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Wildlife, Wilderness, and the Warmth of Old and New Bonds
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Pambadum Shola
An early morning start gave us some extra time to ride again towards Parunthumpara, as the day was clear of mist. The clarity of the day lent the mountains a majesty that humbled us into silence. The waterfall at the far end of the mountain range was clearly heard, but took a while to spot. After this quick stop, we headed towards Kumily, dashing on the now familiar road. We stopped at Annapurna for an early breakfast, as we were unsure about the availability of restaurants on the interior roads we were planning to ride that day. I made use of the opportunity to ride the Honda RS 350 from here onward until the next deviation. The switch to the Honda RS 350 was refreshing, third gear, any curve, no drama. It was smooth sailing— all I had to do was enjoy the scenery and steadily, leisurely ride on.
We turned off the main road near Kumily, preferring the scenic interior stretch over the usual Kumily-Munnar highway. We would occasionally touch this highway, but mostly managed to keep to the interior roads (seeing signboards to Rajakkad, Rajakumari, Ramakalmeedu), with fantastic views and very little traffic. A couple of pit stops here and there for chai and just conversations, we eventually ended up on the famous Gap Road (just after Poopara) leading to Munnar town. The wide, winding road is a delight for those cornering aficionados who enjoy going horizontal against the road, defying gravity.
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In the fog-kissed chill, the scent of barbecued corn from roadside stalls added warmth to the view and flavour to the moment. A brief pit stop later, we were soon in the chaotic Munnar town to refill our fuel. Soon, we were out of the tourist chaos and on our way to Pambadum Shola. A leisurely lunch at a fancy restaurant in Maximunnar T & U Leisure Hotel recharged us for the rest of the trip ahead.
Thinking back to my travels on KSRTC and private buses through these roads in earlier times, I found myself treasuring every twist and turn. Crossing Mattupetty Dam and Kundala Dam, we reached Top Station and deviated towards Koviloor. The stay was inside the Pambadum Shola National Park. While we waited at the check-post, the memories of travel and trekking through these areas flooded in. Soon, we reached our place of stay. The booking can be made online at https://booking.munnarwildlife.com/. The stay is basic, but the location is splendid. There was no electricity, just a power backup to use for the lights.
We dropped our luggage and headed towards Vattavada and further to Koviloor. While the others stopped at a strawberry farm, I continued towards Koviloor to meet a friend who lives nearby. Back in 2011, riding a bus all the way to Koviloor, and after a simple tea at the edge of the hills, a walk all the way to Top Station, and from there, return to Munnar town in a jeep. That journey still lingers in me like a well-worn melody. All three routes from Munnar (Marayoor–Kanthaloor; Poopara–Thekkady; Top Station–Koviloor) were covered by travelling in the bus. On the way back towards the forest stay, I spotted an Indian Gaur crossing the road. Though the beasts looked big, they seemed to be alarmed by the sound of the vehicle. This was the first of the many rendezvous ahead of us. There was one right next to our room during the night. A simple meal and a singing session later (it was the first time in the trip), we called it an early night.
Early mornings in the forest are the best time to absorb its serenity and tranquillity. I realised I had missed this when I woke up early the next morning. The blush of the sky in the morning sunrise, the Gaur grazing on the grassland, the serpentine road (jet black after a night’s rain) without any traffic, accompanied by the bird songs, was magical.
This was our last stop in the high range (Western Ghats) of Kerala. The next stop was at Kotagiri, entering the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu. But before that, we had to descend to the plains. An early breakfast later, we saddled up and began our ride. From this day onwards, I was to miss my Kattan Chai (black tea) partner, who had to leave early to reach Bangalore.
