Munnar

A traveller's paradise
Munnar, the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala, a hill station 1600m above sea level, is an ethereal experience for an enthusiastic traveller. The hairpin curves, lush greenery, silver streams, panoramic waterfalls, rolling hills, you name it… It is there, if you are a nature lover craving for the wonderful moments tangible with nature. Neelakurinji, the plant that flowers once in twelve years which envelops the valley with blue colour is a unique phenomenon here. The world's largest integrated tea company; TATA Tea is also situated in this tranquil region.

Elephants, tigers, deer and gaur bisons are the major inhabitants of the tropical forests here. The dense Shola forests are also the habitat of magnificent and rare birds like jungle fowl, myna, laughing thrush, black bulbul and peafowl.

Eravikulam National Park, 15 km away from Munnar town, is spread across 97-sq.km and is situated in Devikulam Taluk, Idukki District and is the domicile of Nilgiri Thars, the rare variety of mountain goats, which is facing extinction, is one of the major tourist attractions of Munnar region. It was declared a national park in 1978 considering the ecological, biological and geo-morphological significance of the place. The Anamudi peak (2695 m), the highest peak in south India is located in the Southern region of the park. The beautiful park is divided into three regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only in the tourism area, which is in the Rajamala region. The Atlas Moth, the largest moth of its kind in the world, is a unique possession of the park.

The major tourist attractions in and around Munnar include Mattupetty - the Indo-Swiss live stock project which houses more than 100 high yielding varieties of cows, Pothamedu famous for coffee, tea and cardamom plantations and long mountain walks, Devikulam tranquil hill areas with exotic flora and fauna, Pallivasal the first Hydro-electric project in Kerala, Attukal and Nyayamkad water falls, Lock Heart Gap, Kundala the picturesque town.

So don't forget to visit this heavenly place at least once in lifetime…

Pics by Shivaram