THE DAM OF THENMALA

KUMAAR HOLIDAYS

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600087.

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 96000 76933

E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

Website: www.kumaarholidays.com

The Thenmala dam is the second largest irrigation project in Kerala, India. It impounds the longest reservoir in the State and water from the reservoir is also used for power generation.

The dam was started in 1961 under the Kallada Irrigation and Tree Crop development project with an original cost of Rs. 13.28 crores and revised estimate of Rs. 728 crores at the 1999 schedule of rates, the cost escalation reported is 5356 per cent. The ayacut targeted was 61630 hectares (net) and 92800 hectares (gross). Though the project was targeted for completion, and priority in allocation was given during Ninth Plan, it could not be completed and commissioned fully.

It is now a centre of attraction at Thenmala and an ecotourism destination, with boating available on the reservoir, which is bordered on both sides by the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.

 

Thanks a Lot

Its the little things you do that

mean so much to me!

 

KUMAAR HOLIDAYS

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600087.

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 96000 76933

E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

Website: www.kumaarholidays.com

KERALA TOURISM EYES NEW FOREIGN MARKETS

KUMAAR HOLIDAYS

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-87

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 /93810 61000

E-Mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

Website: www.kumaarholidays.com

Kerala Tourism is planning to tap the new markets of Hungary, Malaysia, and New Zealand.

Roadshows will be held in Budapest (Hungary) on September 30, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on September 23, and Auckland (New Zealand) on October 20. 

A senior official of Kerala Tourism told The Hindu that the decision to venture into new markets was taken after analysing tourist arrival statistics to the State and since these countries were “relatively unaffected” like Australia and Scandinavian countries by economic crisis.

Industry’s demand

The travel trade had also been demanding that new markets such as Malaysia be explored. Better air connectivity and the decision to extend the tourist-visa-on-arrival to more countries also played a part in the decision. 

The State’s tourism prospects will also be marketed for the third consecutive year in Australia and for the second time in Japan to take advantage of the tourist-visa-on-arrival.

Kerala Tourism has finalised the international travel fairs 2014-15 and roadshows, stretching till February 2015, in which it will take part. 

The trade fairs are Top Resa, Paris, from September 23; Jata Travel Mart, Tokyo; World Travel Mart, London; and FITUR in Madrid. 

Roadshows will be held at Moscow (Russia), Sydney and Melbourne (Australia), Oslo (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki (Finland), France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden.

Foreign tourist arrival in 2013 was 8,58,143 compared to 7,93,696 in 2012. 

Foreign exchange earnings from tourism sector in 2013 went up by 21.63 per cent to register Rs.5,56,077 lakh.

 

 

Change your loacation and you 

just may change yourself

KUMAAR HOLIDAYS

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-87

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 /93810 61000

E-Mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

Website: www.kumaarholidays.com

 

 

NAKSHATRAVANAM - THE VEDIC VANAM

Kumaar Holidays

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600087

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 93810 61000 

E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

Website: www.kumaarholidays.com

 

The Thenmala Ecotourism employs a novel concept to popularise tree planting. Astrologers believe that each constellation of the zodiac is associated with a tree. It has developed a Nakshatra Vanam where trees associated with the 27 constellations or nakshatras have been planted. Those trees are of medicinal, social, aesthetic or economic value.

The Thenmala Ecotourism Society maintains a nursery of these trees and sells the seedlings to visitors. It is believed that if one plants a tree associated with one's star, that will bring good luck. So People buy and plant them at their homes.

A garden comprising of 27 trees associated with the 27 birth stars. You will be blessed to see all the 27 trees planted in the garden. Walk along and get more information on the trees.

SIGNIFICANCE :

[ 'NAKSHATRA' - Stars (27), 'VANA' - Garden]

Each and every person born on earth will (have to) belong to any one of these 27 stars. If you have the exact time of birth, it can easily be traced down by any astologer. Now each tree here corresponds to that particular star.

