Ancient Port City Poombuhar

Poombuhar - India's Ancient Port City

Poompuhar is located close to the spot where the river Cauveri flows out into the sea. It is a town in the Sirkali Taluk, Nagapattinam District of Southern Tamil Nadu. This ancient port city earlier called as Kaveri poompattinam, served as the Capital of early Chola rulers.

Original town destroyed by sea and submerged presumably in 500 AD was rebuilt after that. Ancient Pottery and figurines dating back to the 4th century were recently found in ASI excavation. Emperors like Sembiyan, Muchugunda, Manuneethi and Karikala of Chola Dynasty added glory to Poompuhar. 

The general plan of the city of Puhar is described in considerable detail in the fifth book of Silapathikaram. The town was built on the north banks of the river Kaveri. The town had two distinct districts, Maruvurpakkam near the sea and Pattinappakkam to its west. These two villages were separated by a stretch of gardens and orchards where daily markets were held under the shades of the trees. The market place was known as Naalangadi during the day and as allangadi by night. It is called as Poompuhar or Puhar : Puhar in tamil means the ‘estuary’ of river in the Sea. Buddhism flourished in Poompuhar two thousands years ago.  It is also known to be the oldest inhabited area in Tamil Nadu. 

  

The ancient city of Puhar was destroyed by the sea around 300 BC. Marine archeologists from the National Institute of Oceanography have established that this could have been the effects of sediment erosion and periodic tsunamis.

 Places to Visit :     

·         Silappathikaram Art Gallery

·         Elanchi / Ilanji Mandram

·         Maritime Archaeological Museum

·         Nedungal Mandram (Art Statue)

·         Poompugar Beach

Silapathigaram Art Gallery : The Silappathikaram Art Gallery is a seven storied, classically built structure. The first floor of this building is 12 ft high and all the other floors have a height of 5 ft each. The tower comprises of Kalasams having a height of 8 ft, which brings the total height of this gallery to 50 ft. At the entrance of this gallery, there is a 22½ feet 'Magara Thoranavayil' has been designed on the pattern of Magara Thorana Vayil, found in Suruli Malai Mangala Devi Temple. The Anklet shaped tank within the building premises, has the statues of Kannagi and Madhavi on the sides of these tanks. The arte facts in this gallery comprises of scenes from Sangam Epic Silappathikaram. They were created by the sculptors of Government College of Architecture and Sculpture of Mamallapuram, and remains the treasure house of Tamil culture. Timings : 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 8:30 pm Entrance fee - Adult: 3/- per head and Child Rs.2/-. 

The Poombuhar town is located at 24 Km from Mayiladuthurai, in the Sirgazhi Taluk, Nagapattinam District

Poompuhar Beach

Poompuhar Beach Near Mayiladuthurai 

(India's Ancient Port City)

Poompuhar Beach is a natural and ancient beach located in Poompuhar, Tamil Nadu, India, along the Bay of Bengal. The beach starts from the Kaveri river and extends around 3 km north side towards Neithavasal. The sand of this beach spreads out around 3 kilometers. Recently granite stone has been placed on the shore to stop erosion.

This beach and Poompugar city plays an important role in South Indian history. Chitra Pournami is an important festival for this beach which happens during the full moon in Tamil, month chittrai (During Apr 14th to May 15th ). There also occurs a Holy dip in the mouth of Kaveri river is celebrated during new moon in the Tamil month of Thai and Adi. Mayiladuthurai is the nearest town which is located on the bank of Kaveri around 24 km away from this beach.

  

Poompuhar is close to Sirkazhi and Chidambaram. It is also a historic place associated with the Koovalan and Kannagi of Silappadhigaram.

Hermit Scenic Drive Grand Canyon Village

Hermit Road Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Arizona

Hermit Road on the Grand Canyon's South Rim, is well worth to explore this scenic route on the South Rim's western end by foot, bike, or shuttle. Hermit Road follows the rim for 8 miles with scenic overlooks. Hermit Road offers the opportunity for short or long walks between viewpoints on both paved and dirt trails. In addition to the Rim Trail, three miles of paved greenway trail provide additional views for cyclists and hikers.

Hermit Scenic Drive Road is Located west of Grand Canyon Village, Hermit Road follows the South Rim for 8 miles and offers access to scenic overlooks via the park shuttle and rim trails. It is closed to most private vehicles except during the months of December, January, and February.

