Kolli Malai- The Mountain of Death

We decided to visit a less crowded and lesser polluted place during the Christmas vacations. Finally decided in favour of Kolli Malai.Kolli Malai is a mountain range in the Namakkal District of Tamilnadu.Kolli Malai means "Mountain of Death".The story is that there existed a spirit of a maidem called "kollipavai" who lured the wayfarer by her beauty and killed them.

In the morning We started from Thrissur and reached Namakkal by evening. Decided to stay at Namakkal and leave for Kolli the next day.Namagiri and the fort on top of it is the land mark of Namakkal.The town is built around this rock formation. We visited the Fort and surrounding temples in the evening.

Next day morning we started for Kolli Hills via Sendamangalam and Karavalli. There are 70 hairpin bends to negotiate. On top of the hill there is a temple called Arappaleeswaran temple. The main attraction is the "Agaya Gangai" falls.We have to climb down more than thousand steps to reach the place.

Let us share some photoes


Entering Namakkal town.


















Namagiri and the fort on top of it.



































View from the temple courtyard
































Road to Kolli Malai



















Park on top of the hill
















Descend starts

































































Zoomed view of the fall and the valley































































"Agaya Gangai" falls was in full glory just after the rains. There is a watch tower for life guards and there is a fenced area under the fall where one can take bath.Could not take closer photoes as we were afraid that the camera will get damaged. Spray of the fall reaches more than 50 meters.There is also another small fall called Masila falls

Vazhani Dam

Vazhani is one of the biggest clay dams in Kerala. This Dam built across Vadakkanchry River measures 792 meters.Water is mainly used for irrigation and drinking purpose.The Dam and its garden is a nice picnic spot.

Route: Take the Shornur road from Trichur.Turn right from Vadakkanchery town. Vazhani is just 9 Kms from there.

Go there on week days. Solitude Guaranteed.

Idukki . Power House of Kerala

Idukki is the largest Arch dam in Asia.The dam stands between the two mountains, Kuravan Mala and Kurathi Mala. Unlike other dams Idukki have no shutters and spill ways. It completely blocks the canyon. Photos cannot convey how massive the structure is. You have to see it to believe it.
This 555 feet tall Concrete parabolic structure is an engineering marvel. It along with the Cherothoni dam creates a reservoir of 60 square Kilometers and holds 2000 million cubic meters of water weighing around two billion tons.

Water thus stored is taken to Moolamattom Power house through tunnels.The underground power house with its 6 units of 130 mega watt turbine generators meets around a quarter of power requirement of the entire state. Water from the power house is released to Moovattupuzha valley for irrigation.

Dam is open to general public only during Onam and X mas vacations. Best time to visit is just after monsoons.

It is real fun to drive through the winding ghat roads , watching mountains playing hide and seek in the mist and stopping frequently near the numerous small water falls.





















































































































































































































































































































































































A rock found on the way. Look closer. It resembles Mohanlal