Munnar
Encyclopedia
Munnar is one of the most popular hill station in Kerala
and in southern India
. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats
, situated in the Idukki district
.
The name Munnar is believed to be derived from Tamil words Munu (three) and aaru (river), referring to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the Madhurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers.
The Munnar town is in Kannan Devan Hills ( KDH ) Village in Devikulam taluk and is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district having an area measuring nearly 557 km².
The major attraction in munnar is the tea plantations which is enchantingly lush green covered with mist.
The nearest major railway stations are at Ernakulam
and Aluva
(approximately 120 km by road). The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport
, which is 110 km away.
A drive from Udumalpet to Munnar gives one unforgettable views of the Western Ghats. Chinnar is 25 km from Udumalpet and is home to the Indira Gandhi wildlife sanctuary which is famous for known for the elephants that inhabit the area. Chinnar is also the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. As you cross the Tamil Nadu border and enter Kerala, you can see a distinct change in the vegetation. While the Tamil Nadu areas have vegetation dominated by shrubs and thorny trees, the vegetation in Kerala is lush green with tall trees. Marayur is 20 km from Chinnar, famous for its sandalwood forests which often fall prey to poachers.
As you drive past Marayur towards Munnar, you can see Anamudi, the highest mountain peak in south part of India to your right. This area also houses the Eravikulam National Park famous for its population of the Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat. This area offers abundant scope for mountain trekking. On the trekking route to the Anamudi peak, you can see a Trout farm. The rest of the drive towards Munnar is through neatly manicured tea estates owned by Tata Tea Ltd and Waterfall Estate. The landscape is also dotted by tea factories and labour lines.The Munnar panchayat in the Devikulam taluk is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district
having an area measuring nearly 557 km².
industry, or are involved in the tourism
business. In 2000, the Government of Kerala
declared Munnar as a tourist spot. This has helped in attracting more tourists to this beautiful hill resort. Several protected wildlife areas and the regions attractive climate area attract many tourists who support the many hotels, restaurants and transport businesses in Munnar and constitute an important, if seasonal, mainstay for its economy. Besides hotels, Munnar also has fantastic options for alternative non-hotel stays like homestays, guest houses and independent villas.
(Nilgiritragus hylocrius). Spread over an area of 97 km2., this park is also home to several species of rare butterflies, animals and birds. A great place for trekking, the park offers a magnificent view of the tea plantations and also the rolling hills caressed by blankets of mists. The park becomes a hot destination when the hill slopes here get covered in a carpet of blue, resulting from the flowering of Neelakurinji. It is a plant endemic to this part of the Western Ghats which blooms once in twelve years. The last time it bloomed was in 2006.
(2695 metres (8,841.9 ft)) is Kerala's
highest mountain and the highest Indian mountain south of the Himalayan range. Treks to the peak are allowed with permission from Forest and Wildlife authorities at Eravikulam.
Another place of interest, located about 13 km from Munnar Town, is Mattupetty. Lying at a height of 1700 m above sea level, Mattupetty is known for its storage masonry dam and the lake, which offers boat rides, enabling one to enjoy the surrounding hills and landscape. Mattupetty's fame is also attributed to the dairy farm run by the Indo-Swiss Livestock Project, where one would come across different high yielding breeds of cows. Mattupetty with its lush green tea plantations, rolling grasslands and the Shola forests is also ideal for trekking and is home to a variety of birds.
, located at about 3 km from Chithirapuram in Munnar is the venue of the first hydro-electric project in Kerala
. It is a place of immense scenic beauty and is often favoured by visitors as a picnic spot.
nearby, including the new Kurinjimala Sanctuary
to the east, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
, Manjampatti Valley
and the Amaravati reserve forest of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
to the north east, the Eravikulam National Park
and Anamudi Shola National Park
to the north, the Pampadum Shola National Park
to the south and the proposed Palani Hills National Park to the east. These protected areas are especially known for several threatened and endemic species including Nilgiri Thar, the Grizzled Giant Squirrel
, the Nilgiri Wood-pigeon
, Elephant
, the Gaur
, the Nilgiri langur
, the Sambar, and the Neelakurinji (that blossoms only once in twelve years).
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and in southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
, situated in the Idukki district
Idukki district
Idukki district is one among the 14 districts of Kerala state, India. The district headquarters is located at in Painavu.It is the second least populous district in Kerala, after Wayanad .-Etymology:...
.
The name Munnar is believed to be derived from Tamil words Munu (three) and aaru (river), referring to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the Madhurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers.
The Munnar town is in Kannan Devan Hills ( KDH ) Village in Devikulam taluk and is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district having an area measuring nearly 557 km².
The major attraction in munnar is the tea plantations which is enchantingly lush green covered with mist.