BENEFITS :

Each tree here keeps giving energy to that particular person / people born during that particular star. So any ailments or health problems are set right / healed / cured when you spend / request / talk / meditate near or under that particular tree, corresponding to their star.

So the presence of the complete set of 27 trees directly creates a healthy and sound physical, mental, psychological and spiritual beings. Which is the ultimate and absolute bliss to oneself and to the earth too.

Star: Ashwini

Scientific Name : Strychnos nux vomica

Common Name :  Poison nut

Star: Bharani

Scientic Name : Embilica officionalis

Common Name : Amla

Star: Krithika

Scientific Name : Ficus racemosa

Common Name: Fig

Star: Rohini

Scientific Name: Syzygium jambolanum

Common Name – Jamoon

Star: Mrigasira

Scientic Name :Acacia catechu

Common Name : Kadhira

Star:  Arudra              

Scientic Name : Aquilaria agallocha

Common Name : Agar Wood

Star: Punarvasu

Scientific Name :Bambusa

Common Name : Bamboo

Star: Pushyami

Scientific Name: Ficus religiosa

Common Name : Peepal

Star: Aslesha

Scientifd Name:Mesua ferrea

Common Name: Naga Champa

Star: Makha

Scientific Name : Ficus bengalensis

Common Name : Banyan

Star: Pubba

Scientific Name: Butea monosperma

Common Name Flame of the forest

Star: Uttara

Scientific Name:Ficus infectoria

Common Name: Juvvi

Star: Hastha

Scientific Name: Spondias mangifera

Common Name: Wild mango

Star: Chitta

Scientific Name: Aegle marmelos

Common Name: Bilva

Star: Swathi

Scientific Name: Terminalia arjuna

Common Name: Arjun

Star: Visakha

Scientific Name: Limonium acidissimum

Common Name: Elephant apple

Star: Anuradha

Scientific Name: Mimusops elengi

Common Name: Bakul

Star: Jyesta

Scientific Name: Pinus

Common Name: Pine

Star: Moola

Scientific Name: Canarium strictum

Common Name: Black dammar

Star: Purvashada

Scientific Name: Saraca indica

Common Name: Sita Asoka

Star: Uttarashada

Scientific Name: Artocarpus heterophyllus

Common Name: Jack

Star: Sravana

Scientific Name: Calotropis gigantia

Common Name: Milk weed

Star: Dhanishta

Scientific Name:Acacia ferruginea

Common Name: Shami

Star: Satabhisha

Scientific Name: Anthocephalus cadaba

Common Name: Kadamba

Star: Purvabhadra

Scientific Name: Azardirachta indica

Common Name: Neem

Star: Uttarabhadra

Scientific Name: Mangifera indica

Common Name: Mango

Star: Revathi

Scientific Name: Madhuca indica

Common Name: Ippe

EVERYONE IS A STAR
AND DESERVES A CHANCE TO SHINE

Kumaar Holidays

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600087

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 93810 61000 

E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

Website: www.kumaarholidays.com

CHILLING CANOPY WALKWAY - THENMALA

KUMAAR HOLIDAYS

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600 087.

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 93810 61000

E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

www.kumaarholidays.com

 

Thenmala is a first planned Eco tourism spot in India. In Thenmala there are 3 zones namely Leisure Zone, Adventure Zone and Culture Zone. Adventure Zone offers various adventurous activities namely

rock climbing, mountain biking, river crossing, Burmese bridge walk, boating in the forest pond, rapelling etc.

The major tourist attractions here in Adventure zone of Thenmala are, Forest Canopy Elevated walkway bridge, Nature trails through the forested hills. You shouldn't miss this adventure spot of Thenmala ecotours, even if you are not much adventurous. Being adventurous helps you to get the most out of this eco tourism location of southern Kerala. For a Nature tourist the canopy walkway and Nature trails will be an experience with chances to watch the nature, birds and the mighty forest trees closer walking towards them. 

