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A Valley of Tea
With water in the valleys, tea and spices in the mountains, and colourful people everywhere, Munnar – a Hill Station in Kerala, India – really is as beautiful as they promise.
The town of Munnar, in Kerala, South India, was once a popular summer resort for members of the British Raj. Sitting high (1,600 metres – 5,200 feet) in the Western Ghats, this hill station offered cooler summer temperatures than those in the hot and humid coastal cities.
Tea plantations were established here in the late 1800s, and the bushes still dominated the landscape and the local economy.
I had a week’s stay in a modest ‘resort’ above Munnar where I was the only ‘foreigner’. There was no information about the local area in the lobby or in my room. In spite of English’s designation as an official language in much of India, only a few of the staff in the complex spoke it with any confidence.
Still, the wifi worked: I asked Google, AllTrails, and TripAdvisor, and hunted out things to do and places to go on my own. After a few days of just wandering around the neighbourhood (see: Everyday Life in the Tea Plantations), I organised for a driver to take me to nearby Anayirangal Dam.
Opened in 1965, this earthen dam on the Panniyar River was built for power generation. The resulting lake, Anayirangal, was named for the elephants (anay) who frequently come down (irankal) from the adjacent jungle to drink from the waters (see: Kerala Tourism: Munnar). The lake and surrounds have become a popular place for boating and picnics.
I saw no elephants, and I almost missed the only available boat! The vessel had been hired for a large group on a work outing; fortunately, my driver negotiated with them and they allowed me to join them for their tour.
Having a group of friendly women to chat with as we cruised gently on the waters, surrounded by forest on one side and by a sprawling section of the ubiquitous Tata Tea Plantation on the other, made for a lovely afternoon.
On the trip back to the resort, we drove through town itself and stopped at one of the spice gardens, where – for a small fee – I was reintroduced to the many spices grown for harvest at these altitudes. Our last stop before returning home was at a chocolate factory.
Join me for a pleasant afternoon in the hills around Munnar:
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Family Group
It is not uncommon for work groups to make weekend excursions with their family members. We chat happily together as our canopied boat chugs across the dam.
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Anayirankal Dam
The Western Ghats rise up steeply from the jungle at the water’s edge.
Portrait of a Young Woman
We didn’t have much language in common, but people happily posed for my cameras.
Laundry on the Line
Domestic life continues at the edges of the water.
An Earthen Dam
You can just see the dam, floating into the haze on the horizon. Built from compacted soil, clay, and rock, earthen dams are popular in India because of their cost-effectiveness and flexibility.
Best Friends
These women grew up together, went to school together, and now work in the same office.
Mother and Daughter
The women are especially pleased to have daughters who are similar in age: making another generation of friendship.
Kayaks on Anayirankal Dam
Close-up to the dam, the earthen texture is clearly visible.
Men on on the Shore
People in the Park
After taking leave of the boat and my fellow passengers, I walk up the hill overlooking the dam.
People in the Watchtower
A visiting couple takes advantage of a romantic moment.
Overlooking Anayirankal Dam
It’s a beautiful view from the watchtower.
Walking in a Temple Procession
There are so many Indian Gods that almost any day is a holy day! Thaipusam is especially important: it commemorates the victory of the Hindu God Murugan over the demon Surapadman.
The Thaipusam Kavadi
To mark Thaipusam, devotees often pull or carry physical burdens as a symbolic act of sacrifice. This is intended to reduce spiritual debt. In this case, the kavadi, or burden, is the decorated cart.
Kratom Plant – Mitragyna Speciosa
I can’t count how many spice-garden tours I have done over the years – but I always learn (or remember!) something new. The kratom is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia and used to treat pain, diarrhea, and fatigue.
Coffea Arabica
Plenty of coffee is grown in India. It is hard, however, to find a cup of brew anywhere. At my ‘resort’, it was almost impossible!
Coffee Berries
Cacao Pod on a Theobroma Cacao Tree
Nutmeg – Myristica Fragrans
Originally endemic to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, nutmeg was central to some horrific colonial history as part of the global spice trade.
Workers in a Truck Bed
Back in the streets of Munnar, life goes on!
Making Chocolates
My last stop of the day was at the Munnar Chocolate Factory, where I watched nuts being carefully hand-placed into chocolates.
Chocolate Maker
I get a shy smile from the maker of the chocolates from behind her paper mask and protective glass screen.
Naturally, I went home with some chocolate.
If only I could have found some decent coffee to go with it!
Until next time,
Happy Travels!
Photos: 05February2023
