Edakkal Caves

The caves contain drawings that range over periods from as early as 5000 BC to 1000 BC. Recently the youngest group of paintings were in the news for a possible connection to the Indus Valley Civilization^[6][7][8].
Historian M.R. Raghava Varier of the Kerala state archaeology department identified a sign “a man with jar cup” that is the most distinct motif of the Indus valley civilization^[9]. The finding made in 2009 September indicates that the Harappan civilization was active in the region. Interestingly, the “a man with jar cup” symbol from Edakkal seems to be more similar to the Indus motif than those already known from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Mr. Varier said “The discovery of the symbols are akin to that of the Harappan civilisation having predominantly Dravidian culture and testimony to the fact that cultural diffusion could take place. It is wrong to presume that the Indus culture disappeared into thin air.” The scholar of Indus and the Tamil Brahmi scripts, Mr. Iravatham Mahadevan said the findings were very significant called it a "major discovery".

Silent Valley National Park

The area is locally known as "Sairandhrivanam" literally, in Malayalam: Sairandhri's Forest. In local Hindu legend, Sairandhri is Draupadi, the polyandrous wife of the five Pandavas, who disguised herself as Sairandhri, queen Sudeshna's assistant, while they were in exile.[4] The Pandavas, deprived of their kingdom, set out on a 14-year exile. They wandered south, into what is now Kerala, until one day they came upon a magical valley where rolling grasslands met wooded ravines, a deep green river bubbled its course through impenetrable forest, where at dawn and twilight the tiger and elephant would drink together at the water's edge, where all was harmonious and man unknown. Beside that river, in a cave on a hill slope, the Pandavas halted.

The first English investigation of the watersheds of the Silent Valley area was in 1847 by the botanist Robert Wight.[1] The British named the area Silent Valley because of a perceived absence of noisy Cicadas. Another story attributes the name to the anglicisation of Sairandhri. A third story, refers to the presence there of many Lion-Tailed Macaques Macaca silenus.[5] In 1914 the forest of the Silent Valley area was declared a Reserve Forest, however, from 1927 to 1976 portions of the Silent Valley forest area were subjected to forestry operations. In 1928 the location on the Kunthipuzha River at Sairandhri was identified as an ideal site for electricity generation and in 1958 a study and survey of the area was conducted and a hydroelectric project of 120 MV costing Rs. 17 Crore was proposed by the Kerala State Electricity Board.

Vega Land Amusement Park in kerala

Step into Veega Land, South India's unique amusement park, and you are into a world of non-stop fun and adventure. Situated on the top of a hill, this amusement park is veritably designed to give ultimate fun extravaganza for all ages. The amusement park is located at Pallikara, a beautiful hilly area just 12 Kms away from Kochi city. The park offers a perfect get away for unwinding oneself at a cost that is affordable for all sections. The natural beauty, panoramic view of the surroundings, fresh air and fun-filled adventure makes a

good formula for transforming one?s leisure into an unforgettable experience. The park has now become the most sought after fun destination for youngsters in Kerala and neighboring states. The park also offers special rates for students.

So, don't delay in reaching this exciting amusement park of Kerala..enjoy the variety of its land and water rides, featuring state-of-the-art technology that brings you world-class facilities and options for fun and adventure. Be it the Wave Pool, Wonder Splash, Fun Glides, Rapid River, Bullet Rides, Magic Carpet, Dragon Twister, Caterpillar Ride, Musical Fountain or Ammu Kids naughty elephant friend each and every aspect of Veega Land is an experience of its own. Ideally tucked away from the mad rush and alarming levels of traffic noise and situated on a hill, Veega Land offers a blanket of fresh air with lots of green environs, just perfect for your spirits to soar high.

Ponmudi Hill Station

The salubrious hill station of Ponmudi is at a distance of 61 kms from Thiruvananthapuram. The enchanting bounty of nature can be witnessed here in the quiet surroundings.
Perched at an altitude of over 100 m above sea level on the Western Ghats, the shimmering green waters of the winding streams and verdant woods of Ponmudi do not spare anybody. Trekking is a passion with the visitors to Ponmudi, lying within easy driving distance from Thiruvananthapuram.

One will find oneself compulsively pausing every now and then to drink in deep the spectacular sweep of the hill ranges, tea-estates and the mist-covered valleys, peppered with little toy-like stone cottages painted a pretty violet, pink, or white with pointed and peaked roofs.

