Ponmudi

      While riding my fiend Deepu's  CD Deluxe bike towards the opposite direction of vehicles coming to Thiruvanathapuram city, I haven’t had much idea about my destination Ponmudi. On the way I saw the sign boards guiding to Koyikkal palace and Kallar waterfalls but I ignored them. But when I saw the entrance of ‘Golden Valley’, I decided to give a rest to the bike and visit the place. The place didn’t look much attractive to me but it is very suitable for children to play in slowly flowing water and take rest.

Rain also started when I started the bike to climb the hairpin bents to Ponmudi. I stopped my bike under a big tree and waited there watching the rain fall in the forest.  The area has a rich flora and fauna. Rain continued for half an hour and in the mean time some college students passed me in their bikes enjoying the rain. The rain drops came through the tree leaves were enough to make me wet and felt guilty for starting the trip without a raincoat. But when I started riding with the wet clothes I really enjoyed the chillness. The bike was moving very slowly as I was not ready to miss the wonderful sceneries on both the sides of the road. The tea plantations in the area added to its beauty. Sipping the awesome beauty of the valleys in the left side bike moved up and reached the forest check post at Ponmudi. The entry tickets to the top station are issued from here. The way to the top was covered with mist and the whole area looked like a well maintained lawn.

There were no much plants in the hill top but the beauty of meadows covered with green grass was awesome. By the time I reached the top the mist become as thick as it was not possible to see the people standing even a few yards away. Due to the mist I kept my camera in its cover itself and walked towards the view point. But I was not able to see anything due to the mist. The mountains, forests and grass lands covered with snow mist makes Ponmudi a perfect location for trekking. The small hills in the area give enough privacy to each tourist groups to sit and relax. Some of the groups were having the food they carried with them while others were enjoying the trekking through the hills. I wished to walk through the grass but dropped the plan after seeing leeches and broken pieces of beer bottles and I sat on a rock watching the movement of mist in the wind.

While returning to Thiruvanathapuram , I made a quick visit to Peppara dam also which is around 10 KM away from the main road. The road to the dam goes through the pulp plantations maintained by the forest department and the journey through the road was very interesting.

The route: Thiruvanathapuram->Nedumangad->Vithura->Ponmudi.(around 70 KMs)

Other attractions on the route: Koyikkal Palce, Kallar Water falls, Golden Valley, Aruvikkara and Peppara Dam.

Food and accommodation: There are some resorts at Ponmudi, but it is better to carry food.