soorajknair.com » Tourism http://soorajknair.com Technology,Internet,Tourism,Travel,Automotive,linux Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:01:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Thommankuthu http://soorajknair.com/thommankuthu/ http://soorajknair.com/thommankuthu/#comments Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:19:41 +0000 sooraj http://soorajknair.com/?p=351

Thommankuthu Soorajknair Thommankuthu Located 20 kms from Thodupuzha, Thommankuthu is a small and beautiful, wild waterfall Thommankuthu Waterfalls is a marvellous wonder of the nature situated 74 kms from Cochin. There are buses from Thodupuzha, which is 18 kms away from Thommankuthu.

Thommankuthu waterfalls is one of the upcoming tourist destinations in Idukki, Kerala’s most nature rich district. Situated about 20 km from Thodupuzha town,this splendid waterfall comes down in seven steps with a cascade and pool at each step. This enchanting place with its natural splendour is also an ideal venue for adventure tourism.

thommankuthu waterfalls Soorajknair 300x199 Thommankuthu Thommankuthu is an ideal place for adventure tourism. To enjoy the panoramic beauty the best way is to undertake a trek that takes one to the top of the mountain, a nearly 12 kms climb. Under the present circumstance only one-day tours can be conducted owing to the lack of boarding and lodging facilities. The ‘Chitrakoodam’ project aims at installing essential and basic facilities here. Boating can be arranged in the serene lake and fishing, together with horse riding in the valleys and adventure sports.

Meenuliyarmudi (at vannapuram panchayathu), Keezharkuthu and Irukallumud (Velliyammattom) are other famous small tourist centres near Thommankuthu.

If you are interested in visiting this amazing Kerala highlight, you can board a bus from Thodupuzha, 20 km from Thommankuthu. For lodging, there are many hotels, rest houses and restaurants at Thadupuzha. The nearest railway station is Nedumbassery Airport, which is 80km away. The nearest railway stations are at a distance of 60 km away at Kochi and Kottayam.

Thommankuthu soorajknair 1024x768 Thommankuthu

]]> http://soorajknair.com/thommankuthu/feed/ 1 Ilaveezhapoonchira http://soorajknair.com/ilaveezhapoonchira/ http://soorajknair.com/ilaveezhapoonchira/#comments Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:17:19 +0000 sooraj http://soorajknair.com/?p=294
IMG3752A 300x240 IlaveezhapoonchiraLocated at distance of 55 kms from Kottayam and 20 kms from Thodapuzha, this is another picnic spot located in the midst of the beautiful hillocks near Kanjar.
It is easily accessible from Palai in Kottayam district. Surrounded by three enchanting hillocks – Mankunnu, Kodayathoormala and Thonippara – makes this place ideal for trekking.
At the spot you can view four hillocks and between them a verdant valley. Atop of one of these hills, Kudayathoor Vindhyan, one can view large parts of Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts; it also offers excellent views of sunrise and sunset.
Ilaveezhpoonchira, means the ‘valley where leaves don’t fall’ and is so named because the place has no trees. This is also one of the best places in Kerala to witness the sunrise and sunset. It is easily accessible from Palai in Kottayam district.
The beautiful valleys of Ilaveezhapoonchira are spread across thousands of acres of the district of Kottayam. The place is surrounded by three enchanting hillocks: Mankunnu, Kodayathoormal and Thonippara, making the place ideal for trekking.
The verdant landscape punctuated by four gigantic hills, each rising to about 3200 feet above sea level is an ideal place to unwind. During the monsoons when the valley fills up to form a scenic lake, this place unveils yet another beautiful slice of nature.
ilaveezhapoonchira 1 300x225 IlaveezhapoonchiraAccording to a legend, the Pandavas had a sojourn here during their life incognito. Their wife, Draupadi, came to take a bath at a lake, which was here at that time. Some devas, bewitched by her beauty, tried to satisfy their voyeuristic itch. King of devas, Lord Indra, came to know about what was going on, and built screens or hills heaping flowers and prevented them from indulging in such a practice. And the pond thus became a dam isolated by floral hills. Since there were no trees around the bund it was always free of leaves and so it was called Ilaveezhapoonchira or the floral bund where the leaves never fall. Some say that the name comes from the fact that it is always windy at the place and hence the leaves are carried away. But today, there is no bund at the spot, although during the monsoons the valley laps up water and forms a scenic lake and unveiling another facet of the place.
Although a bit arduous, the joys of the journey upwards are too much to resist.

