A guide of what is crawling, Indexing and ranking in SEO

Since numerous blogs and websites are created every day, SEOs need to understand What Crawling, Indexing and Ranking in SEO are. As a customer-centric search engine, Google has released various algorithms to improve user experience. To understand how a search engine works, we need to understand the basics of crawling, indexing and ranking in SEO. Here, we have explained crawling, indexing and ranking in simple terms with relevant examples.

What is Crawling in SEO?

Crawling is discovering new websites or web pages and changes in the existing sites by search engines. It is done with the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The search engines use a computer program called spider or bots which crawls the website. They follow a set of algorithms to determine which site to crawl first and how often it should crawl.

Google names its program “spider,” which is why it is called crawling. Each search engine has its type of computer program named differently. For Instance, Yahoo names their program “slurp”. They also follow other links mentioned in the content and crawl it later. In simple terms, Crawling means scanning the webpage’s text, images, hyperlinks, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other files. Once it is scanned, this information is processed and then indexed.

You can check the crawled status of a URL by using a google operator named cache:example.com. For Instance, if the URL is www.moz.com use a cache operator to check when the website/web page was last crawled. In the below image, Google displays a snapshot of the date and the time the website was crawled. Google has two crawlers

• Googlebot smartphone - Primary crawler
• Googlebot Desktop - Secondary crawler

Googlebot smartphone is a crawler that crawls the mobile version primarily. It can secondly re-crawl the website in the desktop version to check how it performs in the desktop version.



                               What is Crawling in SEO

What is Indexing in SEO?

Indexing is analysing the crawled website and adding it to Google's database. The blog/ webpage can either be indexed or not indexed. It purely depends on the quality of content and other Google guidelines. When the Google spider discovers a new website, Google passes the text, images, and meta-tags to the indexing phase, where the computer program understands the context of the content. In layman's terms, indexing is figuring out the content and its purpose to the user.

You can check the indexing status of a URL by using a google operator named site:example.com. For Instance, if the URL is www.moz.com, use a site operator to check when the website/web page is indexed or not. If you get the result in the SERP like this, it means your web page is indexed.

The indexing can also be done manually with the help of the Google Search Console tool. Since mobile users are higher than desktop users, Google does mobile-first indexing to give a better user experience. To get your site indexed faster, optimise for mobile, including better UI/UX, loading time, and navigation.



                                          What is Indexing in SEO

Ranking

The ranking means playing the results whenever the keywords enter the search box. Google has hundreds of ranking signals to decide which site to rank first. Once the web page is indexed, you have to optimise the content with relevant keywords in the content and meta-descriptions.

Once the website is optimised, your content will be displayed on the search results by outranking the competitors. The results displayed on the search results are called Search Engine Results Page. (SERP)



            What is crawling and indexing in SEO

How often does Google crawl a site?

Google crawlers come across billions of new web pages and sites every day. So it is virtually impossible to crawl all those pages every day. Google uses its resources and tools wisely. If the webpage has usability errors or thin content, Google is less inclined to crawl your site.

Google always loves fresh content. If your website is updated regularly with useful, unique and relevant content, the crawl time might be reduced. More the content, less the crawl time. Depending on the website's freshness and activeness, Google Spiders can crawl your webpage every four days. But it is not the same in every case. Google can crawl an article or webpage in 15 minutes, depending on how popular the website is. Technically, the frequency of crawling is known as Crawl budget. Google may crawl 6 pages in a day or even 5000 pages in a day. It depends on the healthiness of your site and by following best Search Engine Optimization practices.

Difference between Crawling and Indexing

Crawling is the process of discovering the pages and following links that lead to the other pages. 

Indexing is adding the content (text, image, infographic and video) to Google’s directory. The relevant information is stored on the respective servers, and the relevant result is shown on the SERP. The video below clearly explains Indexing, crawling and ranking in a simplified way.

