Munnar hill station

Munnar hill station

Munnar hill station Weather, Route map

Mattupetty

Mattupetty Dam is 13 km from Munnar and is at an altitude of 1700 m above the sea level. Mattupetty Dam is a storage concrete gravity Dam built in the mountains, to conserve water for hydroelectricity. Speed boating is available in Kundala lake at Mattupetty Dam. The reservoir is known to be one of the visiting grounds of elephants in the region.

Pothamedu

Pothamedu View Point is 6 km from Munnar town. Tea, coffee and cardamom plantations view is available from here. Pothamedu View Point provides a panoramic view of Munnar town, adjoining valleys and Muthirapuzha River.

Devikulam

The Devikulam Lake is located at an altitude of 1000 mt above the sea level and was called by Sita Devi Lake. This place is 13 km from Munnar town.  As per the Legend, Goddess Sita took bath in this lake during their stay.

Pallivasal

Sethuparvati Arch Dam created the Kundala Lake as part of the Pallivasal Hydro Electric Project in 1946.

Attukal

This place is 9 km from Munnar Town and falls on the way to Pallivasal. Water falls from mountain cliffs attracts the tourists. Best time to visit: Jun - Sep ie. right after the monsoon.

Nyayamakad Waterfalls

Nyayamakad Waterfalls is another interesting tourist spot which is 10 km from Munnar Town. It falls on the way to Rajamala Nyayamakad from Munnar town. Water flow the hill from a height of 1600 mt.

Kodaikanal Tourism Top Places

Kodaikanal Tourism

Kodaikanal Tourism, Tour packages and Top places

Kodaikanal Lake

This artificial lake was created in 1863 by Sir Vere Henry Levinge.

Timings: 9:00 am - 6: 00 pm.

Motor Boats, Rowboats and Pedal boats are available for boating. Horse riding is also available at the entrance.

Coakers Walk

It is a walking path on the edges of the valley. Admission Rs 2, Camera Rs. 5.

Entry fees: Admission Rs 2, Camera Rs. 5Time: 7 Am To

Opening Timings: 7 am - 7 pm)

Early hours is preferable as passing through mist will be memorable. There is an astrophysics Observatory with entry fees Rs. 3. A telescope is available for the spectacular valley view in the midway. Entry is allowed for either end ie. Near Greenlands Youth Hostel Or Villa Retreat, and it is 5 mins walk along the path.

Berijam Lake

Nature Lovers must not miss the lake visit during the trip. This lake is 23 km from Kodai Bus station. Boat riding is available in this Lake. Permission is required for the entry. This lake got created by a dam.

Ooty Hill station Tamilnadu

Ooty Hill station Tamilnadu

Mountain Train (Toy Train) from Coonoor to Ooty

Toy train departs from Mettupalayam at 7:10 am and reaches Ooty by 12:00 pm. From Coonoor, Trains are available at regular intervals 7:45 am, 10:40 am, 12:35 pm and 4:30 pm.

First Class Ticket cost Rs.325 and Second class it is Rs.30. It is 3 hours 35 mins ( approx) from Mettupalayam to Ooty) and vice versa.

Coonoor attractions

Places to visit in Coonoor are Sim's Park, Lamb's Rock, Dolphin's Nose, Wellington, Ketti Valley NearOoty, Law's Falls, Droog Fort, Kotagiri near Ooty and Catherine Falls (falls from 300 ft high). Coonoor is 18 km from Ooty and 71 km from Coimbatore.

Doddabetta Peak

The highest mountain in the Nilgiri Hills which is at an altitude of 2660 m above the sea level. The major part of Ooty can be visible from this point. It has 36 hairpin bends while going up.

Badrinath temple history

Badrinath temple history

As per the legend, While Lord Vishnu performing Seva to the Goddess Lakshmi, Sage Narada compared His doings with the humans. Disturbed Lord Vishnu sent his wife Lakshmi to Pathala Loka. Lord Vishnu came down to the Earth. Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati found the boy crying at their doorstep. Lord Siva and Parvati took the boy inside the home. While going out, Goddess Parvati asked the boy to stay inside the home. The boy then locked the doors from inside and made the stay as his abode. On seeing this, Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati moved to Kedarnath for the stay. Goddess Lakshmi took the form of a Badari tree to protect Lord Vishnu, who was in penance. Hence the name Badarinath, later called by Badrinath as time passes by.

The temple located at an altitude of 3133 mt above the sea level and was built in 8th century AD.

