Up Above the World so High

-Ajai Kumar K S / Sridevi Narayanan
Travel writers

Tranced by the enchanting beauty of Munnar’s alluring landscape, Isabelle, the spirited young bride of a young British Planter unknowingly shouted “Here, amidst the undulating hills, I wish to rest forever”.Ironically, the fate’s whimsy had an unfortunate way of twisting her desires into a bitterreality, as if her words were prophetic by chance. On the very next morning, a misty shadow fell upon the Hillsdisguised as Cholera. In a nick of time Cholera’s fingers had clutched at Isabelle’s life itself.Honouring her last wish, she was laid to rest atop the majestic Hills of Munnar, where Henry Knight, the “Knight” of her fleeting matrimonial journey, erected a quaint Chapel guarded her slumber, overlooking the valley beneath, since the late 19th Century. In the dawn of the 21st Century, a new chapter unfolded in Munnar’s history. Munnar based Hadlee Renjith – an enthusiastic young Naturalist, in Munnar sought to share the enchantment of Munnar with the world.With each step echoing Isabelle’s love for the Hills, Hadlee named his Holiday venture “Resplendent Experiences,” a portal through which he guided travellers on the most immersive trekking journeys of their lives. As a new fad amongthe discerned nature lovers Trekking is turned out to be the most ideal way to explore the Mother Nature.

To cope up with the timely requirement Hadlee Renjith, who is also a Wildlife Photographer, specialises in providing Professionally Guided Trekking Programs of explored and unexplored terrains of Munnar Hills and surroundings. In every Munnar Trekking programs an accompanying Naturalist – a passionate Walking Encyclopaedia who is mainly specialised in environment and Ecology bestowed with unique brooding eyes and ears to spot the Wildlife in the vicinity. Without Munnar Hill Station the muchcelebrated Kerala Holiday Itinerary is incomplete for the Inbound and Domestic Travellers.Apart from that “the chilled Munnar” is the shortest weekend mascot of the “tropical Cochin” Travellers. Regrettably, Munnar Trekking is still a passion limited among the ardent nature lovers, mostly the Europeans.

Their mostly exploredtrekking points are Meeshappulimalai, Kolukkumalai, Top Station, a portion of Chokkarmudi Hills, Pambadumpara Shola National Park, Lakshmi Estate Hills etc. Though Anamudi is the highest peak in the whole of South India, which falls under the Munnar regions of Western Ghats, it is not legally permitted to trek or enter. Most of the Trekking Programs in Munnar are single-day or half-daytreks or overnight tendedaccommodative treks or night treks. From the peak of every trekking point, a breath-taking bird’seye view of the pristine nature accompanied by the green carpets of Tea Plantations, dream-like silver streams, glittering river banks, lush green forests, blue sky scrapping tall trees on the valleys, vast grasslandsand misty hill tops altogether sleep peacefully on the lap of Western Ghats are guaranteed.Meeshappulimalai, the mountain resembles a Moustached-Leopard about to spring, with its pinnacleat an altitude of 2637 MSL, claims the privilege of being the second highest peak in South India. Meeshappulimalai, an amalgamation of eight peaks, is the most sought after and hard-trekking spot with steep ridges to climb compared to the other trekking points. While the ascent in progress, one can spot wild animals and rich avian diversities in the striking landscape of thick woodlands, plantations, hills and waterbodies.

