Visit to a waterfall

A trip to a place where nature is in full glory is always refreshing particularly when it is a getaway for the week end. Getting to such a getaway also demands a bit of work. Early on a Saturday, I and my friends, set out on our trip towards athirapally waterfalls. It is situated in the Thrissur district of Kerela. From Kottayam, it is nearly a five hour long journey. Thankfully, one of our classmates hailed from the area and hence things turned out to be smooth. Our hostel is located at Athirampuzha near Mahatma Gandhi University which is on the outskirts of Kottayam town. I am always in a dilemma whether this place is a town or village. There is a university and a medical college nearby, but the surroundings are fields and tree gardens we took a bus to Kerela state transport depot and got into a Thrissur bound bus. The bus drivers here are very smart. The roads are narrow and full of bends; still they drive very fast, often giving jerks to the passengers. We passed through Kottayam and Ernakulum districts and reached Thrissur in three and half hours. After getting down at Chalakudy bus stop, we had light refreshments, and then boarded a bus to the Athirapally falls from the same bus stop. Being from Assam, people often ask me whether Kerela reminds me Assam’s topography. When I say Kerela is greener than people are surprised. There are trees everywhere in Kerela except the city zone. As the journey progressed passengers inside the bus became fewer. On way, there are two water parks and a butterfly park. The roads were magnificently clean as it left behind many urban centres. One side of the road had houses and the other side was full of coconut and palm trees. Chirping of birds became significant. The soft breeze and sunrays falling through the foliage was creating a magical effect. The first sighting of the waterfall was mesmerizing. Finally, we reached the ticket counter. The entrance to the main area was some metres away. The surrounding looked vaguely familiar. It looked somewhat like the area near the entrance of the elephant falls in shilling.

A long walk or trekking of some sort still awaited us. There are two parts of the waterfall. One is the upper plain part and the other the full view of the waterfall. One has to go down through some steps to see the full view of the waterfall. If one is adventurous, there is plenty of short cuts. Reaching the end of steps and crossing some puddles and leaving behind some bamboo cover, the waterfall was in full view. A fresh mist wind caresses the visitors. The landscape is truly beautiful with big and small rocks that one has to pass to experience the full blow of the waterfall. The bamboos were creating an altogether different scene. It does not have much height, just 50 metres or so, but breadth is something to reckon with. It looked like an amalgamation of three waterfalls. Either one can start taking pictures and selfies , or can relax and experience the beauty of the waterfalls. I have been to other waterfalls but this one is different. It opens its arms to you. Climbing back up is hard work. Sweating became profuse and it intermingled with the vapours from the waterfall making matters worse.

There is an occasional shade, where people can stop for respite and still have a clear look of the waterfall. The benches are made of bamboos poles and the shade above was of a thatched roof. It was perfect ending to the perfect story. But even on return, Athirapally was full in mind and spirit.