Located at distance of 55 kms from Kottayam and 20 kms from Thodapuzha, this is another picnic spot located in the midst of the beautiful hillocks near Kanjar.
3767413782 47db1d842f 300x148 IlaveezhapoonchiraIlaveezhapoonchira9 Ilaveezhapoonchira

GETTING TO THE PLACE:

Nearest airport : Kochi International Airport
Nearest railway station : Kottayam
Nearest bus station : Thodupuzha

2631766362 3b0a6e95e0 Ilaveezhapoonchira

]]> http://soorajknair.com/ilaveezhapoonchira/feed/ 1 Asia's 25 Beautiful Places http://soorajknair.com/asias-25-beautiful-places/ http://soorajknair.com/asias-25-beautiful-places/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 10:50:05 +0000 Sooraj http://soorajknair.com/?p=145
image1 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places
Gujarat, India

The nation’s largest producer of cotton and salt, Gujarat is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. In 2005 and 2006 heavy monsoons caused severe flooding, killing more than 1,000 people and devastating both infrastructure and agriculture. Climate change is expected to lead to increasingly unpredictable monsoon rains and floods.
image11 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places
Famous for its 1,200 tropical islands, snow-white beaches, swaying palm trees, and richly colored coral reefs, the Republic of Maldives stretches across more than 600 miles. With 80 percent of the country less than 3.3 feet above sea level, rising ocean levels and a potential increase in the intensity of tropical storms pose a serious threat.

image2 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is a tropical metropolis where the traditional East meets the modernity of the West. But geography exposes it to flooding, especially during the monsoon season. The city is already sinking due to its soft underground, heavy urbanization, and excessive pumping of groundwater. Much of Bangkok could be underwater before the end of the century.

image3 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Cherrapunji, India

Shrouded in clouds and surrounded by waterfalls, Cherrapunji is one of the wettest places on Earth. Paradoxically, its residents face water shortages, since there is generally no rain for nearly eight months of the year. Rainfall has decreased over the last century, and erosion from deforestation limits the ground’s capacity to store rainwater.

image4 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Komodo Island, Indonesia

The sea surrounding Komodo provides some of the world’s best diving, thanks to its spectacular fish and coral reefs. The island is also home to Komodo dragons, lizards that grow up to 10 feet long. Rising sea levels threaten to flood its mangrove forests and beaches, while increased acidification and rising surface temperatures may eventually kill the coral.

image5 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Mount Al Makmal, Lebanon

At one time the plains and mountains of Lebanon were densely covered with majestic cedar trees. Today, the remains of the immense forests are found on the high slopes of Mount al-Makmal in northern Lebanon. The last ancient cedars face a severe threat from rising temperatures and decreases in precipitation, which could leave Makmal’s slopes barren.
image6 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Ganges Delta, Bangladesh

Nutrients from the two great rivers of Ganges and Brahmaputra feed the soil of the paddies in the low-lying Ganges Delta. Some 300 million people depend on the crops produced here. The delta spreads over a massive 65,000 square miles. Climate change could increase rainfall and cause more frequent flooding and monsoons.
image7 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Tokyo

Tokyo is one of the world’s greatest metropolises. But it now suffers from a phenomenon known as “heat islands,” a characteristic of mega cities in which artificial heat from car exhaust and factory emissions creates a local greenhouse effect. If global temperatures continue to rise, the heat in big cities like Tokyo could increase.
image71 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Tian Shan, Kasakhstan

Farmers and cattle breeders at the foot of the Tian Shan mountain range have been dependent on meltwater from Central Asian glaciers for 3,000 years. But in the past 50 years, the glaciers have lost about 36 percent of their mass. With temperatures projected to increase, water may be limited at a time when demand is growing quickly.
image8 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Kushiro Marsh, Japan

 Today the red-crowned crane is the second-rarest crane species in the world. There are about 1,200 in Hokkaido, where they breed, stalk the fields, and perform wild courtship dances.Their habitat is shrinking as massive developments, deforestation, and rising sea levels threaten the Kushiro marshland.

image9 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Mergui Archipelago, Burma

Blue waters and white coral reefs are home to some of the last surviving nomadic sea hunters and gatherers in the world. Their very existence is now endangered by changes in ocean movement and rising sea temperatures, which also threaten the entire reef ecosystem. 

