Berijam

Berijam is a natural water reservior area later built and set with many catchment areas by British people. Berijam Lake is the main attraction in Berijam forest range. Berijam is an unique place to visit if you love nature, eco-systems, dense forest, less habitated forest zones near people population, etc. Berijam is blocked for normal tourist due to various reasons. Berijam is rich in flora and fauna.

How to reach

Stay in Kodaikanal, Tamilnadu and reach the forest office near Moonjikal Bus stand. Ask for forest office directions at any shop in bus stand and reach the forest office. Once you are in forest office, ask for the form to get permission to the Berijam Lake. Fill out the form and hand it over to person from whom you got it. Please dont bribe anybody. Wait for his seal and signature. Take the approved form and get to the Moyer Point, few kilometers from the forest office. You will see a couple of gaurds standing near the gate in check post. Handover the form and produce the proof that this form is yours. Any ID proof is valid to prove. He will open the gate and now you are in Berijam zone.

Note: You have to take a four wheeler to get permission. All the individuals list including kids has to be put in the form. Ensure you dont carry any liquour. Social responsibility here is to not to drink and smoke inside the zone. Else, you will be behind bars. Dont honk, no music along the way, dont get down unless its a place to visit and people are standing around. Berijam has tropical bears, Bison, etc. which are life threatning wild life. Understand that you are into thier area and you shouldnt disturb them. Not a easy job to get permission beyond 9.45am. No permissions on Sunday.

Try to return after 3.30~4.00 pm to see the wild life, wild fowl, Bison, Gaur, Bear, hog, rare bird species, etc.

Accommodation

Berijam has its own accommodation near the lake and meant for any government officials in the rank of Tehsildar and above. Accommodation needs to be approved by the DFO, Dindigul. Approach the ranger in-charge for more details. Forest officials are friendly and helping kind if you are a genuine visitor. Better to stay in Kodaikanal and travel to Berijam as a day tour.

Lake

Lake is the wonderfull attraction. Ensure that you are near a vehicle, people and safe enough to run and get secured in case of wild life encounters. Very rarely people got threatened by wild life in past 30+ years. No deaths so far!!!

Things to do

Walk around, enjoy the clean breeze, look at the mist over the dense forest, etc. This blog wouldnt be enough to explain the activities in Berijam. You may request for trekking and get a gaurd for the same. Please make sure you know how to climb a tree in case of a wild life encounter.

Photographs:

Please make sure your social responsibility to preserve forest and respect wild life. Never drink, smoke, make noise, rev engine, play music, etc. inside forest zone. We have only a few good forest zones available to enjoy and let them be for future.

Vellimalai

Vellimalai is a small hill station in Meghamalai forest range. Vellimalai was well connected with Meghamalai and Thekkady during the British Era. Vellimalai can be reached from Kodaikanal through Poomparai, Top Station, Munnar, Thekkady and Meghamalai. Entire route was developed to transport Tea. Vellimalai is fully covered under "Reserved Forest" and designated as "Wild Life Reserve". Make sure you reach the Kandamanur Forest Range office and get permission to enter the checkpost near Ghat Road. Range Officer will check for the real reason of your visit and permit you to enter the Ghat roads. There are four tea estates in Vellimalai developed during British Era.

Accommodation is available with Forest Department on demand and approval basis. Please check with Range office for availability and approval. Tea estates have good guest houses available on Estate Managers approval only.

Abundant wild life makes a good destination for good photographers interested in wild life photography in Theni District. Entire area is less or not polluted by human habitation. A good eco destination for travellers. Take your kids with you and enjoy the ride till the Tea estate and return back. Would suggest to start from Chinna Suruli water falls before 2 pm and cross the Poaching Prevention Shed Checkpost before 4 pm. Return back on time so that you cross the Poaching Prevention Shed before 5.30 pm and drive slowly to look for wild life.

I experienced a nice glimpse of wild life that has seen less human population. I didnt have a good camera to capture the wonderful encounters with wild life in Vellimalai of Theni District. You can expect Tropical Bear, Elephant, Malabar Squirrel, Monkeys, Pea-Cock, Pea-Hen, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Nilgiri Thar, Leopard, Tiger, various fowls, Quails, etc. I was able to see barking deer, Malabar Squirrel, Spotted Deer, fowl hen with chicks, Pea-Cock, Pea-Hen, Fowl Cocks, etc. A very good experience but missed to carry a good camera to capture them. We need a good camera that can shoot instantly, less response time, high speed autofocus, low light capability, good aperture value, etc.

Never miss Vellimalai in Lifetime. A good place to encounter wild life!

Chinna Suruli

Chinna Suruli is a mid size waterfall located near Kumana Thozhu in Theni District. You have to take the right 3 KM before Mailadumparai and head towards the Kadamalaikundu Forest range. Chinna Suruli is a good destination for nature lovers and eco travellers. Chinna Suruli can be clubbed with Vellimalai and can be done in one single day.

Accommodation facility is available in Vellimalai Poaching prevention checkpost and is purely a forest department guest house with no or very limited facilities. Guest houses are also available in Tea estates at Vellimalai. Try to stay in Theni and travel from Theni to the water falls.

Staying at Theni helps in enjoying Suruli, Meghamalai, Thekkadi and then travel to Munnar and come down from Munnar through the Marayoor Forest range.

We have to ride over a small bridge to cross the major stream that satisfies the water requirement of these ranges for both drinking and agriculture.

Once you cross the stream, you will see the road lonely for most of the distance untill Kumana Thozhu is reached. Get some stuffs for munching and ensure that you have enough drinking water before you cross this village. On reaching the Chinna Suruli, you need to park your vehicle well before the water falls and walk for about few meters. You will hear the water rushing on the other side of the walk way. There are are many mango trees as you pass by.

Above is the Vellimalai view on the way.

Entire way to Chinna Suruli is really great. We enjoyed a lot all the way to Chinna Suruli. We were surprised when we saw the water falls was more huge and broad than we expected.

There are several other small streams around the waterfalls looking like small waterfalls around greeny shrubs. You should go in person and look at them to enjoy them.

We had a wonderfull time enjoying at the waterfalls, munched few snacks, ensured social responsibility to not to use any plastic, soap, shampoo, etc. and left the place with our foot prints and carried enough sweet memories.

We headed towards Vellimalai to have a glimpse of ecological forest and wildlife still unspoiled.