Vellore - Palani - Curtrallam - Rameshwaram - Vellore: A Round Trip in Vista VX

[AppU]

Hi Guys,

I'm back with my recent travelogue.

I got 4 days leave from 15th Aug to 18th Aug, so I decided to spend this 4 days usefully. Actually Rameshwaram was in my list from very long. So this time I decided to visit Rameshwaram. But, I've four days, so I included Courtalam in the list. But, during the trip only I came to know that I'm going to include some other places also.

Car: Of-course My Vista VX
Occupants : Myself & my parents

Day 1: 15/08/2013

I reached Vellore from Chennai around 2:00am on 15th, so I woke up around 10am and asked about the trip to parents. My Dad was not feeling well, he was suffering from severe cold, even myself also suffering from little bit of cold. As we all are free on that day, my mom decided to start on 15th itself. Then we all started to get ready. My Dad included Namakal in the list. As he planning to visit Namakkal Anjaneyer temple from very long,so he inlcuded that place. I thought of waxing my Vista. but, no not mood to do under the Sun, so just cleaned the interiors and wiped the exterior. That's it Whity was ready for the trip.

Around 12:30pm, we started our trip, Filled the tank at near by bunk, around 1pm entered into NH and headed towards Namakkal.

Route taken : Vellore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Rasipuram - Namakkal





Road condition was really excellent. Mom prepared the Lunch at home itself, so we had our lunch before Krishnagiri.

The four lane road from Salem to Namakkal is called as AH23. AH23 is Asian Highways which is connecting Agra to Matara in Srilanka. I came to know this from our TAI wats app group
AH43 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wonderful AH43:





Namakkal Anjaneyar Temple:



Narasimar temple present opposite to Anjaneyar temple:(One of the oldest and Beautiful temple)























Saw this auto after very long time:



Parked very Safely :





We had a tea near the temple and started towards Curtrralam around 6:30pm.
My GPS shown local streets to reach main road:



I thought to halt in Dindukal and to continue the trip next day. I reached Dindukal around 8:00pm and had our dinner there and found a hotel Rockfort in the mainroad itself. Inquired the availability and took the room. Room was decent and the fare was reasonable.

Will be continued..

 

[appus]

Re: Vellore-Palani-Curtrallam-Rameshwaram-Vellore, A round trip in Vista VX

Another detailed travelogue in the making ! Congratulations for doing another trip. You did not include Dhanushkodi as Ram Sir visited ? Haunted place !

Is there an Iskcon temple in the making? Could see a ISKCON board in one of the pic.

After seeing Chennai Express, She wanted to see Pampan bridge and Rameshwaram now

Will definitely do a trip to Dhanushkodi / Rameshwaram.

Eagerly waiting for the remaining parts

 

[AR Ram]

Re: Vellore-Palani-Curtrallam-Rameshwaram-Vellore, A round trip in Vista VX

AppuS, great start.

Pictures taken at Namakkal with the rock fort background are looking very good.

When you put a garland, it will be advisable to make the number plate visible , especially in toll plazas, it will be captured by the camera and your number will be printed on the toll receipt, and sometimes, in rare cases it will be a great help to you.

 

[appus]

Re: Vellore-Palani-Curtrallam-Rameshwaram-Vellore, A round trip in Vista VX

AppuS, great start.

Pictures taken at Namakkal with the rock fort background are looking very good.

When you put a garland, it will be advisable to make the number plate visible , especially in toll plazas, it will be captured by the camera and your number will be printed on the toll receipt, and sometimes, in rare cases it will be a great help to you.

Sir,

It is not AppuS - It is AppU (no S)
If there is an option to change the nick, I can change the nick to avoid confusion

 

[AR Ram]

Re: Vellore-Palani-Curtrallam-Rameshwaram-Vellore, A round trip in Vista VX

Sir,

It is not AppuS - It is AppU (no S)
If there is an option to change the nick, I can change the nick to avoid confusion

Thanks for the correction.

I think this is the second time I made the same mistake. I remember, first time he pointed out, 'I am not appus, I am AppU', and I think from now I will remember. Since I crossed 56 already, hardly any space left in my hard disc for memory storage

 

[AppU]

Re: Vellore-Palani-Curtrallam-Rameshwaram-Vellore, A round trip in Vista VX

Another detailed travelogue in the making ! Congratulations for doing another trip. You did not include Dhanushkodi as Ram Sir visited ? Haunted place !

Is there an Iskcon temple in the making? Could see a ISKCON board in one of the pic.

After seeing Chennai Express, She wanted to see Pampan bridge and Rameshwaram now

Will definitely do a trip to Dhanushkodi / Rameshwaram.

Eagerly waiting for the remaining parts

Yes Buddy, I visited Dhanuhkodi. but, forgot to add it in tittle

Pamban bridge and dhaushkodi are the worth places to visit.

BTW, that is the place where ISKON trust conducting Bhajans. But, not found any makings of ISKON temple.

AppuS, great start.

Pictures taken at Namakkal with the rock fort background are looking very good.

Thank you Ram sir,

Even the main statue of the Lord Narasimha is made in the mountain itself like Tiruparankundram, Madurai.

When you put a garland, it will be advisable to make the number plate visible , especially in toll plazas, it will be captured by the camera and your number will be printed on the toll receipt, and sometimes, in rare cases it will be a great help to you.

I not even think in that way, because whenever I start driving the car, the garland shift to bonnet due to air and looks like a Arch. So I never faced any issues so far at any Tollgates. anyhow Will keep your words in mind, when I tie garland next time:)

Thanks for the correction.