A nine to ten hours long trekking sooths the psyche and physique of the trekker, with packed snacks, soft drinks and short resting intervals that ultimately make the trek a memorable decision. One can boast to be trekked on the world’s highest tea plantations situated on an elevationof 2170 MSL once reaching Kolukkumalai, beyond the Kerala Boarders in Tamil Nadu. A 1.5 hours long Jeep ride from Munnar Town through Suryanelli village take the trekkers to the abode of the Kolukkumalai Hill.Kolukkumalai is more of a serene family trekking or picnic spot that can present the beautiful sights along the borders of the grasslands, misty mountains, the erstwhile colonial bungalows seen around and a visit to one of the oldest traditional tea factories. Still they follow the old technique of tea making – handpicked leaves are withered and fermented in traditional drying method- that gives the different taste and aroma to the produce of the highest tea plantation. The jeep safari alongside the steep unpaved trailsgives itself an experience before embracing the high altitude tea-aromatic breeze. Hadlee Ranjith begins, – as if a fable begins-, “once upon a time there was a railway station in the Valley of Kudala”. This trekking point is later known as the “Top Station” which is situated at an altitude of 2100 Msl,”.Built in 1908, the 24- inch gauge (narrow gauge) railway station was made to deliver the Bundles of Tea from Munnar to Bodinaikkannur. Once the trekker reaches the zenith of Top Station it gives a celestial feeling of flying along with the clouds. A 30 km long drive from Munnar Town through the scenic routes of Mattuppetty and Kundala Dams to the Yellappetty Village, where the Trek begins through Shola Forests. Reaching there before the Sunrise can captivate the visitor’s expectations of the day’s activities. Scenic and towering blue Crests of the never ending Western Ghats, views of the vast tea plantations and the scintillating sunsets from the Top station make the trekking finish for the day. Due to the risk factors any kind of overnight options including tented accommodations are banned in Top Station. Hence one has to ascent towards the base camp before it gets darker.

Only a portion of Chokramudi Peaks, towering at an altitude of 2300 MSL, is permitted to trek due to the safety concern and being the region a part of the Reserved Forest. It requires amoderately steep climbing through the rocky terrains and lush green Shola patches to reach the crown of the Chokramudi Peaks which is covered of Grasslands.One can spot herds of Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered Mountain Goats, kind of which is endemic to the Munnar region.It takes a 5 to 6 hours trekking based on the physical conditions of the trekker. Like any other Trekking Points of Munnar it is yet another paradise of a vigilantly “wild” photographer. Though it cannot be guaranteed, the wildlife sightings are not a rare phenomenon during the in Munnar Trekking Programs. But a trekking in Pambadumpara Shola National Park (altitude 1985 MSL), 36 Km from Munnar Town gives enormous potentials of closely watching the rich wildlife of Western Ghats. The evergreen region with ever-rich fountains houses the endangered Nilgiri Martens – the sole species of marten family live in South Indian terrain.

In addition to that numerous wild animals such as Elephants, Leopards, Indian Gaur, Wild Dogs, various members of Ape family, Sloth Bear, Deer, Giant Malabar Squirrel, immense breeds of Birds including the rarely spotted Malabar Hornbill, Nilgiri Wood-pigeon Whistling Indian School boy, Racket Tail, Fly Catcher etc are populated in this relatively smallest National Park. To the luckiest soul a sight of the very Tiger cannot be ruled out Pambadumpara Shola National Park. Being it a sensitive zone a Forest department official escort every trekking voyage along with the Naturalist. Lakshmi Estate is elevated at 1700 MSL, is a popular soft-trekking spot. A three to four hours trekking passes through the tea plantations and the huts of the workers the Kannan Devan Hills. As the trek progresses the view of the nearby town of old Munnar fades away once get on top of the hills, the blue mountains and the winding roads which leads to Munnar is visible among the tea plantations. The sights of resorts far away on the edges of the hills faraway look like nests among the trees. Though no major wild animals can be spotted, monkeys, Giant Squirrels and endemic birds express their unpleasant notes towards the visitors for being intruders into their territory. Munnar is not mere a summer retreat that offers a couple of nights’ stay in once-abandoned and laterrenovated British Tea Bungalows or the lazy holidays in modern Resorts. Apart from its usual picnic spots – such as Echo-point, Matuppetty /Kundala Dams, Tea factories, purchasing centres of mountain products – Munnar has a lot more to satiate the quench of a serious and curious visitor and make him seriously think of preserving her for our posterity.

Photos: MANOJ VASUDEVAN