Munnar is a town and hill station located in the Idukki district of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. Munnar is situated at around 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) above mean sea level, in the Western Ghats mountain range. Munnar is also called the "Kashmir of South India" and is a favorite destination for honeymoon.
Video Munnar
Etymology
The name Munnar is believed to mean "three rivers", referring to its location at the confluence of the Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers.
Maps Munnar
Location
Geographic coordinates of Munnar is 10°05?21?N 77°03?35?E. Munnar town is situated on the Kannan Devan Hills village in Devikulam taluk and is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district covering an area of nearly 557 square kilometres (215 sq mi).
Road
Munnar is well connected by both National highways, state highways and rural roads. The town lies in the Kochi - Dhanushkodi National highway (N.H 49), about 130 km (81 mi) from Cochin, 31 km (19 mi) from Adimali, 85 km (53 mi) from Udumalpettu in Tamil Nadu and 60 km (37 mi) from Neriyamangalam.
Distance from major cities
- from Kochi - Ernakulam - 150 km
Railway
The nearest major railway stations are at Ernakulam and Aluva (approximately 140 kilometres (87 mi) by road). The Nearest Functioning Railway station is at Udumalaipettai.
Airport
The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, which is 110 kilometres (68 mi) away. The Coimbatore and Madurai airports is Template:Nowrap165 kilometres (103 mi) from Munnar.
Administration
The panchayath of Munnar formed in 1961 January 24 is divided into 21 wards for administrative convenience. Coimbatore district lies in the north, Pallivasal in south, Devikulam and Marayoor in east and Mankulam, Kuttampuzha panchayaths in the west.
Flora and fauna
Most of the native flora and fauna of Munnar have disappeared due to severe habitat fragmentation resultant from the creation of the plantations. However, some species continue to survive and thrive in several protected areas nearby, including the new Kurinjimala Sanctuary to the east, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Manjampatti Valley and the Amaravati reserve forest of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary to the north east, the Eravikulam National Park and Anamudi Shola National Park to the north, the Pampadum Shola National Park to the south and the proposed Palani Hills National Park to the east.
Endemic species
These protected areas are especially known for several threatened and endemic species including Nilgiri Thar, the grizzled giant squirrel, the Nilgiri wood-pigeon, elephant, the gaur, the Nilgiri langur, the sambar, and the neelakurinji (that blossoms only once in twelve years).
Land ownership
There has been action to address the problems of property takeovers by the land mafia that have, according to successive governments, plagued the area. In 2011, the government estimated that 20,000 hectares of land had been illegally appropriated and launched a campaign of evictions that had first been mooted in 2007.
Places of interest
There are four major directions are there in Munnar. Mattupatty Direction, Thekkedy Direction, Adimaly Direction and Coimbatore Direction. Climate and Tea Plantation is the base for Munnar Tourism. Tourists come here to see the plush green carpet that is strewn all around. The tourists count increases per year with a major number during the months of April - May when summer vacations begin across the country. In 2018, a huge number of tourists is expected during the months of August- September when the kurinji blooms once in 12 years.
Mattupatty Direction
- Subramanya Temple, Munnar
- Rose Garden
- Carmelagiri Elephant Park
- Mattupetty Dam
- Cowboy Park
- Kundala Dam
- Top Station
Thekkedy Direction
- Signal Point View Point
- Idly Hill View Point
- Devikulam Sri Ayyappan Temple
- Munnar Heritage Tour, Lockhart Tea Factory
- Lockhart Tea Museum
- Lockhart Tea Park
- Chokarmudy Trekking
- Thankaiah Cave
- Lockhart Gap View Point
- Periyakanal Water Falls
- Anayirangal Dam / Boating
Adimaly Direction
- Pothamedu View Point
- Spices Plantation Visit
- Cheeyapara Water Falls
Coimbatore Direction
- Eravikulam National Park
- Anamudi Peak
- Marayur Sandle Forest
- Lakkan Water Falls
- Muniyara
Other Direction
- Munnar Tea Museum
Geography and climate
The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,450 meters (4,760 ft) to 2,695 meters (8,842 ft) above mean sea level. The temperature ranges between 5 °C (41 °F) and 25 °C (77 °F) in winter and 15 °C (59 °F) and 25 °C (77 °F) in summer. Temperatures as low as -4 °C (25 °F) have been recorded in the Sevenmallay region of Munnar.
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies it as subtropical highland (Cwb).
Gallery
See also
- Bisonvalley
- Kolukkumalai
- Kunchithanny
- Marayur
- Mattupetty Dam
- Munnar Tea Museum
- Pallivasal
- Rajakkad
- Wayanad
References
External links
Munnar travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Kerala Tourism
Source of article : Wikipedia
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