Munnar – VAGABOND IMAGES

Jumbo’s day out at Mattupetty

Upendra SwamiJuly 14, 20201457 Views4

You can find elephants everywhere in Kerala- from forests to roads and temples. They make a fascinating sight and also some excellent stories. They have always been integral part of legends and mythology. There is no temple festival in Kerala without elephants. Kerala also has a good number of wild elephants as well. As per a rough comparison Kerala has almost 600 captive elephants and almost 6000 wild elephants. One of the highest peaks in the Nilgiris the Anamudi peak literally means 'elephant's forehead'. In India, elephants are always in news, thanks to our mishandling of one of the most graceful and intelligent animal out there. Still sight of a herd of wild elephants is good enough to stop the traffic on road and turn everyone into curious onlookers. They too keep people amused w...

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Ten things not to be missed while in Munnar

Upendra SwamiApril 24, 2019861 Views1

It’s getting hotter day by day. No, I am certainly not talking about the election heat, but I am literally talking about the weather. A few days earlier, I was talking to a friend in Thiruvanathapuram, and he said that it is getting difficult to venture out during the day. So, while rest of the Kerala might be reeling under heat and it would not be wise to advice going there, until the monsoon touches the state late next month; but a part of Kerala is still enjoyable and worth going. With polling for general elections over in the state and it will now be waiting anxiously for the counting day exactly a month later, in the meanwhile, you can certainly plan a trip to Munnar. Elephant peak as seen from Munnar town Munnar is one of the favourite destinations in Kerala for tourists from ...

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Spectacular views from the Station at the Top

Upendra SwamiNovember 8, 2018492 Views2

It had started raining when we reached the parking area of Top station. Weather in Kerala have been a unpredictable lot these days and every rain reminded of the floods that traumatised the state just a couple of months back. However Munnar region is generally unpredictable about its weather, than the other parts of Kerala, with more likelihood of rains, as the Neelgiris form the first mountain wall in the way of clouds coming from the Indian Ocean. Even the day before, it started raining in the second half, although it wasn’t heavy. That day, it was clear, when we left Munnar, and after a couple of mini halts, we thought that it was better to go to farthest place first and see other things on the way back to Munnar. Hence we drove to Top Station. Clouds kept gathering as we moved close...

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Everything you need to know for planning a trip to Eravikulam National Park

Upendra SwamiOctober 29, 20181077 Views1

Earlier, I had planned to include all this vital information in my previous post about Neelakurinji trail in Eravikulam National Park. But then I stopped myself, as it would have made the post very long. I would have to either reduce the number of images from that post or cut short on the information. I didn’t want to do any of these. Hence, I decided to do a separate post and try to give every layman information possible to plan a trip to Eravikulam National Park. Read: On the Neelakurinji trail at Eravikulam National Park Landscape around Eravikulam National Park Reaching: Eravikulam National Park is 12 kilometres from Munnar town on the Munnar-Udumalpet road. It takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes to reach there on the winding hilly road. Road is good and safe. You can travel by ...

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On the Neelakurinji trail at Eravikulam National Park

Upendra SwamiOctober 28, 2018735 Views2

It was heartening to see the long queues even if it meant long waiting for us to board the bus that takes you inside the Eravikulam National Park. It was after all good to witness tourists returning in large numbers to Kerala just weeks after devastating floods, said to be most fierce in last almost hundred years. Indeed, most of the tourists might be locals or from nearby places as that was the long weekend because of Dussehra falling on Friday. Initially, I had planned this visit for August. As, the only motive was to document the blooming of Neelakurinji flowers, hence the visit was timed as per their expected blooming. Strobilanthus kunthiana, commonly known as Neelakkurinji (Blue Kurinji), grows in colonies stretching to acres and acres across the Neelgiris – a name ascribed...

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Riding a Ducati in picturesque Munnar

Upendra SwamiNovember 29, 2015601 Views2

Well, I would have always preferred a Harley Davidson under me, having driven its country cousin (RE TBTS) for years, but still Ducati was always a welcome option for many reasons. Firstly, I had never rode a Ducati before (so I haven't even a Harley for that matter!). Secondly, I had an opportunity to test ride two of yet to to be launched, very high end Ducati bikes. Thirdly, location couldn't have been better than Munnar in Kerala. Munnar to Ooty has been among the best driving routes among the world sheer for its amazing terrain and beautiful refreshing landscape. So it goes, and for the record, that happened sometime ago. Only that, I haven't shared it with my readers. Sharing here some of the images from the event. Well, honestly enough I might not be the appropriate person to...