Nallamudi Poonjolai – Valparai

day4: Dec 27, 2008

Before reaching the Nallamudi valley view, we head to the Sidhi VinayakarTemple at Sholaiyar Estate. Been some specific day and my cousin bro’s birthday, parents want to visit the temple and it was also one of the tourist attraction in valparai. The idol in the temple was carved in a single marble stone at 7 feet, which brought here through helicopter and the temple was built by Birla – a largest group in India. Near the temple I found a board words ‘world’s first ISO 9002, Sholayar and Kallyar tea plantations and factories’. The temple has some tens of steps to climb, and amidst private tea estates and nearby factories, since it was morning time, people where busy at hunting tea leaves and guys loading tea packages into Lorries.

Along the way and around Nallamudi Poonjolai are forever tea estates. There were cluster of hills just like the overturn of bottom vessels, and a relative whom guide us told in uncertain those are ones existed by volcanic condition. The valley is invisible until reach the place and I have no idea about a valley there, and noted this name when searching places that attracts. The vehicles are stopped a km before the valley, as one have to walk through the tea gardens pathway and we were allowed further to reach by my wheels. It was an experience ride with a 3ft unequal path, and some ones threatening of anytime cheetah attack from the intense tea gardens, my power wheels proved it is a wonder. Even at near valley point, the leftover elephant dung makes us wonder how came elephants here, taking the risk at electric fencing and the deepest valley.

It was an interesting view point to sight the Anaimudi - South India’s highest peak, counting 8842ft. The valley covers almost dense forest, with little encroachment of tea gardens at far left and tribal settlement villages below the valley. The anaimudi was not clearly visible, except the shape like elephants back at far distance. The valley holds couple of waterfalls, and I could remember one of the names as Idlyaaru (idly river). This valley separates the states Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and the other side of the hills or anaimudi is Munnar. A piece of information was give by a priest like person living there, bringing a sign board ‘Seen God’ and a small temple atop – the thing what he says was he saw the god at this valley. Everyone calls him samy (god) and our driver went ahead to get bless by touching his foot, but he stretched his hand across valley showing that nature is god. Somehow he impressed us with his wisdom and mind kind saying ‘salute the nature, its all. He was a govt. staff before he got to visible something he believes god and he began to stay there. But the tea estate owners what to remove him from there, but he manages to live around threaten of animals.

Some questioning, what’s being wonder about Poonjolai and disbelief at the height of peak. I felt why people come here, just not for exploring the nature and beauty; something that could not replace cities, than questioning what gains by visiting valleys flipped my ear. It was a sunny day and back to vehicle it was such hot response from seats, but the heat was something warm to the cold atmosphere. I asked for Number Parai(rock) what is more exotic I heard, but we missed the opportunity that the path lead to that valley was improper that time.

Nallamudi means good hair and poonjolai is wild garden.
Anai mudi, the Tamil words mean to elephant hair/brow.