|
Introduction
 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...…
This rain shadow region, blessed with abundant natural beauty and
wildlife, attracts tourists from all over the world.
Marayoor is not
only an ideal tourist destination but it also claims to be a part of the
Stone Age Civilization that is as old as 10,000 B.C. The
land and its unique dolmens, caves, rock edicts and engravings declare
its rich heritage. The scenic Marayoor is also noted for its natural
growth of sandal wood trees and sprawling wild life. Marayoor
travellers often find themselves in the middle of history, nature
and adventure.
Marayoor is still a pristine, celestial and unexplored tourist
spot when compared to Munnar which happens to be one of the most
sought after hill stations in India.
For further
details, visit
Marayoortourism.com
Location
Marayoor, a rain-shadow village on the eastern slopes of the
Western Ghats
, is 40 kms from
Munnar on the Udumalpet 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 Marayoor to Munnar or from Munnar to Marayoor, one can
feel the enchanting beauty of nature’s blessing to be
remembered for a life time.
T he
enchanting beauty of Marayoor offers diversity in every aspect of the
land and its culture. Hamlets, rocky hills, rivers, brooks, cave
temples, sugar cane fields, waterfalls, stone coffins, sandal wood and
bamboo forests are all in store for the visitor. It is the only place
in the state with a natural growth of sandal wood trees. The rare
Neelakurinji flower is native to this region.
History
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 also,this area has 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 Marayoor.
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.
Access
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.
Getting
there
By road:
Marayoor is 40
km from Munnar and 55 km from Idukki.National Highway NH 49 passes
through Idukki district.
Nearest railway station:
Aluva railhead, which is 120 km away. Ernakulam railhead is 173 km
away.
Nearest airport:
Kochi
international
airport, about 150 km away.
Attractions
 The
road from Rajamala to Marayoor is flanked by lush green
tea estates. There are occasional waterfalls. Then comes the
sandalwood forest. The air is cool and one comes under the rain
shadow area. A major tourist spot is the Muniyaras, or the stone
coffins, which date back to the Neolithic period. The stone coffins
are everywhere - they are stone slabs resembling crudely-made boxes,
resting on vertical rocks.
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.
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 amount of rainfall is ideally suited
for the abundant growth of the best sandalwood trees in the country.
Sandalwood oil is extracted from the roots and wood of sandalwood (Santalum
album) trees.
The sandalwood oil otherwise called the "liquid gold" is
a popular perfume, especially among the elite.
Muniyaras
 The
muniyaras or stone coffins 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 .
Thoovanam
waterfalls
The spectacular Thoovanam waterfalls provides venue for
adventure and romance. Visitors will enjoy the beauty and freshness of
this ideal picnic spot.
Neelakurinji flowers
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. The last blooming happened in 2006.
Children’s park
A
children’s park formed under the canopy of a single banyan tree
spreads across a hectare of land and is really a wonderful sight. The Rajiv Gandhi national park nearby is also a prime attraction.
Attractions
around Marayoor
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,
Nallathanni 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 getaway from
the rigorous strain of daily life.
Kanthalloor
A veritable land of fruits and vegetables, Kanthalloor sports farms
full of ripe apples, plums, pomegranates etc. not commonly seen in
Kerala.Guava, gooseberry, orange, eggfruit, peach, passion fruit, etc
are grown aplenty here. There is no need for any one to go to Ooty or
Kashmir
to see the
cultivation of apples.
At 5000 ft above
sea level, Kanthalloor offers a congenial atmosphere for the
cultivation of apples. Although the skin is a bit thick, the
Kanthalloor apples are rather sweet. The cultivation is done with
minimum use of chemical fertilizers.
|
