Thandigudi : Beauty at its peak

Swirling mist, winding paths and lush vegetation... the hills are a trekker's paradise, says SOMA BASU

PHOTOS: SOMA BASU

SERENE AND SCENIC Deserted home of a tribal.

On learning that Thandigudi is also known as "Aadha Kodai" (half Kodaikanal!), I set out on this RLT with mixed feelings. Forty-five km from Kodaikanal, on the road to Dindigul, is this revenue village that has an old- world charm at an elevation of 1,500 metres. But I could hardly believe the package of surprises that lay in store for me atop the hill.

First, the journey. As I took the Dindigul Road from Madurai and on to Batlagundu and the Chittaravu forest check-post, the heat and dust gave way to cool verdure. The tranquillity of the drive that wound up 23 hairpin bends on the Thandigudi ghat road was shattered by a convoy of cars. Allowing them to overtake, I followed the cavalcade at my pace only to find them parked next to the State Horticulture Farm and the Forest Department guest house, roughly six km short of Thandigudi.

Casual queries revealed an elephant, apparently ailing, had died in the morning bringing the Assistant Conservator of Forests, the Forest Ranger, Forest Guard and other staff to the spot. With the public banned from entering the area, I decided against wasting my time here and proceeded to my RLT destination.

Thandigudi, surrounded by the green Palani hills, looked like many other mini hill stations that have been written about in this column, including Sirumalai, Pachalur and Yercaud. Besides coffee and cardamom plantations, the landscape is filled with vanilla, pepper, hill banana, citron and medicinal plants. Carnations and other varieties of flowers added a dash of colour to the greenery. I chose to explore the place on foot.

Enveloped in small shola forests, Thandigudi used to have many trekking routes. But now, they are all damaged by prolonged wet spells and the wild growth of flora. Wild boar, barking deer, bison and sambar are occasionally spotted here and in the surrounding evergreen forests. But the department no longer allows trekkers into the forest. Only its staff goes on an occasional recce.

I stuck to the tarred road and followed a sign post which said Watch Tower, Pannaikadu. For city slickers it is a refreshing change to trek in the hills.

Visual treat

The winding road leading to the hilltop.

The backdrop formed by rolling green hills with a dreamy mist swirling up kept me busy with my camera. To reach the watch tower, I had to take a small detour on a slippery muddy track into the forest. The only wildlife I managed to spot was a pair of tiger lizards. But before I could photograph them, they disappeared into the bushes.

Work on the watch tower is yet to be completed. But a labourer at the site assured me it was safe to climb up and enjoy the view.

And it was captivating indeed. The lush vegetation was a visual treat and the long, winding road cutting through the hills was picturesque. In the valley below, the Maruthanathi, a squarish water body, reflected the silver rays of the sun as they tried to penetrate the grey clouds. A dewy haze filled the area that seemed painted blue. The worker pointed to a peak called the "periya malai", perhaps because it looks the tallest and to a cluster of rocks called "ponnu mapillai rock". Taking a closer look at the rock I realised it looked like a bride and groom, surrounded by friends!

As I prepared to return, the worker told me to check out the echoing rock and the dolmen cave. I skipped the first, but took a dekko at the now deserted ancient home of a tribal.

Walking down, I passed by the Central Coffee Research Station, the Indian Cardamom Research Institute and the Regional Spice Board Research Station.

Thandigudi may have been dubbed `Aadha Kodai' but the beauty and serenity here cannot quite be experienced in the more famous Kodaikanal.

How to get there

Thandigudi can also be reached by Palani-Oddanchatram check-post. It is 56 km from Dindigul, 45 km from Kodaikanal, 88 km from Palani, 97 km from Madurai and 126 km from Thekkady.

Courtesy: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/10/16/stories/2006101600290300.htm

Samattipuram : In memory of a warrior

Khan Sahib's Dargah' hides a revealing story about a remarkable man

CREDULOUS The Dargah that speaks the history of Muhammed Yusuf Khan PHOTO: K. GANESAN

He was born a Hindu, acquired knowledge from a Christian and died as a Muslim and buried at Sammatipuram, Madurai. History has many stories about this remarkable man, popularly known as Khansa, an abbreviation of Khan Sahib. As it is said and believed that the fall of a great man is always great and tragic, so it was with this soldier-cum-warrior and a ruler who was hanged as a rebel.

Birth

Khan Sahib was born at Panaiyur in Ramanthapuram Country to a Hindu couple as Marudhanayagam. He ran away from home and took service under a European for three years. Captain Brunton, an European, helped him to gain knowledge through education following which he served the Nawabs and rose to the level of subedhar. In 1748, he embraced Islam, according to D. Devaraj, postgraduate teacher in Tamil of Pasumalai Boys Higher Secondary School, who has authored 16 books on Madurai's history.