How To Get There - Ponmudi
It takes 2 hours by road, driving 65 kms northeast from Thiruvananthapuram, to get to Ponmudi. Bus services are frequent.

Places To Stay - Ponmudi
Accommodation can be availed at Government Tourist Complex. The Complex consists of a guesthouse with 24 rooms, and ten small stone cottages sitting on the hillside named after famous Himalayan peaks.

Prime Attractions of Ponmudi
Varkala Beach
Aaranmula Boat Race

Varkala beach in kerala

Varkala (Malayalam  is a coastal town and municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district situated in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located 50 kilometres (approx. 32 miles) north-west of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and 37 km south-west of Kollam city.

Varkala is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea.[1] These tertiary sedimentary formation cliffs are a unique geological feature on the otherwise flat Kerala coast, and is known among geologists as Varkala Formation and a geological monument as declared by the Geological Survey of India. There are numerous water spouts and spas on the sides of these cliffs.

Varkala is also famous for the 2,000-year old Janardana Swami Temple which is an important Vaishnavaite shrine in India and is often referred to as Dakshin Kashi (Benares of the South). The temple is located close to the Papanasam beach, which is considered to have holy waters which wash away sins, and is also an important Ayurveda treatment centre. The temple has an ancient bell removed from a shipwreck, donated by the captain of the Dutch vessel which sank near Varkala without causing any casualties.

Another major landmark in Varkala is the Sivagiri Mutt, established by the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. The hill-top mausoleum of Sree Narayana Guru is one of the most famous monuments in Kerala. The adjacent hills house the East-West University of Brahmavidya and Sree Narayana Gurukulam.

It is believed that a Pandyan King was instructed by Lord Brahma to build a temple at this very place to redeem him of his sins. But several other myths abound on the birth of Varkala. Another legend goes like this - when a group of pilgrims approached Saint Narada and told him that they had sinned, Narada threw his valkalam ( a loin cloth made from the bark of a tree) and it landed at this scenic village and hence, the place came to be known as Varkala. Narada told the pilgrims to pray for their redemption at Papanasam, which literally means redemption from sins.[2]

Paradesi Synagogue in kerala

The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest active[1] synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations,[2] located in Kochi, Kerala, in South India. It was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin. Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages, and the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagogue because it was historically used by "White Jews", a mixture of Jews from Cranganore, the Middle East, and European exiles. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known as Jew Town,[2] and is the only one of the seven synagogues in the area still in use. The complex has four buildings. It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace temple on the land gifted to the Malabari Yehuden community by the Raja of Kochi, Rama Varma. The Mattancherry Palace temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall.

The Malabari Jews formed a prosperous trading community of Kerala, and they controlled a major portion of world wide spice trade. In 1568, the Jews of Kerala constructed the Paradesi Synagogue adjacent to Mattancherry Palace, Cochin, now part of the Indian city of Ernakulam, on land given to them by Paraja, the Raja of Kochi. The original synagogue was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur (Cranganore) when the Jews had a mercantile role in the South Indian region along the Malabar coast now called Kerala. It was later moved to Kochi from Kodungallur.

The first synagogue of the Malabari Jews in Cochin was destroyed in the Portuguese persecution of the Malabari Jews and Nasrani people of Kerala in the 16th century. The second synagogue, built under the protection of the Raja of Cochin along with Dutch patronage, is the present synagogue. It is called Paradesi synagogue because it was built with Dutch patronage at a time when Kochi was under Dutch occupation, thus the name paradesi synagogue or "foreign synagogue".

In 1968, the synagogue celebrated its 400th anniversary in a ceremony attended by Indira Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister.

Vembanad Lake in kerala

Vembanad Lake is at the heart of Kerala Backwaters tourism with hundreds of kettuvallams crisscrossing it and numerous resorts nestling on its banks. The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the east coast of the lake. The lake is famous for its scenic beauty and has become a major tourist attraction.

The Vembanad Wetland system has formed an intricate network of estuaries, lagoons and canals which spans over 196 km in the northsouth and 29 km in the east-west directions. Almost all villages in these areas can be accessed via water transport. The major rivers of Muvattupuzha, Meenachil, Pamba and Achencovil rivers, are all navigable up to distances of about 30 km upstream in the tidal reach. The Kottappuram-Kollam segment of the west coast canal system has a major chunk passing through the Vembanad Lake and spans a total of 209 km. It has been declared as a National Waterway.

