|
|
Berijam Lake located at a distance of 21-km from Kodaikanal
in Tamil Nadu is one among the beautiful lakes of South India. Spread over
an area of 24 hectares, the lake is star shaped and is known for its pure
water. It serves as the main source of water supply for the town "Periyakulam",
which is located in the valley below Kodaikanal.
The British and Spanish people originally discovered the Berijam Lake.
This place was a swamp 80-100 years ago and was later converted into a
lake with catchment areas around the lake. Fishing and boating facilities
are available at the lake.
Situated at a very high altitude (a couple of hundred feet below
Kodaikanal) and surrounded by immensely beautiful pine and acacia forests,
the Berijam Lake is a super picnic spot and an ideal locale for trekking.
But, forest laws protect the lake and the forest and tourists have to take
permission from the forest officer in Kodaikanal, to go there.
Berijam is an ideal locale for trekking. Two wheelers are not allowed into the forest and tourists traveling by four wheelers are also not allowed to go beyond Berijam. There are two roads from Berijam leading to Munnar and Kavunji. These roads have been blocked for traffic for a couple of decades and with lots of stuff growing on them they have turned into perfect trekking spots.
Trekkers have two options to choose, either the Munnar trek
or the Kavunji trek. The Munnar trek is about 40-km from Berijam and
Kavunji is about 9-km. The forest looks gorgeous with Bisons, Deers and
Leopards all over the place. It is advisable to trek in small groups
rather than one or two people.
For those who wish to trek from Kavunji to Berijam can catch a bus from
Kodaikanal to Kavunji and then trek to Berijam. Trekkers can also go
trekking all the way from Kodaikanal to Munnar, which will take around
three days and is approximately 80-km. For this trek one has to go
prepared with warm clothes, heavy rain gear and food. Dormitory and
canteen facilities are available at Berijam, which serves as a base for
trekking.
Air: The nearest airport is at
Madurai, 121-km away. It is well
connected with other places like
Chennai (444-km),
Tiruchirapalli (316-km), and
Bangalore (331-km)
with regular flights.
Rail: The nearest railway station is the Kodai Road Railway
Station, which is 80-km away. One can get trains from Kodai Road to
Chennai (485-km from
Kodai Road), Madurai (41-km from
Kodai Road), and other places in the region.
Road: Kodaikanal is well connected by road with the important
towns and cities of the state. Regular bus services are available from
Madurai (121-km), Palani
(64-km), Kodai Road (80-km), Tiruchirapalli
(437-km), Coimbatore (215-km) as well as
Theni, Dindigul, Kumili and
Erode. Additional buses ply regularly during the
season and the rates are very reasonable.
Accommodation is available at the star and moderate class hotels, lodges, and cottages in Kodaikanal.