Quoting from the `History of Tamil Nadu' authored by R. Aalalasundaram, Mr. Devaraj said Muhammed Yusuf Khan was a sepoy under Robert Clive and Lawrence and was soon promoted as the commandant by the East India Company given his loyalty.

However, there is apparently a controversy as to whether Yusuf Khan was raised to the level of Commandant in Nawab's army or in the East India Company.

In 1735, Nayak dynasty came to an end when Nawab Muhammed Ali captured Madurai with the help of Col. Heron, who later went on to become the Madurai Governor and collected taxes.

Col. Heron's work was dissatisfactory and he was soon replaced by Muhammed Yusuf Khan. In Mr. Devaraj's opinion, though Yusuf Khan ruled for a brief stint, he was one of the best rulers believing in social harmony. He provided aid to Meenakshi Amman Temple and supported the weaving trade of Sourashtra community.

Yusuf Khan's executive ability is indicated in the report from Colonel Fullarton - dated March 1785 and entitled `A view of the English interests in India' published in Madras in 1867. It says: "In Tinnevelly (now Tirunelveli) and Madura, his whole administration denoted vigour and effect. His justice was unquestioned, his word unalterable; his measures were happily combined and firmly executed, the guilty had no escape from punishment."

Yusuf Khan had the audacity to wage a war against the King of Travancore without the consent of the company. Consequently, he was asked to pay a lease amount of Rs. five lakh to the Nawab. But he refused and joined hands with the French and also hoisted the French flag on the Madura Fort.

When Governor Pigot of Chennai called Khan Sahib for a meeting, he refused evoking the wrath of the East India Company. Captains Monson and Breston waged a battle against Yusuf Khan in 1762 but failed miserably.

Captain Compell hatched a treacherous plot and captured the fort on October 13, 1764. Khan Sahib was hanged on October 16 following an order.

He was ignominiously hanged near the camp about two miles to the west of Madura and his body was buried at Samattipuram. A small square mosque was erected over the tomb that was later known as `Khan Sahib's pallivasal.'

Magic or divine

Even death did not come to him easily. When he was hanged neither the body came down nor the rope went up. He was alive and fell down two times. And finally the besiegers succeeded in the third attempt.

It was believed that Yusuf Khan had a magic golden ball under his arm that saved him from the first two attempts. Others say it was his yoga-training that saved him twice. Few others believed that some divine power was at work, Mr. Devaraj said and added that the dargah in his memory was built in 1808 by Sahiah Imam.

K. Johnny, whose family has been taking care of the dargah for seven generations, said fearing that Yusuf Khan would again come alive, the hangmen chopped his body into four pieces and buried them at various places -- his head in Tiruchi, legs in Periyakulam, hands in Palayamkottai and body in Madurai.

In remembrance of Yusuf Khan, few places are named after him. Like Khan Palayam in Tirunelveli, Kansapuram in Kadayanallur and Mamsapuram in Srivilliputhur. In Madurai, Kansa Mettu Theru was formed when British damaged the palace of Yusuf Khan.

Courtesy: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/01/07/stories/2006010700700300.htm

Kookal : Stunning sholas

Kookal: a scenic conjunction of verdant hills, wooden slopes and water, writes SOMA BASU

AS I set out on this week's RLT, I wasn't sure whether I would make it to my destination. It turned out to be an assignment where, but for my attire, I donned the role of a forester. With paraphernalia such as ropes, hooks, torch and sticks, not to mention the usual pen and notebook, I sat inside the jeep cruising at a painfully slow 20 km an hour on something that hardly resembled a road.

The vehicle forced its way through endless puddles of water and manoeuvred around fallen trees as the tyres jerked in and out of potholes. Heavy rain and thick fog made things only worse. As if this was not enough, the stench of an animal kill added strength to the rumours that a female panther was on the prowl. I cursed myself for choosing Kookal in the Poombarai forest range of Kodaikanal division, particularly during the rainy season.

But then assurances about beautiful, unheard and unexplored places emerge only after terrifying travel. And this is perhaps what sends the team on difficult RLTs. But I hadn't bargained for this when setting out for Kookal (also spelt Kukkal); after all, it is on the route to one of the State's most popular tourist destinations, Kodaikanal.

The zero visibility 46-km journey from the hill station, thanks to a thick blanket of mist, seemed to take ages. To break the silence, my companions — the (real) forester Mr. Hanifa and the scientist Dr. Kandhavel — exchanged information about the Kookal sholas.

Disappearing wildlife

Apparently, the sholas are shrinking and the wildlife population reportedly disappearing due to the monoculture of imported pine, eucalyptus and wattle. Along with the encroaching trees, the ground ferns are also eating into the grasslands, affecting both the flora and the fauna of the area which holds four types of ecosystems — swamp, grassland, freshwater and shola.

