Landscapes - Kumarakom, the most famous backwaters village in Kerala, is on the east banks of Vembanad Lake which is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala and the longest lake in India. Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things is set in Ayemenem or Aymanam village, which adjoins Kumarakom. The explosive success of this novel has given some added tourism impetus to this area. To satisfy the thirst for tourism, many resorts have sprung up, doting the banks of the backwaters and the lake. Coconut lagoon, has probably the most prime spot, opening up into the lake and daily visits from all the birds. KTDC has a resort, Waterscapes, which also serves as the entrance point into the Kumarakom bird sanctuary. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary serves as a temporary home to many species of migratory birds. The Vembanad Lake is a habitat for many marine and freshwater fish species and it teems with Karimeen and shrimp. The bird sanctuary extends over 14 acres and came into existence following preservation efforts from the government. Egrets, Herons, Kingfishers, Cormorants all are found in plenty. Any picture you see of the backwaters of Kerala was probably taken in Kumarakom, and no amount of pictures evokes the same feelings as gliding in a kettuvallam, a traditional boat, or a houseboat on the backwaters or on Vembanad lake, and being part of an ecosystem that includes thousands of birds. Kumarakom is a must see for any visitor to India and truly represents the words Incredible India.
Landscapes - Mullayyanagiri is the highest peak in Karnataka, India. Mullayyanagiri is located in the Chandra Dhrona Hill Ranges of the Western Ghats of Chikkamagaluru Taluk. With a height of 1,925 metres (6,316 ft), it is the highest peak in Karnataka and also the highest peak in the Krishna River basin.[1] The summit of Mullayanagiri has a small temple and houses a police radio relay station. The peak gets its name from a small temple (gadduge/tomb) at the summit, which is dedicated to a sage "Mulappa swamy" who is believed to have meditated at the caves only a couple of feet below the summit. The caves are accessible and not very deep, they have a direct entrance to the garbagudi of the temple, which is now blocked by the temple priests. Apart from multiple versions of folklore and strong Siddha culture around the belt, the origins or any information about the deity remains ambiguous.