After verifying the tickets you will be entering right into a museum here. A descriptive display of all the types of rope knots used during rock climbing like adventure sports and also by Surgeons, Fishermen, rescue professionals, sailors etc. From the knot museum you will move on to the Canopy Walkway or Elevated bridge of the adventure zone, a must visit here.

From canopy bridge you can either walk to the top of the hill and traverse through the nature trails or select a more adventurous way to go down to the forest pond through a rope (valley crossing), exactly the same way you have to cross the river using ropes. The information board says, "Resemble Canopy Walkway. The canopy bridge hangs suspended over the forest floor". Specifications of the bridge is gives as, Length of the Bridge: 120 meter, Number of Steps: 109, Number of tree canopies: 11 big trees. The platform of the bridge is done with of wooden planks paved over steel structure,very similar to the old hanging bridge of Punalur.

 

The view of the bridge that winds up between the trees, snapped from some what, a quarter length up. What you can get is a close encounter with the forest trees and the flying and jumping tree top wild life.Canopy walkways were used for studying the flora and fauna by watching them closer by researchers. Present days are time of canopy cranes for the same purpose. Wonder if they using tree houses too for living in the forest canopy while research.

Huge canopy hanging bridges are still existing through rain and tropical forests, mostly intended for tourism and recreation. Some of the famous eco tourism canopy walkways are the Canopy walk bridge of Amazons, Dhilinza forests, and some of them seen in South African forests. The longest and highest canopy walkway is in Taman Negara, a hanging canopy walk which may swing as you walk.

The canopy bridge here in Thenmala winds through the big forest trees to the top of the hill and connects you to the pathway that extends through the hill there.You can continue your nature walk through the trails of nature winding through the hilltop after getting there through this bridge.You can access the rock climbing spot from there. And to the nervous ones, don't be afraid as the bridge won't swing as you walk for it's a fixed steel structure over pillars. The canopy bridge has resting platforms and viewing points in between. Being with a group you have amazing chances for taking memorable photos here posing in between the green lush of dense forest trees.

The calm and quiet small forest pond seen at the valley below the canopy walking bridge. In the manual a lotus pond is listed here in the adventure zone which is said to have many water plants. 

Adventure Attractions like Burmese bridge, bow and arrow target practice, photo point rock, river crossing, valley crossing etc are concentrated around this pond. A spider net  for tourist adventures was present. Some pedal and row boats are seen in the pond and a lady is there to manage the boating activities here. some of the boats resembling the shape of basket boats of Hogenekkal river journey. 

The rope bridge model of Burma, which is meant for the adventure tourists coming to this adventure zone.

The tourist information board near to the bridge says:- the bridge is of 30 meters long and what it 's written there about the bridge is, "Burma bridge is a body balancing activity of ropes on the obstacle course that link two ground structures. Burma bridge usually has a large thick rope to support feet and two smaller ropes on either sides for holding hands. We organize these adventure sport activities keeping in mind all the safety measures".

Eventhough the real Burma bridge has only a rope to walk, here they have provided sticks to support the feet.. Hmm may be giving an opportunity even for grannies to have some adventures here.

The whole place is drenched in the beauty and calmness of the forest around and if you a nature tourist you will be preferring to excavate the nature trails through forests more than any other activities here. The sign boards in nature trails are interesting, ceramic arrows fixed in walking trail side rocks or on the nature trails itself.

 

The eco tourism points coming under the Thenmala eco tourism project is scattered throughout the forests here in the southern part of Western ghats. So many waterfalls are there deep inside and also in the outer circles of the forests around Thenmala, like the famous waterfalls of  Palaruvi. You should visit Thenmala if you a tourist or traveller who loves adventure, trekking, nature, mountain biking or someone who want to disappear into the forests and relax with nature from the daily busy life. Along with natural attractions many tourist activities are planned here for the needed tourists everyday like forest camping, trekking by the ecotour authorities.

 

             

                   LIFE IS EITHER A DARING ADVENTURE
                                               
                                            OR NOTHING

 

KUMAAR HOLIDAYS

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600 087.

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 93810 61000

E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

www.kumaarholidays.com