A short visit to Paniyeli Poru, Ernakulam, Kerala.

Paniyeli Poru is a great place for a weekend escape, in Ernakulam District of Kerala. For an adventurous travelers, this is the perfect spot, located in the outskirts of Kochi. Paniyeli Poru, near Perumbavoor, has natural water falls, rivulets, & surrounded by rich greenery, where the visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature and relax. There are no restrictions, but the visitors must be very cautious. This is a part of Periyar River, flowing through the rock formations. The river looks shallow and wide, but  is powerful due to the strong undercurrents generated as the river is flowing though the rock crevice. Turbulence is not visible on the surface at all. The  beauty of the nature is at its best, the chanting birds and the rhythmic flow of water soothes us.

My visit to Paniyeli Poru was somewhat an accidental visit. I had to visit some place on Nedumbassery -> Kalady route. Here I met my friend Bijith and both of us had some time to kill. So we made a quick plan to visit Paniyeli Poru. He told me its beautiful and quite near by. I didn't have any second thoughts, and we just motored to Paniyeli. The road to Paniyeli Poru is not that great, there were a couple of places with large potholes and narrow roads. Thankfully Google maps were there to support us to find the quickest route to our destination. We reached and managed to park our car near the entrance itself. As we walked in, we understood that tickets has to be bought from the forest department counter at the entrance. This property is under the Reserved Forests & controlled by Kerala State Forest Department. The guards instructed us not to use any plastics as its a no plastic zone and liquor is strictly prohibited. 

As we entered, we noticed small shops which provide snacks and fresh juice. Some provided homely meals too. Since the area is not well developed, the food and refreshments option is minimal. It is recommended to carry some water to keep yourself hydrated during the visit. From the entrance you have to walk at least for half an hour to reach the water body. But the walk through the scenic path way, with canopy of trees and bushes is refreshing. The path way has a lot of information / message boards. Some of them are warning boards, showing that there are wild animals, both small and big. There were some elephant warning boards too, as this is a place where elephant herds visit to drink water and have food. It is recommended to listen to the guards and care takers who guides us through the pathway. They have also mentioned, that they have spotted some snakes, wild pigs, deer, etc.       

We also found some interesting tree roots. However, we were not able to identify the tree. The area was full of different variety of trees. Out of curiosity, we asked the local members and guards about this root and the tree. They were also not sure, however they were very fond of nature and they were into fertilizing and preparing new plants & trees.

Bijith, my friend.

We can sit on the banks of the river surrounded by dense trees to relax and calm our-self's. This itself is a very unique experience. The crashing sound of water waves, and the sweet chirping of birds makes your mind and body peaceful. 

After relaxing for an hour or so, we decided to get back. We started walking all the way back to our car, & zoomed away. 

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Rahul Devakumar

Creative Media Studio

We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.