There is something called an experience along with learning. If you are able to see what you learn from the text books, then there is a larger chance to remember it, with out much pain.
I learned about Western Ghats, when I was in the 6th or 7th standard (If I am not wrong), in Geography class. For me those chain of mountains was only a picture from the school text books. I just learned it. Never believed that it brought rain to Kerala and it runs to a distance of 1600 km, through the coastal line of Kerala, was like a fairy tale chapter. In-fact, I never believed its existence.
For me, in school days, never got a chance to travel outside Kerala. And so even Palakkad was an American state for me.
But as the days went on, I started travelling and all those fairy tale chapters started getting its life. Most prominent one is the live knowledge about the Western Ghats.
Now each and every journey with Ani, in car, from Thrissur to Bangalore (NH 47), is like running through my geography text books.
It was interesting fact for me to know that the Palakkad Gap, which I have seen only in text books really exist and we travel through that gap to Coimbatore en-route to Bangalore. Palakkad Gap acts as a corridor between the two States by linking Palakkad District of Kerala with Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu, and has served as a vital part of the important trade route between the East and West coasts of peninsular India since ancient times.
Even I did not realize the importance of Palakkad Fort until last year. While I was working in Palakkad, I thought, it was built to show the power of the king, who ruled that area. But it was not. Palakkad Fort, stands as a reminder of the strategic importance the gap once had as a gateway to Kerala for would be invaders from the other side of the Ghats.
And rest of the stories, each and every child know - How it brings monsoon and all.
Never captured that mountain chain before. But this time, I decided to get help from Ani this time. And she clicked some snaps and it found a way to my blog below.
Few more clicks of mountains on the way. But am less sure about their geographical existence, but the views were stunning.
A wonderful design of GOD.