My Travel

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Emmanuel church, St John, Pattom, On Thoppumpady-Kannamaly road, Ernakulam District. On 4th Sept 1998, a couple see Holy image of the face of Jesus in the abdomen of the statue of the crucified Lord.



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St.Joseph's church Kannamaly, one of the famous Pilgrim Centres in Kerala, is situated at the 10th ward of Chellanam Village Panchayath in Ernakulam District of Kerala. The Church is 40 km away from Ernakulam South Railway Station and KSRTC Bus stand. The Kannamaly Parish was found in 1873, after departing from the Mundamveli St.Louis Church. The present church, established in February 22nd 1910 is the third one, after the first two churches were destroyed in sea attacks. March 19 is the main festival in which food is served to mote than 50,000 devotees.



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Uru are large wooden boats made at Beypore near Kozhikode in Kerala. The area is full of a variety of birds because of the fishing harbour.



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Uru -large wooden boats - constructed at Chaliyam near Beypore. Uru Voyage from Beypore harbour.

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Kadalundi bird sanctuary, 19 km from Kozhikode is home to more than a hundred varieties of native birds and over 60 species of migratory birds flock here in large numbers. The sanctuary is also known for a wide variety of Fish, Mussels and Crabs. Birds like Terns, Gulls, Herons, Sandpipers, Whimbrels, and other migratory birds flock the place from the month of November and return only by the end of April.



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Peruvannamuzhy dam is located 60 km from Kozhikode in Kerala. It is a popular picnic spot. The nearby crocodile farm with 5 crocodiles is another attraction. An old man (Mr Nair) performing Shavasana on water is enjoyable.



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Peruvannamuzhy dam is located 60 km from Kozhikode in Kerala. It is a popular picnic spot. The nearby crocodile farm with 5 crocodiles is another attraction. An old man (Mr Nair) performing Shavasana on water is enjoyable.



The very aim of this asana is to relax each and every muscle in the body. In order to reach or attain this aim it becomes necessary to take the position in which one finds all the organs of the body in a comfortable and soothing state. Breathing must be slowed down.

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Tiruvachira Sree Krishna temple at Meenchantha gate has a huge lotus pond with fish variety and the area has a number of birds. It is 5 km from Kozhikode in Kerala.

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From Kayamkulam railway station, I reached Charum moodu junction via Vetticode by Adur bus (Rs 5.50). Then by Shasthamkotta bus to Anayady Sree Narasimha Swamy temple (Rs 4.50). Baby elephant (No 52) was the chief attraction of the festival. There was an elephant Traffic jam on 17th Jan 2010 at 4 pm. 81 gaily caparisoned elephants were paraded at a paddy field near the temple. Panchavadyam started at around 5 pm in the paddy field stage. Kettukazcha - decorated bulls on wheel - were pulled to the temple (9 in number).

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I travelled from Kozhikode to Palakkad by Exp train (Rs 50). Palakkad to Pollachi by bus (1.5 hour). Pollachi to Palani via Udumalpet (1.5 hour). The route has plenty of windmills. Palakkad to Palani is 113 km. There is direct bus from Thrissur to Pollachi via Kollengode, Nemmara, Vadakkancherry (2.5 hour, Rs 43) and also to Palani.

Panchamrutam (5 sweets) is the Prasad. Rs 25 per bottle from hill top. Avoid purchasing the duplicate local ones.

Chappal can be kept free of cost at Adivaram clock room before the climb. Climb the Holy hill bare footed. Devotees walk all the way from Pollachi with Kavadis. Some devotees pierce their tongue and cheek with ‘vel’ (small lances). It has a length of 8 to 40 ft and a size of the small finger. Some insert hooks in their body. Kavadis dance balancing it on shoulder or head. There is 15 wall paintings in the temple relating to Bhogar.

Many devotees take bath at holy Shanmugh river, which is 3 km from the temple.

Rs 20/200 for darshan. Free darshan queue is more than 3 km long moving at snail's pace. Avoid the free queue during festival season. There are around 350 barbers engaged in tonsuring head of devotees @ Rs 10. Rope car Rs 15 & Rs 50 for up. Rs 10 for down way.

Main festivals are of Thaipooyan (Jan) and Panguni Uthram (Mar).



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Palani Subramanya temple : Chariot festival was on 30 Jan 2010. Hundreds of Kavadis visit the temple bare footed. A lot of pilgrims walk from Pollachi with kavadis. Plankton were offered to deity. Panchamrutam is the popular sweet prasad (Rs 25 for a tin). A rope car opertes to the hill temple (Rs 10). Three options for darshan - free, Rs 20 and Rs 200. Avoid the three kilometre long queue in the free route during festival season. Piercing the lips and cheeks by devotees can be witnessed. Around 10,000 kavadis visit the temple during Thaipooyam (Jan 30, 2010). 50,000 kavadis visit the temple during Pankuni Uttram (Mar/Apr, 29 Mar 2010). The hill temple is an easy climb from base. The temple has got a pillared hall, golden dome and decorated gopuram. A large temple pond and a temple at the base. It is 60 km from Pollachi (1.5 hour by bus). Thrissur is 2.5 hour by bus from Pollachi via Kollencode, Nenmara and Vadakkancherry. Pollachi has good connection to Palakkad and Coimbatore. The popular hill station Kodaikanal is 80 km from Palani. Madurai is 112 km away. Tonsuring head is a popular custom among devotees who visit the temple.

Devotees climb the hill by repeatedly chanting 'haraharo.. vel muruganukku harohara". The temple is 108 m ASL and can be reached by climbing 640 steps. Lord Muruga statue is placed on a thrown of 4.5 kg of gold. The steps leading to deity is of 3.5 kg of gold. On the average, 30,000 devotees visit the temple daily.

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Vettikode Nagaraja temple is located near Kayamkulam in Kerala. See the serpent gods and the pulluvan pattu. Rs 5.50 by Adur bus from Kayamkulam.

It is one amongst the main snake worshipping temples of Kerala. Aadimoolam Vettikode Nagaraja Swamy Temple is situated in Vettikode near Kayamkulam of Alappuzha district. The presiding deities are Anantha and Nagayakshi. Vaishnavites consider Anantha as Nagaraja and Sivites Vasuki, lying around Siva's neck, as Nagaraja. The temple facing eastward has pooja only at noon. Temple will open in the evening also. In the months of Kanni and Thulam on Pooyam and Ayilyam days Deepm-adhana and Athazhapooja are perform. Thantram is Puthumana. Festival is on Ayilyam star day of Kanni month. Also Ayilyam in Kumbam, Sivarathri, Balabadra Jayanthi in Medam days have special ceremonies.

From Kayamkulam, Punaloor road 10 km east, 18 kmfrom Adoor to the west, the Vettikode junction is situated. The temple is ½ km from this junction to the south.

Vettikode Sree Nagarajaswamy Temple
Vettikode P.O., Kayamkulam – 690 503
Ph: 0479 – 2331615, 2333132, 2332490.



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