8 Best places to visit in Kolli Hills in 2022 | Aagaya Gangai waterfall | Masilla water fall

Best places to visit in Kolli hills

Kolli Hills is located in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. Kolli hills were ruled by a king named Valvil Ori. There are many places to visit in and around Kolli hills. However, we have mentioned the list of important places that are worth visting. Kolli hills are known for their waterfalls, herbs, viewpoints and ancient temples. Kolli hills is located at an altitude of 1300 meters. The ideal duration to visit kolli hills is 2-3 days. Apart from the aagaya Gangai waterfall, there are three other waterfalls you shouldn't miss getting drenched. From my personal experience, I have listed down the important places to visit in kolli hills.

List of places to visit in and around Kolli hills

1.Aagaya Gangai waterfall

2.Seekuparai viewpoint

3.Arapaleeswarar temple

4.Namma aruvi

5.Masilla falls

6.Sitraruvi

7.Solakadu market/ Pazhangudiyinar market

8.Ettukai Amman temple

1.Agaya Gangai waterfall

Aagaya Gangai waterfall is one of the majestic waterfalls in Tamil Nadu. It is located in the kolli hills of the eastern ghats of India. Aagaya gangai waterfall is originating from the river Aiyaru. Aagaya gangai is also known by the name Peraruvi or Pei aruvi by the people in kolli hills because of its scary water flow. The beauty of the agaya gangai fall is that you can witness various shades from various viewpoints. The agaya ganga waterfall is located close to the arapaleeswarar temple. You have to step down 1196 steps to reach the foot of the waterfall. The descent from temple to agaya gangai is quite easy and takes 10-15 minutes approximately. The ascent should take 20-25 minutes and be demanding due to the steepness of the steps. After the steps, you have to go through slippery rocks to reach the foot of the agaya gangai fall.

The aagaya gangai waterfall is dry during the summer season. The best time to visit agaya gangai fall is from November to January. The water flows from a height of 300 feet. Needle-like drops and cold water will give you a great experience. Since the water is flowing from a 300 feet height, you will get drenched even before taking a bath at the waterfall. The agaya gangai waterfall is considered sacred and healthy because the water flows through various medicinal herbs in the Kolli hills forest.

The best time to visit kolli hills is during the monsoon season (October - November) or December. Every hill station has two shades. One is during summer and the other is in winter. I have visited kolli hills during both the seasons. The monsoon/ winter season will give you a different shade of Kolli hills. During monsoon, the roads will be slippery and water overflows in most waterfalls. You gotta be careful and equipped with proper travelling gear. Undoubtedly, aagaya ganga is one of the important places to visit in Kolli hills. 

2.Seekuparai viewpoint

Seeku Parai's viewpoint is one of the best viewpoints in the Kolli hills.  The viewpoint is located 2kms from Semmedu. Kolli hills's view points are always extraordinary . Early morning and evening is the best time to visit seeku parai viewpoint so you can enjoy the cool mist and witness mists moving up toward you. There are a lot of hotels, and cottages available nearby this viewpoint to experience this scenic beauty and climate. The government has also built a watchtower to witness the entire beauty of kolli hills. This view point is one of the best places to visit in Kolli hills. 

Seekuparai View Point

3.Arapaleeswarar Temple

Arapalleeswarar temple is one of the oldest and most powerful Shiva temples. Arappalleswarar temple was built during the Chola dynasty 1500 years ago. It is believed that, When king Valvil Ori ruled the Kolli hills, the place was called Arapalli. Hence, the god was called Arappalleeswarar. It is said that during plowing a suyambu lingam was found in the farming land. Siddhas recovered the lingam and built a small temple. It is belived that a small mark caused by the plough is still found in the statue of arapaleeswarar. This temple is one of the important places to visit in kolli hills.

There are two unique things in Arapaleeswarar temple. Some stones predict our wishes. You have to keep your left hand over your right hand on the stone and pray for your wish. If the stone moves after some time, it is believed that the wish you prayed for would happen soon.

There is a stone made with Ashtalakshmis on the roof of the ambal statue. If you pray and wish for things to happen below the chakra, it is believed that your wish would happen within 48 days. If you are worshipper of lord Shiva, Arapaleeswarar temple is one the must visit places in Kolli hills. 

