It was 7.30am when we reached at Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple. 2hrs running from Thiruvananthapuram by bike. It is a high range area, so the cold of the morning remains though the climate is sunny. ‘Ayyappas’ coming from Sabarimala made the temple live. (it was the time just after ‘Makaravilakku’)
There is an interesting legend behind the origin of the temple.
Once an elder Brahmin and his servants, after their Rameswaram pilgrimage, camped on the banks of the river Kallada. Servants starts to make the evening food. They collected two stones and place it near another fixed stone they found near by to make oven. But the fixed stone is a little taller, so they placed the others one upon another to adjust the height. Suddenly the fixed stone grow up a little. They placed another stone but the fixed stone again grew. The servants did the same task again and again, but each times the fixed stone became taller. At last one of the frustrated servant hit the fixed stone by another, suddenly blood gushed out from it. Frightened servants told the happenings to the Brahmin. He sprinkled some holy water that bought from Rameswaram to the fixed stone. Lord ‘Ayyappa’ appeared in front of them in the form of child (Balasastha) and give blessings.
Kottarakkara Thampuran herd this and built this temple.
‘Vishu Maholtsav’ starting from April and extends up to 10 days is the main celebration here.
The river flowing in front of the temple with crystal clear water is one of the tributary of Kallada River. Now, the surroundings have excretory and other wastes as a remaining of the pilgrim season. We take a dip in a little better space and prayed the Baalasaastha. Next to thenmala. On the way a photo shoot on the banks of the river with the ‘child sun’ as background.
The name ‘Thenmala’ is came from two words ‘then’(honey) + ‘mala’(hill). The unique floral combination gives high medecinal value to the honey collecting from here. This place is inside Senthuruni Wild Life Sanctuary. The area having an altitude of 100-600m from the mean sea level.
Thenmala Eco Tourism Project is famous as first one in such projects in India. Eco tourism Zones are near Thenmala Dam, 2km before Thenmala Junction where NH-208 and SH-2 meets. Thenmala Dam is across Kallada River and it is the biggest irrigation project in Kerala.
This Dam is the main one of the Kallada Irrigation Project (KIP) started at 1961. On the way from Thiruvananthapuaram, just before reaching the Dam, a ‘Saddle Dam’ can see at Pallamvetty.
It is the small Dam to prevent the overflowing of water from Thenmala reservoir through this area. 50MW electricity can produce from Thenmala Dam. It has a length of 335m and height 81m. This project is not commissioned yet though it get importance in the 9th plan. It aims to irrigate Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts.
Thenmala Dam has an entry fee of ` 5; parking fee extra. Need walk through a winding path to reach on the Dam. Photography is prohibited upon it. But the mobile camera helps us to taken pictures hiding the security guard. 
All 3 shutters of the Dam are in closed condition. Only the leaking water under it is to coming out. A stone built wall can see us in the reservoir, a little inside. It is the construction on a low deep area, to know the water level. A tree is also near it indicating the deepness of that area.
Thenmala Eco tourism Fecilitation Center is about 100m away from the front gate of the Dam through the opposite road. We reached there at 10.30 when after getting down from the Dam. Not ate the break fast yet. There was no chance to avail. Though the place is famous; 2 or 3 small shops and a KIP canteen is only there. Only lunch will get from the canteen. So cut the brake fast.
Thenmala Ecotourism- under ‘Thenmala Ecotourism Project Society (TEPS)’-contains various Zones..This is also a part of Senthuruni Wild Life Sanctuary. The facts collected already from the corporate office at Thiruvananthapuram helps us now. ‘Deer Rehabilitation Center’, ‘Butterfly Safary Park’, ‘Musical Dancing Fountain’, ‘Boating on Sanctuary’, ‘trekking’, ‘Leisure Zone’, ‘Adventure Zone’, etc. are the attractions here. Entry pass need for adults and children separate to enter. Information about various places with photos is exhibited near Facilitation Center. Visitors can select places of their choice and take pass.
Amphitheater, shop court, restaurant, ‘Nakshatravanam’, Musical dancing fountain and butterfly safari park are the part of Cultural Zone. 27 trees indicating 27 birth stars is the specialty of ‘Nakshatravanam’. Entry to Musical dancing fountain is only after 7 in the evening. Also, 20 adults or equivalent fair need to start the show.
