Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
Beauty at its best
|
Where there’s water and verdure, says SOMA BASU
|
PHOTO: SOMA BASU
DATE WITH NATURE At Mukkadal
I often wonder why in almost all the pamphlets that provide information about different districts, the Forest Department describes every reservoir site as a “beautiful locale, ideal for picnic”. But the Pubic Works Department puts up a “Restricted Entry” board at the entrance to every such spot.
Notwithstanding this dichotomy, I set out, this time, for the Mukkudal Dam in Kanyakumari District, for two reasons — the dam is surrounded by forested hills on three sides; and a charming road that leads you to the forest. It is described as a “natural earthen dam”, unique because it is constructed only with clay and granite.
Roughly 12 km from Nagercoil town, the Mukkudal Dam is built across the Vambaru River. It was built by the King of Travancore, Chitira Tirunal, in 1645. The storage is around 50 feet. The picturesque setting and the clean water make it a pleasant spot for a picnic and some boating too.
The drive to Mukkudal was hassle-free. So was my entry to the reservoir. Surprisingly, the iron-gate at the entrance was locked but I was able to gain entry through a small, broken side gate. No one tried to stop me. The moment I was on the other side of the gate, a beautiful winding road lay beckoning.
A combination of grass bed, knee level shrubs, some soaring and lofty trees lined the path and quite enchanted I take on the trek. The verdant hills in the backdrop continuously appeared to be within reach but the longer I walked, they did not get any nearer. However, the surrounding foliage began to get denser. I feast on the lush scenery and decide to give my legs some more exercise.
Dense foliage
The tall trees I passed by bore plates indicating their botanical names: Mesua ferrea, Bischofia Javanica, Vitex altissima.
A species of festooning climber, a variety of shrubs, herbs, orchids, several indigenous palms and cycas constituted the verdure. Stray cattle and goats kept me company. I walked for more almost 90 minutes and my muscles began to hurt. But what kept my spirits up was the magnificent forest with its pleasant sholas and the grasslands. I spotted about half-a-dozen macaques frolicking in the trees. I could identify several species of timber such as teak, rosewood, vengai and aini. The forest also yields other produce such as bamboo, canes soft wood, tamarind, lemon grass, rubber, coconut, areca nut, kadukai, cinnamon, cardamom, mango and lemon varieties, jack fruit and herbs.
The walk seemed interminable. I realised I had lost sight of the reservoir and decided to turn back. I retraced my steps through the greenery. I discovered that at the entrance gate, the road forks, one neat tar-topped stretch leading to the forest and, the other, a pebbled track ending in a flight of stone steps that led to the reservoir. As I neared the water body its sheer beauty left me dumbfounded.
A gentle sun bathed the hills in rose hues. The water reflected the soft rays too. Schools of fish were visible in the clear light. The panoramic valleys and silver streaked water falls sparkling against the green carpeted hills looked like a painted landscape. A boat ride around the island in the middle of the water or gliding past the terraced fields and stretches of rubber, teak and coconut plantations is a good option here.
People living in the nearby villages of Karikulam, Kariyankonam, Mavilai, Marthal, Kanchiramkulam and Mathiasnagar practise terrace cultivation in this area of the Western Ghats. Apparently only the locals visit the dam site for an outing. Boatmen appear only when department officials arrived.
With the cool breeze caressing my face, I sat for a while enjoying the picturesque scenery.
What a great place Mukkudal turned out to be for a quiet getaway! I wished the authorities would do more to promote it as a picnic spot.
How to get there: There are regular bus services from Nagercoil. Disembark at Thuvarancaud or Thittuvilai and take a brief autorickshaw ride to the dam.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
|