Arapaleeswarar Temple

4.Namma aruvi

Namma aruvi is located 1km from the Ettukai Amman temple. This is a small waterfall but the water flows from a certain height which gives a great experience. Namma aruvi waterfalls give a great offbeat experience for people who love driving and trekking. You have to go for a small hike to reach the foot of the waterfall. The best time to visit namma aruvi waterfall is in November-January since the water flow will be amazing. if you love to spend quality time with you family and get drenched, Namma aruvi is one of the best places to visit in Kolli hills. 

Namma aruvi

5.Masilla falls

Masilla falls is located 5kms from Ettukai Amman temple. There is a temple known as masi periyanna Swamy located at the top of the Kolli hills. This temple is reachable only through trekking. Since this fall is located near the masi periyanna Swamy temple, it is also known as Masi parai aruvi. Masilla falls will resemble a small waterfall, but the force of the water will be strong enough to prove it is not. This waterfall attracts many families due to its parking facility and easily identifiable location. Masila Falls has a separate dressing room for both men and women. If you love waterfalls, that is less risky with good amenities, masilla waterfalls in one of the significant places to visit in Kolli hills. 

6.Sitraruvi

Sitraruvi in kolli hills is located adjacent to the arapaleeswarar temple. You need to climb down a few stairs and cross a ground bridge that goes through the middle of the river. The water that flows through this river goes to the Aagaya gangai waterfall. Though the waterfall looks tiny, it never fails to amaze us. Sitraruvi is definetely a must visit place in Kolli hills. Sitraruvi attracts families because there are a lot of bathing points with a decent water flow. During monsoon, the rocks will be slippery and water flow will be heavy. It is not advisable to take a bath if the water flow is heavy. The waterfall may look small and harmless but the heavy flow can easily drag us.

Sitraruvi kolli hills

7.Pazhangudiyinar market or Solakadu market

We have already said, Kolli Hills is not only famous for its waterfalls, mysteries and herbs. It is also famous for its fruits. Solakdu market is one of the best places to visit in kolli hills if you love to source some fresh fruits and spices. Mountain bananas, pineapple, and Jackfruit are cultivated in Kolli hills. The pineapples grown in the Kolli hills have a unique taste and are completely different from the pineapples we buy from the cities. The farmers in the kolli hills use organic farming to cultivate the crops. Both white pepper and black pepper are cultivated here. The black pepper grown here is not polished and you can feel the real essence of the pepper. The price here is also less compared to cities. If you want to buy quality spices, you can spend half a day in this market to explore new crops. Other items are indigenously grown in kolli hills like black beans and Acacia concinna (Shikakai) which are available in the market. The government should educate farmers to directly contact the buyers in the cities to sell the products at a better price by bypassing the middlemen. If you are visiting kolli hills, support our farmers and indigenous products.

Solakkadu market kolli hills

8.Ettukai Amman temple

Ettukai Amman or Kolli pavai is one of the ancient temples in kolli hills. It is located in Semmedu. This temple attracts many pilgrims over the full moon or new moon day. Even on other days, the pilgrims will visit the temple. It is believed that sages chose this place for meditation and atonement. However, they were disturbed by demons. They prayed to Ettukai Amman and she killed demons with her enchanting smile. If you are visiting the kolli hills, visit the temple and get the blessings of Ettukai Amman.

Ettukai amman kolli hills

What are Kolli hills famous for?

Kolli Hills are famous for their spices and waterfalls. The spices grown in kolli hills are indigenous to Tamilnadu. After Theni, the Kolli hills are the only place in Tamilnadu where spices are cultivated. Kolli hills are known for their pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. In addition, Kolli hills are the only hill station in Tamilnadu with many waterfalls. Kolli hills are known for its four waterfalls namely Aagaya Ganga, Namaruvi, Chitraruvi, and masila aruvi.

How many hair pin bends are there in Kolli hills?