The nearest major railway stations are at Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
and Aluva
Aluva
Aluva , is a suburb of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Aluva is also a major industrial center of the state....
(approximately 120 km by road). The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport is an international airport located in Nedumbassery, a suburb on the outskirts of the city of Kochi about northeast of downtown Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala...
, which is 110 km away.
Geography and climate
The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1450 metres (4,757.2 ft) to 2695 metres (8,841.9 ft) above mean sea level. Munnar enjoys a salubrious climate. The temperature ranges between 5 °C (41 °F) and 25 °C (77 °F) in winter and 15 °C (59 °F) and 25 °C (77 °F) in summer. Temperatures as low as -4 °C have been recorded in the Sevenmallay region of Munnar.The mean maximum daily temperature is at its lowest during the monsoon months with the highest temperature being 19 C.A drive from Udumalpet to Munnar gives one unforgettable views of the Western Ghats. Chinnar is 25 km from Udumalpet and is home to the Indira Gandhi wildlife sanctuary which is famous for known for the elephants that inhabit the area. Chinnar is also the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. As you cross the Tamil Nadu border and enter Kerala, you can see a distinct change in the vegetation. While the Tamil Nadu areas have vegetation dominated by shrubs and thorny trees, the vegetation in Kerala is lush green with tall trees. Marayur is 20 km from Chinnar, famous for its sandalwood forests which often fall prey to poachers.
As you drive past Marayur towards Munnar, you can see Anamudi, the highest mountain peak in south part of India to your right. This area also houses the Eravikulam National Park famous for its population of the Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat. This area offers abundant scope for mountain trekking. On the trekking route to the Anamudi peak, you can see a Trout farm. The rest of the drive towards Munnar is through neatly manicured tea estates owned by Tata Tea Ltd and Waterfall Estate. The landscape is also dotted by tea factories and labour lines.The Munnar panchayat in the Devikulam taluk is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district
Idukki district
Idukki district is one among the 14 districts of Kerala state, India. The district headquarters is located at in Painavu.It is the second least populous district in Kerala, after Wayanad .-Etymology:...
having an area measuring nearly 557 km².
Economy
Most residents of Munnar are employed in the teaTea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
industry, or are involved in the tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
business. In 2000, the Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
declared Munnar as a tourist spot. This has helped in attracting more tourists to this beautiful hill resort. Several protected wildlife areas and the regions attractive climate area attract many tourists who support the many hotels, restaurants and transport businesses in Munnar and constitute an important, if seasonal, mainstay for its economy. Besides hotels, Munnar also has fantastic options for alternative non-hotel stays like homestays, guest houses and independent villas.
Tourism
Eravikulam National Park
Located about 12 km from Munnar, The Park holds the largest viable population of the endangered (IUCN) Nilgiri TahrNilgiri Tahr
The Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiritragus hylocrius, known locally as the Nilgiri Ibex or simply Ibex, is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu...
(Nilgiritragus hylocrius). Spread over an area of 97 km2., this park is also home to several species of rare butterflies, animals and birds. A great place for trekking, the park offers a magnificent view of the tea plantations and also the rolling hills caressed by blankets of mists. The park becomes a hot destination when the hill slopes here get covered in a carpet of blue, resulting from the flowering of Neelakurinji. It is a plant endemic to this part of the Western Ghats which blooms once in twelve years. The last time it bloomed was in 2006.
Anamudi Peak
Situated about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from Munnar town, AnamudiAnamudi
Anamudi is located in the Indian state Kerala. It is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and South India, at an elevation of , and a topographic prominence of...
(2695 metres (8,841.9 ft)) is Kerala's
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
highest mountain and the highest Indian mountain south of the Himalayan range. Treks to the peak are allowed with permission from Forest and Wildlife authorities at Eravikulam.
Mattupetty
Pallivasal
PallivasalPallivasal
Pallivasal is a Tamil Language word means Mosque, Masjid. Pallivasal is a village in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala.-Demographics: India census, Pallivasal had a population of 11759 with 5965 males and 5794 females....
, located at about 3 km from Chithirapuram in Munnar is the venue of the first hydro-electric project in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. It is a place of immense scenic beauty and is often favoured by visitors as a picnic spot.
