Munnar, Kerala, India

Munnar

Munnar, Kerala, India

What is it? Hill station, tea plantations
Where is it? Kerala
When do I go? November to May
For how long? Three days
STD code: 0486

Rolling oceans of tubby green tea bushes, crisp mountain air, craggy hills wildlife and a throwback to colonial times makes Munnar a lovely getaway. Yet for all its virtues, it hasn’t developed into a full fledged hill station, a blessing one might add. However this means there is little to do except take long, leisurely walks, which in turn means this is a great chill-out zone. Remember to stop and sniff the wildflowers.

About Munnar
History
A Scot, J D Munro initiated the town’s development in 1870 and for a while the area was the fiefdom of Scottish tea planters. The pioneering Scottish have long since left and the tea estates are now owned and run by Tata Tea. Munnar was once the summer capital of the British Government in South India. The hills are known as the Kannan Devan Hills named after the headman of the villages of Anchanad, just to the north of the High Range. He is said to have been passing through the area in the early 19th century, liked what he saw and named the hill after him. Similarly, Devan is named after another man whose antecedents remain unknown. The entire area is known as the High Ranges. Much like the rest of Kerala, Munnar enjoys 89 per cent literacy.

Geography
Munnar is hemmed in by peninsular South India’s highest peak, Anamudi (2695m/8841 ft) and enjoys its hill station status. 1600m above MSL, three streams or rivers meet at Munnar and flow out of the Pallivasal gap to join the River Periyar and from there to the Arabian Sea. Munnar gets its name from Tamil where moonu means three, and aar means river. The three rivers are Kanyar, Mattupetty and Nallatanni.
If you come from Kochi, you will be greeted by a flat valley that says little of the beauty of what is to follow. The Pallivasal tea estates give you your first glimpse of Munnar as you come from Kochi. Most of the trees you see around Munnar, are either Acacias, the fuel in the tea industry, or Red Gums. The hills look lovely and green at all times, either because of the tea bushes or the lush vegetation and there are always plenty of wildflowers around. However, after the leaf-picking, the hillsides can look ugly and barren. The felling by tea companies for fuel, for tea processing hasn’t helped. However replantations are fast and immediate.
The new Munnar begins at the Tata Tea headquarters. A sad, tiny bridge separates old Munnar from the new, but the latter hardly lives up to its epithet. From here all roads lead to the river valleys. Munnar town is spread over 212 acres. The hills in this area are called the Kanan Devan hills. According to another version of the legend, the hills are named after a man, Kannan Thevar landlord in the Anginaad valley. Travellers had to pass through his village so the hillslopes took his name and later, so did the tea around this area. The township developed as the jungle receded and the Company began to lease shops to traders. The Munnar Supply Association was created by the pioneering European settlers to be their only source of provisions, is still owned and operated by High Range Planters. The Munnar Panchayat is one of the richest in India, but the panch still bows to the planters. Their fathers worked as labourers in the estates, and servility cannot be rooted out so easily. On the three hillocks separated by the three streams, are the main temple, church and mosque of Munnar town. Nearby lies the Regional Office: till 1924 this building was a company railway station and rice and tea store. The Tata tea plantations start at Pallivasal from the Kochi side and end at Vaguvari at one end and Devikulam and Rajamalai at the other ends. Most of the plantation land is leased by Tata tea.

Time Planner
Munnar should take you at least three days if not more. You can stay here for a week and you will still not get enough.

Day one: Mattupetty dam and boating, Indo Swiss project, Kundale dam and reservoir, Echo point, Top Station. Lunch break. Eravikulam national park, Attakadu waterfalls.

Day two: Amaravathi dam, Crocodile park, Chinnar Wildlife sanctuary, Marayoor Hermitage, Marayoor sandalwood forests, Nayamakad waterfalls.

Day three: Church visits, tea factory, Lock Heart Gap, Kundala, High Range Club.

Climate
At an altitude of 1600 m (6000 ft), Munnar enjoys a refreshing climate, year round. The best time is between September and May. Monsoons, from June to August bring relentless rains (annual total of 2,700 mm). However the rains are light and continuous, which means you can still go out. Situated on the edge of the escarpment which faces the Arabian Sea, the annual rainfall varies from 130 cm (60 inches) in Chittavurrai, the eastern-most estate to 800 cm (315 inches) in Kalaar at the western end, all within a distance of 26 km. Though May is a good time to visit, specially if you are coming from the plains, be prepared for light showers at mid-day. In summer the temperatures in the High Range stand between 15°C to 25°C. In winter, temperatures are between 0°C to 15°C.

Location of Munnar

For more information on the following topics, please see the TravelOnTheDollar Munnar travel guide for Kindle:
- Getting there
- Getting around
- Sights & Sounds
- Excursions
- Accommodation
- Eating Out
- Shopping
- Useful Information
- Survival Guide

Munnar, Kerala The complete guide to the tea-capital of India, located in the hills of Kerala – Munnar. Get all the information you need – getting there, getting away, excursions, sights & sounds, things to do, useful information, etc. Kindle price: $9.99