Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Rightly called the "Niagara of India" Athirappilly (Athirapally) Falls is located around 75 km north east of Kochi. The 145 km Chalakkudy river originating in the Anamudi mountain of the Western Ghats and flows through the Vazhachal forest towards Arabian Sea. At Athirappilly falls water surges around big rocks and cascades in 3 separate plumes. You will start feeling the green environment and forest the moment you take turn to the Athirapally road from Chalakkudy on National Highway 47.
Athirapally or often spelled Athirapilly, is one of the wildest water falls in the Chalakudy river in Thrishur district, of the south Indian state - Kerala.The river gushes down through the rocks from a height of about 80 feet. This river is flowing towards the Arabian Sea. Athirapally waterfalls is unique in India.
The journey from Chalakudy to the Athirappilly Falls passes through a landscape of winding roads, small villages and lush green trees 

Walk around 10 mins from the Entrance you reach the river flowing past the rocks and trees. You find little children playing in the river and a few steps ahead the water goes down more than 80 ft. Trek another 20 minutes down the hill you reach under the falls. Its quite a long descent to the foot of the falls, but certainly worth the effort. If you have difficulty in walking and climbing or if you have toddlers, you better avoid the second part.
                                                            View from the top of the falls
To reach at top of the Athirapally waterfall we can reach via a paved path that leads through thick bamboo clusters.
About 7 million tourists visit the falls spot every year, still the place is well maintained, greenery restored and cleanliness has been taken care of.
This is the place where you may be directed first by the Guards here in Athirapally. You are allowed go a little more nearer to the falls if the season is not the Monsoons. Guards will allow river bath in a safe place a few meters above this falls.
The charm of the Athirampally nature cannot be described by words, Starting calmly from the high ranges, and crashing through gorges overhung with trees, these waterfall is one of the best places in India to re-capture a real sense of the classical idea of the 'Picturesque' - not just calm and sweet, but something wild and natural.
This wild roaring river shower of Kerala attracts foreigners as well as the local tourists throughout the year. The scenic and picturesque beauty of the place has made it the ultimate location for shooting movies, particularly the duet songs.
The cool misty waters cascading down in the backdrop of the thick green forests and rocky terrain, are a scintillating experience to any visitor or tourist.

The Athirapally falls is the largest waterfall in Kerala and forms on the Chalakudy river deep in the Vazhachal forests of the Western Ghats.


Athirapally waterfalls is a panoramic, charming and bewitching place for the tourists to relax and de-stress. Though a little off season when we visited, the falls were still thundering down with tremendous force and were fascinating to view.
It takes only less than a day to cover the falls, but if you really want to immerse fully into it stay at a resort, preferably a place where you can hear the sound of the fall to fill your soul with freshness. As the visiting time to the falls is only from 9:00 Am to 5:00 PM, the only chance to view the falls during Sunset and sunrise would be from a resort or from a trek path.
How to reach :
By Air : Kochi International Airport Nearest railway and from Kozhikode (Calicut) Airport is 80 km away from city. 
By Rail : Chalakkudy Railway station is the nearest station, and Thrissur city is well connected and serviced by rail to all major cities in India. Daily over night trains run from Bangalore, Chennai, Mangalore and Hyderabad. Long distance trains from Mumbai and Delhi also pass through Thrissur
By Road:
Take the Cochin Thrisur Highway from Chalakudy Railway Station to reach Vazhachal Falls and You can also reach here by bus from cities like Kozhikode, Mangalore, Kochi, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Mumbai and Coimbatore.
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Athirappilly Falls-Kerala-India

