THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nature is in charge here. At 1,200 ft, the Kalippara (Kali hill) towers and overlooks the whole of the district. At the crest of the hill, you stare at a 360-degree view of the capital. Look anywhere and you are met with sigh-inducing dramatic backdrops. While a panorama of peaks in the Western Ghats makes for a spellbinding sight at one side, the vista right opposite it takes your sight as far as the Arabian sea. Every landmark in the city vies for your attention even as the endearing silence of the idyllic locale leaves you feeling humbled.
The Kalippara is the city's best-kept secret. At some 30 kilometres off Thiruvananthapuram, the place allows for the perfect retreat from the din of the city. The solitude offered by the hilltop makes it an escapist's paradise. Here you get to watch the sunrise as well as the sunset but to reach the viewpoint, one needs to hike up a steep hilly and tricky trail that looms at a height of close to 600 ft.
One would find handrails only at certain stretches and venturing into the place in the mornings without seeking the help of the locals is not advised. The temple committee members can be approached if one needs to trek up the hill. The trek of about 25 minutes will take you to the pinnacle of the mountain from where you get a bird's eye view.
But it is not just the views for which the hill is known. The place is steeped in history with the hill housing a grand old temple – the Sree Kalippara Lokambika Temple. The hill is believed to have got the name after the deity Kali which is revered here. The shrine is being maintained by Lokambika Temple Trust. “The belief is that the deity used to be worshipped by the Kani tribe who lived in the mountains. At that time the temple was made using mud. Over the years a rock-temple replaced it but a few years back a bolt of lightning struck it. Now the temple is undergoing renovation and offerings are made only on Sundays,” says Mohu Aduvally, convener of the temple committee. Since the hilltop is exposed to natural hazards, lightning arrestors are being constructed here.
The ideal time to visit the Kalippara is before sunrise and after 3 pm for the sunset. At this hour the sky gets painted in varied hues. The landscape offers a breathtakingly picture perfect view of the whole of the city. “Wind always caresses you here and the silence and solitude the place offers are unparalleled. Those who plan to come here should ideally arrive in time for the sunset or sunrise and should not stay further as the sun can be harsh making the descend difficult,” says Anoop K, a member of the temple committee.