Thursday, December 27, 2007

That is you


Day 1

5.30 Am
Erumeli
To destination: 46 kms
Small town 50 kms away from home. Starting place.
There are 2 ways to go from here. Either by walk or by bus. As usual we take the less traveled.
Significance: The place is popular for its history linked to Ayyappa, where he killed the Buffalo who was making trouble to the prople




Breakfast
Kalagetti
9.30 Am
To destination: 32 kms
Significance: A place where it is believed that Shiva and Parvathi came to bless Ayyappa and Shiva tied his bull on a tree near by. .



Lunch
Azhutha
To destination: 31 kms
Significance: Very beautiful forest river. Need to pick a stone from the river and drop it on the next hill top




Kallidamkunnu
3.30pm
To destination: 27kms
Significance: Need to drop the stone here. Believed that all

gods came and blessed Ayyappa here by pouring flowers from the sky




Enjaparakotta
4.00pm
To destination: 26kms
Significance:Ayyappa got thirsty and dug a well here. The well gives you pure water and it’s unbelievable that there is such a thing at such altitude. Beautiful place where you get to see many parts of Idukki district which is miles away

Mukkuzhi
6.00pm
To Destination:24kms
Significance: A vanavasi colony. Nice place to stay and the wind is nasty here(too freezing!!!).
Night stay here

Day 2

Mukkuzhi
6.00am
Breakfast
Start off the next phase





Kariyilam thoodu
11.30 am
To destination: 14kms
Significance: Nice stream where you can take bath and get prepared for the task of climbing Karimala(the dark hill)

Karimala Hill top
3.00pm
To destination:10 kms
Significance: You complete a huge task of climbing 7 mountain ranges which together is called the Karimala.This place is popular for its history way back to Ramayana.Sita had taken bath here and there is a pond still there and also a foot print believed to be that of Sita.You get pure water here too. These hills are too dense and find lot of wild animals like Bear, Elephants, Tiger etc

Now you need to be really careful getting down the hill as it is too steep and rocky, until you reach:

Valiyanavattam/Cheriyana vattam
4.30 pm
To destination:6kms
Significance:Plain land with lot of Elephants coming down to take water from river Pamba

Pamba
500 pm
To destination: 4 kms
Significance: Holy River Pampa originates here with three streams coming together called the Triveni Sangam.
Looks like we have reached some Kumbha mela.All dressed up either in saffron or black and call each other Ayyappa.Even police are called Police Ayyappa



Sannidhanam
6.30 pm
To destination:0kms
Significance:The Temple of Lord Ayyappa.Only place in the whole world where worshipper and the worshipped is known by the same name-Ayyappa. As it is written on the Entrance-

Thathvamasi-“That” is you

Day 3


6.30 am
A bath at the Urukkuzhi falls 0.5 kms from Sannidhanam and return home
Significance: a forest stream. Can sit inside the rock and take bath.Superb!



4.00 pm
Back home in Bus










3 days every year to introspect and know myself !!