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Mukkali to Mulli; a parade of scenes – Nilgiri Omnibus Part 6 |
We are in Silent Valley National Park in Kerala.
In the morning we pack up to go to Nilgiri Mountains. I ask local people about reaching Ooty from here. They suggest me an alternate way that goes to a Nilgiri town of Manjoor that is 31 kilometers from Ooty. This alternate way is a bit complicated, because public transportation is available in 4 segments so I write it down.
After Silent Valley, on the road.
All buses that pass through here go to Agali so we take that bus to Agali. The scenic roadway keeps one captivated all through. I feel I am not in India but in the Andes Mountains of Columbia or Peru. Roadside is laced by lush green banana plantain, coffee, black pepper, paddy and huge banyan trees. One may find many open air temple and all villages are serene. Time and again some pretty brook cross our road. Near Agali road descends.
Parade of Scenes
We get down at Agali and change another bus for Kottathara that is a short distance. We cross a very scenic river before getting down from the bus. At Kottathara we have a cup of tea then we find another bus going towards Mulli, it is empty and after half hour it takes off. This route is also almost deserted and least populated.
On the way.
It is extremely scenic byway. That same pretty river travels along us. Some times we get away from this river and I begin missing it thinking that was the last time we saw it but then to our joy it reappears.
Kerala Tamilnadu border in the wilderness
Driver asks us to get down at a place where a gravel road leads towards to mountains and we obey. But we are regretting about getting down from this bus and wanted to go to all the way where road terminates, to the village of Mulli because area is so pretty and mystic. Mully village is visible just after the turn and is barely 1 kilometer.
Parade of Scenes
We walk in that direction of Tamilnadu-Kerala border; after crossing into Tamilnadu we shall find the road to Manjoor. It appears that Nilgiri Mountains are standing at a stone’s throw from us. From Kerala sides mountains look more blue, clear and beautiful because of more rainfall on these slopes.
Parade of Scenes
A small hamlet comes at the border in the wilderness. There are two shops cum restaurants and we eat idle sambar because that is only available and it turns out great. Then we walk on the deserted jungle path and river appears again but this time at our left side.
I am very tempted to have a bath in the river but we keep walking because the area is forested and deserted. We arrive at the Mulli Check Post from here a road goes from Coimbatore to Manjoor (Nilgiris).
Parade of Scenes
It crosses the river bridge and then begins its climb over the mountains. Officer at the check-post is a very gentle and chatty person and we keep our bags in his office and return to the river with my loincloth. There I take a hearty bath; water is cold but gentle. After some bathing I feel cold so I lay down on the sun warm plain rocks.
Border Post
Feeling is so good that I am in Ecstasy. I repeat this cycle several times; getting cold and then getting warm. We spend more than an hour here but now is the time to move because 12.30 bus to Manjoor is about to arrive.
Parade of Scenes
Bus comes at its precise time but it is full. Somehow we along with others get inside. After it crosses the bridge, instantly it begins its climb to Niligiri Mountains. Luckily we are standing at the rear door and all scenes are at our right so we enjoy the packed bus. View of Kerala are breathtaking but we lose these views for the interior of the mountains views after some turns.
Manjoor in Mist
We get lucky and bus gets about half empty in the midway. It takes about an hour for bus to come near Manjoor. A scenic lake is visible at the bottom of the valley that feeds the power plants down the mountains. This area is greener than Kotagiri and Ooty due to more rainfall.
Parade of Scenes
Also this area is not that crowed and populated. Waterfalls are abundant here. Manjoor area villages begins 3 kilometers before the main town and road takes a serious climb. Climate is now cold and everyone in the bus is now putting on the warm clothes.
Near Kerala Border
We arrive at Manjoor at 1.45PM. It is very foggy here. There is just one hotel and rate is 250 for the double bed room. First I go upstairs and check the room that is acceptably clean. Bathrooms are not attached but these are OK. Only drawback is that we have to go inside the restaurant to get to our room.
Parade of Scenes
So we take this room because we have no choice. We unload our backpacks and come downstairs for lunch. Food prices are also amazingly low. After food we go to the road beyond the town, fog is playing hide and seek with sun. Town ends in just half kilometers and then tea gardens start. We have a cup of tea at a intersection of the road. Tea is available in Nilgiris at almost every road junction.
We together
Lovely place and photos. I remembered my Trek to Bhimashankar .
Nice post.
I have been many times on the Mulli Geddai Manjoor road with its never ending hairpin bends. Did you eat at any of Manjoor’s bakeries? They are well known throughout the Nilgiris for their pound cake, puffs, warkies and other goodies – and rightfully so!
Gita AM
Yes I ate from Manjoor’s bakeries in the small but colorful bazaar. Town has only one hotel where I stayed and that same hotel is above the dinghy restaurant but food was very good. They served in large portions and also prices were amazingly lower than rest of India.
Town gives an aura of some remote distant outpost.
tks for another beautiful post…
It finished too soon:-)
Another excellently descriptive post of a rarely ventured route, even for the most off-beat traveller. Going to Ooty via Mulli and Manjoor has been one of my long-pending wishes. Hope I will make it one day.This “NILGIRIS OMNIBUS” will go down as one of the most Cherished Gems in Ghumakkar history. Long may your travels enrich us, Mr and Mrs.Praveen.
Thanks, Praveen bhai, for the lovely pen picture of an unspoilt natural paradise. It is so remote that even the bollard marking the border between Kerala and TN has remained untouched from the pre-Independence era. TN is called Madras and the signage is in English!
The photograph of Manjoor looks picture postcard perfect, with those red-tiled roofs enveloped in mist. The experience must have been heavenly. I am surprised that you did not share any botanical knowledge in this post. Otherwise, it has all the hallmarks of a Praveen Wadhwa post.
D.L Saab, when I read this my this post I realized that it is a kind of incomplete and too short and I missed to enhance it. I wrote 91 posts in 5 months so it was – Aaga Dod, picha choor.
Usually I write a post and never review or edit it. I only open it at the day it is to be published and then post swells.
This post escaped.