Weekend at sword hill

Valparai-sword rock as the literal translation would go is a small place up in the Annamalai range.As the name suggests this is an elephant hill and was the migratory path of the elephant into the forest.

By road this is a 13 km drive from Chennai and thanks to some excellent roads the drive is an absolute pleasure provided one can get away early morning well before city traffic can get to one.The smart way to get there is to take a train to Coimbatore and drive up the ghat sections with its 40 hairpin bends and take in the breathtaking view of the Aliya dam,which glistens in the afternoon sun and is a sight that cannot be described with words.

The estate we are heading to is close to a place called rotikadai which means bread shop and a bit of investigation into local folklore says that the British set up a bakery in the town to teach the locals to make bread as there was no bakery around in that place.They then named it rotikadai in Tamil and it continues to remain so long after the bakery has given way to tea shops.

The estate is everything that we want from a weekend getaway.The moment we arrive tea is served.Is it our imagination or is there something to be said for tea being drunk against the backdrop of tea gardens where the fresh green tea bushes form a thick carpet for miles on end.We sip tea in lovely china cups which shows up the colour of the brew to advantage.Thin egg sandwiches complete the picture of a land in time wrap.This is a throwback on the British raj and time stands still in this place.There is even a butler service at the house.

There is a lot to explore in this rambling home with its lush lawn and its stone garden seats that are meant for garden parties.The house is surrounded by vegetable gardens,flower gardens and the traditional Christmas trees that stand like sentinels to the house.An old swing is a great place to relive a childhood pastime.Like all estate home this also has a well stocked library with enough books to keep one occupied for months.

Saturday night the start of the season brings with it the Christmas spirit.Families from around estates meet at the club and enjoy a good evening sharing notes on the weeks happenings.Everyone has a well defines role and the wives share notes on children and home while the men drink their brandies and share whatever it is that they share.

Most of the homes in this region are made of stone or wood and as there are few people to occupy these once busy homes the estate wives have taken it upon themselves to convert this into an opportunity for Eco tourism.They open their doors to people travelling through or looking for a place to stay.Home cooked meals complete the experience
We come back home with our heads filled with stories of elephants and their habits.While us city folk worry about a rat or two in our kitchens,the estate folk of the elephant range worry about the wild beasts who have developed a taste for home cooked food and are busy checking out whats cooking in the estate kitchens.
When its time for us to leave we realise that we are relaxed beyond measure and we haven't missed our morning newspaper or the cell phone or the tv and life has been blissful