Indeed, kolli hills is a difficult road with 70 hairpin bends with turns and twists. Kolli hills road is not dangerous if driven properly. The kolli hills roads are clean and maintained well. The 70 hairpin bends spread across 15 kilometres are a pleasure to drive on these roads. Some of the hairpin bends are narrow and the drivers need to drive cautiously especially when you are driving up a hill. Kolli hills roads are perfectly safe for tourists. However, there are only limited options for stay and food. If you are going with your family, it is better to book a stay in advance.

Are kolli hills open for tourists?

Kolli Hills is completely open now for tourists. There were few restrictions even in 2021 due to covid-19. All the restrictions were lifted in the year 2022. The waterfalls in Kolli hills are now open for visitors. Kolli Hills is a hill station worth visiting. 

Kolli hills weather

The weather in the Kolli hills is pleasant all around the year. The best time to visit Kolli hills is from October to December to explore the real beauty. The Kolli hills weather in January drops below 15degrees. The summers are hot in Kolli hills and exceeds 30degrees. If you love mist, December is the best month to visit. People who love bike rides, rains, and drizzle, November is the best month to visit Kolli hills. 

Which is better, Kolli hills or Yercaud?

This is a tough question. I would personally prefer Kolli hills over yercaud. Since both the hill stations are located almost the same distance from Chennai, most people prefer yercaud because it is familiar, and has a pleasant climate with great amenities. Being an ardent lover of waterfalls and nature, I prefer Kolli. As the love for nature varies from person to person, yercaud has its fan base.

Chennai to Megamalai - A trip that lasts life time!

We always need a break in our life. For some, it's once a week, and for some, it's once a year. However, we always need a break at an astounding hill station to rejuvenate ourselves. Megamalai is one of those hill stations with tea estates, cardamom plantations, clouds, and last but not least, Elephants. The distance between Chennai to Megamalai is approximately 627kms,. Megamalai's climate is always pleasant and witnesses a chill climate at night, even during the summer. Megamalai is also known as the High wavy mountains, and it is located 1500 meters above sea level and offers a fresh environment. It is a part of the western Ghats and is located in the Theni district of South India. 

 Meghamalai Temperature and weather

Megamalai experiences moderate and chill weather throughout the year. Hence the summers are not that hot compared to the other hill stations. The Megamalai temperature in summer ranges from 15 Deg C to 25 Deg C. However, if you want to experience the natural beauty scattered around the hills, the best time to visit Meghamalai is from September to January. The Megamalai temperature in winter ranges from 0 Deg C to 10Deg C which is really cold. The annual rainfall in Meghamalai is 275 cms and experiences a heavy monsoon from July to September. We went in December and the Megamalai weather was cool even during the day. 

How to reach Chennai to mega

By Air: There are direct flights available from Chennai to Madurai. From Madurai, you can book a bus to Theni.  From Theni, you can book a cab and travel via Chinnamanur. The Megamalai distance from Madurai is 145 kilometers. If you travel by car from Madurai to Megamalai it hardly takes 3 hours to reach. 


By road: The Megamalai distance from Chennai is about 558 kilometers. Chennai to Trichy is the shortest way to reach theni. You can book a cab from Theni to Meghamalai. Meghamalai is located 30kms from Theni and accessible via roads. If you are traveling by your own vehicle, get the help of local people to know the correct routes. Sometimes, the exact location won’t be available in Google Maps.

By train: There are no direct trains available from Chennai to Megamalai. You can book a train to Madurai and then a bus or a cab to reach Meghamalai.

The condition of the road in Megamalai is good till Highwavys dam. Since the construction work is going on, it is good to halt the vehicle near highwavys dam and prefer a jeep ride to visit the Megamalai viewpoint. Since the roads are pathetic, it is safer to prefer a jeep even though you own an SUV.

Route 1: Chennai - Tindivanam - Trichy - Theni - Meghamalai

Chennai to Megamalai - Route 1

Route 2: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Dharmapuri - Salem - Meghamalai 

Chennai to megamalai -route 2

However, route 1 is the safest and short route to reach Meghamalai from Chennai. The route from Chennai to Megamalai after reaching Trichy was mindblowing. Both sides of the road were covered by mountains and it was a treat to watch. 

