My Way On Highway: Day 39, Life Of Chai In Munnar

Waking up to the mesmerizing sights of Munnar, a beautiful hill station in the Idukki district of Kerala and a summer getaway for the British during Colonial times, makes you realize what a blessed world we live in! The name “Munnar” comes from three rivers – Madupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru – which flow through it and ’moonu aar’ in Malayalam means three rivers. Yesterday was a delightful addition to the MyWayOnHighway Road Trip, as we spent time witnessing the charm of Matupetty and Kundala Dams, Echo Point and Top Station. Today was no less as we saw first-hand the everyday product that drives the economy (in addition to tourism) of this amazing destination.

Definitely Your Cup Of Tea

Plenty has been written, read and heard about the expansive tea plantations of Munnar. The Kannan Devan brand of chai is responsible for bringing this otherwise sleepy town on the world map since 1877. You may have sipped plenty of cuppas of the world’s favourite beverage but following its life process from the tea plant to the packaged form that reaches market shelves is an experience like no other.

For that you got to go to the Tea Museum run by the Tata group. The ticket worth 75 bucks per person may be a bit on the higher side but that’s the only way you can come close to seeing the tea manufacturing process. Neatly divided in to different sections, the museum walks you through the history of the Kannan Devan tea plantations via photographs, vintage equipment and even a video. Then there is the part when an elderly gentleman talks about tea, its benefits and the correct way of preparing it. His passion for the beverage is hard to miss. Inspired by his talk of finding health in tea, you will be compelled to visit the tea shop. The variety is good and fair-priced. Then again, this brand of tea is not easily available in North India. Requests for tea to be couriered are welcome.

In Search Of The Endangered Species

On the way to Rajamala we drove past the Tea Museum. Home to the Eravikulam National Park with its endangered Nilgiri Tahr and the Anamudi Mountain (the highest peak in Kerala standing proud at 2695 metres), Rajamala gets a lot of attention from travellers. We drove 15 kilometres on the wet roads from Munnar to get there. Upon reaching the Eravikulam National Park, we were required to park and buy our tickets for the mini bus plying to the mountain peak. The 20-minute journey is a pleasant one as it takes you past tea plantations, Eucalyptus trees and stately hills. Just as we de-boarded the bus, we were greeted by a Nilgiri Tahr. These endearingly tame mountain goats are believed to have reached a state of extinction.

The mist-covered walk uphill is something nature enthusiasts will love every moment of. Kept extremely clean (you cannot spot one instance of littering), with ample warning signs to keep visitors in line, the National Park appears to be in good hands. Plenty of floras accompanied by signboards will keep you busy along the way. We even found several plants of the Neelakurinji that bloom proud with their gorgeous blue flowers once every 12 years, the last one being in 2006. A word of caution: Forgetting your umbrella in the car is a very bad idea, especially when carrying expensive camera equipment. There is only one shed and that too comes in pretty late in the walk. Learnt it the hard way, sigh!

You just cannot miss the grandiose of the Anamudi mountain that stands like a solid rock to support the shola (local term for stunted tropical forests) eco-system of the National Park. Plus it gives you a brilliant sense of being up above the clouds so high!

I am now enjoying a garam chai ki pyaali, trying to make most of our last evening in Munnar. Tomorrow we set out for hotter climes in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. See you then!

(Pictures Courtesy Tariq Khan)