Kutralam or Thirukutralam represents one of the Pancha (5) Sabhas (halls) of Nataraja. The five dance halls of Shiva are Chidambaram, Madurai, Thiruvalangadu, Tirunelveli and Kutralam. Kutralam is also known as Trikootaachalam as well as the medicinal properties of the water has been waxed eloquent in many of the Dravidian literature. Kutralam is also called the Spa City of South India.
People from all over come to bathe under its falls and it’s pressure soothes many an aching limbs and back pains. Since the water supposedly goes over many honeycombs and medicinal plants, the water itself is amazing to drink. It’s sweet, natural and refreshing.
After a great drive through the thenmala ghats where we saw this lone ice apple seller and immediately stopped for having a sherbet. Palm toddy or sherbet is pretty common on the roadsides of Kerala and TN. You can identify them by their cycles and the stuff they have ready to serve. Also the leaf which will turn into a bowl 
1. Nongu (Ice apple)
2. Palm toddy
3. Akkani (they put a little choona in the toddy to stop fermentation. I avoid those)
The toddy is served in a leaf cup. Great for cooling the system.
Sometime they add sugar to sweeten and swindle the unwary. This time I felt it was sweetened unnaturally. It was still great to stop by and gulp on a ghat road on the way to Kutralam.
Here’s the experience
After this we decided to eat first. The locals suggested Hotel Rahmat which is has the Star Biryani cult fame. They have two branches.
The proprietor of the place was cordial and quick to strike up a conversation. He asked us to take our time and eat it hot there along with nati kozhi curry which is their speciality.
It was crawling with so many people, we decided to parcel and eat in the car itself after reaching the falls. It’s crazy and it seemed like covid has given this place a pass. Absolutely no one wearing a mask ! The biryani itself was pretty decent with good succulent pieces of mutton. the pieces did require a little more marination though.
We first went to the 5 falls and were disappointed with the trickle of water that many of them were trying to bathe in. We then proceeded to Old Courtalam which was what I remembered from my jaunt many years ago.
After putting our stuff in the locker we headed to the falls. The pressure was absolutely amazing, the water freezing for that first moment. It really felt like a giant had a foot on your back, front and all over but in a relaxing way 
. There was a very strict maintenance by the police and here atleast they were ensuring that masks were worn by people entering. The water was indeed sweet and refreshing and also unlocks the memories of the previous visits. It’s like compunded memory. . A real mesmerizing and memorable experience everytime. Us including the crowd reverted back to the child within, screaming away with delight under the cold water.
. There was a very strict maintenance by the police and here atleast they were ensuring that masks were worn by people entering. The water was indeed sweet and refreshing and also unlocks the memories of the previous visits. It’s like compunded memory. . A real mesmerizing and memorable experience everytime. Us including the crowd reverted back to the child within, screaming away with delight under the cold water. |
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Bought a local ointment made of jungle garlic and basil called Karunthulasi Thailam. One whiff of this and it clears many a blocked sinuses with its effect going right to the brain if done with a clear nose. Its potent and it works like a “charm”. There is also this plant called chakkara kolli which is good for diabetics. Basically it blocks the sugar taste receptors on the tongue so sugar or anything sweet tastes like sandpaper. This is to remove the cravings for sweet. Weird and it works too.
I love these local medicines and ointments. There are so many things modern medicine cannot realize but which are available naturally in the forests through which these medicines can be concocted. I love local medicines especially for small scale ailments like cold, headaches, muscle pain etc. They just work so darn well.
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