I am writing this blog during a time when the entire world is locked up for good. World has changed leaps and bounds to an extent that was unimaginable amidst our trip, five months ago. Akshay and I are truly grateful that we could live and embrace this world - raw and free, as it is meant to be, one last time, in a beautiful place like Kodaikanal, before the whole scenario of travelling and exploring shifted to another dimension altogether. And also the fact that this could have been our last trip for the year is still hard for us to digest. Okay, I think I am slowly entering the 'questioning-everything-happening-around-us' dimension. SNAP! And I'm out of it!
I have so much to share about this trip and so many stunning pictures to share with you all, but including all the pics in the blog is not a wise decision. So to check out our picturesque memories, head over to Gallery section on this site. Now that I see it, indeed pictures speak louder and clearer than words.
Every morning of ours here began with spectacular sunrises. Each sunrise different from the previous one. One morning it was foggy, the other mornings it would be crystal clear. Some mornings the sky depicted the most beautiful painting. I think I can dare say that here was where I witnessed the most heavenly sunrises of my life. No words...I mean NO WORDS can do justice to the magnificent beauty of nature. But still we went ahead with a futile, humble, human attempt at capturing them with our camera so that we could live this day, over and over again for the rest of our lives.
The resort was a mind-blowing place, no doubt about that. But it was situated pretty far off from the heart of the city. And all the restaurants were located in the city and staying here meant we would have to stick to the food served here. We were concerned about this little fact, but soon our doubts were put to rest as the food here was delectable. The cherry on top was the view that we would sit down to, during our meals, any time of the day! A gorgeous view of the hill, soothing, calm and serene. What I observed here was everyone preferred to eat in silence enjoying the view. The occasional sound of the plates clinking was diminished by the sound of the birds chirping outside and the wind whooshing. No doubt this is a therapy any disturbed soul can ask for.
Now when it came to exploring Kodai, there were lots of options laid out for us by Google map. The only drawback that we personally found here was, the places were scattered far from one another. We are the kind who love to visit a place, spend a really good amount of time there, and completely etch the place in our memories. But doing that here seemed a bit challenging. So we zeroed in on a few interesting places which would let us soak Kodai in all it's glory.
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
A must-see place if you are an astrophysics enthusiast, because this place has enough information to fascinate all those whose minds wonder about the biggest star of our solar system - Sun. I dare not use any technical terminologies because I am no expert here. All I can say is that is a good place to visit. What I found most intriguing about this place is it looks nothing close to science. The path to the museum is lined with tall trees and the place is dead silent except for the birds chirping and your foot crunching on the tarmac. It's a good long walk to the observatory and a beautiful one at that.
Pillar Rock
The name is enough to kindle the curiosity in you. The place is named so because of the unique pillar like rock formations you see from the cliff-side. This place offers a breathtaking view of a series of mountains. The view sometimes is not clear due to the dense fog that covers this place. And a beautiful stream flows right below the viewpoint that sounds like a melody that blends perfectly with the chirping birds and the gusty wind.
Moir Point
Kodaikanal is dotted with view points, each one offering a unique view of the valley and mountains below. This place is an ode to Sir Thomas Moir, a British engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of Goschen road. I won't lie but the view from here will take your breath away. As far as your eyes can see you clouds levitating over mountain peaks. Looks like heaven on earth.
Poombarai Villlage
This particular village is located at a distance of 18kms from Kodai. The view of the village nestled under the foothills of mountain is...is truly a view to die for, metaphorically. We did not continue into the village, but spent a lot of time capturing this view at it's best.
Pine Forest
This place is not the most scenic one as compared to the others but without a doubt it is a place to unwind yourself. Spread across a vast area, this forest offers you a walk amidst tall, slender pine trees. Since it is a tourist hub with vast majority here for a photo shoot (Yes, we saw a LOT of wedding photo shoots when we visited this place!), if you are our kind who likes to spend time quietly, then you have the option to head a bit deep into the forest and settle on a fallen tree branch. All in all a good place to live in a moment of peace.
Yes for a five-day trip, we did not do justice as we did not visit several places that were charted on the map. But we did spend loads of time with each other and carry back tons of memories from our trip. You can check them all if you head to the Gallery section. And most of all, this is one among those road trips that brings a wide smile on our faces every time we think of it.
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