On July 27, 2002, twenty-nine people were killed when an overcrowded boat capsized in the Vembanad lake. The boat was carrying more people than twice its slated capacity. The boat was a daily ferry service which connects Muhamma village on the west coast to Kumarakom on the east. The crowd were going in for writing a PSC test.[8]

Rajamalai National Park (Eravikulam National Park)

The Eravikulam National Park was created to preserve the Nilgiri Tahr, a rare species of the wild goats found only in the south of the Himalayas.

This park is abundantly rich with shola forests and grasses, and is yet fairly new as it was after construction in 1978. The park is sited in the Idukki district. It is located on the borders of Kerala and Tamilnadu.

The history says that during the British rule, this region was owned by Rajamalai and Eravikulam, and then it was given to Kannan Deven Hills for tea plantation. Later it was declared as sanctuary and was founded in 1975 and upgraded as national park in 1978.

Some of the animals spotted here are Elephant, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri marten, small-clawed otter and a rare tiger or leopard and the Nilgiri wood pigeon.

Alappuzha in kerala

Alappuzha (Malayalam: ആലപ്പുഴ), also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, it was described as the one of the places known as "Venice of the East" by Marco Polo (1292). It is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha District. Malayalam is the most spoken language. Hindi, English and Tamil are also widely spoken in the town.

Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is an animal sanctuary in Wayanad, Kerala, south India. It is on the way from Mysore to Sultan Battery. Wild animals such as Indian Bison, elephant, deer and tiger has been spotted. There are also quite a few wild birds in the sanctuary.Peacocks and Peafowl tend to be very common in the area.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala. It is bestowed with lush green forests and rich wildlife. Also known as the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, this wildlife area houses some of the rare and endangered species of both flora and fauna.

Established in 1973, the sanctuary is now an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It’s bounded by protected area network of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka in the northeast, and on the southeast by Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu.

It is part of the Wayanad plateau and the vegetation is predominantly of the south Indian moist deciduous teak forests. Also, the sanctuary has pastures of the west-coast semi-evergreen trees. The wildlife sanctuary comes under Protect Elephant and one can spot herd of elephants roaming in the area.

Elephant rides are arranged by the Forest Department,Kerala. Discovering and observing the wildlife while being atop an elephant is an enthralling and unforgettable experience.

It is spread over 344 km² and is about 16 km east of Sultan Battery, the nearest large town.

Wayanad district has the largest population of aborigine people in Kerala. The native aadivasis mainly consist of various sects like Paniyas, Kuruma s, Adiyar s, Kurichya s, Oorali s, Kattunaikkan s etc. Comprising an area of 2126 km2, Wayanad has a powerful history. Relicts and edicts found in various parts of Wayanad speak of an importatnt prehistoric era. Historians are of the view that organised human life existed in these parts, at least ten centuries before Christ.

The sanctuary is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (6,000+ km²), including all of the sanctuary, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.[1]
Map of Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, showing Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in relation to multiple contiguous protected areas

Lake Geneva- Switzerland

One of the neatest things to do is to go on a tour of some of the various places in switzerland. I had a chance to take a relatively short tour (it took about half to three quarters of the day) to Lausanne and Geneva. We crossed into France for a quick visit to the quaint little town of Annency and then came back through Mont Blanc and Evian, as lake geneva made our way back into Switzerland as we returned to Villars.

Lake Geneva is amazing.

Lake Zurich beach-Switzerland

Switzerland s a landlocked country. Whats more, Switzerland is a cold country; even in the middle of summer temperatures can be downright chilly. But the Swiss, stoic to a fault, don’t let the lack of a coastline or the brisk winds sweeping down from the snow-clad summer Alps hinder their summer beach outings. Instead of the ocean they head for the lakes, and one of the more popular places to spend a day at the beach is Lake Zurich.

This 24-mile long lake, which was gouged out by a glacier during the last Ice Age, sits in a densely populated region, surrounded by a beautiful pre-Alpine setting. Although almost a million inhabitants live around the shores of Lake Zurich, a third of the its shoreline is still freely accessible, and residents flock city beach resorts to swim and sunbathe, making the most of the country’s short summer season. Giant Ferris wheel towers over city beach resort in Zurich

Strandbad Mythenquai resort, located in Zurich proper, offers a long stretch of sandy beach complete with diving platform, children’s playground, barbecue facilities, boutique, massage, aerobics, volleyball, and a good waterfront restaurant, all framed by the spectacular Alps. Close by, Seebad Enge is another popular lakeside resort that features floating rafts, designated women-only areas, massage, Yoga classes and saunas. There’s even a giant Ferris wheel at the resort, which at one time was the tallest in the world. Singapore claimed the title for highest Ferrris wheel in 2008, but Zurich’s wheel still provides stunning views across the lake.

