Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Nagalapuram Trek



hello friends,
I had recently been to a One Day Trek in andhrapradesh (3 hrs from chennai ) around 250 kms, this was my frist trek with the CTC (Chennai Trekkers Club). There were 37 members for this trek, it was really a excellent weekend for me. The members were from different places from chennai and to make it in a organized manner the pickup points were decided with timings (Tidel Park, Taramani, OMR road ,Madya Kailash,Guindy circle,Koyambedu and NH5 ).So finally we left koyambedu, with all the 37 members packed in 7 cars.
Unfortunately when we were on the NH5 one of our car got punchered, this was the first experience for the guy who was driving the car,with the help of the other members we replaced the stepni and moved ahead. On the way near uthokottai we had our breakfast (8 am) and packed our lunch and a few amount of 1 liter bottles and dumped it in the veichles and started moving. We reached the car parking (acutally you will not find a single person there ) at 9:30 am,

and then things(lunch , gulcose packets,snacks,water bottles ) were distributed to all the members. So the trek started ,after walking about a 30 mins you will be able to find the water body where you can taste the pure water. Again after moving ahead for another 30 mins (10 :30)you will be able to find a beautiful view of the mountains and ofcourse the stream comes along with you.

At 11' o clock we reached a the first pool where enjoy ourselves for an hour , both swimmers and non swimmers can enjoy, there is also a small falls there to reach that you need to swim across. Unfortunately one of our member had a sprain in his leg, so we had leave him at his place itself and to acompany him one more member had to sacrifice his trek. So as we continued our trek we had to cross the stream many a times and climb steep mountains and slipery rocks with all our CTC'ians helping out each other. Our next resting point was at 200 mts, a cave where usually put up their base camp when the come for a two day trek, finally we were at this spot at 12:30 p m

Then as you move on further for another half an hour at around 1 pm you will be to find a another stream line falls where in you can re-fill your water bottles ,we started

refilling our empty bottles and moved ahead. From here we headed for steepy climb into the deep forest where you could hardly see the sunlight,and we came across a beehive also, and one our member was victim for it. As we continued to trek for another 1 hr , we finally reached the 300m falls at 2 pm (but the water flow was very thin..) and we had our lunch there .

We spent around 1 hr there and started moving back by 3 pm and we reached our first pool, where we left our member with the anchle sprain at 5 pm and again we drenched our selves in the pool for another half-an-hour to become fresh.

Then we had to carry our friend from the this Pool to the car parking , this job was spendidly done by 3 of our CTC'ians (bhagat ,Raguveer and Vetri) .we reached the car parking by 7:30 pm and headed back to chennai (reached koyambedu at 10 pm)
For more photos you can check
Photos by me
Photos by Other Members
Things to Take Care:
1. Have a grep bandage with you.
2.One set of clothes after you get drenched.
3.Antiseptic oinment & cotton.
4.Two bottles of one liter bottle & glucose(if you are the one who get exausted very soon)
5. Rope 20 ft (to help non-swimmers to cross the path)
6. A led Torch

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Tada Falls

Tada National Highway-5















hello friends..
i would like to update you all with this memorable trek which we(my friends) went on 17th August.
Tada Falls or vardhapalyam falls - its around 55 kms from the chennai (this applies once you join the NH-5 ) ,actullay from Anna Nager,chennai - 40 it is 90 kms, we planned to go by bike,(3 bikes)
i started of at 7:30 am in the morning...from my residence , the weather was pleasant with no sign of sun.
since we all were split up..we planned to meet at the junction of redhills road connecting NH-5 around 8:45 am, from there we had our mini breakfast at 9 am and started our journey (it was 50 more kms to TADA).

Directions : Just keep going along the NH-5 towards Nellore at your full speed, just 2 kms before TADA, you need to lake the service road ,(don't get over the flyover) its the way to the small village called Vardhapalyam,this is the place where you should end up all your shopping, because beyond this you won't find any big shops, so backup your lunch package, water

bottles,(at least you need 2 liters of watercan per person) or else be prepared to drink the stream water..thats really good and tasty don't care what others comment about the stream water.

we reached vardapalyam by 10:30, after crossing the village just ask the locals for the way to vardhaplayam falls , they would guide you saying that you have to take a left , and go ahead further, once you take left, after moving a km ahead you will find a sign board which directs you to take a

right turn indicating 14 kms ahead, so after travelling

some 7-8 kms the road gets more tough, if you are in bike, 10 kms is the speed advisable, exactly after 9 km you find the check post (we reached here at 11' clock)where you have pay Rs 50 for




the camera, Rs 20 for bike,ahead 1km you will find the road at its worst condiontion which leads you to the parking area,(we reached at 11:30) so now you have 4km ahead very challenging ups and downs,better get into your canvas which has good grip, we left the parking area at 11:30















after walking ahead for 10 mins you shall find the first view of the stream, and
another 20 mins you will be again crossing the stream, and next half an hour you will be able to reach the Siva Temple (we reached here at 12:30)


so from here onwards you have to start trekking between the rocks, there wouldn't be any defined

path just follow the stream to find the falls.. yes for the fast climbers its just 30 mins left to reach the falls

but don't expect a huge falls dropping from a height of 10 feet or 15feet, instead it would a smalls falls which drops from 2 to 3 ft,





and you hardly find space to stand under it.we all reached at 1:30,
but i and my cousin reached by 1'clock.

we almost climbed to the point where the stream starts, beyond it there was no way to climb. this point was really amazing, where you would find deep(20 ft) water bluish-green in color , which is in between the huge narrowing rocks besides. The depth of the water gradually increases, if you know swimming you can really enjoy a lot.


While returning from the falls (we started from that point at 3:30 pm) , i am sure that you will be exausted and feel more thirsty..than when you were going eagerly for the enjoying the falls.

we reached back to the parking area by 5 pm, then while returning..we halted at the vardhapalayam and had some drinks,and then started our journey again at around 6 pm. I reached home by 7:45 pm


Regarding lunch, you won't find anything except the chicken briyani, in the local shops,(it would cost you 30 Rs - just half plate) but we had our home made lunch packed (each of them can bring 2 pack of lemon rice or tamarind rice - that's the best thing ), have the lunch after you have enjoyed the falls , we had our lunch around 3:30 pm, in the midst our ancestors surrounded,eagerly waiting to grab things from us.

Some Tips: shoulder bags,Polythene bags to pack up wet cloths, shorts, canvas shoes with good grip and 20 ft rope to enjoy you trek and to help the non swimmers to reach the falls

for more photos check http://picasaweb.google.co.in/suresh1876/TadaFalls

Map :

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Arul weds janaka


It was on 10th feb , Namba Dr kalaiarul mattikittan to Jananka
here are few updates..
some of our vats makkal attended.
Enna saapda..ready-aa..?
Arul chance-eh illay , was in non stop flow (ore..talking..talking..), he was just passing comments with odiance and ofcourse with janaka also.





Below is the vatsmakkal photo


Members in photo are (Behind, starting clockwise) Raghuraman,Philip,benedict,myself) front row (my mother,my wife(menaka), ponnu mapalai,sajeesh's father and mother, his friend raasakopalu.. and psycho)



for more photos you can check out here

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Lost Bachelor (suresh weds menaka)

Hi friends ,
it was on 3rd june lost my bacelor's degree..! My Marriage Day