04/11/2025
MUNNAR TOWNis the tourist hub of the region.
From here, visitors can start a tea plantation walk, visit the Eravikulam National Park hoping to spot elephants, go mountain hiking, and indulge themselves in waterfall baths.
But I wonder how much time they reserve to explore the town centre itself.
I asked my local guide to take me to one of my favourite spots in any town: the LOCAL MARKET.
Here is what I found:
The smell of freshly picked cardamom confuses my senses when it comes closer with peppercorn and cinnamon, my brain recognises the many familiar SPICE scents, but after a while gives up to the inebriating mixture.
Infinite varieties of CHOCOLATE bars and NUTS are bought in large quantities from the local food specialist for the satisfaction of your family member's palate and the enrichment of your table.
Tons of garlic and dry fish form many picturesque shades of grey and brown on the STALL, covering almost completely the vendor, who surprises me with an amicable smile from the piles of coconuts and chopped ginger.
A TAILOR at work, outside his tiny shop, pushing the pedals of his sewing machine with his bare foot, reminded me of the tailors I met in Harar, Ethiopia (https://travellerstoryteller.com/intro-welcome-to-east-africa/)
A shop owner is packing the freshly prepared famous BANANA CHIPS, rigorously cooked in coconut oil, in front of my eyes, at a race pace, while the amount of green banana skins fills up the white bag next to him.
A local vendor is creating garlands of Jasmine and other FLOWERS in a matter of seconds, while the variety of colours on its stall increases.
Leaving the frenetic rhythm of the mundane downtown life, I find refuge in the colourful TEMPLE, nestled on top of the hill, a few minutes walk from the main road.
Although it is under refurbishment, it is nonetheless busy, and my guide and I need to queue to join the devotees in a little procession inside its walls to reach the shrine where the prayers and the offerings are directed.
Not far, on a nearby hill, stands the big local MOSQUE start receiving the people for the evening gathering.
Munnar info.in
Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission
