The drive from Coimbatore to Munnar is captivatingly
beautiful. The scenic goodness is a photographer’s delight. After 110kms drive
from Coimbatore we entered the Annamalai Tiger Forest Reserve. As we were registering our names on the ledger at the check gate, we
saw a few wild boars at a distance of 20 feet feeding on the berries and grass,
undisturbed and content. The previous evening we were told that we may cross a
tiger but were'nt lucky enough. The drive is beautiful and the roads are good.
After approx 1 hour we entered Kerela ...The Chinnar wildlife Sanctuary and
drove on for another 45mins before we entered the tea country of Munnar.
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| entering the state of Kerela |
We wove our way through the most beautiful tea area of South
India. A blanket of greenery on undulating slopes edged with red poinsettias
was a sight to behold. The curves on the roads were challenging and at times we
had to be careful of the buses hurtling down the slopes along the two lane drive. We crossed 4 check
gates, two in Tamil Nadu and two in Kerela, which was a little cumbersome and felt they were unnecessary,
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| Annamalai Tiger Reserve |
We rented a self-driven vehicle and were informed that an
RTA(road transport authority) permit for Kerela would be issued at the border
check-gate of the state .We spent 3 days without coming across any RTA security
post only to be told while exiting the province that it should have been taken at Pollachi or Adimaly. Therefore, remember to collect the necessary documents before entering any state in India.
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| Western Ghats |
Munnar,
an ecological hot-spot in the Western Ghats, is situated at 5200 feet above sea
level. Established as the summer resort of the British elite, it is the home to
tea-gardens, spice farms and a
variety of birds. Waterfalls, gurgling streams
and tribal folklore
make the trip fascinating. The Kundala Dam Lake and Attukal
waterfalls are worth visiting. The walking treks are amazing
especially with a
good guide who knows about the flora and fauna
of the place. Breakfast and
lunch is included. You have a choice of
a half day or full day tour. The walk
through a spice garden is also
enlightening. As many as 12 different spices invaded our senses.
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| Nutmegs |
Museum also known as the Kannan Devan Tea Museum. A
documentary is shown followed by a talk and a demonstration of
the tea-making process. Tea varities are sold at the factory out-let.
The Munnar experience can be completed with a cultural trip to
Punarjani Village where a traditional dance and martial arts
performance is staged. We were lucky to see the Munnar flower
show where an array of beautifully colored and scented
blossoms greeted us. It draws people from far and wide.
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| Small waterfall during the dry season |
Munnar town is like any other hill town of India. The town
center has a number of shops which often get crowded. The bus terminus adds to
the chaos at times. We therefore stayed at a B&B "The Shade” 35 kms away. Reasonably
priced, you get true value for the money paid. The sunrise over the hills is a photographer’s
delight. Santosh, the host, was friendly and helpful. The rooms are spot-less
.Local cuisine is served which is delicious.They serve non-vegetarian food too.
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| Breakfast with rice cakes at "The Shade" |
Munnar, like most tourist destinations, is under threat of being over-run by hordes of visitors. Trees are being felled to give way to concrete resorts. Multi-storied hotels are dotting the hill-slopes, totally out-of-sync with the beautiful landscape. Steps have to be taken to preserve and conserve the scenic stillness of the location. Limiting the footfalls of tourists would do a lot of good to the area.
"If the bio-sphere is our host , why do we manipulate it for our benefit? "
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