State: Kerala

District: Idukki District

Main languages: Malay and Tamil

 

History:

 

The city of Munnar is often used to refer to the whole tourist area of Idukki District of which the town forms a part. The name of Munnar has been believed to be derived from the Tamil words Munu, which means three, and aaru, which means river. Thus the name Munnar refers to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the Muthirappuzha, Chandavurai and Kundaly rivers. Munnar has almost nearly about 556.44 square kilometer of land that still belongs to the royal family of Poonjar and was given on lease for 99 years by poonjar King Kerala Varma in 1887. At the time of the British rule of India, Munnar was developed to cultivate tea plants and during this time most of the people around the area were employed as laborers for plantations. During the early stages of development in the area, only Tamilians and a small number of Malayalis inhabited Munnar. The top posts were occupied by the British in these estates and Munnar was a Hill Station for some British who sought a cooler climate. The plantations here were formed in the 1870s by J.D. Munro, a European. Later many of these plantations were taken over by Indian companies and are still operated by them.

 

Geography and climate:

 

Munnar has varying heights even within its small city limits and these ranges from 1,600 meters to 1,800 meters above mean sea level. Munnar has a salubrious climate with temperatures ranging from between �|5 degrees in winter to 25 degrees in summer and the tourist season is from August to May. The monsoons make the weather here more pleasant and this area is surrounded by vast jungles and remains wet and cold during most of the year. The Mattupetty Dam is located nearby and provides water for agriculture. 

 

Economy:

 

This area had been almost entirely occupied by the Tata Tea Company and their withdrawal from the plantation sector the plantations have been handed over to Kannan Devan Hills Plantation Corporation Ltd. Tea plantations continue to remain the main sources of occupation and tourism is also one of the vital sources of income here. 

 

Tourism:

 

Till a few years back Munnar remained to be a sleepy town but now there are various popular resorts and hotels here. The hills here with its beautiful springs and brooks are an ideal getaway for tourists who seek peace and want to enjoy nature. Trekking was encouraged as a sport in this area also. The Indo-Swiss Project, the cattle farm is a popular tourist destination. There are various popular wildlife sanctuaries here like the Kurinjimala Sanctuary, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Manjampatti Valley in Amaravati.

 

Transportation:

 

The nearest airport from Munnar is Kochi, which is 130 km away and it is also the nearest railway station, which is connected to all the major cities in India. The city can also be accessed by road from most of the cities and town in Kerala. There is local transport available in Munnar and these include taxis, auto rickshaws, bicycles and buses. 

 

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