Fundera, Yelagiri , Tamil Nadu (Travelogue)

As we walk into the Fundera .. one can only remember the quote 

" You are never too old to be young" 

and the old nursery rhyme "old McDonald had a farm"..  starts ringing in our mind..  

A venture run by Mr Vishak and his wife on a sprawling farm at the Yelagiri hills in Tamilnadu with its neat little pathways take us to a long lost fantasy land.... 

 

The land where fluffy white ducks walk lazily around us and the hens and chicks welcome us into its coop to be petted.

And where we see ... the bunnies hop happily onto our feet and the guinea piggies keep chomping on the leaves... 

Then there's a cute donkey, nudging close to the fence and poses for a picture with us..

As we turn right we see the ostriches  racing around their huge fenced space and don't wish to come near ... 

Hearing the mooing sound we move towards the cows and calves and that's when we see an enclosed aviary, with a various chirping sounds.. 

The birds from far and wide are housed here. Big and small, brightly coloured oblivious to the strangers they peck into our palms for food..  perching magestically on our hands and shoulders.

A wonderful place to visit while spending a leisure trip at the otherwise laid back town of Yelagiri.

(Yelagiri is a small hill station situated off the Vanniyambadi - Thirupattur road. It's altitude is around 1,100 meters above sea level and is spread around 30 kms sqared. There are few gardens, parks and temples around where one can spend a weekend. Eatouts are few and the tourist mostly need to depend on the resort restaurant.) 

A Journey of Life Ends (Poem)

(This poem is dedicated to my mother-in-law who passed away ... 
as she looks upon us from above... 
with her usual calm Smile...)

You may put my picture upon the wall
And look at me as teardrops fall..
I am not there, I've filled the void
I am not dead, I'm around you all.

When you awake, the morning rush....
I am in the swift uplifting hush
I am the chirpy bird that took a flight
I am the little stars that shine at night.

I am the wind that gently blow,
I am the glitter on the fluffy snow
I am the sunlight on every grain
I am the dewdrop of the rain.

Do not stare there upon the wall
And look for me with tears fall...
I am not there I've filled the void
I am not dead, I'm around you all....

Pichavaram, Tamil Nadu (Travelogue)

 ' The gentle winds kiss our sun warmed face, 

and the rippling waters a lullaby to the ears 

with every wave, it sets a pace

steadily rocking us, as we look afar ...

We see shades of blue, so many all around...

of waters that sparkle that reach and meet, 

 the skies with fluffy clouds that float about ...

                                     And, then... 

the green treetops wave at us to swiftly pass... '

This is the scene one experiences for two hours when you take a boat ride at Pichavaram, near Chidambaram in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. Pichavaram mangrove forest is the world's second largest mangrove forest in the world, after The Sunderbans and lies between The Vellar and The Coleroon estuary. This estuary is separated by a sand bund before joining The Bay of Bengal, to form this beautiful waterscape. The area cover of this picturesque place is about 1100 hectares of bright blue waters and fresh green mangrove trees. 

The dense forests and the waterways

                                        

   

  The ideal way to enjoy this place is through boat rides. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation operates both rowboats and motorboats every day between 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Charges for the rides as on Dec'17 

2 seater rowboat - 220/- for 2 kms/2 hours 

4 seater motor boat - 400/- 5kms/2 hours 

8 seater motorboat - 800/-/2 hours       

 A motorboat ride is best suited as it ventures deep into the thick mangrove jungles, giving us an experience worth every penny spent. This place also is a sanctuary for more than 200 species of migratory and native birds and can be best spotted during the months of November to March. There are numerous routes the boat can take, and on an extra tip, the boatman makes the ride even more adventurous by gliding through low lying branches for us to duck and scrape through narrow natural tunneled waterways giving us a trip to cherish and memories to sojourn.

         

My son taking pictures of the tunnels we crossed. His picture is featured above.

How to reach - The travel on East Coast Road is a lovely drive along the shores if traveling from Chennai. It is about 76km from Pondicherry. Pichavaram can also be visited as a trip from Chidambaram. Chidambaram is well connected by both road and rails.
Where to stay - Hotels in and around Pondicherry and Chidambaram are the best options to stay while visiting this scenic place.