However, this Southern Montane Wet Temperate Forest has some unique features too. An 800-year-old tree with an enormous girth, and which bears fruit, said to be useful for patients suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, is found here. Now under the care of the Forest Department, it is all fenced up. Very rare single fern trees, jamun and rudraksha trees, 26 species of cinnamon and the shenbagam flower tree constitute the plant biodiversity. The Kookal sholas are also famous for its 165 species of butterflies, and a number of relatively uncommon birds such as the wood pigeon, Nilgiri pipit, 15 types of dabchicks besides the commonly sighted bison, Indian gaur, mouse and barking deer.

Great camping site

Suddenly, we reached a scenic conjunction of verdant hills, wooded slopes and water. The Kookal lake runs through the middle of the sholas and boasts a healthy otter population. The surrounding grasslands indeed make a wonderful camping site for adventurous holidayers.

There are two trekking routes. One, a 13-km stretch to the Kudiraiyar Dam with pleasing waterfalls and deciduous forests. The other is an eight-km route to the Kookal natural rock cave formations on a hill top. These caves are made up of different types of metamorphic rocks called charconite and granulite and believed to be home to the descendants of the leaf-clad Paliyan tribes. Till the mid-Eighties, 30-odd families resided on the hill top, where a small temple is located. This stretch is, however, leech-infested and best avoided during the monsoon. I was forced to give up after a kilometre.

In brighter, drier months, Kookal would be a trekker's delight. Day picnickers too can have a good time in this peaceful locale. Permission of the Forest Department, good boots, camera and binoculars are a must if you plan to include Kookal in the itinerary during one of the trips to Kodaikanal.

Courtesy: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/10/02/stories/2004100200590100.htm

Dindigul Fort : Pillow Rock

Dindigul Fort: forgotten and in disrepair, says SOMA BASU

GASPING FOR breath, I haul myself up the 800-odd steps to reach this 17th Century citadel built by the Naicker kings in Dindigul. A voice from behind catches me by surprise. "Lafda mangta hai kya, madam?" ("Inviting trouble?") I soon realise what he means. A 360-degree scan does not show up a single soul atop this isolated granite rock fort, which rises over 360 feet above ground level. I introduce myself. He says he heard me do that at the ticket counter below and that is why he followed to ask me to be careful. I thank him and proceed to have a closer look at the strong walls of this legendary fort that took 54 years to build and was strategically important in several military operations.

Pillow in stone

Approaching from Madurai, the huge rock emerges on the horizon like a "Dhindu" (Pillow). Hence the city's name - Dindigul. Amidst paddy fields and coconut groves, it stands out like a welcome symbol, one kilometre short of the city centre. History has it that the Naik King Muthu Krishnappa Naicker started building the Rock Fort in 1605. From 1623 to 1659, Mannar Thirumalai Naicker ruled and completed construction of the fort, which later came under the rule of Tipu Sultan. The Archaeological Survey of India's familiar blue board declares the fort a "protected monument" and collects Rs. 5 for an entry ticket (Rs.100 for foreigners). Absence of tourist guides and security guards further affirms the disinterest of the department and the people.

Few visitors

The fort receives few visitors - mainly the odd group of college students and the occasional foreign tourist. The steep climb is possibly a deterrent and the steps are so small that it is easy to trip over them. I walk around the tunnels and trenches en route that reveal how meticulously the ancient fort was constructed to safeguard its inhabitants.

From the ruins within the fort walls, I can see structures (perhaps used as arsenal depots or animal stables) and damaged mandapams (decorated with carved stone columns, complete with dwarapalakas). I go up to the cannon point and look through the spy holes imagining the sound, light and speed of the fireballs that were released.

The fort is known to have played a prominent role during the battles of the Marathas and also of Hyder Ali, who escorted his wife and five-year-old son Tipu here in 1755. From 1784 to 1790, the fort was under the rule of Tipu Sultan. His chief Commandant, Syed Ibrahim, under whose care the fort was entrusted, constructed several additional rooms, fortified the walls and repaired many parts.

After Tipu Sultan was defeated in the Mysore War in 1790, the British took control of the fort. Hyder Ali had also constructed a mosque beneath the fort for his soldiers. A temple was later built on the tip of the rock. But today, the fort is a picture of neglect and has become a haven for young couples.

As I take in the view from the top, I imagine how the fort must have brimmed with activity in its years of glory. Today, Dindigul Rock is no more than a landmark that you pass by on the highway.

With a little effort and planning, it could have been converted into a proper tourist attraction. But then, had this been done, Dindigul Rock would perhaps not find a place in these columns.

Courtesy: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/04/02/stories/2005040202440100.htm