|

Some of the beautiful
things in life come with a price tag. And this month we take you to
witness and savour one of Kerala's immaculate sights in the hill
district of Wayanad. Of course, it is a bit challenging for your legs.
And the best time to be there is just after the rains in June / July. By
now, you might have got a hang of what is in store? Yes, it has
something to do with water. It is just not water, but a milky way,
tearing apart the dense greenery of Wayanad forests. The Meenmutti
waterfalls, gushing down and then flowing in cascades further down its
course is an awesome sight to watch from the Neelimala viewpoint near
Vaduvanchal in Wayanad
Reach Chundale before
Kalpetta in Wayanad District and take the Ootty road to the right that
goes via Meppadi and on reaching Vaduvanchal turn right. It is best to
hire a four wheeler form here to reach Neelimala view point. After three
kilomteres drive from Vaduvanchal, the road turns to the right and
climbs up a rugged road to reach the base of a tribal settlement,
surrounded by coffee plantation and pepper vines. Get down, pick your
backpack, put on your trekking shoes and of course keep a good camera.
On the way up to the
Neelimala viewpoint, one would have the company of the coffee
plantations on either side and further up, small holdings of ginger and
areca nut. The sides of the path leading to the view point is also
dotted with small bushes of purple flower plants and also chirping sun
birds and other varieties of small birds darting in and out of the
bushes
Completing the first
part of the ascend, which is about half a kilometer, the trekking path
gets narrower and goes down before it climbs up again. Now the
vegetation on the sides changes to tall, wild grass, including the lemon
grass variety. The narrow path goes further up and suddenly opens up
into a panoramic view, with the mountain folds of the Western Ghats on
your left and a hill slope replete with grass and studded with boulders
on the right. You have reached the Neelimala view point
Have a brief stop.
Catch your breath. Feel the cool breeze in your hair, as it dries out
the sweat. Take a look around to spot some butterflies with rare colour
and size, gliding down the slopes and sometimes going behind the mist.
As you remain there, your ears slowly get receptive to a rumble down the
valley. If you hear it, take the narrow path going down to the left.
Make your way through tall grasses leaning on to you. Move gently and
watch out for slippery rocks and pits. Meandering to the left, the path
would lead you to a spot, where you would find yourself standing behind
a rocky spur with the rumbling noise becoming intense manifold.
Carefully make your
descend down and move towards the middle of the rocky spur. It would
take some time for you to believe the mesmerizing sight that is right
before you. Down flows a track of white water, flanked by evergreen
forests. A sight you would never forget. Get your best shots and take in
its pristine beauty as much as you can. As you watch the unforgettable
sight of Meenmutti waterfall, an occasional blanket of thick mist could
block your sight. But, do not get upset. Wait for some time and as the
mist clears out, and on occasions the sheet of mist would split open to
reveal the waterfall, which is yet another delightful thing to watch.
How to Reach
Nearest railway station: Kozhikode,
about 80 km from Vaduvanchal.
Nearest airport: Karipur International
Airport, about 95 km from Vaduvanchal.
 |
|