Kodumbalur-கொடும்பாளூர்-மூவர் கோவில்

 Kodumbalur

Kodumbalur is 36 km from Pudukkottai. Kodumbalur is the site of some structural temples of great beauty. Their merit marks them out as among the most outstanding monuments in India. Two monuments alone are survived. They are the celebrated Muvarkoil and Muchu-kundesvara-koil. There are survivals of an Aivar-koil and of another Siva temple. It is Muvar-koil, which is the centre of attraction. They were built by Boodhi Vikrama Kesari, a general of the Chola army in the 10th century A.D. One of the Irukku Velirs who ruled this place, named Idangazhi Nayanar is included n the canons of the 63 Nayanmars. This place was also a stage of fierce battles between the Pandyas and the Pallavas. The architecture of this temple is unique among the temples of south India. The sculptures of kalarimurthi, Gaja (Elephand) Samharamurthi, Gangadaramurthi etc. are unique masterpieces. Nearby is the temple dedicated to Muchukun-deswarar of the early Chola period.

 Muvar Koil in Tamil means ‘temple for three deities/persons’. This complex is known by this name probably because it has three temples inside. Only two out of these three have survived fully while the third one has only the basement remaining now. Local traditions and folklore give some interesting interpretations of the term ‘Muvar’. As per one belief, Shiva saints (Nayanar-s) Appar, Sundarar and Manikkavachakar built one shrine each. Another belief states that kings of three major dynasties Chera, Chola and Pandya constructed one shrine each. One another tradition states that these three shrines were constructed to house Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. As per a foundation inscription on south wall of the north-most temple, these temples were constructed by Kodumbalur Velir chief Bhuti Vikramakesari on behalf of himself and his two wives, Karrali and Varaguna. Bhuti Vikramakesari was a contemporary of the Chola ruler Aditya I hence these temples would have been constructed in middle of 10th century CE. This complex can be assigned to the early phase of the Chola architectural activities.

Muchukundesvara Temple
Situated to the north of Muvarkoil(1km), this temple was built by Mahimalaya Irukkuvel in early tenth century A.D. The presiding deity is referred to as Tiru. Mudukunram Udaiyar in the inscription. The temple originally consisted of a grabhagriha (sanctum, 4.11m square) and an ardha-mandapa, all facing all facing all east. The adhishthana has plain mouldings and has a bhutagana frieze below the cornic and a yali freize above it. The closed maha-mandapa and the Amman shrine are later additions. Only four of the original eight sub-shrines are found intact-one is empty and the other three are dedicated to Subramanya, Chandesvara and Bhairava.

Well

 

Muchu Kundesvara Temple – Referred as Mudukunram temple in its inscriptions, this temple was built by Mahimalaya Irukkuvel, chief of Kodumbalur, in 920 CE during 4th year of the reign of Chola king Parantaka I. This east facing temple was repaired and extended in 13th century when a maha-mandapa and a Devi shrine was added to the complex. The temple is built in parivara style like Muvar Koil. However compared to sixteen sub-shrines of Muvar Koil, this temple has only seven out of which remains of four can be seen.

கோடியக்கரை 

KODIYAKARAI -POINT CALIMERE

Kodiyakarai, is located in the taluk of Vedaranyam, district of Nagapattinam, in the State of Tamil Nadu. 

Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary was created in 1967 for conservation of Blackbuck, an endangered and endemic species of India.  This vast swampy tract of Point Calimere is the scene of one of India’s greatest avian spectacles. Point Cali-mere encompasses 17.26 sqKm of sandy coast fringed by saline swamps and thorny scrub around the backwaters.

           The Sanctuary's habitat is unique and diversity consists of freshwater, saltmashes, brackish lagoons, mud flats, saltpans, coastal beaches, mangrove forests, grasslands and dry evergreen vegetation. 


How to Reach:-

Road:- 110 km from Tanjore, 60 Km from Nagapattinam.

Rail:-  45 km from Velankanni  and 70 km from Thiruvarur.

Air:- Trichy 160 Km.

Attraction:-

           Black buck, locally called Velimann, is the key species of the sanctuary. They are mostly seen grazing in the open grassland area. Other important animals of the sanctuary include Spotted deer, Jackal, Civet, Wild boar, Jungle Cat, Bonnet Macaque, Blacknaped Hare and the Common Indian Mongoose. A notable feature of the sanctuary is the presence of feral horses.

Olive Ridley turtles have been regularly nesting in the sanctuary beach. 

