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ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

Captivating cascade

Water wows visitors here, says SOMA BASU

PHOTOS: SOMA BASU

HOT SPOT FOR PICNICKERS Palaruvi

True to its name, Palaruvi dazzles. A milky white foam bursts forth from apparently invisible hills. The sheet of water that comes crashing down envelops the area in a fine mist. As you approach the spot, the sound of water echoes all around. When you look up, practically nothing is visible except for the blinding white curtain, which against the sunlight makes the surrounding rolling hills look blue.

Palaruvi is Kerala's most picturesque waterfalls, dubbed so not only by the Tourism Department but also by every visitor to this place. The breathtaking spot is on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border on Madurai-Kollam highway. The perennial waterfalls is a hot spot for picnickers from all over South India, and in that sense, not really a road less travelled. But the place is too charming to be ignored. A Rs. 7 ticket gains you entry into this green valley called the Sahyan Valley. From the ticket counter, the road is motorable for about a km after which you need to park your vehicle near the check post and walk another km to reach the spot.

The cool waters of Palaruvi are believed to have medicinal properties. It seems many Ayurvedic physicians recommend a bath here and that is another reason why so many people are seen at the small shallow pool at ground level.

Unmindful of the crowd, I walk on the pebbled muddy road leading to the waterfall, drinking in the lush beauty of the area. I learnt from the deputy ranger, Forest Department, Naushad, that these are evergreen and semi-evergreen forests where deer and other small animals like rabbit and fox and a few varieties of birds are occasionally spotted in the peripheral areas. But deep inside, which are reserve forests under the adjacent Shenduruney Sanctuary, there are elephant, jaguar, wild buffalo and sambar.

As I walk on, I spot a signpost reading `Tiger Road' on the rocky wall of the hill. Since RLTs are meant to be different, I branch off to find my way through a maze of fresh green ferns, a variety of soft wood trees and a dominating cover of tall trees called Chenkurinji in Malayalam. Like the waterfalls, the flowers on these trees too are white. It is so silent here that it is difficult to believe the noisemade by people enjoying the natural shower is barely 500 m from where I am standing.

A few steps ahead, I stumble upon the ruins of what was apparently one of the several summer palaces of the Travancore rajas. A weather-beaten mandapam covered in moss and black soot still stands erect. Apparently, the palace built in Palaruvi turned out to be unlucky for the royal family and they abandoned it to shift to Courtallam, where now the Kerala House is located. It is difficult to cut short a walk in the forests given its refreshing nature. But then, since I had come to see the waterfalls, I find my way, climbing up and down over an ensemble of rocks following the sound of water.

There are numerous walkways, which take you in any direction deeper into the green cover. But it is advisable to seek permission and help from the Forest Department in case you desire to go on a serious trek.

Back to the falls. Indeed, the continuous stream of milk from a height of 300 ft is a sight worth freezing. It is interesting to see how the waterfalls is compartmentalised here. The gushing stream actually crashes down on a huge boulder, curves and forms a second step of water sheet. It is here that people bathe.

After the steep fall, the water gathers and cascades over small steps. In fact, there is a viewpoint called `Step Flow' which makes for a captivating sight. There are several small streams straying off here and there by the side of which you can relax. Spend as much time as you want in Palaruvi between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

How to reach

Palaruvi is on NH208, Kollam-Shenkottah road. It is five km from the Ariyankavu mountain pass, 35 km east of Punalur, 75 km from Kollam, 77 km from Thiruvananthapuram and 225 km from Madurai.

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