Anjuna beach-GOA

The Anjuna beach in Goa is known for its full-moon (acid house) parties. Held for and by young tourists, these parties have attracted thousands of tourists. The trance party with dance, frolic, and merriment goes all night besides the fire. It is just the right place for lazing holidaymakers.

Besides the calm waters of the Arabian Sea lapping softly on the Indian shore, Anjuna comes alive with its ever-famous full-moon parties and the Wednesday flea market to take one onto a trance trip.

Anjuna Beach has been the haunt of the flower generation in the sixties and is now popular with the younger generations. It became popular because of its Trance Parties and the Hippies who tried to fuse the Eastern spiritual traditions with Western Music, ideas and art.

Anjuna is a small Village in north Goa and is popularly called the freak capital in the world. Its significant tourist spots are the magnificent Albuquerque Mansion built in 1920 (flanked by octagonal towers and an attractive Mangalore tile-roof), the Mascarenhas Mansion, and the Chapora fort

Every Wednesday, at around 11 a.m., Anjuna breaks into a riot of colors. Lines of vehicles full of tourists start virtually raising clouds of dust in this area. Whatever one needs, from a used paperback to a haircut, one would find it here. The flea market is a heaven for hardcore shoppers and good bargainers, to bid on wonderful blends of Tibetan, Kashmiri and Gujarati trinkets and handicrafts, European snacks, cassettes of a noisy brand of music called 'Goa Trance', artificial ornaments carvings and T-shirts. An elephant ride and a photograph with a fake sadhu or a fake snake charmer can also be found here.

There are plenty of guest house around the village, and even a couple of hotels. Someone planning a longer stay should look out for 'To Let' signs, as there are plenty of houses that are available on rent along the back lanes.

Al Khor beach- DOHA

Drive to Al khor, make your way along main street towards the sea and follow the road round Doha,the left and you'll come to Al Khor's Corniche. Unlike do below the Corniche is a sandy beach, dotted with play areas and a mock ship for children to play on and shaded areas provided for barbecuing.

The play areas could be in better nick, and the thatch on the beach shades are wearing a little thin, but in our opinion this is still one of the better beaches in Qatar. Unlike many other beaches, the sand seems relatively free of glass, and on Friday the beach is busy with residents playing football and volleyball or having a barbeque.

The promenade also makes for a pleasant walk, and has plenty of flowers to admire - Al Khor is proud of its gardens. Walk to the far end and you'll come to a small area of mangoves - great for the children to play in, and to see the small fish and crabs that inhabit the mangroves

Kovalam beach-Kerala

One of the most popular beaches in Trivandrum, Kovalam beach is situated at a distance of 16 kilometers to the south of Trivandrum city. The natural beauty of this beautiful beach is what attracts people from far and wide to come here. It takes an hour from Trivandrum to reach this scenic beach, which is famous for its beach resorts. The Kovalam beach in Kerala offers the best of facilities to its visitors like sunbathing, swimming, Ayurvedic massages and plenty of other options. Check out the Thiruvananthapuram Kovalam beach and come here to recharge your energy levels and feel refreshed once again.

One of the most famous and popular of all the beaches in South India, the Kovalam beach has many beach resorts lined up to cater to different tourists and their varied demands. The Kovalam beach is divided into two main beaches besides the many other private beaches. They are known as Eve’s beach and Lighthouse beach. The Eve’s beach is a semi circular beach and is a secluded spot lined with palm trees. The Lighthouse beach has a famous lighthouse that has been fighting the tempests since the British rule.

