Enchanting land of ecstasy endowed with aesthetic views and entrancing sounds
By R. Lakshna Sumati
The blissful landforms, the serene lake, the chillness of humid air, and the reverberating resonances of the waterfalls transacts with our mind, induces inner peace, penetrate into our soul, and enlighten our thoughts. The glorious temples, historical monuments, Rocky Mountains, beautiful architecture of resorts, the people’s mixed cultural lifestyle, and their sumptuous mouth-watering delicacies form an everlasting link of unforgettable past to the modern-day. The splendiferous forests with tall and ancient trees spread their arms wide open to welcome and escort us to more exotic experiences. Yes, the fascinating Kodaikanal is hypotonic and takes you to an enchanting world to escape monotony.
Enthralling Prince of Hills, the Kodaikanal, stands 2133 feet above sea level. It is located in the southern part of Tamilnadu, India, as a treasure-trove of nature. The mesmerising pleasant weather during the summer season, the fragrance of the fresh herbs, and the awe-inspiring beauty of Kodaikanal attract tourists from various parts of the world. The misty weather and the scenic beauty are pills to the sick and overstressed. The exotic scents from the ‘The gift of the forest’ get blended with fresh breeze, intoxicate us, subdue our minds, calm down our impulses and carry us to a different world, giving us a glimpse of heaven. Like Li Bai’s legendary poem ‘Green Mountain’, one would perfectly capture the serene solitude on the mountain top.
The charming white Silver Cascade offers a cheerful welcome to Kodaikanal, and we almost get entranced with a spell cast by the reverberating sounds of the waterfall. The chill drizzle of water drags us in, and the bubbling beauty of the frothy water kindles the child in us. We get allured to just touch the chill magical elixir of herbs, gradually start playing with it, finally lose our control and get drenched to our heart’s content.
The heavenly landform abodes the exquisite aesthetic amethyst flower, the Neelakuranji. It blooms only once in 12 years in the ancient Kuranji Anadavar temple premises. More than a century old, Shembaganur Museum encapsulates the entire history of the Kodaikanal, the life of the indigenous Palaiyan tribal people, and proudly showcases the antique collections of the British Colonial era.
The most awaited destination for crazy kids like us is none other than the Chocolate factory that aggravates our taste buds with a delightful chocolate fountain at the entrance. We literally get more confused about what to buy and leave among chocolates of peculiar flavours. It is tough to depart the place, with loads of hesitancy we hit the road with all our pockets filled with chocolates.
One of the most worth watching attractions is Pillar Rock that gives a marvellous panoramic view of nature’s cotton canvas enveloping the entire valley. When ignited by the sun, the canvas unveils and provides a stunning view of the deep valleys covered with lustrous emerald green cosy carpet. The gorgeous view of three substantial narrow boulders, hidden amidst the sublime Pillar Rock and the iridescent Green Valley, attract the movie producers as the best location for movie shoots.
On our drive down the hill, we would for sure take a break to relish the sweet juicy raw carrots fresh from the farm. Next in the line are the tea estates. Kodaikanal is world popular for producing the best variety of tea. The tea factories prepare a peculiar combination of tea: silver, gold, ginger, mint, chocolate, and whatnot; the list is quite long. Based on our choice, excellent hot delicious tea is served. The best hot spicy masala tea gives exceptional comfort to withstand the chill weather and the taste superglues to our tongue for a long time.
The gleaming tranquil lake reflects the beautiful green shade of the canopy of the trees and the hills on the shore. Naturally festooned with lotus and lily, the lake appears like a grand jewel of pink sapphire and pure white pearl adorned on the slender neck of Mother Nature. Boat ride on the serene lake that slowly dances to the tune of the chill breeze calm our mind and makes us feel much relaxed. Once we step out of the boat and get to the shore, the smoky aroma of the corn roasted on the smouldering coal drags us towards it, competes with it the tangy pineapple slices garnished with spicy toppings, leading in demand is the deliciously cooked sprouts with its lip-smacking smell that elevate our urge to immediately eat.
By the time we pacify the hunger, the night gradually engulfs the daylight, and the brightly illuminated, gorgeous cosy resorts sited around the lake, roll out the red carpet to provide us comfortable accommodation and make our stay most memorable and peaceful. Like Robert Frost, if you wish to escape from real life by holding the Birches, then Kodaikanal is the right destination for you to jaunt into ecstasy for a while.