Topslip

 Topslip is located at 800 feet (240 m) above sea level on the Anamalai mountain range. It is popularly known as Anamalai Hills. It is a small place in Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary that lies in the Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu at the southern part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.^[1] Separated from the Nilgiri Hills by the Palghat Gap on the north, the Park is contiguous to theParambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) to its west and to the Eravikulam National Park (Kerala) and Chinnar Wild life sanctuary.

 Topslip is one of the most exciting tourist spots in Western Ghats. It is popular because of its natural less human intervened wild life.

Parambikulam Wild Life Sanctuary,to the east of Topslip is also a wonderful place with three dams which belong to Tamil Nadu but are situated in Kerala. You can see wild animals like Elephants, Wild Goats, Wild Buffalo's, Monkey's etc.,

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a 30-hectare (74-acre) protected area located in the Kancheepuram District of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sanctuary is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) from Chennai on National Highway 45 (NH45), south of Chengalpattu. More than 40,000 birds (including 26 rare species), from various parts of the world visit the sanctuary during the migratory season every year.^[1]

Vedanthangal is home to migratory birds such as pintail, garganey, grey wagtail, blue-winged teal, common sandpiper and the like.

 The Vedanthangal lake bird sanctuary has a tradition of the people actively protecting birds coming to the area since time immemorial. The local people understood the relationship between birds and the productivity of their crops even before the concept of wildlife conservation came into vogue. They knew that the bird droppings in the water created guano which acted as fertilizer. Towards the end of the 18th century local villagers complained to the collector of Chengalpet Lionel Palace, about the British soldiers shooting the birds. They demanded and obtained a 'Cowle' from the collector (Mr Place, Collector of Chingleput 1796-1798^[5]) to protect the birds. In 1936 the collector officially recognized the lake as a sanctuary. In 1962 it was given the legal status of reserved forest under the Madras Forest Act.

Flora: Barringtonia acutangula, Acacia nilotica, Alangium salviflorum trees and dry evergreen scrub and thorn forests.

Fauna: Monkeys and other common mammals can be spotted.

Avian-Fauna: Garganey teals, glossy ibis, grey heron, grey pelican, open-billed stork, painted stork,vsnake bird, spoonbill, spot bill duck, cormorants, darter, grebes, large egret, little egrets, moorhen, night herons, paddy bird, painted stork, pintails, pond heron, sandpiper, shovellers, terns, white ibis. They migrate from Europe during November and December to escape the frost that sets in.

Brihadeeswarar Temple

 The Peruvudaiyar Kovil ( Tamil : தஞ்சைப் பெருவுடையார் கோயில்), also known as Periya Kovil,Brihadeshwara Temple,RajaRajeswara Temple and Rajarajeswaram, at Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is an important example of Tamil architecture achieved during the Chola dynasty. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples".

The Brihadeshwarar Temple was built to be the royal temple to display the emperor's vision of his power and his relationshipto the universal order. The temple was the site of the major royal ceremonies such as anointing the emperor and linking him with its deity, Shiva, and the daily rituals of the deities were mirrored by those of the king. It is an architectural example showcasing the pure form of the Dravida type of temple architecture and representative of the Chola Empire ideology and the Tamil civilisation in Southern India. The temple "testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting."

Main temple

This picture was taken from the left corner of the temple (behind the temple). The staircase which is small in picture will lead you to darshan of God Dakshinamurthy.

A first rectangular surrounding wall, 270 m by 140 m, marks the outer boundary.The main temple is in the center of the spacious quadrangle composed of a sanctuary, aNandi, a pillared hall and an assembly hall (mandapas), and many sub-shrines. The most important part of the temple is the inner mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each side of the sanctuary has a bay emphasising the principle cult icons. The karuvarai, aTamil word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, is the inner most sanctum and focus of the temple where an image of the primary deity, Shiva, resides. Inside is a huge stone linga. The word Karuvarai means "womb chamber" from Tamil word karu for foetus. Only priests are allowed to enter this inner-most chamber.

The temple complex sits on the banks of a river that was channelled to make a moat around the complex's outer walls, the walls being built like a fortress. The complex is made up of many structures that are aligned axially. The complex can be entered either on one axis through a five-story gopuram or with a second access directly to the huge main quadrangle through a smaller free-standing gopuram. The massive size of the main Vimanam (Shikhara) is ca. 60 meters high, with 16 elaborately articulated stories, and dominates the main quadrangle. Pilaster, piers, and attached columns are placed rhythmically covering every surface of the Vimanam.

“A cool holiday a must visit when visiting Kodakanal”

SKYS ARE STRONG BUT THE CLOUDS MAKE BLANKETS

WHITE AS LIGHT AND AS BRIGHT AS U SEEN THEM

HEADS UP AND LOOK AT ME .THEY STAND ALL DAY LONG

MORNING SMILING FLOWERS WILL ALWAYS MAKES YOU TO SMILE

A SMALL COTTAGE HOUSE WILL MAKE YOU IN U R BEST OF THE PART IN U R VACATION

“A cool holiday a must visit when visiting Kodakanal”

A very comfortable HOTEL overlooking the lake. Very near the boathouse and tourist stalls. Good food, efficient service, friendly staff. Especially Saleth in the restaurant. The rooms are clean big and comfortable with DVD players to keep you entertained in the evenings.

KERALA A GODS OWN TOWN

PIC TAKEN ON A POOVAR FLOATING HOUSES IN KERALA

The Saying which has been said is always right .A real place for a year to be relaxed in just in days.

Enveloped in serene Kerala backwaters, flanked by the Arabian Sea on the East and the majestic towering Ghats to the West, opening out to the ocean and a dream golden beach, Poovar Island Resort is a tropical paradise. Swaying coconut palms, endless golden sands, theultramarine of the ocean, emerald backwaters, crimsonsunsets and lush green vegetation create a magicalambience around you. Our distinctive Kerala resort is the ideal remote getaway location for a quiet holiday in spectacular natural surroundings. You can choose between floating cottages and land cottages for accommodation at our charming Kerala ayurveda resort and enjoy a boat cruise along the palm-fringed shores of bewitching backwaters