image10 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Indus River, Pakistan

Fed by glaciers on the Himalayan mountains, the Indus runs for 1,900 miles, nourishing temperate forests, plains, and countryside. The melting of the Tibetan glaciers and an increasingly irregular precipitation pattern could create more intense water shortages.
image12 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Borneo, Indonesia

Many of the world’s remaining wild orangutans live in the rainforests of Borneo. But these rainforests are being stripped of trees as a result of logging, road construction, and palm-oil plantations. Now rising temperatures are reducing the abundance of fruit and increasing the incidence of malaria and the risk of forest fires.
image91 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Beijing

Beijing is China’s capital and, with its huge multilane highways, is a major transportation hub. But the desert is encroaching on this metropolis. Beijing is plagued by sandstorms howling in from Inner Mongolia—one storm dumped almost 364,000 tons of sand and dirt on the city in 2005. Rising temperatures combined with less predictable rain patterns are likely to reduce water supplies and augment desertification.
image13 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Nuwara Eliya, SriLanka

The hillsides here are perfectly suited for growing tea, which requires an even distribution of rainfall throughout the year, moderate temperatures, and a sunny climate. Yet increasing temperatures and drier weather are likely to create droughts that will reduce the yield and damage many of the plants. Heavier rainfall could also cause soil erosion and landslides.
image14 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Lake Baikal, Russia

Lake Baikal in southern Siberia is the world’s oldest and deepest lake, containing more water than all of North America’s Great Lakes combined. The lake’s biodiversity has adapted to cold, long winters, but its waters have been warming over the last several decades. If temperatures continue to rise as projected, the entire ecosystem could suffer.
image16 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Sulu Sulawesi Sea, Malayasia

Historically, the Bajau people have lived a nomadic seafaring life in this tropical monsoon climate. But traditional life is growing increasingly complicated. Overfishing and other illegal tactics such as blasting and poison-fishing are damaging the coral reefs. Rising sea-surface temperatures and increasing acidification only exacerbate this problem.
image15 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Me Kong Delta, Vietnam

A lush area of vast plantations and one of Vietnam’s largest rice-, vegetable-, and fruit-producing regions, the delta is threatened by upstream dams and pollution. The projected rise in sea level could increase saltwater intrusion into freshwater ponds and rice fields. It could also cause flooding, leading to a loss of cropland and mangroves.
image17 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia

The Empty Quarter is the largest continuous sand sea in the world. For centuries, Bedouin communities have survived in this vast wilderness. The vegetation—scattered herbs, shrubs, and weeds—feeds the Bedouins’ livestock, and this sensitive ecosystem is particularly vulnerable to increasing temperatures.
image18 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Bayan Olgii, Mangolia

Today, half of the nearly 3 million Mongolians still live as herdsmen. They lead a pastoral way of life, moving around in search of pastures for their livestock and sites for their gers, round, moveable dwellings. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns could expand the Gobi desert, threatening the nomadic way of life.
image19 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Amman, Jordan

This city of 3 million, perched on hills between the desert and the fertile valley below, draws its drinking and irrigation water from the Jordan River. Yet the river’s flow has decreased in recent decades. Temperature rises and precipitation drops are expected to increase the severity of water shortages, fueling tension in the region.
image20 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Altai Mountains, Russia

The Russian section of this mountain range is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List because of its diverse plant life, which varies from steppe to mixed forest to alpine vegetation. Temperatures have been rising over the last century and a significant reduction of the permafrost is expected in the coming decades, threatening this unique natural habitat.
image21 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Sagarmatha Himilayas, NepalThe highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, is known to the Nepalese as Sagarmatha. This high-altitude landscape of snow and rock is home to the snow leopard, musk deer, and red panda. Two thirds of the Himalayan glaciers have retreated significantly, a trend that could lead to rapid expansion of glacial lakes, causing floods and landslides.Yangtze River

Stretching for 3,900 miles from the Tibetan plateau to the East China Sea, the Yangtze is the longest river in Asia. Due to the diminishing of the Tibetan glaciers, the flow of the once mighty Yangtze could dwindle during the dry season in the future, reducing the availability of fresh water in large parts of China all year round and lowering rice yields.
image23 img Asia's 25 Beautiful Places