Location: Athirappilly Water Falls, Pariyaram, Kerala

Sunday, 7 November 2021

The name Matheran means “forest on top”. Matheran is an eco – sensitive region, declared by the ministry of environment and forest, Government of India. It is one of the few places in the world where vehicles are not allowed, which makes the place different from others. Matheran takes you over a hundred years back in time when there were no vehicles,because of vehicles being banned in Matheran, the place is quite peaceful despite the thousands of visitors coming to visit throughout the year.
The area was more spectacular than I expected. A six kilometer taxi ride took us from the dusty base of the hill up a series of switchbacks into lush forest. Scattered among the trees are tumbledown colonial mansions, and all motor vehicles are banned except for a miniature railway, which heroically winds along a 21km route up the escarpment.
Matheran is a small hill station located 800m (2,625 feet) above sea level in the outskirts of Mumbai, Maharashtra. This is the smallest hill station in India and Asia’s only Automobile free hill station. A location to chill and enjoy the beauty of nature. Matheran provides a comprehensive holiday with beautiful sightseeing and a slight bit of religious content.
What with the surprisingly great weather and the great food, Matheran was already turning out to be the best holiday ever! And I was overjoyed that my friends agreed with me for once! Having consulted some of the locals, we knew that early evenings and mornings are the best time to step out view watching. We stepped out accordingly to enjoy a lovely nature walk to the various beautiful points in Matheran.
The trek paths are the best way to explore this place, it gives you a feel of an explorer out in the jungle which is thrilling and exciting to say the least. A cup of chai, munching on garam bhutta and nature for company minus pollution makes life awesome. The occasional drizzle and thunder showers makes the moment romantic. The rains, green natural archways on red sand, fresh breeze, mist, and view of the waterfalls and valleys is something that makes this a vacation of a lifetime. This is the best way to rejuvenate by disconnecting with technology and connecting with yourself and your loved ones.
Since it is a vehicle free zone, at Dasuri, starting point of the hill station, one needs to park their vehicle if they are on a road trip. From Dasuri, a couple of hundred meters walk and you reach Aman Lodge. There are four options from Aman Lodge to reach Matheran- toy train, trek, horse back or hand pulled rickshaw. We highly recommend the Toy train- chugging on the tracks at its own pace, criss-crossing mountains offering spectacular views of green hills, it would be a 20 minute breathtaking joy ride. Choosing to trek is also a welcome option and would take close to 2 hours but the sights are worth the effort.
The monsoons are magical, misty and refreshingly cool. Heavy downpours every afternoon are the norm. Umbrellas are pretty useless, it is better to buy the standard local raingear – a large plastic bag with cutouts for head and arms as a raincoat and a wide brimmed plastic hat. Both are very cheap and very effective!
Though Matheran is the tiniest hill station in India, it still gives the other much hyped and commercialized hill stations run for their money.There are over 30 scintillating viewpoints spread across 3 sq mile.Each view point has its own beauty with some offering captivating views of the deep gorges. For the adventurous soul, zippling allows you to reach the top of another hill in a matter of seconds passing through clouds making you feel like you have super powers.
How to Reach
Air
Mumbai airport is the nearest airport to Matheran, located at a distance of 100 km. Mumbai airport is well connected to all major cities and towns, so people get a choice to select flights to reach Mumbai. People can hire a taxi from the airport to reach the place smoothly.
Railways
The nearest broad gauge railway station near Matheran is located at a distance of 20 km and the name of the railway station is Neral. The railway station is well connected from all major cities and towns so people can reach this railway station easily. Then there is a 2 ft narrow gauge railway, which links Neral to Matheran. The Matheran Hill Railway was built in 1907 by Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy and covers a distance of 20 km, over some beautiful forest territory.
By Road
Mumbai and Pune are two Major cities connected to Matheran by Road.
The last stretch of the road (About 7 km) is on the ghat which leads you to Dasturi Naka (Last point to which cars are allowed, where there is a car park) at the tip of Matheran.
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Matheran - Maharashtra - India

Location: Matheran, Maharashtra 410102, India

Friday, 22 October 2021

A perfect break from the city life in Mumbai is a day trip to Bhivpuri waterfall during the monsoons. The village of Bhivpuri is located on the outskirts of the island city and to reach Bhivpuri, one has to board a local train bound for Karjat. The journey takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes from Dadar railway station and it is advisable to check the railway timetable a day in advance since trains to Karjat is not very frequent.
Bhivpuri also has a railway station of its own named Bhivpuri Road railway station. From here, one is closest to the waterfall.
From Bhivpuri Road railway station the walk to the waterfall takes around 20 minutes where travelers have to walk out on the eastern side, walk along the main road and pass through the village which has the same name.
After crossing the village, the view is simply blissful with lush greenery and small streams of water flowing at various places along the flat plateau.
The best way of getting to Bhivpuri from Karjat is by hiring an auto rickshaw to the village. The journey takes around 20 minutes. The rickshaws drop travelers at the entrance of Bhivpuri village from where the walk to the waterfall is the only option.
There is also a small entry fee that the villagers collect and the proceeds of the same are used for the upkeep of the waterfall and the surrounding areas
The waterfall is around 20 feet high and is active only during the monsoon from June to mid-September. July and August are the best months to visit the waterfall, since the water drops down with all its might.