Meghamalai Climate

Meghamalai Climate

Meghamalai - The straight route to heaven

The check post at the foothills closes at 6pm. Vehicles driving past the check post after 6pm are not allowed. The roads from the foothills of the Meghamalai till highwavys dam were extremely good. There are around 18 hairpin bends in Meghamalai that made the ride thrilling. Meghalamalai is also known for its wildlife species. Meghamalai is home to Asian elephants, Indian giant squirrels, and other endangered species. Mostly, people in Megahalamai are those who work in tea estates. 

Meghamalai Check post

Meghamalai hairpin bend -17

Suruli falls is originated from Meghamalai. It has a lot of water reserves and dams. Locals say Meghamalai is also native to rare bird species. Recently, the central government has also given its approval for the fifth tiger reserve that will enclose the Srivilliputhur and Meghamalai wildlife sanctuaries. 

Meghamalai water reserve

Megamalai stay

To be honest, you don't have many accommodation facilities in Meghamalai. The entire property belongs to briar tea groups. If you are planning to stay in Meghamalai, there are few government lodges and also private resorts.  But the issue is network is poor in Meghamalai and it is hard to contact them. Even if it rings, they won't pick up the calls. There are only a few bungalows (sand river cottage, cloud mountain bungalow, and Manalar bungalows) with limited rooms and they can be booked only online. Most of the falls and viewpoints are prohibited to normal tourists since it is private property. You will be allowed only if you are a guest of that bungalow. During weekends the resorts would be already booked. So we decided to stay in theni at ABM grande. We had a pleasant stay and the cost of the rooms was also reasonable. 

Unlike other hill stations, Meghamalai will not be hot during summer and extremely cold during winter. The temperature in Meghamalai will be mild even during the daytime and that attracts a lot of tourists. Our trip from Chennai to Megamalai was sweet than our expectations and we would like to re-visit Meghamalai during the monsoon to have a different experience. 

Parvathamalai trekking - A blend of spirituality and excitement

Paravthamalai is located in Thiruvannamalai district which is about 20kms from Polur. Parvathamalai is one of the most sanctified places in India. It is believed that the Parvathamalai temple was set up by Siddhas, to mediate and acquire enlightenment. Parvathamalai temple attracts a lot of devotees on full moon day, since it is considered an auspicious day for worshiping lord shiva. 

Parvathamalai is located at a height of 4560 feet above mean sea level and is accessible only by foot. The total distance of the trek is approximately 9 kilometers. To reach the parvathamalai temple which is the seventh mountain, you have to cross six mountains namely kadaladi, methagamalai, kumarinettu malai, Kadaparai malai, kanakachi odai malai, Puttru malai, and finally Kovil malai where the temple is located.

Our trek to Parvathamalai temple was on January 2nd, 2021. We thought Parvathamalai trekking was going to be challenging but it was even more difficult than we thought. I was accompanied by my friend Sathish. Though we are frequent trekkers, we felt some part of the Parvathamalai trek was demanding and tough. We had decided to travel on the bike rather than a car because we don’t want to miss the scenic beauty while traveling to Parvathamalai temple.

Parvathamalai temple history

Don’t ever think Parvathamalai is just an ordinary temple of lord Shiva. It is predicted that the Shiva lingam present on the top of the Parvathamalai mountain is 2000 years old. Some inscriptions say that in the 10th century, people from the Chola dynasty lived on the mountain. The Chola city was developed by one of the ministers of the first Chola dynasty and it is said that his name is also mentioned in the inscription. One more interesting fact is that in the 3rd century a kind called nannan worshipped Lord shiva in the parvathamalai. It is also mentioned in the famous Tamil literature “MalaipaduKadam”. On full moon and new moon day lot of devotees trek at night to worship lord Shiva. It is also believed that devotees who trek a night for the first time will get the blessings of lord Shiva.