Ramar Paadam is a historic Place located in entrance of Kodiyakarai.

Ramar Foot

 

Wild life Sanctuary

You can drive your own Vehicle inside sanctuary. food items are not allowed .Take enough Drinking water with you. Drive slowly since roads are worse, also you may miss wild animals.
After travelling 6 km inside sanctuary you will end in a Silent beach, which is away from human race.Entry Fee will Be charged.

Entrance

Wild Rabbit

Spotted Deer

Old Light Inside Sanctuary

Way inside Sanctuary

Wild Horses

Black Buck

A watch tower is there where you can see the beauty of sea. Near by a Old light House is there ,which is Closed.

Watch Tower

Beach Inside Sanctuary

Kodiyakarai Fishing Beach, where you can see the fishing boats, Vallam, etc.... you can ask Fisherman to take you inside Sea but Risk is yours Since life jacket is not available  there. 

Boating In Kodiyakarai Fishing Shore. 

Kodiyakarai Beach

Time to Visit:-
 
Between October and March, it is crammed with a great variety of birds – terns, gulls, storks, herons and enormous congregations of coastal waders, but the most spectacular are the Lesser and the Greater Flamingos.

Early morning is the best time to see Lot of Birds 
During winter, Dolphin sighting is common along the sanctuary coast. 

Shopping


You can buy fresh sea fishes,crabs.
This Place is Famous for Salt Pans, Where rock salts are very cheap-Rs 2/kg.

Salt Pans

 

Pichavaram பிச்சாவரம்

                   Pichavaram is world second Largest Mangrove forest in world. First largest is Sundarbans located in west bengal. Pichavaram also called as Alyathikaadu அலயதிகாடு. Plants grown here are called Surapunai சுரபுனை .Its under control of Forest Department (Killai R.F). 

Here i Shared some photos which i enjoyed.

 Pichavaram is the only Mangrove Forest in India Opened as tourist attraction since 1984. It spreads around  1413.92 hectare.

Plant roots  here grow upward for breathing. some plant roots grow top to bottom like banyan tree.

Animals such as beaver, fox and birds such as peacocks, hawk, kingfisher, stork are seen here.  

Lots of fishes, crabs and prawn are found here.

The depth of this backwater is  0.5M to 3M.

Some Benefits of  Mangrove Forest

1. It Protect Sea shore villages from Hurricane, Storm and Tsunami.

2. It controls carbon dioxide level and reduces the temperature.

3. Decaying trash, leaf compost are food for large marine species.

4. It give a large space for many  species for living and reproduction.

5. Mangrove forest act as a wall between sea and land.

How To Reach 

Pichavaram is 15km from Chidambaram and 65km from Pondycherry.

Railway station:- Chidambaram station ( Chennai -Trichy Main Route via Tanjore)

Airport :- Trichy (Tiruchirapalli) 170 km. 

Time to Visit

November to January is the best timing . lots of birds can be seen this time.

avoid this place during summer. After Monsoon is the right time.

Accommodation

No hotels for stay in Pichavaram . F
or hotels you have to travel 15km to Chidambaram.

Only one Restaurant in Pichavaram which is under control of TTDC. Here Quality of food is Average

Take enough Drinking Water, Food and Snacks since there is limited and low Quality food available there.

 

Attraction:-

Main attraction is Boating in back water, Bird watch and Photography.

Row Boat and Motor Boat service are available which maintained by Tamilnadu Tourism Development Corporation TTDC.

Also if you Give extra money to Boatman, he will  take you to adventures and deep in forest.

Don't forget to take enough water while going in boat.

Better to where Caps to protect from De-hydration.

Best Advice is to choose Row Boats. You can enjoy the nature and take photos than going in Motor Boat.

 

Good parking Facility are available. Entry fee of  Rs30 will be collected in the entrance.

Also 4 hrs long boating also there, in that they will take you deep interior to the forest . In that 1hr rest time in a beach ,which will look like an island. Best time for this ride is early morning by 8am.

also this service may not available during weekend and holiday. So choose your travel on weekdays.

A Telescope tower is there where you can see the whole view of the forest and beach near by. For this they charge Rs 5 as entry fee.

  A view from Telescope tower

For Bird watching, evening  is good time, before that you cant see anything.

For one day adventures trip this is the right place.

Shopping:-

                   Lot of Dried fish , Dried Prawns and Back water fishes are available in roadside,which are cheap and Fresh sold by Local Fisher mans.