Munnar, the celebrated slope station of south India, is a heartfelt region where regular excellence is wherever to visit, investigate and to appreciate. Munnar is where Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundala, three mountain streams meet, and the name “Munnar” means “three rivers” in Malayalam. The hill station, which is about 1600 meters above sea level, was the summer resort of the British government during the colonial era. English country cottages in the Munnar town are strong reminders of the colonial era. Munnar offers visitors a wonderful vacation experience that includes virgin forests, savannah, rolling hills, picturesque valleys, numerous streams, enormous splashy waterfalls, sprawling tea plantations, and winding walkways. Neelakurinji, a rare plant that blooms only once every twelve years, is another reason Munnar is famous. Munnar’s “kurinji season” is a stunning sight when the Neelakurinji blooms cover the hills and valleys in a sea of blue.
Top 10 Tourist spots in Munnar
Eravikulam National Park
Over its 97 square kilometers, the Eravikulam National Park is a lush haven for rare plants, animals, and birds. However, the park’s most popular attraction is the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius). This park is home to roughly one-third of the species’ worldwide population. The park is a must-see during the kurinji flowering season due to the abundance of the plant Neelakurinji, which blooms once every twelve years. The park contains Anamudi, South India’s tallest peak. The town of Munnar is about 13 kilometers away from the Eravikulam National Park. The park remains closed to the public each year sometime in January or February, when the calving season is in full swing.
Mattupetty
The Mattupetty hills can be reached by driving 13 kilometers from Munnar on a winding road through lush vegetation. The hills are approximately 1,700 meters above sea level. A dam, lake, and international-standard dairy farm are among the attractions here, in addition to the green, rolling hills. Kundala, another beautiful picnic spot with large green tea plantations and a dam with a picturesque reservoir, is approximately 7 km from Mattupetty. Lake and dam at Mattupetty The tranquil Mattupetty lake is a great place to go boating. The lake is bordered by a forest, and if the tourists are lucky, they may spot elephant herds strolling across the grassy area. The Idukki District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) provides lake boat services. To explore the lake, you could rent a speed launch, a slow speedboat, or a regular motorboat.
The Mattupetty hills can be reached by driving 13 kilometers from Munnar on a winding road through lush vegetation. The hills are approximately 1,700 meters above sea level. A dam, lake, and international-standard dairy farm are among the attractions here, in addition to the green, rolling hills. Kundala, another beautiful picnic spot with large green tea plantations and a dam with a picturesque reservoir, is approximately 7 km from Mattupetty. Kundala Kundala, a small town in the middle of the wild and greenery, is just a short drive from Mattupetty. One of the most enjoyable aspects of your trip would be taking a stroll through the sprawling tea plantations. Munnar is approximately 20 kilometers away from Kundala. The Kundala Dam and a picturesque lake with boating facilities are another draw here. Any visitor to the lake would be tempted by the shikara-style boats, pedal boats, and row boats floating around. Club of Kundala Another interesting spot to visit is the Kundala Club, which has a proud history dating back to the colonial era. You are welcome to play golf at the Club with the permission of the Secretary. It’s worth going to the clubhouse and other buildings.
Neelakurinji
paradise of flowers Munnar is a picture-perfect location for your ideal vacation. Additionally, during the Neelakurinji flowering season, when the sprawling hills are covered in a blue blanket of Neelakurinji blooms, it transforms into a real fairytale land. The purple-blue Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) blooms once every twelve years, drawing thousands of tourists to Munnar during this time to admire the rolling hills and seemingly endless valleys. In 2006, Neelakurinji bloomed for the last time in Munnar. The blossom A shrub known as Neelakurinji or Stobilanthes kunthiana can be found in south India’s Western Ghats. Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck, a German botanist, was the first to study and describe the plant in the genus Kunthiana. Nearly 46 of the 250 species that make up the genus Strobilanthes can be found in India. The majority of the species, like the Neelakurinji, exhibit unusual flowering behaviors that range from annual to 16 years. Under ideal conditions, the plant can reach a height of up to 180 centimeters. Terminology Plantae are the kingdom.
Grouping: Magnoliophyta Magnoliopsida is the class. Lamiales are in order. The family Acanthaceae The Strobilanthes genus S. is a species. Kunthiana Habitat Neelakurinji only lives in the shola grasslands of the Western Ghats, specifically Munnar’s Nilgiri, Palani, and Eravikulam hills.
Neelakurinji can be found in the Eastern Ghats on the Shevaroy hills, in addition to the Western Ghats. Literary works Many poets from Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been inspired by the beauty and rarity of Neelakurinji. The poets see Neelakurinji as a representation of longing, love, and happiness. Kuruntokai The comparison of the blossoming with the enduring union of lovers in the Tamil classic Kuruntokai stands out among the numerous poetic references. It’s interesting that the classic doesn’t mention the flower directly, even though it beautifully describes a comprehensible image.
Neelakurinji is a woman’s self-realization in the poem. A girl is considered sexually mature in Tamil culture when she is 12 years old. The self-awakening of womanhood is beautifully represented by the poet through the imagery of Neelakurinji. The second volume in the Sangam literature anthology Ettuthokai is called Kuruntokai. Love and separation are central themes in the Kuruntokai poems. Numerous authors have contributed to the work, and Nachinarkiniyar, a scholar who lived in the sixth or seventh century, has annotated it.
Good spots During the flowering season, the Neelakurinji blooms can be seen spectacularly from the grasslands at Top Station and Eravikulam National Park. Rajamala, Vattavada, Kovilur, and Kadavari are additional must-see destinations. During the flowering season, Munnar’s tour operators and adventure clubs coordinate special trekking programs. Additionally, the Idukki District Tourism Promotion Council assists tourists in exploring the hills.
Peerumadu
Peermedu, a hill station with outstanding natural beauty, offers tranquility. Peer Mohammed, a Sufi saint, lived in Peermedu for decades, and the area was given the name Peermedu, also known as the Peer’s valley. You will discover that the wild and beautiful hills and valleys of Peermedu, surrounded by an all-encompassing tranquility, would be the ideal residence for a saint. In addition to the wild, Peermedu is a plantation town with extensive areas of rubber, eucalyptus, coffee, tea, and cardamom. Royal flair Peermedu has a royal past because it was the Maharajas of Travancore’s summer home. A well-known principality in south India, the former Travancore kingdom encompassed the southern parts of the state of Kerala. A prominent landmark in Peermedu is Ammachikkottaram, the summer home of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai, who ruled the Travancore kingdom as Maharani Regent from 1924 to 1931. Today, the opulent bungalow is a private residence. Peermedu’s fame does not end when the royal era begins. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, was also a guest at the hill station. The proud list of guests at the Government Guest House in Peermedu includes Nehru at the top.
