It was 26th Feb 2020 Wednesday. After
attending my friend's marriage at Dharapuram, I was looking for a short
solo trip, as one of my friend who came with me decided to return
Chennai immediately. The marriage function was awesome as it was fully
in Tamil way where all wishes and chants were performed in Tamil. Also
the breakfast was wonderful. After a heavy breakfast and spending
sometime with friends I started roaming to the near by places. One of my
friend dropped me at Gudimangalam around 11.11 AM. I got a bus to
Udumalpet from there in few minutes. I reached Udumalpet around 12.00
PM. Before starting my travel to Thirumoorthy waterfalls, I thought of
meeting a friend who works at one of the public bank at Madathukulam. We
had quick coffee in the midst of my friend's busy cashier work. Post
the quick nice meeting with my friend I was back at Udumalpet and waiting eagerly for the arrival of bus number 11
which goes to Thirumoorthy falls. It was 1'o clock noon in my phone and
sun was bright and smiling at the centre sky, and my bus came.With a
quick run I was able to get a window seat easily and I got a ticket
worth of Rs.15 to the last stop and settled well on my seat to listen
wonderful songs played in the bus with the scenery view as company
through the window.
I reached Thirumoorthy falls at around 2.05 PM and in 5 minutes walk I reached the lord siva
temple(Amanalingeswarar temple) located at the entrance. Got a ticket
for Rs.5 and walked further for ten more minutes deep inside the hills
and reached the falls around 2.20 PM. The climate was little
challenging. However it was faded away by the wonderful falls. The crowd
was less. There was a big group of village people came to get theertham
for their village temple. I took some photos and videos and observed
overall place once. There were few monkeys also roaming around. I found a
small hole on a side wall of the falls where I kept my bag safely and
took a happy shower for about 15 minutes.
The force was perfect enough
to stand under the falls gently. It gave me a great joy. Post my bath, I
got ready and gave few minutes to my eyes to have visual treat. I
started back by 2.50 PM and reached the temple at 3.00 PM. There was a
group of people providing free food for devotees and one of them asked
me to share the food. Since there was very less crowd, they were asking
everyone pass by. I shared a light meal with them.
The temple is next to the falls while coming down at the
starting point of the hills. Followed by temple there was a Dam
(Thirumoorthy Dam) and I went to take a closer look it was surrounded by
the hills. It
is not a big one. However you can find a breath taking view there. I
witnessed the small waves touching the banks.
After spending few minutes
there I was back to bus stop and waiting for a bus to reach Dhally. The
plan was to reach Dhally first and then get a bus to Sungam and from
there reach Aliyar as suggested by local residents. After few minutes of
waiting, I boarded a bus at 3.35 PM which dropped me at Dhally in 20
minutes. Dhally is a small wonderful village with less bus connectivity.
The people at Dhally kindly helped me a lot with finding location where
I need to board a bus to Sungam at a perfect timing. One thing that you
have to familiarize with is the direction, they won't use left and
right words much to show the route. Even for me, they asked me to go
further more north by walk(vadaka konja thooram poganum kannu) for which
I had to look at the Sun to ensure that, I am heading towards right
direction. I boarded a bus around 4.05 PM and took a ticket for Sungam
worth Rs.20. When I reach Sungam it was 5.05 PM and a signboard placed
there says the distance for Aliyar is 11 Km from there.
I was not sure about the timing and I thought I would miss a
view at Aliyar Dam. Somehow my gut feeling was telling me that they
will allow till 6.00 PM.I had been there once while I was in college
years ago. After waiting for 5 minutes I got a bus and finally reached
Aliyar Dam by 5.40 PM and my travel didn't go in vain as the visitors
are allowed till 6.00 PM. Thanks to my gut feelings. I took an entry
ticket for Rs.5 and went inside. I directly went little inside and
climbed up the steps which took me to top of the Dam. The sun was trying
to hide west at the other side of the hills. It was a perfect evening
to place our eyes frozen on the big mountains at one side and the land
full of coconut trees to the distance till the eye sight can reach at
the other side. It was a spectacular view in the lovely evening. I spent
sometime with capturing that splendid view through my eyes and phone.
Followed by that I spend few minutes in the park at the entrance.
It
was around 7.00 PM and I was waiting outside the Aliyar Dam for a bus to
reach Coimbatore. I didn't want to proceed further.(Valparai is up on
those huge aanaimalai hills and Athirappilly falls in further more
distance). However my plan was to reach Comibatore and travel to Chennai
from there. I got a bus at 7.05 PM which took me through Pollachi and
dropped me in Kovai(Ukkadam) at 9.15 PM. Got a town bus to Gandhipuram
and had a superb dinner(oru nalla mess la nalla sapadu) around 9.40 PM.
It took sometime for me to find SETC bus stop and finally reached by
10.15 PM. There I got a non-ac semi sleeper waiting to start around
11.00 PM. I boarded and bought a ticket to Perungalathur(Chennai) for
Rs.520. The bus reached Perungalathur at 7.45 AM next day morning.
Incase if you make a plan, Thirumoorthy waterfalls is open
from 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM and Aliyar Dam is open from 8.00 AM to 6.00 PM.
Also please note the Dam view in the evening was awesome.
Overall my partial solo trip was excellent. I was able to
touch a new place(Thirumoorthy waterfalls). A special thanks to my
friend who was giving me a virtual company through the phone by
listening to me in texts, calls at times and sharing the joy with snaps
and videos which multiplied my delight twice.