It is said that Parvathamalai has around 120 medicinal herbs that can cure several diseases if we inhale the air around the mountain. It is believed that Parvathamalai is a part of a sanjeevani mountain that fell when Hanuman was carrying a mountain to save Lakshmana.

How to reach Parvathamalai from Chennai

We started at 4 am in Chennai. Since we went in January, it was extremely cool during the trip and even cooler at the top of the Parvathamalai temple. It is better to carry a jacket if you are traveling by bike during the winter and monsoon seasons. Parvathamalai is located 200 kilometres from Chennai. Chennai to Parvathamalai has two routes.

1. The first route is Chennai to Bangalore highway. From Chennai city, the route starts from Koyambedu, Sriperumbudur, Kanchipuram, Arcot, Arani, Polur, and Parvathamalai. This is the shortest route from Chennai to Parvathamalai.

Paravathamalai route - 1

2. The second route we prefer is the GST road. The route starts from Guindy, Perungulathur, Maraimalai Nagar, Chengalpattu, Polur, and finally Parvathamalai. This route is 5 to 6 kilometers longer than the first route. We preferred this route because the roads were good compared to the first route. 

Paravathamalai route - 2

Parvathamalai trek - Phase 1

We reached the base of the Parvathamalai around 11 am in morning. Vehicles are not allowed beyond this point. We were welcomed by a giant Hanuman statue followed by 2 kilometres of flat mud trail. It took around 20 minutes to reach the steps which is the initial phase of the Parvathamalai trek.

There were around 1300 steps to complete the first phase. The steps were wide but steeper because we were climbing up a mountain of 4560 feet. We took a small break at every 300 steps since we were trekking after a year. We felt muscle cramp even before reaching 1000 steps. We don’t want to comfort you with the lies, we were praying to Lord Shiva for the steps to end.  It was tedious than we expected. There were small tent shops every 1 km that kept our body hydrated. You can buy snacks, biscuits, and lemon soda to maintain your energy level and keep you hydrated.

Parvathamalai trek - Phase 2

It took us around 1 hour to complete the first phase of the mountain which was nothing but climbing the steps. At the start of Phase 2, The Parvathamalai route became uneven and rocky. At some stages, we had to use our hands to crawl and climb up the rock. This route will test your patience. However, when you see people above 60-year-old climbing up the rock with ease, you will get a mental boost to climb up quickly. Our total Parvathamalai trekking time was 6 hours. It took 4 hours for climbing and 2 hours for getting down. Getting down was relatively easy compared to climbing up.

This phase of the Parvathamalai trekking also had many tent shops with snacks to keep us energetic. Once we get closer to the next phase, you would get a clear view of the Jawadhu hills. Since we trekked in the winter, powerful wind and mist welcomed us!. We couldn’t believe our eyes. At the moment we thought we were in a hill station like Kodaikanal or Munnar. Trust us it was more beautiful than that. Here is a glimpse of the view.

Paravathamalai phase2 - Rocky trail

Parvathamalai trek - Phase 3 

This is the most exciting and dangerous part of the Parvathamalai trek. Kadaparai malai is so steep with iron rods placed on the side for support. There were man-made steps that helped us to climb quickly without losing balance. If you are scared of heights, this phase will give you a chill. Never look down. Just hold the iron bar tightly, place your foot on the steps, and continue forward. Be extra careful if you are trekking on the monsoon. The rocks will be extremely slippery. For us, this part of the Parvathamalai trek was enjoyable since we love heights!. Especially me. Look at me enjoying the mist and cool wind after climbing the kadaparai malai. 

Yes, we almost reached the temple. Just a few steps away. We couldn’t explain how it felt after reaching the top of the Parvathamalai mountain. All our tiredness went off when we reached the top. We felt so spiritual. That’s the beauty of lord Shiva. We worshipped and did pooja with our own hands to lord shiva. This is another reason why we should visit the Parvathamalai temple.