The beach offers many facilities for keeping tourists amused. Apart from sunbathing and swimming, the beach is ideal to take long walks and watch the magical sunset while the warm water softly laps at your feet. The fishermen in the beach offer to take you out in the sea while they go out to claim their catch for the day. Sail with them during sunrise and come back as the sun sets, painting the horizon a beautiful shade of ochre

Wonderla-Bangalore

Wonderla is an amusement park located near Bidadi, 28 kilometres (17 mi) Bangalore, spanning over 82 acres (33 ha) of land. It has been promoted by V-Guard Group, based in Cochin, Kerala. It is the second theme park project from the group and has been operational since October 2005. It has been set up with a total investment of over Rs. 105 crores.Wonderla has always tried its best to retain and utilize natural resources to the optimum. The company has planted more than 2000 trees in order to develop natural shade in the park. The park also has an extensive rainwater harvesting system that collects even roof rain water for drinking purposes. The rain water is collected in various tanks depending on the quality and intended usage, and has a combined capacity to collect over 2 crore liters. Wonderla also uses solar energy extensively to heat water in pools and kitchens. Wonderla is among few amusement parks in India to have ISO 14001:2004 certification for environmental friendly operatioWONDE

Araku Valley

Araku is located at 18.3333°N 82.8667°E.^[2] It has an average elevation of 911 meters (2992 feet).
It is located 115 km from Vishakhapatnam, close to the Orissa state border. This place lures people with pleasant weather, hills and valleys. The natural beauty of this valley comes alive with its rich landscape. The area of the valley is roughly 36 km², and the altitude is between 600 and 900 meters above sea level.
The journey to this place on the Ghat road with thick forests on either side is in itself interesting and pleasant. One can have a wonderful trekking trip. Traveling on train gives you a memorable experience. A total of fifty-seven tunnels and numerous bridges will greet you on the way. The Ananthagiri hills on the way to Araku Valley are famous for coffee plantations. The Borra caves, located 29 km from Araku Valley, are a nearby tourist attraction full of stalactites and stalagmites.
Located on the Eastern Ghats of India, the valley is inhabited by tribal people. One of the other attractions of this valley is a Tribal Museum.
The valley is connected through both rail and road to the city of Vishakapatnam. There are two railway stations at Araku and Araku Valley on the Kothavalasa-Kirandul railway line of Visakhapatnam division of the East Coast Railway, on the Indian Railways network.

There is a Museum of tribal handicrafts and lifestyle, a Yatri Nivas and a Government Guest House, for accommodation; it's situated near the city of Visakhapatnam. One can relax while looking at the beautiful scenery and the lovely bonfires in the cottages.
Some of the important places to see are 1. Ananthagiri hills 2. Borra caves 3. Chaparai water channel 4. Katika waterfalls 5. Tribal museum 6. Padmapuram gardens

Vintage Car Museum

Ashvek Vintage World is a Vintage Car Museum situated in Nuvem, Salcete, Goa. It is Goa's first and only vintage car museum that showcases over a dozen vintage cars sourced from Goa or neighboring areas like Kholapur, Belgam and Sawantwadi.

Situated on the Panaji – Madgaon highway, the Ashvek Vintage World museum was set up by Pradeep Naik to spread awareness about vintage cars amongst the youth. It takes up restoration and preservation of vintage cars and some of the cars restored here are in excellent working condition and can be hired out for weddings, movie shoots or simply for joy rides.

At the Vintage Car museum one can see models such as the Chevrolet Fleet master that was popular in the 1930's America as Mafia staff car, Mercedes Benz 170 of 1939 vintage which was actually used in the movie Sea Wolves Morris Van Essex (1924), Ford V8, Peugeot 301, Austin 1928 and the Morris 8.

The museum also displays the Vidal Tempo of 1936 sourced from the Maharaja of Sawantwadi that is one of the most interesting one built as command car of the Nazi army. It is the car with two engines - the only in the world and is also the world's first four wheel drive.

The Ashvek Vintage World is also a pioneer in organizing vintage car rallies in Goa. The money sourced from restoration and preservation is reinvested in maintaining new and existing cars. The museum is open all days from 9am to 6pm except for Sundays.

Madei Wildlife Sanctuary

The Madei Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Sattari takula in North Goa. It is spread over an area of 208 sq km and is a link between the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and the Sawantwadi forests in Maharashtra and the Netravali wildlife sanctuary in Eastern Goa.

The Madei Wildlife Sanctuary together with the Netravali wildlife sanctuary cover an area of 420 sq. km. The sanctuary supports a rich variety of wildlife and covers much of the north-eastern portions of Goa. It is also known to be a bird watcher's paradise where one can see a lot of species of birds.

The Mhadei wildlife sanctuary is also famous for its semi green and evergreen forests. The area has been notified as protected for wildlife. The sanctuary is also well known in Goa as a tigress and a cub were spotted here. A lot of other wildlife can also be seen here.

