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My Tryst with Idukki.

My first visit. The place that was mind boggling and breath-taking at the same time.

Sujatha George

Idukki Specials

Only two places crossed my mind when I came to know that my would be husband is from Idukki- Munnar and Thekkedy. ‘So which part of Idukki is he from?' Cheruthony?Where is that? Never heard of this place.Mind you 14 years ago Cheruthony was not as famous as it is today,considering that the shutters of the dam were opened after a long 26 years and the resultant floods and rains that played havoc all over Kerala.
The first time ever I visited the place was on my wedding day.The travel from Ernakulam to Cheruthony via Thodupuzha ,Muttom and Moolamattam. The uphill travel from Moolamattam up untill Cheruthony through the meandering roads ,thick dense forest, and hairpin bends with a short break taken at kulamav dam to have a small shot of 'Kattan' (Black coffee) and' Pappadavada' (Batter dipped-fried Pappad) are still fresh in my memory.

The clouds have descended on to the lush green hills of Mircowave Hills.

"The SUV that we travelled in would not go up to the top of the hills. We had to go the rest of the way on foot through long grasses which were around one foot tall; and can’t explain what a walk it was! "

Being in the district of Idukki, it’s is a given that Cheruthony is a lush green scenic town nestled on the banks of Periyar river. The major attraction being the Cheruthony dam and it’s surrounding Hill View park.

But for me the place that was mind boggling and breath-taking at the same time was the microwave hills. (Still do not know how the name came about, but I presume it’s because of the tall microwave transmission tower installation in the hills. The SUV that we travelled in would not go up to the top of the hills. We had to go the rest of the way on foot through long grasses which were around one foot tall; and can’t explain what a walk it was! We had visited the place just after the monsoon season. The grass was green, soft and lush. The top of the mountain has intermittent rocky plains and we actually thought we touched the clouds. It’s been 14 years since I visited the place, but still memories are vivid.

Clockwise from L to R: The entrance to Kalyanathandu, the microwave tower, green velvet hills & the SUV we traveled.

The following multitude of trips that I took to Cheruthony have been mostly for festivities or family occasions and I wonder now, why it has not crossed my mind to visit the place again?!

Having said that, there are a few precautions to be kept in mind; Though the hills look beautiful and infinite there is a deep gorge below and there is no fence or other barriers on the edge of the hill, so our safety is on us. And secondly, this being a pristine and relatively untouched tourist place, maintaining it that way is also on us. So, no plastics and disposables. Any wastages should be carried back.

Kalyanathandu aka Kalvari mount is an another must see spot in Idukki. It’s en-route to Kattappana from Cheruthony. This is a one of a kind off beat location, though its getting popular these days. Perched on the hills, Kalyanathandu gives us a marvellous view of the Idukki dam reservoir, with a perfect balance of forests, water and hills. It’s nature at its best. When I visited the place a decade ago, there were no arrangements for tourists or rather there were no tourists at all. But now there are basic amenities for the tourists a and a couple of cottages that can be booked through the forest department & private entities.

As is common with offbeat places, only a SUV travel is possible, but roads are not that driver friendly. If one enjoys a walk through the steep, curvy roads that is advisable too.

Localites return from the near by village after day's work at Kalyanathandu

My tryst with Idukki will not be complete if I do not mention Munnar and Thekkedy.They are my often visited places and its beauty and greenary need no description, they being one of the most visited places in Kerala by locals and other tourists
The farthest memory of Munnar I have is a weekend trip I had with my parents right in the middle of my university examinations! It was a rejuvenating tour organised by my father.
I must mention here as much as I love to explore places and especially local cuisine, the travel part is hard on me. I will be without fail, throwing up all through the journey.
And this time too it was no different. While the tea gardens and small waterfalls on the side roads are still very memorable, the most exciting part of the trip was that I got to taste strawberries for the first time.
On another trip we got to go to Kanthalur and Marayoor. Marayoor is famous for its jaggery produce and luckily we could witness how it’s made in one of the village hamlets.
Of course our trip back was with loads of farm fresh vegetables, tea, jaggery and other local produce.

I will definitely visit these places once again with my daughters again to whom Idukki is known only as only as their meemee's (Grandmom) house and to refresh my memories.

Sujatha George
0 Comment
2018-09-29
2337 days ago

About the Author

Sujatha George is an ex-banker, who enjoys exploring the destinations. An avid foodie & a reader of spy novels, she is based out of Kochi and gave up her banking career to raise her daughters and pursue her passion. She is currently doing her MA in sociology. Her husband is a business man and two daughters doing their schooling.

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