A free public park shuttle (red route) goes between here and Hermits Rest, stopping at every overlook point. During summer months (May-September), buses run every 15 minutes between sunrise and sunset and every 30 minutes for one hour after sunset. The Hermit park shuttle doesn't run in November, December, and January.

View points in Hermit Road

1.       Maricopa Point

2.      Powell Point

3.      Hopi Point

4.      Mohave Point

5.      The Abyss

6.      Monument Creek Vista

7.       Pima Point

8.      Hermits Rest

Pima Point offers excellent views of the canyon and the Colorado River, including Granite Rapid

Mohave Point, An outstanding view of the Colorado River 5,000 feet below. From here you can see three rapids: Salt Creek, Granite, and Hermit. Use binoculars to see river runners negotiate the whitewater; Hermit Rapid's waves can be up to 20 feet high.

Hopi Point, This overlook juts farther out into the canyon than any other viewpoint on the South Rim, making it a premium spot to watch the sunset. Among the famous formations that light up in the evening glow are Shiva Temple and Zoroaster Temple.

Other Attractions / Viewpoints Around Grand Canyon Village

Yavapai Point – One of the most popular spots because it is the best way to see deep into the inner Canyon including the Colorado River and the Bright Angel Canyon.

Mather Point – From Mather Point, you can see well over half of the entire Canyon with magnificent views of the rock pinnacles called Vishnu Temple and Temple of Zoroaster. This is a great place to see the sunset.

Lookout Studio – located close to Bright Angel Lodge, the Lookout Studio sits right on the edge of the Canyon with spectacular panoramic views of the Canyon.

Moran Point – It is 16 miles away from the village, From Moran Point, you can see the white water of the Hakatai Rapids and the Red Canyon. This viewpoint is also famous for the sunset viewing because of the “Sinking Ship” illusion. The rock formations create the semblance of a sinking ship as the sun begins to dip behind the Canyon.

Desert View and Watchtower – Climb the watchtower (85 steps) to get a perfect 360° view of the Canyon. Desert View, Navajo point, Lipan Point are very close to Grand Canyon East Entrance

Lipan Point – This is one of the few places where you can see the “Grand Canyon Supergroup” of sedimentary rock formations. It is also a great way to view the inner gorge.

You may also like this post, Check this links below

·         Grand Canyon National Park - South Rim

·         Grand Canyon Arizona - Fun Facts to know

·         Hermit's Rest in Grand Canyon South Rim

·         Hopi Point Sunset View in Grand Canyon South Rim

Grand Canyon South Rim

Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Arizona

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the most visited location at Grand Canyon National Park. The South Rim is open year around and accessible by all. The best times to visit the Grand Canyon are March through May and September through November when daytime temperatures are cool and the crowds are thin.

The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. Attracting upwards of 5 million visitors per year, to explore the scenic views and vista’s, and this steep-walled canyon is one of the most well-known natural wonders in the world.

The South Rim, is open and accessible year-round via Route 64 from either the east or the south. It is 1,000 feet lower in elevation than the North Rim, so the roads here are usually not closed due to snow in the winter. Several Arizona towns are within 2 hours driving distance from the South Rim, including Williams, Flagstaff, and Sedona, and a variety of tours and/or shuttles depart from these towns for Grand Canyon National Park each day.

South Rim Attractions:

The South Rim is home to Grand Canyon Village, which offers about 7 different lodging options. Also it has the other facilities including lodging, fuel, food, souvenirs, and access to trails and guided walk tours. The South Rim also has shuttles services that take us around to the various viewpoints.  Historic Grand Canyon Village can be reached by driving or by Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, Arizona, 59 miles to the south.

The South Rim includes:

·         Historic Grand Canyon Village.

·         Scenic Hermit Road and Hermits Rest (7 miles/ 11.2 km) west of Grand Canyon Village

·         Desert View Drive and Desert View (25 miles/ 41 km) east of Grand Canyon Village

·         Visit the South Rim Viewpoints.

·         Bike Along Hermit Road.

·         Ride the shuttle along the rim – Hermit Road.

·         Walk the South Rim Trail.

·         Walk the Trail of Time.

·         Hike Below the Rim.

·         Ride a Mule into the Grand Canyon.

·         Watch the Grand Canyon IMAX Movie.

·         Take a Helicopter Flight Over the Grand Canyon.

·         Yavapai Museum of Geology.

