Munnar Memories!
All the plans of leaving for Munnar 'latest by 8.30' flew out of the window as we found ourselves in an impromptu photo session in Palakkad at 9.30. It was around 10 when we finally left. So much for leaving early!
The route, for a while, was pretty uneventful as we drove through the beautiful lanes and roads of Palakkad. The first moment of excitement arrived when we passed by Kaladi, the place where you can still feel the auspicious presence of Shri Adi Shankara, and where my son had his Upanayanam done. We passed by the town searching for familiar roads and reminiscing about our very brief stay here in 2020.
The route started getting interesting and adventurous as we passed through Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and drove through Marayoor, a forest abounding in sandalwood trees. We opened the windows and let in the aroma of sandalwood that wafted around. As we kept driving up, the temperature kept dipping. It was a major relief to experience cool weather in the month of May!
Our relief lasted only for a while.
You know, there's a meme going around. Mostly in the form of short reels. The video would show a tourist place crowded to the brim featuring a sarcastic caption - 'hope everyone has come and nobody got left behind'. It was the exact scene enroute Munnar.
Someone was happy with us, for we decided to got to Munnar on May 3rd, the day when the long weekend officially was to end. The traffic we found enroute was because of the huge crowd returning from Munnar. Now, why would a crowd returning, cause traffic problems to those moving towards Munnar, you ask?
I will explain.
The steep curves leading to Munnar redefine 'narrow'. They are most suitable for one SUV at a time. But what we were facing was traveller vans, mini buses and SUVs coming from BOTH sides. Most of the times our van camped perilously over a hill while a traveller van risked adventure and slithered at the edge of the road beyond which there was only a deep valley. We lost a whole hour in this traffic. But we thanked the Universe when the driver gave us the alarming news that just a day or two before, there was a 6-hour traffic ordeal exactly in the same place that we were stuck.
Once the traffic cleared, we enjoyed a smooth drive that offered stunning vistas of the Kanan Devan Hills that serve as a border for Munnar. It was afternoon and we could already see mist rising from the valleys, lending a surreal aura to the whole scene.
We were busy enjoying the panoramic drive when we came across a vehicle that simply was parked ahead, somewhat in the middle and refused to move. The driver of the said vehicle gestured to the pole ahead. The pole was dangerously leaning and seemed to be on the verge of collapse. One by one, the vehicles thoughtfully marched ahead, mindful of the looming threat of the pole that teethered dangerously.
Just when we thought we had all the adventure for the day, we found vehicles parked ahead with no sign of movement. It had also started raining heavily.
A word here - Munnar turns ethereal during rains and we were grateful to get an opportunity to see the hilltown in all its glory under rainy showers in the month of May.
Anyway, to come back to the scene - our driver stepped out to check what was blocking the vehicles from moving ahead. He returned, shaking his head.
A huge tree had fallen on the road, cutting it across both the edges. There was no way any vehicle, even a bike, could move past it.
Rains, the aroma of sandalwood and the worried murmurs of drivers and passengers alike created several minutes of tension. From the safety of our vehicle, we watched in silence as a police keep arrived and took stock of the situation.
After what seemed like long while, a team of guys arrived to move the tree. It was so heavy that they couldn't move it even as a large group. Then came the saws.
I cringed at the sound of the saw cutting through the tree. After the tree had been into several logs, the vehicles started moving. I watched the logs with a pang in my heart and bowed to the tree. It didn't deserve such an ending.
The traffic jam and the blockage prolonged our drive and we reached out resort well into the evening.
The next two days spent at Munnar went by in sightseeing and purchasing local goodies. We brought home-made chocolates from a cozy cafe named Macofa which is quite famous here. We also purchased some spices from Munnar Spice Garden.
I thought there would be a whole blog dedicated only to Munnar but now I am running short of words to describe the beautiful hill station.
The entire hilltown is one panoramic never-ending saga of nearly terraced tea estates, hills, ridges and valleys. The weather is superb. There are a lot of adventure activities to pursue and many scenic places to visit. We visited Gap road, Signal Point and Top Point which offered really beautiful views of the mountains around. We enjoyed delicious tea and hot Maggi at one of the numerous stalls that have set up base here.
I would suggest to come to Munnar with the only purpose of roaming through the entire town and soaking it's beauty, and not make any specific plans for sightseeing. The hillstation is best enjoyed at leisure, with no plans, no mobile network and no itinerary for the day except to follow where the winding lanes of Munnar lead you to.
For your reference, we stayed at a resort named Eve Munnar Luxury Resort where we had quite a comfortable stay. The staff was extremely cordial and friendly and offered us customized meals. The rooms were large and offered stunning views of Chengalam Lake which is located right beside the resort.
This was the view from my room.
From Munnar, we left for Guruvayur on May 6th. Remember the date, for it turned quite eventful! We all soaked in the beauty of the hill station for one last time before venturing to Guruvayur where another level of experience awaited us.
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