Chinnakanal
Near the town of Munnar is Chinnakanal and the waterfalls here, popularly known as Power House Waterfalls, cascade down a steep rock 2000 m above sea level. The spot is enriched with the scenic view of the Western Ghat ranges.Anayirangal
When you have traveled about seven kilometers from Chinnakanal, you reach Anayirangal. Anayirangal, 22 km from Munnar, is a lush green carpet of tea plants. A trip on the splendid reservoir is an unforgettable experience. The Anayirangal dam is surrounded by tea plantations and evergreen forests.Rajamalai
Rajamala is a wildlife sanctuary located about 15 km from Munnar. It is the natural habitat of Nilgiri Tahr, a rare Mountain goat. Half the world population of this rare species is concentrated in this region. The animal is fast becoming extinct. The total number of Nilgiri Tahrs in Rajamala is estimated at 1317. This sanctuary is part of the Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, and visitors are allowed to certain tourism areas in the Rajamala region.Echo Point
Echo Point is another scenic place which is located 15 km from Munnar. It is on the way to Top Station. This place gets its name from the natural echo phenomenon here.Top Station
Top Station, which is about 27 km from Munnar is at a height of 1900 m above sea level. Travelers to Munnar make it a point to visit Top Station to enjoy the panoramic view of the surrounding areas. One can see both Tamil Nadu and Kerala on either sides. It is one of the spots in Munnar to enjoy the Neelakurunji flowers blooming over a vast area.Tea Museum
Munnar has a legacy of its own when to comes to the origins and evolution of tea plantations. Taking account of this legacy and to preserve and showcase some of the exquisite and interesting aspects on the genesis and growth of tea plantations in Kerala's high ranges, a museum exclusively for tea was opened some years ago by Tata Tea in Munnar. This Tea Museum houses curios, photographs and machineries; all of which have a story to tell on the origins and growth of tea plantation in Munnar. The museum is located at the Nallathanni Estate of KDHP Co(P) Ltd in Munnar and is worth a visit.CSI Church
CSI Church built on 1910 . Church is made of rock without any plaster during the British rule in India.Flora and fauna
Most of the native flora and fauna of Munnar have disappeared due to severe habitat fragmentation resultant from the creation of the plantations. However, some species continue to survive and thrive in several protected areasProtected areas of Kerala
The Protected areas of Kerala include a wide range of biomes, extending east from the coral reefs, estuaries, salt marshes, mangroves and beaches of the Arabian Sea through the tropical moist broadleaf forests of the Malabar Coast moist forests to the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests and...
nearby, including the new Kurinjimala Sanctuary
Kurinjimala Sanctuary
Kurinjimala Sanctuary protects the approximately 32 km² core habitat of the endangered Neelakurinji plant in Kottakamboor and Vattavada villages in Devakulam Taluk, Idukki district of Kerala State in South India. -History:...
to the east, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, , is located 18 km north of Marayoor on SH 17 in the Marayoor and Kanthalloor Panchayats of Devikulam Taluk in the Idukki district of Kerala state in South India. It is one of twelve Wildlife Sanctuaries among the Protected areas of Kerala.It is under the...
, Manjampatti Valley
Manjampatti Valley
Manjampatti Valley is a protected area in the eastern end of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is a pristine drainage basin of shola and montane rain Forest with high biodiversity recently threatened by illegal land clearing...
and the Amaravati reserve forest of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
Indira Gandhi National Park
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is a protected area named after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who visited the park on October 7, 1961. It is often called "Topslip", a village in the northeast corner of the park which is the main visitor center. This name is derived from the local...
to the north east, the Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park is a 97 km² national park located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala in India, between 10º05'N - 10º20'N latitude and 77º0'E - 77º10'E longitude...
and Anamudi Shola National Park
Anamudi Shola National Park
Anamudi Shola National Park is a protected area located along the Western Ghats in Idukki District, Kerala state, South India. It is composed of Mannavan shola, Idivara shola and Pullardi shola, covering a total area of around 7.5 km². Draft notification of this new park was released on Nov...
to the north, the Pampadum Shola National Park
Pampadum Shola National Park
Pampadum Shola National Park is the smallest national park in Kerala state, South India. The park is administered by the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, Munnar Wildlife Division, together with the nearby Mathikettan Shola National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi Shola National...
to the south and the proposed Palani Hills National Park to the east. These protected areas are especially known for several threatened and endemic species including Nilgiri Thar, the Grizzled Giant Squirrel
Grizzled Giant Squirrel
The grizzled giant squirrel is a large tree squirrel in the genus Ratufa found in the highlands of the Central and Uva provinces of Sri Lanka, and in patches of riparian forest along the Kaveri River and in the hill forests in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of southern India...
, the Nilgiri Wood-pigeon
Nilgiri Wood-pigeon
The Nilgiri Wood Pigeon is large pigeon found in the moist deciduous forests and sholas of the Western Ghats in southwestern India. They are mainly frugivorous and forage in the canopy of dense hill forests...
, Elephant
Indian Elephant
The Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
, the Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
, the Nilgiri langur
Nilgiri Langur
The Nilgiri langur is a lutung found in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats in South India. Its range also includes Kodagu in Karnataka,Kodayar Hills in Tamil Nadu and many other hilly areas in Kerala and Tamil nadu. This primate has glossy black fur on its body and golden brown fur on its head...
, the Sambar, and the Neelakurinji (that blossoms only once in twelve years).