Carambolim Lake in Goa

The Carambolim Lake is situated approx 2 kms southeast of Old Goa in the Tiswadi taluka. It is excellent place of birding in Goa that supports a large population of herbivorous birds.

Built to facilitate irrigation of the nearby fields, the Carambolim lake is a man made freshwater lake that is situated within walking distance from the Karmali Railway Station. It is a famous bird watching spot in Goa where one can see a lot of species of migratory birds as well as a lot of waterbirds.

Due to the rich ecology at the lake at Carambolim, one can see birds such as waterfowls, egrets, jacanas, moorhens, herons, pintails, open-billed storks, lesser whistling teals, shovelers, garganeys and coots.

The Carambolim Lake is indeed a bird-watcher's paradise where one can see some exotic, migratory birds, which have been flocking here for hundreds of years. One can also see paddy fields, trees and woodland in the area that makes the place very picturesque.

Selaulim Dam

The Selaulim dam lies on the Selaulim river at about 5 km from the Sanguem town. it is Goa's biggest man-made water storage source that is also a favourite picnic spot for locals.

During the monsoons, the misty outlook of the western ghats against the backdrop of the dam is truly breathtaking. One can spend hours here in its scenic beauty.

For accommodation, an irrigation department rest house and a private resort are located nearby. The tourist department cottages lie unused and there is also a restaurant located in Chinchant.

To get to the Selaulim dam one can enjoy a 35 km picturesque drive from Margao. Once you cross Curchorem and reach Sanguem, the dam lies on Selaulim river.

Amthane Dam

The dam supplies raw water to the nearby Sanquelim water treatment plant. It is not a big one but has a scenic view of the catchment and Sahyadri range beyond from the mouth of the dam.

The Amthane dam can be visited by taking the left side of the fork from the Assonora bridge, instead of driving to Bicholim. For accommodation here one can get an eco resort in Sal that offers food and stay.

Other places to visit include the Tilari dam which is about 20 km from Dodamarg in Maharashtra. The river Chapora also flows nearby.

Anjunem Dam

The Anjunem Dam is located on the Sanquelim-Belgaum highway in Chorla ghat at about 10 km from the Sanquelim town. It is one of the most idyllic places to enjoy the mystic charm and greenery around.

The dam lies in a sylvan valley formed by the proximity of another peak, Morlemgad to its south-east and below one of Goa's highest peaks, Vagheri hill.

For accommodation, there is a foret department rest house at Keri and an irrigation department rest house above the dam. There is also a private eco resort in Chorla ghat.

The ambience at the Anjunem dam is so enchanting that visitors return to the spot every monsoon or even during other seasons.

alorna fort

The fort had four guns and in the year 1746, the fort was captured by Marquis of Castello Novo (later known as Marquis of Alorna) from the Bhonsles. The possession however was short lived.

In 1781, the fort was again captured by Dom Frederico Guilherme de Souza. It was used to defend against the Maratha attacks from the north.

The fort is presently in a dilapidated condition. It is however a beautiful site to explore as it is perched on the banks of the river Chapora as it flows peacefully towards Colvale.

tirupati temple

There is ample literary and epigraphic testimony to the antiquity of the temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara.

Sri KrishnadevarayaAll the great dynasties of rulers of the southern peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri Venkateswara in this ancient shrine. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century AD), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar (14th - 15th century AD) were devotees of the Lord and they competed with one another in endowing the temple with rich offerings and contributions.

It was during the rule of the Vijayanagar dynasty that the contributions to the temple increased. Sri Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his consorts installed at the portals of the temple, and these statues can be seen to this day. There is also a statue of Venkatapati Raya in the main temple.

After the decline of the Vijayanagar dynasty, nobles and chieftains from all parts of the country continued to pay their homage and offer gifts to the temple. The Maratha general, Raghoji Bhonsle, visited the temple and set up a permanent endowment for the conduct of worship in the temple. He also presented valuable jewels to the Lord, including a large emerald which is still preserved in a box named after the General. Among the later rulers who have endowed large amounts are the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal.

After the fall of the Hindu kingdoms, the Muslim rulers of Karnataka and then the Britishers took over, and many of the temples came under their supervisory and protective control.

In 1843 AD, the East India Company divested itself of the direct management of non-Christian places of worship and native religious institutions. The administration of the shrine of Sri Venkateswara and a number of estates were then entrusted to Sri Seva Dossji of the Hatiramji Mutt at Tirumala, and the temple remained under the administration of the Mahants for nearly a century, till 1933 AD.