Mankulam, near Munnar, is nestled between the Malayattoor forest, Rajamalai hills and the wide expanse of tea plantations. Wild elephants emerge from the thick woods to take a sip in the rivulets here and a visitor can soak in the sights of numerous pretty waterfalls.
Where clouds surround you
Swathed by mist, the pristine spot of Mankulam is located on the western side of Munnar and is surrounded by hills. There are neither concrete buildings anywhere around nor vehicles along the way. So, the temperature is much lower than that of Munnar.
That tourism has not ravaged the area is evident from the sight of the old bridge that the British built to drive their vehicles from Aluva to Munnar, which is still intact. Other hanging bridges constructed by them have also been preserved.
Another peculiarity of Mankulam is the large presence of Adivasis in the nearby forests. A few among them maintain contact with the world outside. A Mankulam trip also presents an intrepid traveller with the rare opportunity to interact with these tribes.
The forest department conducts an eco-tourism trek to this area, which is referred to as the ‘dark forest.’ The charges include accommodation, but hardly any tourist has heard about it.
Old face of Munnar
The route to Mankulam is via Kallar, from where the scenery and weather change. There is incessant rain as a visitor passes spots known as Viripara and Munipara.
Everywhere, the overwhelming greenery and the silence present a unique experience. Even during the rains, silence pervades the forest, except while a vehicle passes, which is a rare occurrence.
The road is so narrow that two vehicles cannot pass at a time. The hub for Mankulam trip is the forest’s department office at Viripara. A guard accompanies every trekking group. It was divisional forest officer V N Nagaraj who created the framework for the Mankulam trip and named it ‘community-based ecotourism programme.’
Kynagiri waterfalls
The path to Kynagiri starts from Viripara. The route is much more pristine than that from Munnar to Chinnakanal. Kynagiri is about 2 km from Viripara and has an office of the Nature appreciation centre. The attractions at Kynagiri are the waterfalls, a swimming pool and the overwhelming presence of mist. Water plunges from a considerable height from the southern side and flows to the eastern direction. A check dam has been built where the water touches the ground. One can enjoy the sight of the falls from the check dam as well as the nearby rocks.
The mist is present even till noon, which is one of the main attractions of Mankulam.
Nakshatrakuthu waterfalls
From Viripara, one can sight a hut with a bamboo fence, beyond which is a hanging bridge across the river. This is the path to Nakshatrakuthu waterfalls. A three-km trek through the forest takes visitors to the falls, where the water tumbles down from near a rock shaped like a star, giving the place the name Nakshatrakuthu. It takes about three-and-a-half hours to visit Nakshatrakuthu and return to Viripara. Visitors have to carry drinking water and snacks. Tribal youths guide tourists, who have nothing to worry as wild animals are absent in this area of the forest. However, they should ensure that the trip does not take place during the season when leeches emerge.
Trekking is available to interiors of the forest like Kilikkallu, Kannadipara and Kozhiyalakuthu. Kilikkallu trekking offers a good challenge to adventurous tourists.
Kannadipara trek takes a visitor to the top of the hill from where he or she can enjoy a panoramic view of the Munnar scenery. Kozhiyalakuthu offers a feast to birdwatchers.
Anakkulam
As the name suggests, this is where the elephants come to drink water. It is a ghat on the Nallathanniyar stream 4 km from Mankulam. The western side of the stream is a forest and herds of wild elephants emerge from there three times every day to have a fill of water. The spot is clearly visible from the road.
“There is no other place in India where wild elephants and humans co-exist in harmony,” says divisional forest officer Nagaraj, who has recorded on camera the visits of the elephants. Jisho, a youth who conducts off-roading for tourists in his jeep, attests to this fact. He says that he had once come face-to-face with a tusker. But the beast pondered for some time in front of the vehicle and walked away into the forest.
On sunny days, elephant herds reach the area in the morning, afternoon and evening, offering good photo opportunities. A theatre also functions at Anakkkulam where videos of the elephants’ trips are shown to visitors who were unlucky in sighting the tuskers.
Pure and clear water flows along the Nallathanniyar. Elephants, who love frolicking in water and splashing mud all over them, do not engage in this activity at Nallathanniyar. “The elephants know that drinking water should not be polluted; but, sadly, man does not have that sense,” says Nagaraj, referring to the change in Munnar weather over the years.
A home for tribal folk
The forest area in Mankulam is home to four tribes, who leave the forest only once every month to buy rice and other essential items. Their settlements are at Kozhiyala, Mangappara, Edamala and Uriyambatti. Several tribal families are settled in Edamalakudy also. However, tourists are not allowed to visit the hamlets of the tribal folk.
Tourists arriving in Mankulam as part of the ecotourism package can enjoy the traditional dance performance by members of the Mudavan and Mannan tribes. It involves dancing and singing around a fire.
Another attraction of the area is the confluence of two forest streams to form the Pooyamkutty river at a spot 2 km from Anakkulam.
Mighty waterfall
The British reached Munnar from Kochi via Aluva. They built a bridge across the Nallathanniyar at Perumbankuthu, near Mankulam, along the road stretching parallel to the banks of the Periyar river. This bridge, with iron rails, is still intact after all these years. The biggest waterfall in Mankulam, Perumbankuthu, is downstream of this bridge. It has as much water as the famed Athirappilli falls, but cannot be approached as no protective fences have been built. However, eager visitor can view the waterfalls, which is a good 100 m high, from a nearby rubber plantation. It is dangerous to go anywhere near the falls, cautions the DFO.
On the way back from Perumbankuthu bridge to Mankulam, lined with cocoa trees, lies the Georgian hanging bridge. For visitors planning an overnight stay in Mankulam, rooms are available at the Nature appreciation centre. But booking has to be done in advance over phone number 94479 79044.