A variety of activities at the South Rim cater to park visitors. A driving tour (35 miles (56 km)) along the South Rim is split into two segments.

The western drive to Hermit's Point is 8 miles (13 km) with several overlooks along the way, including Mohave Point, Hopi Point, and the Powell Memorial.

From March to December, access to Hermit's Rest is restricted to the free shuttle provided by the Park Service. The eastern portion to Desert View is 25 miles (40 km), and is open to private vehicles year-round.

Walking tours include the Rim Trail, which runs west from the Pipe Creek viewpoint for about 8 miles (13 km) of paved road, followed by 7 miles (11 km) unpaved to Hermit's Rest. Hikes can begin almost anywhere along this trail, and a shuttle can return hikers to their point of origin. Mather Point, the first view most people reach when entering from the South Entrance, is a popular place to begin.

You may also like this post, Check this links below

·         Hermit Road Scenic Drive Grand Canyon Village

·         Grand Canyon Arizona - Fun Facts to know

·         Hermit's Rest in Grand Canyon South Rim

·         Hopi Point Sunset View in Grand Canyon South Rim

Grand Canyon Fun Facts

Grand Canyon Arizona few Fun Facts to know

The Grand Canyon in Arizona is a natural formation distinguished by layered bands of red rock, revealing millions of years of geological history in cross-section. Vast in scale, the canyon averages 10 miles across and a mile deep along its 277-mile length. Much of the area is a national park, with Colorado River white-water rapids and sweeping vistas.

Grand Canyon National Park Arizona - Few Fun Facts to know

·         Many people consider it to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world.

·         The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 kilometres) in length.

·         At its widest point the Grand Canyon stretches 18 miles (29 kilometres) across.

·         At its narrowest point it stretches 4 miles (6.4 kilometres) across.

·         The Grand Canyon attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters deep).

·         The Colorado River runs through the Grand Canyon, it has been eroding its steep sides for millions of years.

·         The rock found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon (schist) is around 2 billion years old.

·         The rock found on the upper rim (limestone) is around 230 million years old.

·         American Indians have been living in and around the canyon for thousands of years.

·         The Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919 completed 100 years in last year 2019.

·         It was the 17th national park to be established in the United States.

·         It is believed that the Colorado River began carving the Grand Canyon about 6 million years ago.

·         The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.

·         The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.

Grand Canyon and the surrounding regions are home to desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, mountain lions, coyotes, gray fox, rock squirrel a large variety of reptiles, birds and rodents.

You may also like this post, Check this links below

·         Hermit Road Scenic Drive Grand Canyon Village

·         Grand Canyon National Park - South Rim

·         Hermit's Rest in Grand Canyon South Rim

·         Hopi Point Sunset View in Grand Canyon South Rim

Hermits Rest Grand Canyon

Hermits Rest Grand Canyon South Rim Arizona 

Hermits Rest is a structure built in 1914 at the western end of Hermit Road at the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States. The Hermit Trail, a hiking trail that extends to the Colorado River, begins about 1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) mile beyond the shuttle bus stop at Hermits Rest. Hermits Rest also represents the western terminus of the Rim Trail.

Hermits Rest is the westernmost point on the canyon's south rim that is accessible by paved road.

Hermits Rest is a component of the multi-site Mary Jane Colter Buildings National Historic Landmark, It was incorporated into the National Historic Landmark group on May 28, 1987.

You may also like this post, Check this links below

·         Hermit Road Scenic Drive Grand Canyon Village

·         Grand Canyon National Park - South Rim

·         Grand Canyon Arizona - Fun Facts to know

·         Hopi Point Sunset View in Grand Canyon South Rim

Grand Canyon South Rim Sunset View

Grand Canyon South Rim - Sunset View Pics

Grand Canyon South Rim which is considered one of the most popular spots to enjoy the sunset at the Grand Canyon. The walk on the Yavapai Point / Hopi Point in Grand Canyon gives best scenic Sunset view.

We can enjoy the vivid sunset skies, and the sunset adds more magic to the Grand Canyon gorgeous views along the rim.

A Grand Canyon sunset is one of those things, as no words can truly describe the beauty of the ever-changing colors, light, and shadows.

You may also like this post, Check this links below

·         Hermit Road Scenic Drive Grand Canyon Village

·         Grand Canyon National Park - South Rim

·         Grand Canyon Arizona - Fun Facts to know

·         Hermit's Rest in Grand Canyon South Rim