely cut off from civilisation. For miles and miles around, the mountains and forests circle us as we wonder if the celestial �charanathars� are watching over us as we walk downhill.

This story was published in my column, Inside Story , in The Hindu Metro Plus