Tranquil Reverie

Monday, March 24, 2008

A Walk In The Clouds

My plans to travel to Munnar seemed to be jinxed. After several vain attempts, I finally set foot in the place that has always been on my wish list. This Easter, a visit to this elusive destination, became a reality.
A sojourn through the backwaters of Allepey and the hills of Munnar left me spellbound. It was a magical experience midst the misty hill tops, pitter patter of the rain, melody of trickling streams, varied hues of the spring time blossoms and the limitless stretches of striking green vales. It was another dream come true...

Here are a few pictures from this e(xc)lusive hill station.

I got my first glimpse of Munnar in the wee hours of a foggy morning. Awe struck I trudged down the hill with only my camera for company....



The ranges of hills towering over the lush tea slopes were often masked by a blanket of white. As the passing clouds moved on, the mystical beauty was unravelled....



The heavy downpour in recent times conceived cascades on the spur. The streams trickling down the hills lent variety to the velvety green landscape.



I owe this picture to the serendipitous timing of our visit to the Anayirankal Reservior. The elements of nature amalgamated to perfection to create this immaculate vista.



Neither is this a black and white picture nor the output of a photo editing software. It is a capture of the ambience at the Mattupetty Dam at midday!



The beautifully manicured fingers of the tea plantations stretching into the hill ranges of Western Ghats makes Munnar one of the most exotic hills stations of South India.



A blocked road meant that we had to walk up a small stretch to reach Top Station. Unperturbed by the rain and gusty winds, mindless of the freezing cold, these locals were engaged in a long drawn conversation.