THE RAIN SHADOW VILLAGE – MARAYOOR

Marayoor | Experience of a lifetime.

Referred to as the heaven on earth, exotic and pristine, Marayoor is a unique place where beauty meets adventure. The enchanting tourist destination of Marayoor offers diversity in every aspect of the land and culture…… hamlets, rocky hills, rivers, brooks, cave temples, paddy and sugar cane fields, waterfalls, sandal wood and bamboo forests.

Marayoor, a Rain Shadow Village on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, is 40 kms from Munnar on the Udumalapet road. It holds a lot of nature’s blessing to be unfolded before its visitors.It’s also a unique place where tourism meets adventure. The fresh mountain air, the mist-clad hills and panoramic view make it worthy of a visit.By travelling either from Marayur to Munnar or from Munnar to Marayur, one can feel the enchanting beauty of nature’s blessing to be remembered for life time.

The enchanting beauty of Marayoor offers diversity in every aspect of the land and culture. Hamlets, rocky hills, rivers, brook, cave temples, sugar cane fields, waterfalls,Neolithic period’s stone coffins, sandal wood and bamboo forests are all in store for the visitor. It is the only place in Kerala having a natural growth of sandal wood trees. The rare Neelakurinji flower is native to this region.

Situated in the district of Idukki in Kerala whose major portion of the geographical area lies in the high lands and is characterized by high rainfall and a cool climate. Idukki is one of the few districts in Kerala that does not boast of having a sea coast. The total geographical area of the district sprawls over an area of 5150 sq.km., which is 13 percent of the total area of the state.

Marayoor comes under Devikulam block- Several notes are found in history and epics about this area. It is believed that, Lord Sriram and Sitadevi visited this place during ‘Vanavasam’. The name ‘Devikulam’ took its origin from Sitadevi and it is believed that she took bath in a pond here. In the great epic Mahabharatha, this area has also been cited. It is said that, ‘Pandavas’ had stayed in the area during their ‘Vanavasam’ and so the place was named as ‘Maranjirunnaoor’. Now the place is known as ‘Marayur‘.

People of Marayoor

PEOPLE: Most of the people migrated from nearby state Tamil Nadu to this area when the Madurai King Thirumalainaicker was defeated by Tippu Sultan. The Migrated people created five villages namely Kanthalloor, Keezhanthur, Karayur, Marayur and Kottakudi. These villages were called ‘Anju Nadu’. During the British period this block was under Periyakulam taluk. British administration introduced plantation crops like rubber, coffee, tea, cardamom etc.

Now plantation crops are grown predominantly in Devikulam block. Labourers from Tamil Nadu were brought here to work in these plantations. As a result migration of hundreds of Tamil families took place. A mixture of Tamil and Kerala cultures is prevalent here. Apart from Malayalees and Tamils,hilly tribes can be found in some areas of the block.

ATTRACTIONS: Marayoor -the pristine, heavenly and unexplored tourist spot is comparable to Munnar (the most sought after hill stations in India)in every respect and has now become well known as the real beauty with adventure .

The road from Rajamala to Marayoor is flanked by lush green tea estates. There are occasional waterfalls. Then comes the sandalwood forest. First, the trees come one by one, and then these turn into a sea. The air is cool and one comes under the rain shadow.

Descending the hill, one can see cane crops dancing in the wind. A children’s park formed under the canopy of a single banyan tree spreads across a hectare of land and is a wonderful sight. Then there is the Thoovanam Waterfalls where one can spend endless hours romancing with nature. The Rajiv Gandhi National Park nearby is also an attraction.

Muniyara’s at Marayoor

Muniyaras : After reaching Marayoor comes the spot Muniyaras, or the stone coffins, which date back to the Neolithic period. The legendary wanderings of ‘Rama and Sita’ and the ‘Pandavas’ are clearly depicted here.Caves, paintings and under ground tunnels are also found here.

Stone Coffins : The stone coffins are everywhere – they are stone slabs resembling crudely-made boxes, resting on vertical rocks. Descending the hill one can see cane crop dancing in the wind.

Children’s Park : A children’s park formed under the canopy of a single Banyan tree spreads across a hectare of land and is a wonderful sight. Then there is the Thoovanam Waterfalls where one can spend endless hours romancing with the nature. A park named Rajiv Gandhi National Park is also nearby.

Sandalwood Forest : Marayoor is the only place in Kerala with a natural growth of sandalwood trees. The sandalwood factory run by the Forest Department is of tourist interest.A reduced rainfall is more suitable for the growth of the best types of sandalwood trees from which good quality oil can also be extracted.

Compared to the neighbouring states like Tamilnadu and Karnataka (especially the forests of Mysore), Kerala has less acres of sandalwood forests. Kerala’s share of sandal wood trees is confined to Marayoor and a few forest areas in Wayanad hills.

