OUR VISIT TO TRIVANDRUM CITY.

It was our Diwali holidays and we wanted to visit a portion of kerala state which we earlier had missed visiting....Our agenda , this time was a stay a kovalam beach, visiting Poovar Island,  having darshan at Padmanabhaswamy temple, Suchindrum temple and BHAGAVATHY AMMAN TEMPLE in kanyakumari besides Ponmudi and local places around Trivandrum.
   We had our booking at Hotel Sagara, kovalam  near to Vizhinjam light house. The hotel is worth paying for....it was quite dark by the time we checked in but I was quite impressed by the property. ...I stood in the balcony of our room and could hear the sound of the waves hitting the shores....but had to wait till the break of dawn to feel the real beauty. ....After the sumptuous dinner of malabari  parathas and chicken preparation with black pepper (very locale of the region) , we just went off to sleep........
My mobile alarm rang at 6.30am, I just pushed off the room curtains .....omg the sea looks so so beautiful, felt as if I opened up my window to the sea....just loved it ......Had framed sea by every hour as it kept mesmerising us .....oh , this hotel had a kerala ayurvedic spa too and definitely  a session is in our card before we say good bye to this place.
    We had our booking for darshan at Padmanabhaswamy temple prior . ....our driver said that it will be easy for darshan ....we were well prepared with saree and Dhoti for my husband, this time....even churidar is not allowed....people here follows strict norms....the queue was too long but when time started it moved very fast.....though it was my 2nd visit to Trivandrum but my first visit here.......I was mesmerised by the Golden idol of Vishnu lord in Nidra  position. ....oh the pillars , the bed of the inner sanctum, all in pure gold and magnificent craftmenship. ...Earlier had heard so many stories regarding this temple and today I am here ....I said to myself , feeling blessed.
Next had the agenda to visit NEYYAR  DAM at the foot of the western ghats built over Neyyar river.....it's quite a drive out to the place thru ' dense jungle areas.....some construction work was on to at the site so I personally didn't feel like climbing to the top of the floodgates  of Neyyar dam but my husband  went up and it was really very beautiful. ....Went to see the Aquarium just next to Neyyar Dam. ...
After seeing Kovalam beach , we had no interest to visit Shanghumukham beach. ....I just loved enjoying the kovalam beach. ........
Shopping :Being at trivandrum, shopping is alway at very traveller's  agenda. ...Had the opportunity to collect lots of cloves, which a local product,  my favourite POPPY BRAND  UMBRELLA and my ever  loved KASAVU SAREES OF KERALA.......
       Since lots of construction works are on all across Trivandrum city ,still not a pleasure driving across .

Our journey from Trivandrum to kanyakumari by road.

Trivandrum to kanyakumari is about 92kms via NH66....approximately 3hrs +depending on the traffic...
ROUTE :
   TRIVANDRUM -KOVALAM -MARTHANDAM -NAGARCOIL - SUCHINDRUM -KANYAKUMARI.

As one reaches kovalam the road really narrows down and the traffic really bothers too much ....hardly people follow any lanes and overtaking is very common here....this madness continues until the border of kerala. Though the road conditions are good only it's too narrow with several twists and turns...Once Nagarcoil is reach,one can feel the surrounding  changing over ie the beauty of Trirunelvelli. ....big lotus ponds ...rice/paddy fields and the simple village life all across.....Nagarcoil churches are really beautiful and catches every eye ,which passes by.....As one enters Tamil Nadu state ,the roads become wider but not in very good state.
Our first stop over was SUCHINDRUM THANUMALAYAM TEMPLE......visiting south Indian temples , one need to follow the dress code strictly to have a darshan there....ie saree for ladies and Dhoti for men with bare upper part.
We  were prepared from before hand so had not much problem. ...The temple architecture is very beautiful like madurai. ...We opted for Tulsi mala or garland for vishnu idol and pan mala for Echaa purti  Hanuman ji  idol inside the main sanctum of the temple  ....this is the only temple where Shiva - Vishnu -Brahma  resides  together ....Saw the musical pillars inside the temple .....the corridors around are so so beautifully carved in black sandstone .....but no cameras are allowed....so it was just our silent prayers there before we headed for kanyakumari. ...it's surely our luck that we could make our darshan there as soon we came out of the complex the doors of the temple closed for the day until evening.....being in southern most part of India and not enjoying coconut water , .....I just wanted it .....now  it was approx  11kms to reach kanyakumari. ...by the time we entered kanyakumari town the weather got bad , with few drizzle. .....this was my 2nd visit to kanyakumari. ...felt very sad to see the town so dirty....anyways, now had the agenda for Vivekananda Rock  and BHAGAVATHY AMMAN  TEMPLE darshan which is also a shaktipeeth. ....

PONMUDI -THE HIDDEN HILL STATION OF SOUTH INDIA.

Ponmudi,  is the tiny little hill station about 56 kms from Trivandrum city .....though not much heard amongst tourists visiting Kerala...but truely worth visiting .....mainly known as Eco tourism site.
   As one starts his/her journey,  can feel the freshness of air immediately after leaving the city limit and as one takes on the climb up the hill roads. ...the twists and turns all across single roadway, never allows the vehicle to speed up.....but surely  gives the essence of country side ....the tall coconut , betel nut  trees, small houses amidst the paddy fields  , is truely a travellers delight. ....the innocent charms of the locales busy in their daily cores of life....the local temples spreading the essence of burning ghee lamps , just makes ones soul uplifted.....the journey just had began.....
  Now began the RUBBER ESTATES of kerala....obviously, we had to make a stopover for a while ....as I kept framing them on my lens from outside the fencing ...our driver insisted me to enter the Rubber estate from the entrance gate instead to have a closer look of the dropping of the juices that forms the main ingredient that later after processing becomes usable rubber ......it's really fun to pull the juice which looks more like a rubber string as it comes in contact with the atmosphere. ....
Now we were about to enter the Ponmudi  Eco tourism site ....after paying the entrance  charge , we head along ....but this stretch is a drivers/person sitting behind the steering wheel's  delight.....Need to be very very careful....one mistake and u r surely down off the hill.....Now there r 22 steep hairpin  bends to reach upto the topmost point of the Ponmudi hills. ....the air offcourse got very chilled and dense jungle stretch  and a narrow steep  climb up.....I took to the front seat of our SUV  vehicle to film the exciting climb as the surrounding beauty...omg , our driver , who is a localite  instead of taking care of his steering wheel was gazing at my camera and off he slipped to the side of the slopes of narrow road....thank god , we averted  an accident instead I made him stop  and moved to my backseat instead.....I told him to concentrate on his driving and not to keep speaking over the phone ....Each of the bends where very very steep and quite tricky. .....now slowly , the scenic hills started showing up amidst the thick forest cover ......tea plantations are alway a delight to watch .....so had a couple of stopovers and finally  we were now on the topmost point of Ponmudi hills.......Saw a small resort type eatery only ....very well maintained. ....the chilling winds swapped my hairs across my face.....the hills are a facinating place for hikers, trekkers and rock climbers......Just loved the serenity and peace and offcourse the freshness in the air .....Just perfect for a day camping /picnicing but need not spoil the clean surrounding. .....this place offcourse have a great chance of development further....only requires more interest and intension of the govt.
We very much enjoyed the drive upto the top  of Ponmudi hills.