It is believed that Lord Krishna and Arjuna stayed here for some time during Vanavasa period. This is the place where the Hanuman tested Bhima's strength and crushed the ego. It is one of the temples of Chardham.

Panch Prayag Trek

Panch Prayag Trek

Deo Prayag

Two holy rivers Alakananda and Bhagirathi merges at Devprayag town. It is said that Holy River Ganga took birth at this place. This place falls on the way to Rishikesh to Badrinath. Lord Rama temple is located here. This place is 70 km from Rishikesh. This place located at an altitude of 2723 ft above the sea level.

Rudra Prayag

As per the Legend, Sage Narada did penance for Lord Siva who appeared before the Sage in Rudra form. Hence the name Rudra Prayag. The holy rivers Alankananda and Mandakini merges here. This place is 140 km from Rishikesh and 70 km from Devprayag. The pathways to Kedarnath and Badrinath splits here at Rudraprayag.

Karna Prayag

It is at the confluence of the River Pandari and River Alankananda. It is said that Karna was cremated here and performed his last rites was performed by Lord Krishna. From here, Alaknanda flows toRudra Prayag. This place is 31 km from Rudraprayag. Karna Prayag, derived from Karna who performed prayers for Sun god at this place.

Nanda Prayag

It is at the confluence of the holy rivers Alakananda and Mandakini. This place is 20 km from Karna Prayag.

Vishnu Prayag

As per the folklore, Sage Narada did penance here for Lord Vishnu. Vishnu temple is located right next to Vishnu Kund. The holy river Vishnu Ganga and Dhauliganga merge here. This place is located at an altitude of 1372 mt above the sea level.

Kedarnath Temple History

Kedarnath Temple History

As per the Legend, Pandavas after victory in the battle over Kauravas thought of visiting Varanasi to get rid of the sin of killings their brothers. Lord Siva was not willing to offer Darshan to the Pandavas and took the form of a bull and moved to Guptakashi. On knowing this Pandavas reached Guptakashi seeking blessings from Lord Siva. Lord Siva who was not willing to offer Darshan, tried to enter underground. On seeing this Bhima, tried to hold bull's hump. Lord Siva went underground leaving hump in the hands of Pandava brother. The hump was installed and worshipped at Kedarnath.

Pandavas installed and offered prayers to the hump, which later turned into a rock form. Lord Siva was pleased and offered Darshan to the Pandavas and absolved the Sins. The other shrines near Kedarnath where Lord Siva is worshipped are Tungnath for arms, Rudranath for face, Kalpeshwar for hair, Madmaheshwar for Naval. All these five Shrines, Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Kalpeshwar and Madmaheshwar are called as Panch Kedar.

Puri Jagannath temple history

Puri Jagannath temple history

Puri Jagannath temple history, Timings and route info

As per the Legend, As per the Instructions from Lord Brahma, King Indradyumna sent 3 Brahmins in search of  Nila Madhava, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Two Brahmins returned the kingdom but last Brahmin, Vidyapati took shelter at Tribal Chieftain, Visvavasu's residency. He eventually married Chieftain's daughter Lalita. Vidyapati was suspicious about Visvavasu's movements. Lalita revealed that her father used to worship Nila Madhava. On Lalita's request, Visvavasu took him to Nila Madhava by tieing his eyes. Vidyapati played a trick by carrying mustard seeds to place it along the path. While Visvavasu went out to collect flowers for the Pooja. A divine voice instructed Vidyapati to let Indradyumna know about his Whereabouts.

King Indradyumna and Vidyapati did not find Nila Madhava who reached the place by tracking Mustard seed plants. A divine voice said that King collected the wood floating on the shores of Puri and thought of carving Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu disguised himself as an old carpenter and approached the King in carving the images of Lord Vishnu with the condition that one should not open doors for 21 days. After 15 days, as there are no traces of Sound inside the temple, Gundica, the queen requested the King to open the doors. When the king opened the door, the unfinished images of  Jagannatha, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarsana were found. No trace of carpenter inside.

nellaiappar temple tirunelveli

Nellaiappar temple Tirunelveli

nellaiappar temple tirunelveli History

The word Nelveli has derived from Puranas that the Lord Siva safeguarded the granary from submerging in the river floods. Lord did fencing around the granary where Paddy was kept for His worship. As per the Legend, an ardent of Lord Siva, A Brahmin, Veda Sanman had spread the paddy on the floor for drying up when the floods came. It was then Lord Siva built the fence around the granary and thus protected the paddy from the river floods; hence the name Tirunelveli.

