After a satiating breakfast at Kothamangalam, we left behind
the hustle of the small towns and meandered our way past rubber plantations to
Pooyamkutty, with the river, Periyar popping up intermittently. While the main
intention was to drive through the lush greenery of Mamalakandam, we decided to
explore a few other places as well enroute to the final destination.
Kuttampuzha was the first pit stop, where we took a
short detour to get to Anakkayam Beach. From where the road ended, a narrow
pathway along the Periyar River led us to the beach. A secluded place with
hardly any visitors, we were welcomed by serenity and scenic frames. While
technically this isn’t a beach, but a river bank with sand. A large tree with
its branches sprawling like tentacles made a beautiful frame against the
tranquil waters and lush greenery behind. A lone fisherman, probably a local
having some moments of solitude, was the only human presence in the vicinity. After
loitering around for a while, soaking in the serenity on offer, we walked back.
Enroute to Pooyamkutty, we stopped by at Blavana ferry, to
watch a jeep loaded with rice and other daily necessities make its way across
the river atop 2 tied up canoes. In today’s times, when modern technology and
developments have reached every corner of the globe, this rudimentary means of
transportation was quite captivating. I was told by the locals that the
supplies were carried to the tribal colony across the river. As the jeep sailed
its way to the other bank, we left for Pooyamkutty, a couple of kilometers
away.
Pooyamkutty gained
prominence after a couple of Malayalam movies were shot here. While there isn’t much
to explore here, the aerial view of the gushing Pooyamkutty River, a tributary
of Periyar River, under the bridge and the lush green surroundings, offers a
beautiful frame. A winding road took me down to the bridge, which further leads
to Manikandanchal, where there are tribal colonies. I crossed the bridge, gazed
at the beautiful waters and then walked up to the magnificent huge trees lined
up on either side of the road. Looking up at them, I strolled around for a
while, and then returned back, as visitors aren’t allowed beyond this.
Drove back to the tiny hamlet of Pooyamkutty, and some short
eats later, headed to Mamalakandam. The road became narrow, the lush greenery
turned dense and apart from the rumbling of the car, it was only the cricket’s
sound that could be heard. The road wound its way through dense greenery, with
steep slopes, dips and wonderful views on offer. We took a pit stop in the
middle of nowhere, to admire the beauty of nature. The leaves swayed to the
swooshing breeze, and a waterfall could be heard at a distance. A lone tree
house (more like an ‘erumaadam’) stood tall near to where we stopped,
but had no access to get up there.
As more vehicles made pit stops, we drove further down, and
slowly, the forest gave way to tiny clearings and settlements of Mamalakandam.
A small pathway from the road led us inside, and we walked the path listening
to the sound of gurgling waters in search of Urulikuzhi Waterfalls. After searching
for a bit, we saw a large stream flowing over flat rocks and making its way further
down. The dips in the rocks resembles like an ’uruli’ (a large vessel),
and that’s how the place gets its name, Urulikkuzhi Waterfalls. The place
reminded me of Paniyeli Poru, but there weren’t any whirlpools or under
currents here. We sat by the bank on the large open rock and enjoyed some moments
of silence before getting back on the main road.
Govt. High School, Mamalakandam was where we headed next.
This probably is one of the most picturesque schools in Kerala, with a
magnificent backdrop of a hill and Elamplassery Waterfalls gushing down it. The
frame is so captivating that it made me wonder how students are able to
concentrate in their classes, when the nature outside is absolutely surreal.
On the way back to Kochi, we stopped by at the gushing Valara Waterfalls
and the stunning Cheeyappara Waterfalls. The sign board near the waterfalls had Munnar
written on it, but I was content with the beautiful drive between Pooyamkutty
and Mamalakandam, and the lovely pit stops we had. The drive through the forest and chasing the Periyar River was a wonderful experience.
How to reach:
Pooyamkutty is 78 km from Kochi, and it is ideal to visit in
your own vehicle. There are buses from Kochi and Muvattupuzha to Pooyamkutty,
but is not frequent. The nearest major town in Kothamangalam. The route from
Pooyamkutty to Mamalakandam does not have public services, except for one KSRTC
bus in a day.
Food and Accommodation:
There are small eateries near Pooyamkutty Bridge and at
Mamalakandam. The region also has a few homestays.