Coimbatore | Malampuzha Dam | Kovai Kutralam

It is always a good feeling to return back from a trip and relax at home. Coimbatore feels like home to me now. I went for a morning walk in the Race course area. I tasted the Pathaneer sold there. It was a bit sour and not as good as the one I had tried in Madurai. I longed to taste more of it before leaving Tamil Nadu. 

My mother-in-law (Athe) had prepared Veliappam - a Kerala dish similar to Dosa but with some extra ingredients. My mother often adds tender coconut flesh to it. That gives it a tangy taste and an interesting flavour. 

I had to take some Classes in the morning. After lunch, all of us drove to Malampuzha dam. It is a nice place to enjoy cable car ropeway across the dam. Unfortunately the entry to walk over the dam closes at 5PM. We enjoyed the cable car ride. 

We visited two temples nearby - Kalpathy Shiva temple and Vadakanthara Sree Thirupuraikkal Baghavathi temple. After dinner at a local place, we returned home. 

On Sunday, I went for a walk again at Race course. We had to leave soon after breakfast. Athe had repaired her Sunday special dish - Haal Ganji (Coconut milk porridge). I absolutely love it and we often make it at home. With a good mustard based pickle it is a tasty meal. 

We drove to Kovai Kutralam waterfall. First, we had to buy tickets at the entry point, park the car and then take a forest department bus for some distance. After that, we had to walk till the waterfall. It was all well arranged by the forest department. There were hundreds of people flocking in as it was a Sunday. Luckily, we managed to go early and finish our shower under the waterfall on time before it got even more crowded. This is how it works in Tamil Nadu. Do not worry much about the crowd - just go in and enjoy like everyone else. Standing under a waterfall, is a temptation I would never miss. It relaxes me. 

I could see Velliangiri hills from there. The entire trekking route became clear to me from here.

We retuned back to the parking area and had our packed lunch - Coconut rice, tomato rice and curd rice. All were absolutely delicious but I liked the coconut rice the most as it was new to me.

On our way to the waterfall and back we had more Pathaneer. The one I had during return was very good - close to the one that I had tasted in Madurai. I drank as much as I could - until I was satisfied. I also stopped at a nursery where I had seen a pink rose plant last time while riding to Velliangiri. I bought the plant. 

Back at home, Athe had prepared Shemey (Rice noodles) and Side dishes for it. As always, the food was amazing. Next morning, my train was at 5:45AM. Athe packed some paddu for me. My brother-in-law dropped me at the railway station where the train was already waiting for me. 

Thus my incredible trip around Tamil Nadu came to an end. As always, I enjoy traveling in Tamil Nadu and I like the people there. It is less expensive, there are public transport to almost any place and people do have genuine interest in everything. I am a little disappointed with the cleanliness here though, but that is the case in most parts of India. But otherwise, this is my most travelled state in India apart from of course my home state. I must have to wait for the summer to pass before I return to Tamil Nadu again.