It is a journey along a road less travelled – to Ooty via Attappady. The advantages are, no traffic blocks, absence of polluted air and the beauty, peace and grace offered by the stately Nilgiri mountains.
This area, situated at an altitude of 500-2,500 metres above sea level, provides a visual feast round the year. The mist begins to engulf the Attappady hills. The Bhavani River, which flowed in all its fury following the rains, has become calm.
The tourist season has started in the Western Ghats. The mercury has fallen below 15oC and will dip further.
The early stage
From Palakkad, one reaches Mannarkkad after the bend on the road at Nottanmala. Turn right and after Nellipuzha, the Western Ghats would offer a distant view. The Attappady ghat road starts from here. There are sharp turns all along through heavy undergrowth. A few viewpoints crop up along the way. The mist is present even during the daytime. Travellers rush to click selfies. Another attraction of the route is the presence of monkeys.
There are 27 hairpin bends along the route till Mukkali. The trip to Silent Valley, which holds several secrets of the Western Ghats, begins from here. One can visit the place after availing a pass from the forest department. They will take you there in the department vehicle through dense forest. The distance is 23 km to Sairandhri, the entry point.
Along the Bhavani river
Continue ahead from Mukkali and you reach Thavalam. Though elephants visit the place often, it is an agricultural land. Migrant farmers have developed Thavalam into a town, thanks to their hard work. Still, wild elephant herds reach this area along the forest path bringing memories of olden days. Turn left at the Thavalam junction and you are on the route to Ooty. The travel is along the banks of the Bhavani River.
The path leads to Puthoor. At Ranganathapuram, near Puthoor, the Varagayar stream joins the Bhavani river. The flow of Varagayar from upper Bhavani was checked by Tamil Nadu by building a dam. However, during the rainy season, Varagayar picks up enough strength to reach the Bhavani. From the Chavadiyoor bridge some way off, one can enjoy the beauty of the Bhavani. When the monsoon is at its peak, the Bhavani swells and threatens to engulf the bridge.
Towards Mulli
The border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu is at Mulli. The Mulli check-post is situated 14 km from Chavadiyoor. All along the route red and rose ‘Kozhinji’ flowers offer a pretty sight. The trip along the neatly tarred road is a smooth affair. Travellers have to report at the police check-post in Mulli before proceeding. There is another check-post which belongs to the Tamil Nadu government. Elaborate checks are carried out before being allowed to proceed. The CCTV cameras installed by Tamil Nadu are hard to avoid.
Promoting tourism, Tamil Nadu style
Travel 8 km from Mulli check-post and you reach Pilloor dam. Banyan trees that spread their branches all around are a peculiarity here. This is the catchment area of the dam. There are several basket boats lined up. They are made of fibre. This is where the Baralikadu ecotourism project has been implemented. During Saturday and Sunday, the place comes alive. A tourism package for adults costs Rs 500. Children between 5 years and 14 years are charged Rs 400. The trip from 10 am to 5 pm includes tea, coffee and soft drinks during the start. A two-hour boat trip on the large lake, a trekking through the forest and a sumptuous meal with local dishes are part of the package. There are facilities for bathing as well as changing dress.
Across the river is the Poochamarathur tourist sanctuary. There are three wooden cottages, each having eight beds. Each cot can accommodate two persons on two levels. At a time, 24 persons can stay. Traditional food is provided three times a day. Tea is available in the evening. There is a two-hour boat trip, forest tour, facility for bathing, bird watching etc. This area is a haunt of hornbills. Prior intimation has to be given for a visit, which is allowed on all days.
There are 20 Adivasi families who make the arrangements under the supervision of the forest department. The income is shared with these families.
River crossings are conducted on basket boats made of fibre. There are six expert boatmen, all of whom are tribal folk. All boats have life jackets – it is a model that Kerala can emulate.
Next stop: Manjoor
Manjoor is the land of ‘manju’, meaning mist. All the hills are covered with greenery as well as mist even at 12 noon. A traveller has to negotiate 43 hairpin bends to reach Manjoor. Along the route, one can see six dams built by Tamil Nadu on the Bhavani and Varagayar rivers. They are, Pilloor, Gadda, Paraly, Avalanji, Emerald and Upper Bhavani, which produce electricity as well as provide water for agriculture. All along the way, signs of a thriving agricultural sector are visible. After passing an area filled with vegetables and pineapple, you reach the tea gardens. There are few inhabited places. Tea shops are seen only at a few spots on the route and travellers should ensure that they carry food items. But now, here and there some resorts have come up. All of them have cottages with balconies. The phone number for booking is displayed, but most of the reservation is done online.
Travel along this stretch is allowed only till 5 pm. After that, herds of wild elephants take over the road. Even during the daytime, creatures of the wild like bison, stag deer and wild boar are common here.
Krishananda’s holy place
A major attraction on the route is the Annamala Subrahmaniah Temple. It is a major pilgrimage site in Tamil Nadu and devotees pour in during the festival time, which coincides with Vishu. The temple was installed by Swami Krishnanada. There is a cave near the temple where the Swami spent a long time meditating. According to him, several other holy men had conducted penance in the cave before him.
The Swami says that travellers should certainly make a trip to Kinnakkara, 25 km from Manjoor. It is a virtually a portion of Kerala in the Nilgiri hills. Here too, the Neelakurinji flowers bloom every 12 years. During that time, tourists rush to the area to enjoy the sight of the blue blossoms in the hills covered with mist.
To Ooty via Coonoor
From Kinnakkara, it is back to Manjoor. From here, a 34-km trip through tea estates takes travellers to Coonoor. It is a pretty hill town with several view points from where one can enjoy the city lights of Coimbatore and Mettupalayam at night. There are numerous shops selling home-made chocolates and eucalyptus oil.
The road to Ooty starts from here. Cover the 22 km from Coonoor and you touch the Ooty hills. At 5 pm, the mercury dips below 100C.
