The Magic of Nelliyampathy, Kerala

Located about 60 kms from Palakkad town, in the Indian state of Kerala, Nelliyampathy is swathed by robes of emarald. Its slopes are filled with tea and coffee plantations, waterfalls and trekking routes to meet all abilities. It is an ideal option for those who want to spend their weekend or vacation with family or trekking to western ghats enjoying the beautiful flora and fauna that Nelliyampathy offers.

I arrived at Palakkad at around 10 a.m for a perfect weekend. Had breakfast from Hotel Kapilavasthu. As one drives along the 60 km road towards Nelliyampathy, the traffic thins out and then disappears almost completely. The way side green paddy fields and some interesting houses and coconut trees provided nice backgrounds. Enroute we passed through the  Nenmara Bhagavathy Amman Temple. A popular festival held in this temple is known as the Nemmara Vallengi Vela Festival.

After  around 40 kms from Palakkad, we reached Pothundy Dam which is situated in the backdrop of Nelliyampathy Hills. The Dam serves the agricultural and drinking water needs of people around Chittur. This dam was the main shooting site for the Malayalam film 'Vinodayathra'.  One need to take entry ticket to enter the dam premises. After crossing the beautiful garden, you need to climb well laid steps to reach the top of the Dam.

The Dam and its reservoir area are  the main tourist spots. The surrounding peaks create a stunning backdrop for the celestial drama of ceaselessly moving clouds in dark grey color during monsoons.

Pothundy Dam

From Pothundy, the hill range of Nelliyampathy starts. The hill road is part of Nelliyampathy-Seetharkundu preserved natural site. There is a check post on the way  and one need to take permission to enter the area. There are a dozen hairpin bends  on the way to Nelliyampathy. Further on, were a series of waterfalls plunging into the road.

 
There are few view points on the way. You will get view of Pothundy dam and premises from these points, if it is not misty . As we were on high altitude, the clouds were on the road and this is an experience which I love - walking through the clouds.

When we were close to Nelliyampathy,  plantations, orange farms and spice gardens could be seen all around. Spread around 600 acres, majority of the  plantations here are owned by Poabs-India. You can watch the orange and vegetable farms run by the Kerala Government.

Nelliampathy is small town with all basic amenities such as shops, hotels etc. At around 12.30, we reached Pulayampara where our accommodation was arranged. It was beside the Mount Carmel Church. It is  a dormitory type arrangement and can accommodate 50 persons with basic amenities. By that time, our lunch was ready. 

As I made  my way through the tea-carpeted hills of Nelliyampathy,  I found workers busy  plucking tea leaves.  This place resembles Ooty or Munnar. The neat tea-lined valleys and a walk through the plantations that shaped Nelliyampathy make for a tasteful break.

OFF-ROAD ACTIVITY

At around 5 pm, our jeep was ready for an off-road journey to the reserved forest area.  For this a minimum of a 4x4 wheel drive- the good old Mahindra jeep is required. Enroute we had a pit stop at Greenland Farm Houses Resort for a tea. The ride was entirely breathtaking with steep climbs in jeep over the rocks.

The adjourning forests regions have wild elephants, giant squirrels and sambars. One can find elephants, and deers commonly in plantation and farm areas. Also spotted a Mlavu (deer) on the way.

Reached a beautiful view point from where you can enjoy the breathtaking view of Chulliyar dam, Meenkara Dam, Mulathara Dam and distant view of lightning of Pollachi town. The place was near to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve.

Soon we started back to Nelliyampathy. As it had already darkened by the time, we reached the camp site at around 6 pm.

NIGHT SAFARI

It was around 8 p.m. The next activity in our chart was a night ride. A night drive with a guide is also a good way to spot animals.  This hill is a part of reserved wild life sanctuary and it has abundance of wild life to encounter with.

The ride goes through Nooradipalam. Nooradipalam is a small town area with all basic amneties like hotel, shops etc. On the way, we had dinner from a small hotel run by Sri. Ramachandran which is near to Padagiri.

I watched a sambar in the distance coolly going about its day. After a few meters away, I spotted a pig crossing the path. In a jungle, it is difficult to come across animals in front of you. We spotted a rabit and mlavu peering at our jeep through branches of trees. The jeep safari continued till Karappara. The ride ended by 12 pm.

I set my tent on the top of the building. It was raining throughout the night and heavy wind began to drum a beat on the tent. I was warming in my sleeping bag.

DAY 2

When I stepped out of my tent at dawn, I saw the magnificent tea estates stripped of cloud cover.

At around 9 am, we started our  journey for trekking. Reported to Nelliyampathy forest office and submitted our Id proof. Forest officer briefed about the trek and do's and don'ts during the trek. He urged us to comply with the instructions of the  two  forest officials who were  guiding us throughout our trial . The jeep passed through Manalaroo Tea Estate. On the way, I saw women move between rows of tea bushes picking leaves in both hands, tossing them into large baskets on their backs.

On the way, a small halt for breakfast from the hotel, the same place where we had dinner the previous night. Collected our packed lunch - Chapathi and Veg Curry.

And I walked around the place to identify birds and take in the stunning views. I could hear birdsongs all around. Monkeys were plenty enough. Spotted one peregrine falcon. We stood there some more time watching its movements. Finally, the falcon flew off, leaving behind our expectations.

THE TREK

Reached Mary Floor at around 10.30 a.m. This place has now been taken over by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation Ltd.

The forested trial begins from Mary Floor. We were trekking through the forest, when a heavy thunderstorm followed by heavy winds and rains completely washed away our chances to take any photograph. It is a bit steep to begin with, but eases off to take trekkers to a peak that provides panoramic views of the Nelliampathy hills and various check dams.

After 2 hours of trek, we reached the summit of Pothupara. On a clear day, we are told, we could see distant views. The area is a part of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve.  So it’s no surprise that the forests are full of wildlife and birds. The region is also home to elephants and wild dogs.

Dense clouds rolled in, reducing visibility. Then a gentle walk through the rock patch,  a long but gradual walk through the open meadows and then a descent through the thick forest. Returned  to Mary Floor at around 3 PM.

Leech is a common sight here and its bites are even more common. I got around 22 bites and it was bleeding continuously. The leeches are detached  from the body by applying salt. After relishing our packed lunch and resting  for some time, we travelled back to Padagiri where Ramachandran had prepared Kappa and black tea for us. Soon we started our return journey to Palakkad. It was raining throughout the journey.

You can also visit famous spots like Seetharkund, Kesav Para, Chandran Para and Katla Para and see the scenic beauty of the Valley.

A trip to this relatively lesserknown hill station is the perfect way to soothe big city nerves.