Extra pass need for various activities in Adventure Zone other then the entry pass. But, it is optional. If interested, we can take pass for that activity from that spot itself.
We selected only Leisure Zone and Adventure Zone and took the pass.
Leisure Zone is on one of the sides of the Dam, on the slopes of the hill. The main attractions are ‘Sculpture Garden’, ‘Board Walk’ and ‘Sway bridge’. A jungle path through the trees is floored by Blackstone. Sculptures can see on the sides while walking through cold showered shadows. Boards with pictures and facts remind us to protect the forest and nature.
Theme of the sculpture garden is ‘Man and Nature’. Some boards and sculptures were wrecked. ‘Vikramadhitya and Vethala’, ‘Jadayu’, ‘Face of Siva’, ‘Vettakkaran’, ‘Sreebudha’, ‘Dancing Ladies’, are some of the sculptures. All of them lost its beauty because of lack in care in protection. After seeing this all, we will reach near the bottom of the Dam.
A wooden walk way on concrete slabs of about 1.5m width is projecting to the river on its shore. That is ‘Board Walk’. After Board walk, some far we can see the ‘Sway Bridge’. 
We can’t cross the river through it because the other side is closed. Under the bridge the river, once ran with rich rushed water, is now crawling with some water nerves that get under the shutter.
When coming out from the Leisure Zone time reached to 12.30. Hungered stomach became impatient. Lunch was from a small hotel at Thenmala town. There have no bigger hotels. It is a small town formed only if the two main roads uniting. So, lunch with fried ‘mathi’ (sardine) has a special ‘naadan’ taste.
Get back to Adventure Zone. When giving the pass, they will lead us to a walkway built upon the trees (Elevated Walkway). We can walk upon the hill through this curved path having a distance of about 100m length and a height of about 5-6m from the ground, built below the big trees and over the small ones. Monkeys will wait for you to get the ‘snacks’.
They may not attack the visitors, but if see the food some times will do to get it. After the Walk way we can see the big rocks using for ‘Rock Climbing’. If u have time and a mind to take risk-then experience the chance.
Under the hill there is a small pond. ‘Pedal Boating’, ‘River Crossing’, ‘Burma Bridge’, etc. are here.
While start the journey to ‘Paalaruvi’, after Adventure Zone, time was 1.35. A little after Thenmala the famous ’13-Kannaarappaalam’ reached in front. Punalur-Sengotai railway track is passing upon 13 arches beside NH-208, Kollam-Madhura road. No train is running now through this 40ft heightened Blackstone Bridge molded by the Colonial culture. Tracks became rusted.
3 months before, when passing on this bridge as a traveler in the last train, decide this moment in mind-one more visit to see the Kannaara Bridge closer. Climbed upon the bridge by the slopes of the hill. Under, ‘small’ cars and bikes are passing on the road.
Before entering the bridge train passes through a small tunnel. On the bridge to avoid the slipping out of the wheels, iron rails are placed inside the track. This darkened tunnels and Kannaara bridges may not see tomorrow when another train comes on the tracks of development. This chance is to keep the Kannaara Bridge and its scenes in mind and camera; without a fade. 
Time reached in Paalaruvi with us at 3’o clock. The falls is 4km deep from the highway. Pass required for person and vehicle.
It is a small stream falling from a height of 300ft (91m). Not much water. But streaming down through on the rocks seems actually like milk. Here allow you to take a dip. A little higher platform is there to see the fall.
We went to Tamilnadu, 5km away from Paalaruvi, to fill petrol in bike because it turned to reserve. Petrol filled from a pump between the wide paddy fields and turned the bike back- in front of us the Westernghat hills raised its head. Again to Kerala mounted over it…………..
LOCATION INFO-THENMALA
district
KOLLAM
altitude
100-600m FROM MSL
climate
NORMALY COOL AND SHYNI
access
FROM THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: by road: TVM-THENMALA STATE HIGHWAY
FROM KOLLAM: by road: KOLLAM-THENMALA(NH-208)
by rail: KOLLAM-THENMALA via PUNALUR