Kadaprai malai

 

Lord Shiva

Tips for having a safe trek 

• Carry enough water and snacks. Though there are enough shops available throughout the Parvathamalai trek, it is better to be on the safer side.   
• If you are trekking at night, carry a torchlight. 
• Be careful with the monkeys. Keep your belongings and food safe. Sometimes monkeys take water bottles from the bag too. 
• Avoid plastics. It is our duty to keep nature clean. if you use plastics, throw them only in the dustbin. 
• Chennai to Parvathamalai has no direct buses. You have to reach Thiruvannamalai or Polur and opt for a private vehicle. Be sure with the timings before planning for a trek.
• Paravathamali temple has no timings. you can trek whenever you wish to and do pooja for Lord shiva. 

     

Chennai to Kanchanagiri hills - A spiritual one day trip!

This Lockdown has made a great impact on our physical health and mental health as well. In these difficult times, we badly needed a hill station to take away all our stresses. Fortunately, we found Kanchanagiri hills, which are located near Chennai that satisfied our travel thirst. Kanchanagiri hills never failed to amaze us with their parrot green appearance and amazing weather that we never expected.  Kanchanagiri hills have a winter temperature ranging from 12 Deg to 24 Deg Celsius while the summer records around 24 Deg to 34 Deg Celsius. 

Overview

Kanchanagiri is one of the unexplored places near Chennai and it came to the limelight by some of the bloggers and YouTubers recently. Kanchagiri hills are located in Ranipet district and it is surrounded by a range of mountains. The height of the kanchanagiri hills is about 1500 feet and suits two-wheeler and lighter vehicles. Kanachanagiri hills are located 124kms from Chennai and it roughly takes 2hours to reach the mountain. Kanchanagiri is well known for its Shiva temple and bell rock that creates a bell sound when it is tapped. There are around 1008 suyambu lingams in Kanachanagiri hills and it is believed that they are formed by the explosion of volcanoes. Kanchanagiri has a memorial for Shri shivagnana Swamigal who was born in Trichy and grew up in Malaysia. He contributed a lot to kanchanagiri from laying roads to offering free meals which are still followed today. Now, Kanachanagiri hills have become both a tourist and spiritual place and attract a large number of people due to their scenic beauty. 

Kanchanagiri hills bell rock - The attraction!

Some researchers have guessed that Kanchanagiri hills bell rock might be used for sound therapy which is still practiced in many countries. It is believed that people who are sick were made to lay on the bell rock and it is tapped at a particular frequency to get rid of sickness. People believe that Lord Shiva might be using this rock as his own musical instrument.

There is another rock in Pennsylvania similar to kanchanagiri hills bell rock but people don’t consider it spiritual. Youtubers records live music on that place and upload it on YouTube. Since Kanchanagiri hills are considered a spiritual place, let us respect people’s beliefs, maintain dignity, and not encourage these activities.

 

How to reach Kanchanagiri hills from Chennai

To be honest, we did not witness any buses plying on the roads since we visited this place during the lockdown. Both the devotees and the tourists prefer their own vehicle to reach the kanchanagiri hills. Kanchanagiri is located 2 kilometers from the lalapet bus stop which is the nearest place to people who prefer public transport. The nearest railway station is Ranipet (10kms) and Mukundarayapuram (6 km). If you are visiting kanchanagiri hills bell rock from other cities or district here is the easy way to reach kanachanagiri hills. 

By Air: Chennai is the nearest airport. The total distance from Chennai to kanachanagiri hills is 124 kilometers.

By Train: 10 kilometers from Ranipet railway station and 6 kilometers from Mukundaryapuram.

By Road: Kanachanagiri is located 8 kilometers from Ranipet through Lalapet.

New roads have been laid from Lalapet to kanchanagiri hills which makes the place more beautiful and accessible to tourists. The best season to visit kanchanagiri hills is from October to November since this place will be completely green and a treat to watch.

An unplanned trek to Puligundu mountain!!!