The deities of Tirunelveli are Nellaiyappar, Venuvananathar, Nelveli Nathar, Salivatisar and Veymutha Nathar. Tiruvilayadal Purana says that the Lord is called Veymuthanathar as he self-manifested himself in Bamboo.

The Goddess is called Kanthimathi Amman and Vadivudai Amman. There is a separate shrine for God and Goddess in the temple complex. The tower of the Amman was built in 1626 AD.

As per the local folklore, the Linga was established by a Muslim chieftain when his wife recovered from the illness after praying the Lord. The Linga is called by Anavarada Nathar. It is also said that the Linga worshipped by Anwar-Udin-Khan came to be known as Anavardanathan as time passes by.

Mysore Zoological Park

Mysore Zoological Park

Mysore Zoological Park Timings, History

The zoo park is 3 km from Mysore bus station and is beside Chamundi Hills. This Zoological park can be reached from Mysore Palace which is 2 km away. It house carnivorous, herbivorous, reptiles and birds from different parts of the world. Visitors can reach Zoo Park from Mysore Palace by Horse Carts which are readily available at the entrance.

Zoo History

1. 1892: Established by the Mysore King Chamarajendra Wadiyar Bahadur. It was then called by Khasa Bangle or Private Bungalow. Occupies 10.3 acres of land.
2. 1909: Name changed from Khasa Bangle to Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in 1909.
3. 1948: The Zoological Park came under the control of horticulture department
4. 1979: The zoo authority transformed to Karnataka State government.
5. Current Zoo stretches over 80 acres of land.

Mysore Palace History

Mysore Palace History

Mysore Palace History, Timings

This historical palace also called by Amba Palace. Wodeyars who ruled the region from 1399 AD to 1950 AD built this place in 14th century AD. In the year 1610 AD, Wodeyars shifted the capital from Mysore to Srirangapatnam, however, Mysore Palace remained the official residence. A Lightning struck the palace and damaged partially in 1638 AD. The then King Raja Wodeyar II did the repair work.

In 1700 AD Century, When Tippu Sultan got into power, demolished the palace and used the material to construct a fort at Nazarabad. When Tippu Sultan lost the battle to the Britishers in 1799 AD, Britishers destroyed the Tippu's palace at Nazarabad and used the fort material to built the palace at Mysore in 1803 AD and reinitiated Krishnaraja Wodeyar III as the ruler of Mysore.  In 1897, the major portion of the palace got burnt during a wedding ceremony of the Princess Jayalakshmanni. The present form of the Palace was built in 1912 AD by the British architect Henry Irwin and it cost 4.5 Million Rupees during that time. The fort will be lighted with 97000 electric bulbs daily.

Nookambika Temple Anakapalli

Nookambika Temple Anakapalli

Nookambika Temple Anakapalli, Timings, History

In the year 1450 AD, Arcad Nawab's made their commander-in-chief Kakarlapudi Appalaraju as the king for Sarpavaram region for his great services. Appalaraju ruled the region by building a fort at Anakapalli. Appalaraju Installed his family deity Kakatambika to the south of the fort. As the time passes by Kakatambika turned to Nookambika. In the year 1953, AP Endowments undertook the administration.

The crowd will be high during Feb, Mar and Apr months. Annual festival celebrations start on Phalguna Amavasya day and ends on Chaitra Amavasya.

Temple Accommodation

1. Rooms are available at Kalyan Mantap.
2. Cottages are also available at the temple premises
3. Kakatambika Complex rooms are also available for occupancy.

komuravelli mallanna temple

komuravelli Mallanna temple

Komuravelli Mallanna temple History, Timings

As per the Legend, Mallanna is the incarnation of Lord Siva. Some used to say that Mallanna is Son of Lord and Younger brother to Ellamma. Poojas performed at this temple will be done in Telugu ie No Sanskrit mantras during the Pooja. Temple priest is from Balija Community who runs through the temple activities.

Komaranna from Yadava community did penance here on this hill for Lord Siva, who later installed the Idol. It is believed that Lord Siva in Malegaon Maharashtra self-manifested here as Mallanna. The main deity resides here with His consorts Golla Kethamma and Balijamedala Devi. The main deity is 8 ft in height and is made of clay. 

Temple will be thronged with devotees during Brahmotsavam days which starts on Makara Sankranti. Sivaratri festival will be celebrated in a grand.