Ponmudi - Kerala
| Other Tourist Places of Kerala |
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A mere one and a half hour’s road journey separates the beaches of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) from Ponmudi Hills, one of the best Tourist destination in Kerala. The name Ponmudi means golden crown in Malayalam language, a hill station too near to the sea. On the way to Ponmudi, the thick tropical forest greets one at the foot of the Ponmudi hill range.
The road passes under a canopy of thickly matted foliage. The forest recedes gradually giving way to neatly clipped tea bushes. As one leaves the city behind, one enters the region of plantations – rubber, pepper, cardamom and tea. The change is abrupt. The tappers can be seen going about briskly gathering the milky fluid from rubber trees collected in coconut shells.
Coconut trees cover almost one half of the road, over which women spread black pepper for drying. One may come across an elephant ambling along carrying his mahout atop and his breakfast of coconut thatch in his trunk. Tea estates at Ponmudi are smaller than those in the Munnar hills. Large water sprays shower the gardens.
The 'mate', a septuagenarian shading himself with an umbrella, can be seen throughout the day’s news to the pickers. The pickers, in response, either grunt indicating disapproval of the news item or remain silent in agreement. Trekking to the north of Ponmudi Crest, one visit mini zoo also, primarily of barasinghas, on the edge of the forest. Entering the forest, the verdant shades of green numb the senses as does the avian orchestra.
The brilliant red southern trongon dot the trees looks like flowers. The air is full with the loud raucous chuckling of heavy billed Malabar hornbills. The shrill notes of the blue-black Malabar whistling thrush add to the cacophony. Even the rare long-tailed paradise flycatchers flit gracefully from tree to tree. It is like an open aviary. It offers pleasant climate always and the stay here is arranged by the General Administration Department of Kerala. A narrow winding road helps to connect it to Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) city which offers a very attractive scenic view even on the way to the Ponmudi. The tea-gardens here are also very famous. The tourist resort is developed almost half a kilometer before the actual peak, which is often called the Echo Point. Ponmudi serves as a base for trekking and hiking.
How to reach Ponmudi
By Air: The nearest International Airport is about 67km in Thiruvananthapuram .
By Rail: The closest Central Railway Station in Thiruvananthapuram about 61 km.
By Road:It has a Well-connected network of roads, Ponmudi is linked to all major towns in South India.