I think this is the second time I made the same mistake. I remember, first time he pointed out, 'I am not appus, I am AppU', and I think from now I will remember. Since I crossed 56 already, hardly any space left in my hard disc for memory storage

Ram sir, you can easily make out the difference by looking the Profile pic, If Vista stands there, then it is AppU from Vellore/Chennai. If Dizre stands, then it is appus from Banglore

 

[AppU]

Day 2:16/08/2013

We all woke up around 7am. My dad was still not feeling well. we vacated the room around 8:30am and finished our breakfast nearby hotel. Once we started our trip to Curtrallam, my mom saw the sign board saying Palani - 50Kms. she said that Palani is very near, why can't we visit Palani. Now Palani included

Then fixed the destination to Palani in GPS and proceed towards it. The road condition is really excellent. Enjoyed driving such a neat two lane road with big tress on both side of the road.

Route Taken: Dindukal - Palani - Oddanchatram - Usilampatti - Srivilliputhur - Rajapalayam - Puliyangudi - Kadayanallur - Curtrallam > Around 320Kms

Dindukal Palani Road:





Reached Palani around 10:30am and started to climb the hills by foot path. Finished the wonderful dharshan of Lord Murugan around 11:45am and started to down hill and brought the famous Palani Panjamirtham and had a coffee.

Nearing the Temple:




@Palani Murugan temple:











This is where we brought Panjamirtham:









Random pics of Palani:















After finishing everything we started our trip to Curtrallam around 12:40Pm.

The road condition was really good except some 8Kms.

Wonderful roads towards Curtrallam with beautiful scenaries:

 

[AppU]

Road condition towards Curtrallam:










Red Sand:







A Panorama:



we stopped for our Lunch break at Usilampatti and continued the trip









Worst stretch for around 8Kms:





Again Good roads:









We reached Curtallam around 6Pm and enquired few rooms there. due to the weekend all the lodges and Hotels were occupied and found some vacancies at some lodges. but, the ambiance was very worst and too costly. so decided to go Tenkasi to get some good rooms. But found a Hotel enroute to Tenkasi and enquired the vacancy. Thank god, vacancy was there and the room was also good with good parking space. So halted there for a Night. A hotel was also available next to the Lodge, so brought the dinner from there and had in room. Then Hit the bed

 

[AR Ram]

Good coverage and pictures AppU

Absolutely its not the confusion with the names AppU and appus, its an error I make while typing.

Did you get a parking place near the hill entrance at Palani? Most of the times it will be crowded, and during festival days its just ruled out.

And the cattle on the road are on the way to Pollachi market and from there they will be transported mainly to Kerala.

 

[appus]

Nice roads AppU.
Beautiful pictures ! Hope you had a great time.
Ram Sir. Call me anything - I do not have any problem :D

Always wanted to visit Shirdi, Tirumala, Palani, Madurai etc. Tirupati is the only place done. Lots of other places left. Hope we will visit in near future

Thanks for the detailed info AppU !

 

[Gurrala74]

@Appu

One more great travelogue from you and I envy you for visiting so many places in south(especially temples) which are my favorites and wanted to visit them always and end up not getting time.

Excellent pics and narration buddy, more than this TL, I really appreciate your efforts in taking your parents to all those places which every parent feel proud and glad about it and I respect you for this who think about the parents and their wishes always(not like the sons leaving their parents in India and enjoying in US, no offense particular on anybody as we our self have such people in our relatives)

 

[AR Ram]

@Appu

One more great travelogue from you and I envy you for visiting so many places in south(especially temples) which are my favorites and wanted to visit them always and end up not getting time.

Excellent pics and narration buddy, more than this TL, I really appreciate your efforts in taking your parents to all those places which every parent feel proud and glad about it and I respect you for this who think about the parents and their wishes always(not like the sons leaving their parents in India and enjoying in US, no offense particular on anybody as we our self have such people in our relatives)

Yes rightly said RK.

Parent's blessing is the preliminary blessing one can get, and based on that we will be blessed by the GOD. truly my opinion

 

[AppU]

Day 3:17/08/2103

My dad was feeling better and he always willing to take bath at curtrallam falls. so we all wakeup around 6:30am and went to Old falls at Curtallam.

Sun rise from the room at Curtrallam:




This is how Whity stands for the Night:


The Room which we stayed:


Heading towards Old falls @ Curtrallam:







Due to weekend, all the vehicles are parked some 1.5Kms before the falls. So I parked my whity in the parking and headed towards by walk. The day had a very clear sky & very bright sun Light



Random shots towards Old falls:












Old Falls @ Curtrallam:











We all had a very fresh bath at falls and I stayed in falls for more than 30mins.

Then we returned to Vista around 8:30am, meanwhile I brought corn. But the corn was tasteless

Tasteless corn:



Whity @ Parking area:




Then we headed towards Mainfalls, just for sight seeing.

Spotted this Fight crossing at Mainfalls, I think this flight going from Thiruvandrum to Chennai:

 

[AppU]

Police was monitoring the people in falls from distance and giving instructions to the other police man standing near falls via Mic.


Sky after the fight cross:


This is Main-Falls at Curtrallam:












Local shops at Mainfalls(Tried some photography):




Kurtralleswar temple at Mainfalls:



Full zoom to falls from the Local shop street:



we completed our Breakfast in the local street shop and returned to Vista and headed towards room and vacated the room.

The lodge which we stayed:


So, Next stop is Rameshwaram.

Will be continued..

 

[Fyzy09]

AppU, Great writeup with some neat pics
I just love TN roads. They are well maintained, neat and clean. Did you do any high speeds??
Waiting for more.