Bhivpuri waterfall is generally bustling with people over the weekends with people of all ages coming to spend a day, chilling in the water.
Waterfall rappelling is also conducted during the monsoon and this adventure activity attracts a lot of adventure junkies from Mumbai.
Another very important thing to keep in mind is to avoid venturing too deep into the hole created by the waterfall as there have been cases of people drowning, here.


Bhivpuri waterfall is an ideal place to visit during the monsoon for all those who desire to spend a day with nature and do not wish to travel too far from Mumbai.
Bhivpuri waterfall is an ideal place to visit during the monsoon for all those who desire to spend a day with nature and do not wish to travel too far from Mumbai.
How to reach
By Train: Get into a Bhivpuri bound local train on central line.
Get down at Bhivpuri station and move to auto stand in the east. You can easily get a auto from there for Bhivpuri Waterfall.
Book your Bhivpuri holidays with our affiliate partner Booking.com 

Bhivpuri waterfall - Maharashtra - India

Location: Bhivpuri, Maharashtra, India

Thursday, 21 October 2021

Guruvayur or Guruvayoor in Thrissur district of Kerala, has a popular Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. This Sri Krishna temple is equally famous in other southern states as well, in particular Tamil Nadu. Considered as Boolaga Vakuntam, the Guruvayur temple, according to historian, is roughly 52 AD old and only by the end of the 16th century it had become the most popular pilgrimage centre in Kerala. Now, it is one among the five famous Vishnu/Krishna temples in India
Guruvayur is called as the Bhooloka Vaikuntam as here resides Vishnu as Guruvayurappan,  an idol believed to have been worshiped by Lord Krishna Himself. Lord Guruvayurapan ,thus got His name as the idol here was installed by Guru (Jupiter) and Vayu (the God of wind) .Inside the temple right in front of the sanctum  is the dwajasthambham . There is no electrical illumination inside the sanctum and the  divine idol of Lord can be viewed only with the bright glow of  oil lamps and the effulgence emanating from the sanctum cannot be expressed in words.
A certain dress code is followed in this temple and it is mandatory for men to wear dhoti and for women sari or salwar. Pilgrims queue up patiently for a darshan of their dear God, chanting Lord's name 'Om Namo Narayanaya' which itself is a great experience and the  atmosphere gets charged with devotion and totally transports one to a realm of  inner  peace and harmony .
There are  sub shrines for  Ganapathi, Ayyapa, Edatharigathu Bhagavathy. There is a  magnificent idol of Vishnu reclining on his serpent Aadisesha with consort  Lakshmi. There are wonderful paintings on the walls of the sanctum and all the pillars have beautifully sculpted scenes from Krishnavatara .
Only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple, which opens at 3 AM every morning. Offerings can be made throughout the day. 
It is no wonder that the Guruvayurappan temple with its  colorful festivals and age-old tradition is considered as one of the important pilgrimage centers for the Hindus. Thousands of people visit this holy place every day and, on the week-ends. the crowds are just overwhelming.

People from abroad come in large numbers to have a look of the Guruvayoorappan (the form of Lord Vishnu worshiped in the temple).Since it is one among the most admired south Indian temple attractions. 
A visit to this unique and enchanting temple will get you happiness, mitigate  your down-to-earth problems and give peace of mind. Once you trust Him, hereon Sri Guruvayurappan will guide you in every phase of your challenging life.
                                               Food is also served to devotees free of cost.
Sri Krishna  temple of Guruvayur has the honor of owning the largest number of elephants in India, most of which are donated by the ardent devotees, who  were  blessed  with  favors  by Lord Guruvayurappa. The temple also runs  an  elephant  camp, at Punnathurkotta,2 km from here. The temple elephants actively participate in all festivals and rituals associated with this temple.
HOW TO REACH
By Road 
Guruvayoor is well connected with the other parts of the country by road and rail. The National highway is passing through Kunnamkulam which is just 8 kms away from Guruvayoor. The private bus stand is towards the east of the temple, near Manjulal (the banyan tree). It is half an hour drive by car from Thrissur and busses ply every 5 minutes from Thrissur to Guruvayoor.
Kerala Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) runs bus services from all major locations of the state and  few inter-state services. The bus stand is 500 meters to the west of the temple. Both KSRTC and private busses offer interstate services to all major South Indian cities like Madras, Madurai, Palani, Salem, Coimbatore, Thiruchandoor, Mysore, Mangalore, Uduppi, Mookambika etc.
By rail
Guruvayoor has got a railway station towards the east of the temple which is connected to the Madras-Mangalore main line at Thrissur. It has got computerised ticket booking facility and tickets can be booked to any locations from here. One from the Mangalore side can get down at the Kuttippram station. Regular bus services are available from there to Guruvayoor. Those from the Madras/Trivandrum side can get down at Thrissur.
By Air
Kochi international airport (Nedumbassery) is 80 kms from Guruvayoor and the Calicut airport is 100 kms away. All major international flight services are operated from these airports.
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Guruvayur Temple - Kerala - India

