Krishna’s Butterball

Krishna's butter ball - a balancing rock.

Mamallapuram (also called Mahabalipuram) is a tourist town about 60 km south of Chennai. This was a major port in the 7th century under the Pallava dynasty, famous now for its rock carvings from this period.

Mahabalipuram was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava king Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th century, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The monuments are mostly rock-cut and monolithic, and constitute the early stages of Dravidian architecture wherein Buddhist elements of design are prominently visible. They are represented by cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural temples. The pillars are of the Dravidian order. The sculptures are excellent examples of Pallava art.

It is believed by some that this area served as a school for young sculptors. The different sculptures, some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture, probably demonstrated by instructors and practiced on by young students. This can be seen in the Pancha Rathas where each Ratha is sculpted in a different style.

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Kukkal Caves

A trip to Kodaikanal - Kukkal Caves, is one of the thrilling excursions from Kodaikanal that the tourists may undertake. The Kukkal caves are situated at a distance of 40 kilometers from Kodaikanal. The journey from Kodaikanal to Kukkal caves will take the tourists through the rich forested area near Kodaikanal. The flora of the region is rich in the variegated growth of the orchids and the shola trees. A stroll in the early morning through the wooded regions is an exciting experience for the traveler.

The Kukkal caves are some of the oldest carved caves of the region. The caves are situated at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. The rock shelter is cut out of slabs of rocks that hang overhead and create the effect of the stalactites and the stalagmites. Traces of the settlement of the Paliyan tribes have been found in the caves. The people of the Paliyan tribe were some of the early settlers and are characterized by their leaf clad attire. Situated at a commanding height of 1500 meters, the Kukkal Caves near Kodaikanal provides the tourists with a captivating view of the Manjampath valley. The valley is home to a number of bisons.

Kodaikanal - Kukkal Caves lies on an easily accessible road that traverses through Poombarai. One can travel to Poombarai in buses that regularly ply along these regions. The tourists may walk through the Geranium plantations and the Wattle and Pine forests to the rest house in the Kukkal forest. The caves are closely located from the rest house.

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Coaker's Walk, Kodaikanal

Any tourist interested in morning walk will definitely have to visit Coaker's walk which is about 1 km from the lake and it provides very picturesque view of the plains as well as scenic valleys that is sure to bring a joy in the minds of the visitors. Coaker's walk is named after Lt. Coaker, who prepared the map of Kodaikanal.

A telescopic view house is there at Coaker's walk that will provide a panoramic view of the valley, plains and the nearby towns and should not be missed by the tourists visiting the place. The ideal time to visit this place is before 2:30 pm in the afternoon as mist will start to set in over the valleys by late afternoons.It is a narrow pedestrian path, constructed by Lt. Coaker in 1872, a one kilometer mountain road which runs along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai road which is 1/2km away from Kodai. The walk winding around mt. Nebo starts near van Allen hospital and joins the main road above St. Peter's Church provides a wide-angle spectacular view of the plains. On a cloudless, clear day one can have interesting sights, such as.... Dolphin's nose in south, valley of the pambar river in South East, birds eye view of Periyakulam and even city of Madurai.

One must be aware of a fascinating phenomenon called 'Brachem Spectre' . A very lucky person can see his shadow on the clouds with a rainbow halo, when sun is behind and cloud and mist is in his front.

The valley views along paved Coaker's Walk (admission Rs 2, Camera Rs. 5, Time: 7 am to 7pm) are superb when the mist clears. There's an observatory (admission Rs. 3) with telescope about halfway along. You can start from either end, near Greenlands Youth Hostel or Villa Retreat, and the stroll takes all of five minutes.

The views from Pillar Rocks, a 7km hike (one way beginning near Bryant Park), are also excellent. Greenlands Youth Hostel and Villa Retreat can organise guided walks, and guides can also be arranged through the tourist office (Rs. 50 to 70 per hour).

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Kovai Kuttralam, Coimbatore

Coimbatore lies in the Western Part of Tamil Nadu bordering the Western Ghats. It shares part of its boundary with the neighbouring state of Kerala. The region is filled with naturally diverse eco system such as hills, plains, forests, evergreen fields, drought prone areas, river bodies, tanks etc., The temperature of the city varies between 39 Degree Celsius to 24 Degree Celsius. It gets maximum rainfall during Southwest Monsoon followed by the Northeast monsoon.Kovai Kutralam falls is an exciting water fall situated at Siruvani. The water fall is about 37 kilometers away from Coimbatore city and the water fall is popularly known for its magnificence. The water fall is situated in the center part of the dense forest and due to this reason visitors are not permitted to see the falls after 5 pm. The chief source of drinking water in Coimbatore is supplied by Siruvani.Tourists cannot make their visit to this falls anytime because only few numbers of buses are available to visit the place. With an excellent panoramic view, the dam will be an excellent place to enchant and enjoy

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