Mount Chomo, Bhutan

The ruins of Sey Dzong, a 17th-century fortress monastery, lie at the foot of the holy mountain of Chomo Lhari. For centuries, the population has depended on meltwater from the glaciers of the high mountains to irrigate their farmland. As melt-off from the glaciers increases, the rapidly increasing flow of water could pose a serious threat.
]]> http://soorajknair.com/asias-25-beautiful-places/feed/ 0 Mural of Kerala http://soorajknair.com/mural-of-kerala/ http://soorajknair.com/mural-of-kerala/#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 04:11:31 +0000 Sooraj http://soorajknair.com/?p=88
Kerala has an exclusive tradition as its own for it painting. Sculptures and painting of temples here are clear evidences for that. The murals of triunandikara in kanyakumari district and thiruvanchikulam, which was done during the period of 9th to 12th century AD, are some of the examples for living specimens of Kerala painting. Most of the murals (paintings) that we can see today are belonging to period from 15th century, and it is definitely a continuation of the painting in the pre-historic period. The painting found in Edakkal in Wayanad and perumkadavila in TVM are belonging of Mesolithic period.
The mural of Kerala is very much related to Dravidian art of Kalamezhuthu. This was much more developed from the customs and religious in trals. It was the art of sprinklings and filling up of attractive colours inside the outlines of drawings. The architecture and murals are also influenced by pal lavas.
The oldest rock cut cave temple of Thriunandikkara might be enriched by a lot of murals and paintings on those days, but now its sketchy outlines are exisisting. It might be done in 9th or 10th century AD. However the tenth century inscription of Goda Rani Varma found in the Nedumpuram temple mentioned about the wages paid to the painters.
A Portuguese traveler Castaneda who accompanied Vasco-Da-Gama in his voyage to India has referred an meident in which he mistook a Hindu temple as Christian church and entered to it. They misunderstood the monstrous images on the temple as of satan’s probabily they must have stepped into Bhagawathi temple some where between kappad and kozhikode.
In Kerala, the plentiness of paintings can be seen in the churches also. The paintings of Virgin Mary in the churches of Edappalli and Veehur are going a lot of spiritual satisfaction to the devotees.
The orthodex Syrian churches at chappad at Malanthuruthi also have some interesting paintings. The outer wall of kanyur church has a huge painting depicting the scene of battle between army of Tippu Sultan on one side and those of east India Company with the bare footed local militia on the other side.            The Archeological evidences points that the period from the mid sixteenth century onwards is the golden period of murals and paintings in Kerala.
The Sanskrit text silparatna, describing painting and related subjects by Sri kumara must have been a role model for contemporary and later artists. There is no other text instead for it till now, which precisely discussing about the aesthetics and technological aspects of Indian Arts.
Most of the subjects for murals and painting are related to Hindu Gods and ethics. It was not a fanuful representation but was drawn following the description in the “dhyana slokas”.

Kerala has an exclusive tradition as its own for it painting. Sculptures and painting of temples here are clear evidences for that. The murals of triunandikara in kanyakumari district and thiruvanchikulam, which was done during the period of 9th to 12th century AD, are some of the examples for living specimens of Kerala painting. Most of the murals (paintings) that we can see today are belonging to period from 15th century, and it is definitely a continuation of the painting in the pre-historic period. The painting found in Edakkal in Wayanad and perumkadavila in TVM are belonging of Mesolithic period. 45 Mural of Kerala

The mural of Kerala is very much related to Dravidian art of Kalamezhuthu. This was much more developed from the customs and religious in trals. It was the art of sprinklings and filling up of attractive colours inside the outlines of drawings. The architecture and murals are also influenced by pal lavas.

The oldest rock cut cave temple of Thriunandikkara might be enriched by a lot of murals and paintings on those days, but now its sketchy outlines are exisisting. It might be done in 9th or 10th century AD. However the tenth century inscription of Goda Rani Varma found in the Nedumpuram temple mentioned about the wages paid to the painters.

A Portuguese traveler Castaneda who accompanied Vasco-Da-Gama in his voyage to India has referred an meident in which he mistook a Hindu temple as Christian church and entered to it. They misunderstood the monstrous images on the temple as of satan’s probabily they must have stepped into Bhagawathi temple some where between kappad and kozhikode.

In Kerala, the plentiness of paintings can be seen in the churches also. The paintings of Virgin Mary in the churches of Edappalli and Veehur are going a lot of spiritual satisfaction to the devotees.

