Munnar

Munnar, a hill station in Kerala’s Idukki district, has a history shaped by forests, high ranges, and the tea industry. The name “Munnar” is commonly linked to the meeting point of three rivers—Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundaly—forming a natural crossroads in the Western Ghats. For generations, the region was inhabited by local communities who depended on the mountains for cultivation, forest produce, and trade routes connecting the highlands with the plains.

In the late 19th century, Munnar’s modern transformation began when British planters and the Travancore administration explored the area for commercial agriculture. Large tracts of land were cleared and developed into plantations, first experimenting with crops like cinchona and coffee. After setbacks such as diseases that affected coffee elsewhere in South India, tea became the dominant crop. The establishment of organized tea estates, roads, and processing facilities gradually turned Munnar into a major plantation town. Workers from different parts of the region migrated here, forming new settlement patterns and a strong plantation culture that still defines local life.

Over time, Munnar became known not only for tea but also for its cool climate, biodiversity, and scenic valleys. Today, it balances plantation heritage with tourism and conservation, remaining one of Kerala’s most iconic highland destinations.