Thar road till the parking area. Rocky and mud-lain access path for the rest.
Wheel chair is not available – No.

Time to learn spot a bird.

Nature tone/ Earth tone Dresses

1. Avoid bright coloured Clothing.

2. Outdoor Footwear.

3. Comapct to Birding category Binoculars.

4. Water Bottles.

Clothing

     It is considered a place of fragile ecosystem. Dress modestly in earthy colours and appropriate footwear. Remove footwear when passing by a sacred tree.

     Do not scribble, write graffitti on the hill. Keep the place clean and refrain from throwing garbage.

The closest police station is at melur, B1 police station, Court complex, Melur main road, Near bus stand dist, Melur main rd, Melur, Madurai, Tamilnadu – 625106.

Melur Govt Hospital, 261, Melur – Azhagarkovil Road, Nagaikadai bazzar, Melur, Tamilnadu – 625106

Carry a bottle water as water is not available on the hillock. Refrain from walking on the edge of the hillock.

Best time to visit is in the winter months between October to February.

Suitable for all age groups. If you are an avid trekker and love the challenge of climbing a small hill, this will excite you. Hobby and professional photographers will find this place perfect for nature photography.

The circuitous walk begins from Ananikondan Tank heading towards the Rock-cut Sivan Temple passing by Dharmakulam. Then move further into the rocky terrain between the barren hillocks – Aaputtan Malai, Ramayi Malai, Vayuthupulla Malai, Kalinja Malai. Climbing over slopes interspersed with small water bodies and fringed by paddy fields, the walk finally leads to Paloothu and Jain Bed Caves.

1. Anaikondan Tank Anaikondan Tank is an irrigation tank of thirteenth century, still functional, The old sluice has collapsed. Water managment of the late Pandyan dynasty period is known through the inscribed columns of the sluice lying on the tank bed. It belongs to the regnal years of Maravarman Sundara Pandyan I.

2. Dharmakulam is a lotus pond which is one of the perennial sources of drinking water for the villagers. The pond is considered auspicious too. A newly  wedded bride fetches water from here to prepare the first meal in her new household with a belief that she will be blessed with a child.

3. Rock-cut Sivan Temple was excavated duriing the early Pandyan period. Two life size relief sculptures on either side of the rock cut temple are appealing.The seated Valampuri Vinayaka and rare Lakulisa sculptures flank the cave in which Sivalingam is carved out of the mother rock. The Dwarapalaar at the front mandapa was a later addition to the west facing serene shrine.

4. Paloothu is a natural mineral spring serving as seasonal water source.

5. Jain Bed Caves east of Kalinjamalai, harbours a natural cave apart from few rock shelters. Earliest Tamil language script known as Tamil in its evolutionary development are inscribed here They mention about the cave and beds chiselled for the Jain monk, who lived here more than two millennia before.A later period sculpture of the twenty fourth Thirthankara Mahavira with remnants of mural painting adorns the rock surface next to the cave The second script of Tamil language in Vattezhuthu belonging to ninth century inscribes the old name of the hillock as Thirupinnaiyan Malai.

Clean Water & Refereshments available at Arittapatti.

If you are an avid trekker and love the challenge of climbing a small hill, the experience will excite you. Hobby and professional photographers will find this place perfect for nature photography.

Group of minimum 3-4 Pax is advisable to visit the place.

1. Narasingampatti
2. Mangulam
3. Pulimalai
4. Kidaripatti
5. Alagarkovil
6. Yanai Malai