Location: Guruvayur, Kerala 680101, India

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

The Basilica of Bom Jesus comes across as an imposing brick structure that holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, one of the founders of the Society of Jesus. Located in Old Goa, the former capital of Goa, the basilica is considered to be one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India. Construction on the church started in 1594 and was sanctified in 1605, making the Basilica of Bom Jesus one of the major religious sites for Christianity. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it an important landmark in the country.
The Basilica of Bom Jesus (1594-1605) in Old Goa, 6 miles east of the Goa’s capital Panjim, occupies a very special place in the consciousness of the Goan Catholic community.
The construction of this church was started way back on 24th November 1594 and  was completed on 15th May 1605. The church was consecrated by Fr. Alexio de Menezes , the then Archbishop of Goa. 
Inside the basilica, a wooden ceiling looks down upon all the believers and as is typical of most European churches, it is quite high. The interiors are gilded with gold and the huge white arch is also remarkable. One can almost imagine the number of hours put in by each mason in order to create such lovely sculptures and figurines.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is the most famous of all the church  in Old Goa. It contains the relics of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa. It was the first church in India to be elevated to the status of a minor basilica in 1946. There is also an art gallery towards the exit of the Basilica of Bom Jesus.  

The design of Basilica De Bom Jesus is a fine specimen of Jesuit architecture and was inspired by the church of St. Paul, which is now in ruins. The three-storeyed facade of Basilica De Bom Jesus , delicately carved  with basalt embellishments is one of the richest in Goa. At the top of the facade you can see an intricately carved basalt medallion which depicts the emblem of the society of Jesus. 
The columns depict the fine use of classical orders, in the Renaissance style .As you move to the interior of the church , just above the entrance you will notice a choir supported by columns. One is sure to be mesmerized by the Mosaic Corinthian style interiors of the church. The grand marble floor is adorned with precious stones.  
The church houses two chapels, a main altar, a sacristy and a belfry at the back. Apart from these, the church also has a rich collection of paintings related to various instances from the life of St. Francis Xavier. Altars dedicated to St. Michael and to Our Lady of Hope are also present .
You will find a huge throng of tourists from all over the world visiting Goa during the Feast of St Francis Xavier. It is held annually on the 3rd of December, with much light-hearted festivity going hand in hand with the more solemn masses. The body of St Francis Xavier is exhibited to the public every ten years, during which it is taken all around Old Goa so everyone can catch a glimpse of the revered Saint. Since a huge number of visitors are expected in Goa during the feast, hotels in Goa are almost always booked to the limit. So, if you plan to visit Goa in December, make sure you have made your reservations in a Goa hotel.
The church houses the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier, patron saint of Goa. St Francis Xavier is also known as "Goencho Saib" meaning "Lord of Goa". The saint died while on a sea voyage to China on December 2,1552. In accordance with his wishes , his remains were transferred to Goa the following year.  

Various ceremonies are hosted in order to honor the Saint's death. The gardens and wide open spaces that are usually deserted otherwise , are flocked with thousands of people on this occasion. So the next time your in Goa do not miss the opportunity to visit this place!  
The church is a worthwhile exploration. The church is not merely a destination but an experience. This Portuguese piece of architecture is counted among the UNESCO world heritage sites and mesmerizes all its visitors. 
How to Reach
Air :The nearest airport at Dabolim (30 km from Panaji) has frequent flights from Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kochi, besides chartered flights from overseas.
Rail : The two railway stations- at Vasco da Gama and Margao- also have a number of trains arriving at Goa from the rest of the country.
Bus: There are frequent bus connections to Old Goa from Panaji and other places in Goa.
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Basilica of Bom Jesus - Goa - India

Location: Goa, India
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