The orthodex Syrian churches at chappad at Malanthuruthi also have some interesting paintings. The outer wall of kanyur church has a huge painting depicting the scene of battle between army of Tippu Sultan on one side and those of east India Company with the bare footed local militia on the other side.            The Archeological evidences points that the period from the mid sixteenth century onwards is the golden period of murals and paintings in Kerala.

The Sanskrit text silparatna, describing painting and related subjects by Sri kumara must have been a role model for contemporary and later artists. There is no other text instead for it till now, which precisely discussing about the aesthetics and technological aspects of Indian Arts.

Most of the subjects for murals and painting are related to Hindu Gods and ethics. It was not a fanuful representation but was drawn following the description in the “dhyana slokas”.

28 Mural of Kerala

More pictures and details visit http://www.keralamuralart.com/gallery-land.html

]]> http://soorajknair.com/mural-of-kerala/feed/ 0 Rajasthan http://soorajknair.com/rajasthan/ http://soorajknair.com/rajasthan/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:14:17 +0000 Sooraj http://soorajknair.com/?p=10

h 01 s 227 300x225 RajasthanRajasthan is the largest state of India. Literally, Rajasthan means “The Land of Kings”. It is one of the most charming and captivating states of India offering tourists numerous options for amazing tourism and wonderful holidays. It is a globally famous tourism destination of India. It is known for its unique geographical and cultural features. Heritage monuments, rippling Sand Dunes, exotic Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries and rich culture & tradition of the state are prime attractions of Rajasthan visit. With its catchy attractions, the royal state of Rajasthan never fails to lure its visitors through out the entire globe. The capital city of Rajasthan is Jaipur. Jaipur is itself a major tourist destination of India having lots of catchy attractions of tourist interest. The city is fondly described as the Pink City of India. It is several as the gateway to explore several other fascinating destinations of the state. It is the entry point to visit Pushkar, Ajmer and Samode. City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Birla Temple, Albert Hall Museum, Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, Amber Fort & Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, etc are prime attractions of Jaipur city tour. So, Jaipur – the Pink City of India – is a must visit destination of Rajasthan tourism. Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mount Abu, Jaisalmer, Pushkar, Ajmer, Ranthambhore, Sariska, Bharatpur, Mandawa, etc are other worth visiting cities and destinations of the state. These destinations play a major role in the boom of travel and tourism in the state. Rajasthan tours package is incomplete without including these charming and captivating destinations. Udaipur, the Lake City of India, is one of the most beautiful cities of India. It is considered as one of the most romantic cities of India. Due to its charming temptation and several catchy attractions the city is very popular among honeymooners or newly wedded couples. City Palace, Jagdish Temple, Bharatiya Kala Mandir, Pichola Lake, Udai Sagar Lake, Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Palace, Jag Mandir, Fateh Prakash Palace, etc are prime attractions of Udaipur city tour. In fact, Udaipur is one of the must visit destinations of Rajasthan tours and travels. Jodhpur is fondly described as the Blue City of India and it is famous for its magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, elegant Umaid Bhawan Palace, and royal cenotaph of Jaswant Thada. Jaisalmer is popularly described as the Golden City of India. Golden Fort (Sonar Kila), Havelis, Jain Temples, Romantic Sand Dunes, Camel Safari, and Desert National Park are prime attractions of Jaisalmer city tours. Mount Abu is the only hill station of Rajasthan known for cool & delightful climate. It is perfect holiday destination in the state. Nakki Lake, Honeymooner Point, Sunset Point, Wildlife Sanctuary, Dilwara Jain Temple, etc are prime attractions of Mount Abu. Tourists can find comprehensive city guide of Mount Abu from a reputed Rajasthan travels agent. Bikaner is famous for Camel Breeding Farm & Research Centre and Lalgarh Palace. Bharatpur is globally famous for its Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary & National Park. Ranthambhore and Sariska are ideal places for exhilarating wildlife expedition. Mandawa is very popular among tourists with its beautiful frescoed havelis and magnificent Castle Mandawa Fort. Pushkar and Ajmer is known for religious significance. In fact, entire Rajasthan is dotted with several fascinating destinations appealing tourists all over the world. For more information on Rajasthan tourism, tourists can surf on various travel website offering valuable information on complete travel guide to Rajasthan. Well visit this royal state of India and treasure delightful experience of lifetime.

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