The sandalwood oil otherwise called the “liquid gold” is a popular perfume, especially among the elite.An inevitable cosmetic of the elite, the sandal oil called the “liquid gold” is a popular perfume . Most of the government handicrafts emporium in Kerala have this item for sale. One such is the SMSM Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, where you can buy 50 ml oil for Rs.1243/-. Sandalwood oil produced by a few private agencies are also sold here, after testing its quality by the government’s research cell.Sandalwood oil is extracted from the roots and wood of sandalwood (Santalum album).

The Rain Shadow Village,’the heaven on earth’,lies in the eastern side of the Western Ghats and is bordered by the neighbouring state Tamil Nadu. Most of the tribals are primarily engaged in agriculture.

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Thoovanam Waterfalls : The spectacular thoovanam waterfalls and the Rajiv Gandhi National Park gives its visitors a memorable visit.The rare Neelakurinji is native to this region. Neelakurinji is an exotic flowering plant that paints the hills blue when it blossoms once every 12 years.

Thoovanam Waterfalls

WILDLIFE: Idukki district has at present about 260907 hectars of forest area. However, the sylvan wealth of the district and the animal life are fast disintegrating due to deforestation, indiscriminate felling of trees, encroachment and poaching.

All kinds of wild animals with the exception of lions abound in the forests of Idukki.The grasslands of Peerumedu are a haven of carnivores like the tiger and the leopard. Bison, wild bear, languor and monkeys are a few of the other common denizens of the jungle.

The Thar (striped goat) is peculiar to this region including Marayur and Rajamala and is seldom seen anywhere else in the world. The forests of Idukki resound during day time with the sweet voices of birds. These include the small wild parrots, mynas, red horned sparrows and a host of other nondescript species.

The valuable trees growing in the forests are teak, rosewood, deodars, sandalwood etc.The Forest Department has reared large Eucalyptus Plantations in the hilly tracts.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

KANTAHLLOOR LAND OF APPLE CULTIVATION : A veritable land of fruits and vegetables, Kanthalloor sports farms full of ripe apples, plums, pomegranates etc. not commonly seen in Kerala.There is no need for any one to go to Ootty or Kashmir to see the cultivation of apples.

At 5000 ft above sea level, Kanthalloor offers congenial atmosphere for the cultivation of apples. Although its skin is a bit thick, the Kanthalloor apples are rather sweet. The cultivation is done with minimum use of chemical fertilizers.

Guava, gooseberry, orange, eggfruits, peach, passion fruit etc are grown a plenty here. Non-Kerala vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, beans, potato, beetroot, garlic etc are also cultivated here. The produce is taken to wholesale centers in Tamil Nadu from where they are distributed to different markets in Kerala.

MUNNAR : At an altitude of 6000 ft, Munnar is the only hill station in south India that lies snuggled in the high ranges of Western Ghats at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathani and Kundala. The spectacular vista of cloud kissed rolling hills carpeted with tea plantations, rivulets dancing through green meadows and the colonial British settlements of the town make this place an ideal get away from the rigorous strain of daily life.

Chinnar Wildlife | Lion-tailed Macaque

CHINNAR : Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is a well-known reserve that extends over an area of 90 sq km. Recognized as a wildlife sanctuary in 1984, it lies in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. As a result, Chinnar gets only about 48 rainy days in a year during the months of October and November when Northeast monsoons are at work.

Chinnar is located 60 km from Munnar in the direction of Udumalpetta. From Marayur jeeps, scooter rickshaws or buses can be boarded for the sanctuary visit. Once past Marayur, the organised neat looking plantations give way to more wild and natural surroundings.

Wildlife at Chinnar includes elephants, gaurs, spotted deer, sambar deer, leopards, langurs, peacocks, and many other species of animals and birds. Tigers are also present in these forests but are rarely seen. The most spectacular of all the animals here is the Giant Grizzled Squirrel which is on the verge of extinction in most parts of India.

GEOGRAPHY : Marayoor is situated in the district of Idukki in Kerala. The major portion of the geographical area of Idukki district lies in the high lands and is characterized by high rainfall and a cool climate. Idukki is one of the few districts in Kerala that does not boast of having a sea coast. The total geographical area of the district sprawls over an area of 5150 sq.km, which is 13 percent of the total area of the state.

TEMPERATURE

Winter (can go down to 8 oC)
Summer (can go up to 30oC)

It is a rain shadow village,reffered to as the heaven on earth and it lies in the eastern side of the Western Ghats and is bordered by the neighbouring state Tamil Nadu.The place is occupied by tribals most of whom are primarily engaged in agriculture.

REACHING MARAYOOR: Marayoor is one of the main towns in the district of Idukki. This place can also be accessed from Pollachi / Palani in Tamilnadu and from Munnar. Tourists can find a good number of accommodation facilities at Marayur or in Munnar. Shopping facilities are rather basic at Marayoor but better at Munnar.

Munnar – Marayoor is 40 km
Munnar-Idukki is 55 km by road

The district is accessible only by road. The total extent of road mileage in the district is about 8000 Kms. of which only less than 1750 Kms are black topped. About 80% of roads are of lower type. National Highway NH 49 passes through the district.

Railway Station: Aluva railhead, is 120 km away. Ernakulam railhead is 173 km away.

Airport:Kochi international airport, about 150 km away.