MUNNAR_Unplugged in God’s Own Country

Mangla express chugs fervently taking its own sweet time. This train running from North to South is a journey of 36 hrs showcasing the diverse landscape, culture, language, and people. CHAI Garam can be heard in different tones, let me tell you it’s fun.

Train Journey with CHAI GARAM

I am on my annual trip to Kerala. Not paying heed to the cyclone alerts looming around the corner, the hurricane of a family is all laughter and Fun.

Amidst the chugging and changing landscape of paddy fields, coconut grooves, and slant roof houses, I am happy to fast lose the km to the landscape while my thoughts run ahead.

The cyclone hits mildly, blessing the state with showers. Paddy fields soaked in knee-deep waters with coconut groves happily swaying to the wind to wriggle the rain the sights are spell bounding.

ALUVA 

Finally deposited at Aluva to our nearest point to reach MUNNAR Folded lungi, white tikka, black long oiled hair with a flower garland, and gold jewelry takes center stage as locals zoom pass on their day to day work.

The state offers multiple options to travel and is well connected to all means of transport, but we took the train to enjoy the landscape.

Aluva is the summer residency of the Travancore family and a suburb of Cochin. It is an important commercial town in Kerala and, Munnar is some 124 km. We take a break to stretch our mussels to begin yet another long road journey.

The CHAIKADDA Experience

The pit stop is at a tea stall, talking at the same time everyone here is super excited at the CHAIKADDA which is very popular. Now found in abundance is one shop stop to discuss current affairs, politics, and yes, some gossip. We had our share of some chitchatting with pleasantries with a “KADAK CHAI”

“KADAK CHAI” played its part as a booster opening some foggy brain cells in the hot and humid climate. The aroma of cardamom and ginger from the spice-rich state lingered for a long time.

Love of Timber_Kerala Houses

Fresh we are on our way to Munnar, fast leaving behind Aluva. I observe shops after shops with beautifully carved furniture. Houses with slanted roofs resting on wooden pillars. The wood is shining and intricately carved. Ganesha when asked turns off his car tape, happy to enrich us on the subject.

Climate 

In his tutti putti English in Malayali accent, he tells how an umbrella is always a part of their lifestyle, as Kerala is hot and humid has heavy frequent torrential rains, and is blessed with an abundant forest cover. Timber is grown abundantly and Keralites just love the style of mixed homes with concrete and wood.

Keeping in mind the old traditional houses, rains, and humidity. Hence the slanted roof and the verandas with spaces to keep indoors breezy. I loved the houses with the mix of old and new with the heritage intact. Use of wood giving it a touch of richness. I wished to take back some pieces of the intricately carved timber and the wait is still on.

Drive to Munnar

Drive to Munnar is full of a vivid picturesque landscape full of waterfalls with a dense green cover, winding roads, Quaint towns with slant roofs, spice plantations along with coconut, banana, and Jackfruit not an inch of the place is left.

Somewhere amidst the plantation resides the owner, irrespective of how connected they are to distances to villages and towns around.

IN this God’s own Country, I feel amidst nowhere they are guarded by the Gods themselves. The state has a 100 % literacy rate they put technology to use but are deeply rooted to tradition and firm believers of Ayurveda and yoga.

The Picture Perfect Postcard

The landscape changes to hills, lakes, and valleys as if the backdrop curtain has changed as I napped. The Western Ghats overlapping each other under the partially cleared and cloudy sky and rocky hills Covered with tea shrubs closely knit with a standalone tree create a picturesque background.

Every inch is covered, making you wonder who planted these and how did they manage. Every curve and bend takes you deep into the manicured plantations dotted with pluckers carrying a basket on their back tied to their colorful Bandana.

You cross paths with Tea estate workers walking towards their settlements somewhere amidst the greens after the day’s work.

A narrow trail leading towards them.

Located some thousand feet above sea level in the Idukki district MUNNAR is the most sought-after tourist destination with tea plantations, waterfalls, lakes with a max climate around 28 to 30 degrees.

Unplug Yourself

It is a place to let your hair loose, see the play of skies, and be a party to the tantrums of the winds. To see the magnetic clouds descend on the plantation to walk curving paths to find something new.

Munnar for me was a no plan and was the best plan. I walked, I trailed, I had my morning tea amidst the woods. Plucked tea leaves and listened to the songs of plantation workers, plucked oranges from those standalone trees.

I idled watching the horizon set on fire at dusk, the cloud descends in my cottage, filled my lungs with the purest of winds and the morning mist, and unplugged myself from the outside worldAromatic_The Food and Message Way

Savored the Malayali food and rejuvenated me from the plethora of aromatic massages. Famous for its Ayurveda. Kerala and Ayurveda go hand in hand and when relaxing in Munnar it’s one of the things to be done.

It gave me a sense of wilderness. Panchakarma and Yoga relaxing my soul along with my body.

Being the most sort after destination one should remember to find lonely standalone stay far away from the crowds it does get crowded.

Do Explore

So to retain what you are planning and let your hair loose, do visit this picture-perfect postcard destination MUNNAR. Do normal touristy sightseeing in a little off-beat way.

# Cycle away to the Matupetty dam.

#Open up a picnic basket at the Kundala Dam.

# Do take the tea tasting tour and taste the umpteen variety of fragrances that makes your everyday morning brew. Know more nuances about these plantations and the life span of the tea shrubs. Get caught by the aromas and how each variety and stage creates the world’s most sought-after brew.

# Take the walking tours and the trails.

# Camp at the Jungles.

Saying goodbye to Munnar, but still in the Vibe of the place with my aromatic being from the messages and triggered senses from the tea tasting. The last few days I was with nature, in nature in its most beautiful form.

The place is blessed and I wish is preserved as it is. The fast-changing climate cycles and ever thronging tourists have already started showing signs. The “God’s Own Country” needs a constant effort to maintain the ecosystem and Human intervention to develop responsible and sustainable tourism.

This time as I board my flight I have taken a faster route to get back but I wish to take the longer route and the train to see the landscape pass by. To hear the different tunes of CHAI Garam.

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