Trekking in Puligundu rock mountain was one of the most spine chilling and challenging treks we had ever seen. Though the trekking time was less, puligundu trekking tops our list for testing our fear and patience. Puligundu Sivan temple is located in Andhra Pradesh at Chittoor district. Puligundu is a dual rock mountain with a height of 1000 feet from the ground. Because of its height, you can get a remarkable view of the surrounding hills. In this dual rock mountain, it is believed that one mountain is Lord Shiva (Puligundeeswarar) and the other one is Lord Parvathy. Every shivan temple has its own importance. Likewise, Puligundu mountain itself resembles shiva lingam and there is a Shivan temple on the top that makes it special. 

The history of Puligundu rock mountain

History says the British tried to capture this to use it as a watchtower. But the people from the nearby villages intercepted and saved it from the Britishers. As proof, there will be an Indian flag on the top of the Puligundu rock mountain. There is an iron bridge that connects both the mountains. you can see the bridge in the below image which looks tiny looking from the ground.

Puligundu trekking initial phase

Our gang of three members had no idea where the puligundu rock mountain is exactly located and how tedious it's gonna be to reach the top of the mountain. Puligundu is located 150kms from Chennai. Thanks to google maps for guiding and providing us the exact location of the mountain. 

On the way to Puligundu Sivan temple, we came across other small greenish mountains. It was very pleasant to watch those mountains along with mango groves. We were happy that we chose a bike over the car. We blindly followed google maps than asking for routes from local people. Trust me, maps brought us through beautiful routes than the route suggested by local people.

we reached the mountain by 10.30 am. Mountain looked more fascinating and gigantic than we thought. The naked eye view of the mountain can never be captured in any costliest camera. It was just wow!!!!. we parked our bikes below the mountain and were confused about where to start with. 

Puligundu Sivan temple - The journey begins

we just found our own way by climbing the small rocks to reach the mountain. We got exhausted even before reaching the base of the puligundu rock mountain. It took more than 40 minutes to reach the start of the mountain. It was indeed a hot climate and our body was dehydrating faster. Carry enough water to keep yourself hydrated until you reach the top of the mountain. After reaching the first phase of the mountain, the route becomes narrower. The rocks were extremely slippery as it rained the day before we started trekking. Don't seek the support of the small iron barriers as it is only for the namesake. Try to stick to the left and seek the support of rocks. 

Metal ladders were installed to climb up. These ladders were circular in design and we witnessed our legs shaking automatically. There were around 3-4 instances that tested our fear factor. As we proceeded further, the route became steeper and completely dark with a loud sound of bats. We three were the only people in the mountain with no help. We were about to give up!. We discussed with each other and finally decided we should worship lord Shiva today!! 

We started moving again with a better josh. My friend Sathish, who was leading us from the front kept moving in the dark. With the help of a mobile torch, we kept moving slowly by crawling over the ladder. we switched off the mobile torch after realizing there were more bats. After a thrilling moment, we saw some sunlight. Yes!!! we reached the top of the puligundu rock mountain!!! Words can't explain our feelings. we made it!! we worshipped Lord shiva.

Puligundu trekking Phase 1

After reaching the top, we felt like we reached Mars!!!. we rang the temple bell once. The sound of the bell was more soulful than Raja sir's music. We were filled with spiritual energy. The power of Lord Shiva!!!! It was a trip filled with fun, spirituality, and thrill. On a final note, If you love trekking which raises your heartbeat or which makes you tired, Puligundu rock mountain is your right spot. I am neither an atheist nor a religious person. The amount of spiritual and positive energy that the Puligundu shivan temple gave can't be described in words.  I request everyone who is depressed and needs some positive energy to drive the life further, I personally recommend you to visit puligundu shivan temple at least once in your lifetime. It is believed that whatever you pray to lord shiva in puligundu will become a reality in your life. Trust me, it happened to me. That is the reason why I am spending time writing about my experience.

Puligundu trekking phase 3

Five important takeaways from the Puligundu trekking:

1. Carry enough water and some snack to make yourself keep going.

2. Try to start the trip early morning, as the day is extremely hot which will make you tired.

3. If it is a rainy season, be careful with your steps. rocks are very slippery.

4. Don't use mobile phones while climbing. let one person reach above you and let him shoot.

5. Don't lean on any barriers. They are not strong and it's only there to satisfy your brain that you are safe.