Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Ready for a weekend whirl?
|
Ever thought of Kattupalli Islands, Pulicat Lake or the Sadras citadel for a weekend getaway? GEETA PADMANABHAN tells you why you should
|
SIGHTS TO BEHOLD The imposing Vellore fort and (below) flamingos at the Pulicat Lake
Want to do something different this weekend? Get off the I-box and get real. Head to the lovely but little known hills and beaches bordering Greater Chennai. Hitch a backpack, set your compass and a-hunting we will go!
A group of islands linked by roads dots the northern part of Pulicat lake 160 km northeast of Chennai. To its east is Sriharikota, west Sulurpet. Rush here to watch the flamingos and pelicans, they will be leaving soon. You, a shutterbug? The first and last light is the best time. Take your eyes off the birds to watch birders and ornithologists pitch tents on Venadu. There are thousands of waders and striders off NH 5. At night, roost at the Nellupattu Bird Sanctuary guesthouse run by the Panchayat if you can net the caretaker from wherever he is perched.
Fascinating sight
Ideally, avoid the road, go to Arambakkam, take a sailboat to the Venadu wilderness. Of course, you need a tent, mobile cans and food. If you time it well, you could see a rocket launch from Sriharikota. Move on to Pazhaverkadu, the island across Pulicat village. People gape at the old lighthouse and visit the Annamalaicheri Bird Sanctuary, with a cursory pilgrimage to the Dutch Church. What they miss is the busy fishing industry, the fascinating sight of fish being preserved in huge iceboxes for export.
Stir South and 3 km short of Minjur catch the road to Kattupalli island. Talk to the 400-year-old communities here. Ennore harbour, thermal power station and a soon-to-be-built desalination plant spell modernisation, but "Kattupalli is a great place to de-stress," says Dipankar Ghose of Adventure n Nature. "There are virgin sands, unpolluted beaches and ancient temples. It used to be a thoroughfare for pilgrims from the peninsula going to north India. They came sailing up Buckingham Canal. Promoting eco-tourism will stop the misuse of the place and help people learn to respect local cultures." It's a fragile eco-system. Tread with care.
The southern trail
Another weekend? Hit the southern trail. Go beyond the pricey resorts on ECR. Check out the Sadras citadel and ruffle the isolated beach 1000m off the Atomic Power Station. West of Somaspettai village, enjoy non-motorised water sport and soak in the serenity of life. Find out how the Dutch used this route to Kancheepuram. Bypass Mahabalipuram. It's bursting at seams with tourists, hawkers and archaeologists. Opt for (the new) Muttukadu at Mudaliarkuppam. But be warned. You can't stay unless a villager takes you in. Or hire a camper van.
On to the backwaters of Marakkanam. The Swaminathan Foundation is re-vegetating this place with mangroves in little marshy islets. Wade in the charming beach just 200m off the ruined fortress at Kadapakam. Journey 5 km down the bridge to be startled by endless swathes of a booming boat building industry, thanks to tsunami.
Water sports
Motor 7 km south to Chunambar, the tidal lake with a sandbar-free seafront. Climb into a fishing trawler berthed in the lake, if you spot the friendly owner. The tsunami washed away the beautiful cottages, but don't worry, they are being rebuilt. This is a great place to indulge in water sports and relax at a barbeque on the shore. Swim in the lake, there are changing rooms. In the small resort on the banks crash down on a bamboo bed or climb up a tree house, courtesy the Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation. Pray that the huge lake, the bamboo pavilions and the hotel are still operating to the same standards as they did pre-tsunami.
Yet another weekend? Explore the Eastern Ghats. Off the NH 5, but this time towards Kalahasti. Twenty-five km Northwest of Tada nestles divine Kambakam. Random check to find tiny waterfalls all around, all through the year. There are little rushes, plunge pools fed by mountain springs, ah... paradisio for wellness tourism! "This area was known to the `eco-friendly' British and the scrap dealers of Chennaipattinam. The British would throw beer bottles into the pools to chill out. Now urban folks break liquor bottles here. If we ruin it, there will be no place for us to return tomorrow," says Elango of Outwardbound Adventure & Environment Centre.
All of this is 95 km from Chennai and you get to traverse the last 5 km on cobblestones. The hills range up to Kalahasthi, Tirupati, Nagiri, Tirutani, Arakkonam, Vellore, and onwards to Javvadi and Yelagiri. The Konnai waterfalls (not the Konnai Falls) beckon you as do the lookouts on the ramparts of Tipu Sultan's forts. Search for the cannon (Kamballam?) and the cave paintings that go back to Stone Age. Touch down at Poondi reservoir, brimming with welcoming water.
Time to head back. Take the Tirutani route on the right side of TP Kottai near Arni Dam, close to Uttukottai. Follow the road-head to Vellore. Stop and trudge up a mountain trail to Tipu's Palace to get a spectacular view of the Vellore township from a windy saddle. Forty km from Vellore, unhitch your luggage at
Tamil Nadu Forest Department's dorm at the Amerthi Reserve Forest and savour the largest congregation of sandalwood trees within a given area. Hike through the Javvadi range to Jamunamarudu, put your feet up at the rest house. The Kavalur Observatory is just 10 km away. Watch birds, scout for wildlife and study the flora and lesser animals. Have a great time!
Whom to contact
Adventure n Nature - Voice: 4215 1147/ 98417 79355
E-mail: turningpoint002@yahoo.co.in
Pulicat Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh — Forest Office of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, at Sulurpet
Kambakam — Forest Office of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, at Varadaipalyam, near Tada
Amerthi — Forest Office of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department at the Collectorate, Vellore
Jamunamarudu/ Javvadi Hills — Forest Office of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department at Jamunamarudu
Sadras, Kadapakkam, Muttukadu Lake and Vellore — Tourist Officer of Tamilnadu Tourism at Mahabalipuram.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
