It again began as a casual weekend with a very normal plan to explore interesting places around Madurai with my friend. This time, we picked YanaiMalai, as we got this good look while returning from our Alagar malai trip. Since then, we wanted to check out this place.
As the name says in Tamil, Yanai means Elephant, Malai means Mountain, it is Elephant mountain and it indeed looks like an Elephant from any angle. Trunk is in the left hand side and the body to the right. The entire mountain length is 3 kms.
I have been to this place so many times for the temple visits and I never thought climbing on to this mountain is possible. As also the mountain looks like a big rock, also as it does look slippery in all views, I never imagined there will be a way to climb on this. But to my surprise, there is a way — a neat way.
Tip: The trek start point is way before the Yoga Narasingam temple. From Othakadai to Kadachanandal road, with in 500 meters, you will see a board “Jain Beds” to the right with a small street with no sign of any interesting place. Once you enter and pass 5 to 6 houses, you will find a parking place like above and this is where the trek route starts.
This is a very easy trek — out of all my explorations in Madurai, this is the only trek which involves very minimal effort along with magnificent views above. The photographs you see below, is just after 20 steps around — the steps were fully covered with bushes.
After a minute walk, you will notice this rock with the arrow mark. From here you can follow the arrow mark to reach the top. Also, this is where sky opens up from dense trees and you will get to witness the epic view from the Elephant’s trunk.
Before you rush to view the top of Elephant’s view, don’t forget to see the good view around the town. The town is Othakadai — full of cute lil houses.
Wohoo! we reached the tip of the nose!
When you come here for the first time, you will be excited. If you have been to this mountain many times but never knew the trekking possibility and if you climb this mountain, you will be freaking excited.
Usually mountains, rocks gets names depends on how it looks. Most of the times, it’s just looks like the appropriate name in one view. But, this mountain, at any moment, it looks like an Giant Elephant. You can even point out the details like, eyes, nose!
Imagine you are an ant standing on the Elephant’s trunk.
I am convinced that this is the only best view on this mountain, took many photographs as I want, spent some good time breathing the fresh winds, until I saw a guy coming from the mountain saying, you can still climb up!
It was a big tall rock in front and I did not expect any route to climb. But, to my surprise, there were steps. I deeply regret how long I have been missing this place.
Not just steep steps, even the rocks are carved to help people to climb. So, it is easy for any person to climb up to this place.
I really wish myself to be at photogenic places on accurate golden hour, but I also keep up the fact that “never rush to the destination - enjoy the journey” principle. So, time is past 8, Sun has risen up straight to the face.
I have seen lingam in many temples but witnessing lingam in the wild open area always delightful to see. The fresh yellow flowers on this lingam — watching it felt so alive.
The tree behind this lingam made this place, so so beautiful, I can’t have words for this.
It was not only us in that mountain at that moment. We saw this small group of sports active people. They were practicing kicks — seemed like kick boxing or karate to me. And they were leaving, as you can see they are waiting to climb down the steel steps.
Do you even YanaiMalai? if you don’t make joke about this elephant mountain is about to stand up and y’all jump out like tiny Goblins.
Jain Beds: After a minute walk(right nose side of elephant), we reached this place, Samanar Padugai — padugai is actually padukkai, which is bed in Tamil. History says, they used to live around 9th century and their written inscriptions and beds history are scattered across many parts of Madurai.
Like how Samanars used to rest on their beds, we also took rest, were looking up the sky. While looking up, I noticed this sun slowly peaking to the top, shades slowly starting to fall back and all of sudden!
I noticed that there a is face like structure in the rock and tried to capture that moment with sun star.
Although Sun was getting very high, it was fortunate that day was full of clouds, which gave us the good amount of shade, once in a while, which resulted in beautiful photographs.
One thing I have noted about Jain Beds: It’s always on a west side of a mountain foot side. I noticed at Samanar Hills, Jain beds at Alagar Kovil, Thiruparangunram and this Yanaimalai. It’s always at west side. I believe they chose this side because it’s shady in the morning yo!
Good photographs happen, when you don’t rush things up! -vsnu
I have noticed this, I have been guerrilla style photographer, run and gun style. But, when I take time on something, or when I relax, breathe and feel the moment, the outcome are always better.
Many may have known this Lord Murugan temple around this mountain. And from this jain beds, I was able to get the good view of it.
Excuse this part of this Elephant, which it does not look like an Elephant.
It’s Irrelephant.
I have photographed Alagar Kovil hills so much that, I remember those mountain structure vividly in my mind. And this is it!
And if you notice in that green mountain, there is an un-green area in the center bottom of that hill, which is again the Jain Beds.
We realised we spent more than an hour at Jain Beds and tried to explore further.
So from the left side of the nose, we tried to climb to the upper part of nose. The path looked very confident for few steps, while going up. But after a little up, when I looked back, it felt slightly uncomfortable. Asked my friend to hold back!
I did not have the courage to walk down normally. So, I had to sit and crawl back down. I came back to the lower part of nose, saved good amount of selfies.
At this moment, it exactly feels like an elephant is carrying you on it’s trunk and you enjoying the view.
After the giant elephant ride, we realised time is past 10:30 and had to go back to normal life and started to decent down.
With my GoPro scary angle, I tried to get some scary looking photographs. The trek route to this mountain is one of the most un-boring route. It has bushes, densely covered trees, cave, delightful city view and etc..,
At this point, I am still not tired, not thirsty, not hungry, so, decided to checkout another place, which is next to Narasingam Temple. I have come here couple of times, which is a quarry. To my surprise, it was same, not even a single thing changed, except there was good amount of water in the quarry.
I do this always — Whenever there is big fall, and a safe one, I put my legs out and create one interesting photograph. I believe which tells better story about the moment.
I regret not taking my towel and shorts here!
I hope now you can recognise, which part of this mountain, we climbed and where were those photographs are taken. If you zoom below photograph, you can notice the wild and free lingam on this mountain.
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