ALSphere Foundation
Why can’t we think of taking some days off from the daily household chore, office work and other routine to enjoy the bliss of nature without much botheration? After hectic studies and exam fever, children also want to join some fun and rejuvenate themselves. Parents, uncles and aunties can jointly organize a trip to Kalppatta, capital of Wayanad (Kerala), to get away from the burning heat of sun.
Some of the highlights of Wayanad are Pookot lake, adjoining garden flower nursery & aquarium, Banasura Sagar dam, Kakkayam power house, Jain temple, Kurva island and Sunrise valley to name a few.
Unfortunately, my family and I couldn’t cover all the above mentioned places due to lack of time.
Firstly, we visited tea gardens. It was nice to see the green carpet of tea leaves cut and well levelled on the hilly range. Chanting of well-tuned bhajans was heard inside and around the serene ambience of Jain temple in the twilight.
Next day, in the morning, we took a boat ride in the Pookot Lake in the midst of water lilies and other aquatic plants. A small aquarium could be seen there close by. We collected some seeds of garden flowers from the nursery. We also bought some herbal oils and wooden craft materials from the exhibition room. We got a chance to know the taste of forest honey. We missed Muthanga wild sanctuary due to an accidental forest fire.
We had a bird’s eye view of Banasura dam. We climbed 51 steps to reach the top of Karappuzha dam. There is a Sita Devi temple and a Sree Ram temple on the way, near the road. We could see a few tribal people, and also their festival procession on the road.
From Mumbai, one can get into the train like Netravati express or Jayanthi Janatha. After getting down at Calicut, catch KSRTC bus to Kalppatta or Wayanad, check into a good hotel and get guidance from the manager to move around and spend about a week there happily.
Medhini (Anandavalli Chandran)
