{"id":4794,"date":"2014-03-25T13:06:10","date_gmt":"2014-03-25T13:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/?p=4794"},"modified":"2025-03-25T11:13:06","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T11:13:06","slug":"here-there-and-everywhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/here-there-and-everywhere\/","title":{"rendered":"Munnar Diaries Part 5 – Here, there and everywhere"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the fifth and last part of her travelogue, Shireen Bharucha winds up her journey and visits all the places left out on her \u2018must visit\u2019 list and gives a fitting finale to her journey through this exotic location. Don\u2019t be surprised if you find yourself planning a vacation to this quaint hill station.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

On our last day at Munnar, we explore the Mattupetty (meaning cattle village) locale with Jaya and Pawan.<\/p>\n

Our first stop is the Floriculture Centre run by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation. Scenically situated, with eucalyptus tree forests on one side and tea plantations on the other, this paradise is a flower lover\u2019s delight.\u00a0 Locally known as the Flower Museum, though not very big, this centre nurtures some of the most exotic and exquisite flowers, besides common garden varieties.\u00a0 Ornamental leaves, herbal plants and creepers are grown.\u00a0 Plants and seeds are sold at the outlet attached.<\/p>\n

\"Floriculture<\/p>\n

We then stop is the Carmelagiri\u00a0Elephant Park<\/em> for a 10 minute elephant ride through a small wooded path.\u00a0 This leaves us poorer by Rs.350\/- per head!\u00a0\u00a0 At the end of the ride a fruit basket can be bought for Rs.100\/- containing mostly pineapple.\u00a0 The fruit is fed to the elephant while seated on its back, as the elephant raises its trunk and gently takes the fruit handed to it.<\/p>\n

\"Carmelagiri<\/p>\n

Next on the list is the Mattupetty dam and lake at an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level.\u00a0 Speed boating is on offer, the price for a couple being Rs.500\/- per boat for 15 minutes, which is grossly inflated.\u00a0 We walk down to the lake with the red blooms of the Indian Coral Trees adding to the allure of the short walk.\u00a0 From the boat house the views are refreshing \u2013 of tea plantations, rolling grasslands and shola forests at the water\u2019s edge.\u00a0 The water is a gleaming emerald green.\u00a0 On the way back, Jaya points out the power house at the Madupetty Hydel Project.\u00a0 The huge spray it releases is impressive.<\/p>\n

\"Mattupetty<\/p>\n

Tata Tea Museum in the Nallathanni Estate, is the country\u2019s first ever tea museum established in 2004 and definitely worth a visit. Entry is Rs.75\/- per head.\u00a0 We are ushered into the video room.\u00a0 This very interesting screening traces the transformation of Munnar from a desolate forest in the 1880s to the thriving town of tea plantations it is today.\u00a0 After the screening we gather at the withering room where an informative talk on tea and its origins is given.\u00a0 We are also instructed as to how to brew a good cup of tea \u2013 black and green and are treated to a cup of Cardamom flavoured tea.<\/p>\n

We are now free to explore the premises with its defunct machines and antiques on display.\u00a0 A century old sundial greets visitors at the entrance of the museum.\u00a0 The prized possession is the Iron Age burial urn dating from the 2nd<\/sup> century B.C. encased in glass and mounted on an ornate stand.\u00a0 \u00a0I marvel at its perfect symmetry.\u00a0 The furniture section housing century-old furniture from planters\u2019 bungalows including a cooking range dating from 1918, engrosses me.\u00a0 Animal heads and skins are mounted on the walls.<\/p>\n

\"Sundial<\/p>\n

Mattupatty is interesting, but the highlight of our day is a visit, with prior permission, to the High Range Club \u2013 the ultimate in grandeur of the bygone era!\u00a0 Established in 1905, then known as the Gymkhana Club, the place retains its original character and ambience.\u00a0 The most interesting is the Gentleman\u2019s Lounge with its period furniture, the display of hats of pioneering planters on its walls, accompanying animal heads and skins, and an impressive display of trophies won over the years.<\/p>\n

\"High<\/p>\n

The club offers plenty of activities \u2013 billiards, tennis, squash, table tennis, a cards room, a well equipped gymnasium and a 9-hole golf course.\u00a0 The well stocked library caters to the old as also to the young.\u00a0 The books are well guarded in cases that are not only locked but also grilled!\u00a0 Dining and wining is still gracious with well laid tables.\u00a0 The walls decked with old photographs, the antiquated well maintained furniture, the wax polished wooden floors speak of fine living.<\/p>\n

At the end of it all, our exceedingly warm hosts treat us to a dinner for two on the terrace with a blazing bonfire going<\/a>.\u00a0 The Kerala Thali consists of quail eggs, mutton pepper fry, sliced fish cooked in banana leaf, fish moilee, string beans, Kerala fougath, avail \u2013 vegetables cooked in turmeric flavoured yoghurt, moru curry, shallots cooked in roasted coconut gravy, sambhar, rasam, yoghurt, Kerala paratha, steamed rice and two different desserts \u2013 a regal repast!\u00a0 Each item is superb.\u00a0 However do be warned that one thali is more than sufficient for two.<\/p>\n

How would I describe Munnar<\/strong><\/a>?\u00a0 Being a nature lover I quote George Gordon Byron:\u00a0 \u2018There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, I love not man less, but nature more\u2019.\u00a0 There is so much more to be discovered in Munnar\u2019s pathless woods!<\/p>\n

Quick Links<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Part 1 – A portfolio of Munnar<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 2 – Kolukkumalai : The world\u2019s highest organic tea plantation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 3 – Kerala\u2019s oldest martial art: Kalaripayattu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 4 – Munnar \u2013 discovering history<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 5 – Here, there and everywhere<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The views expressed by the author are in her personal capacity.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the fifth and last part of her travelogue, Shireen Bharucha winds up her journey and visits all the places left out on her \u2018must visit\u2019 list and gives a fitting finale to her journey through this exotic location. Don\u2019t be surprised if you find yourself planning a vacation to this quaint hill station. On…<\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":4797,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[87],"tags":[4606,4607,4608,4609,4610,4611,4612],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4794"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4794"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4794\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17626,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4794\/revisions\/17626"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}