As the long road winds around the green hills, my thought is – this must be what heaven looks like. I feel like a 12 year old again, as I attempt catching the clouds that float past. The strong fragrance of cardamom and tea rents the air. Munnar, Here I come…
Munnar is definitely a wonder that God must have carved out at leisure. With rolling green hills and cottage-like settlements in between, it’s simply breathtaking. I am already in love! There’s so much I want to do here and time just seems so less. I check into the Club Mahindra Lake View Resort, with its warm hospitality and beautiful rooms that offer splendid views of the region. 30 minutes later, I am geared up to take a tour of the region. Since I am around for 2 days, it’s relatively easier to plan and visit the numerous sights I’ve read all my life about.
My visit of Munnar starts with Mattupetty, which houses the Indo-Swiss Livestock Project, a dam and lakes. Moving on to Lock Heart Gap, which is another natural wonder. The tea plantations are obviously a part of my explore-Munnar plan and after a much winding path I reached the Kundala Tea Plantations, where it was interesting to watch the entire tea making process. Highlight of plantations that you visit – you can sample some of the world’s finest teas and carry packets home too! :-)
The next day was a relatively relaxed one and along with my guide, I visited the famous Rajamala & Eravikulam National Park, which is famous for the rather endangered Nilgiri Tahrs. Munnar has quite a few churches too, which are noteworthy for their stained glass windows, from where the sun rays stream in and cast a rather ethereal picture. As we move down the hill path again, I ask my guide what other splendor I must not miss out. Prompt comes the reply, ‘Neelakunrinji flowers that cover the mountain in blue. But you are 2 years late. You must come back after 10 years again’. I simply nod.
As I watch the sun dawn over the hills and the river water sparkles endlessly, I realize that the journey is just about beginning. I’ll be back with more details of my South India Trail, so keep following…
