Peermade , Deccan Herald.

The plantation town of Peermade

Tea estates in Peermade .. The long winding road on a misty morning.. The abundance of tons of oxygen is the greatest asset here..

Peermade hill station in Kerala was the favourite holiday destination of Travancore royalty, writes Susheela Nair.

The air is chilly and mist falls over the plantation town of Peermade in the evenings. At times nothing can be seen around, except the whiteness of mist and the next moment the mist would vanish unveiling the richness of the land. Once, the erstwhile summer retreat of Travancore Maharajas and the British planters, its present claim to fame are the tea plantations, the British bungalows and the mausoleum of a Sufi saint. It is off point the usually trodden tourist track and in the shadow of Munnar. Most tourists pass this town by. This, in some ways, is Peermade’s USP. We dropped anchor here for a truly blissful quiet weekend to explore the rest of the district’s highlights like Thekkady, Vagamon and Idukki. Peermade engages the senses not just on the strength of its natural beauty but also because of the charming tales spun around its most favoured points. A short trek up the Peeru Hills took us to the mausoleum dedicated to Peer Mohamed, a Sufi saint who is believed to be the first trader of spices in the region. Overgrown with weeds and creepers and surrounded by deep, endless gorges and waterfalls, it stands sans any epitaph. This quaint little hill station is also known as Peermedu (‘Peeru medu’ in local parlance means Peer’s valley) after him. When the British made it their summer station in the 1800s, the name was later anglicised to Peermade to suit their tongue. Just within walking distance is the huge Summer Palace of erstwhile Travancore Maharajas, ensconced amidst lush foliage. Stepping into this crumbling palace conjured visions of the times when the Maharaja sauntered down the endless corridors. The great underground escape passage, the prison cell, the stables, the durbar hall all hark back to the days when Peermade was the favourite rendezvous of the royalty. The other landmark of royalty in the vicinity is the Maharani’s Palace, the summer residence of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bhai, in the Glenrock Estate. Now, it is the private residence of the Kallivayalil family. Kuttikanam, the gateway to the hills of Peermade is an easy drive from Peermade. Just a hop away from Kuttikkanam junction is the Thrisangu Hills, a place used by the armed forces as a firing range. Its main allure lies in the fact that one can see the sunrise and sunset from this place besides having commanding views of the Peeru Hills, the Summer Palace of the erstwhile Maharajas, the pine forests and the organic tea factory of Peermade Development Society. An interesting halt is the stately CSI Church or the St George’s Church surrounded by cypress and pine trees in a country-churchyard in Pallikkunnu. Constructed by Rev. Henry Baker Junior, a CMS missionary, it is claimed to be the first church in the High Ranges. Reverence also lingers for Daniel Munroe, who was instrumental in the opening of various estates. Lost in a time warp are the graveyards of the British planters who lived and died here, their mortal remains marked by quaint crumbling tombstones with epitaphs. Even today their present generations come to pay respect to their ancestors who treaded this part of the world centuries back. Another imposing church is the granite Velankanni Matha Church, located in Pattumala (which means ‘hills draped in silk’), a picturesque place located amidst an undulating expanse of lush green tea plantations. A rickety jeep drive beyond Stagbrook Estate twist up your insides. It leads one to Madammakkulam, a natural pond encircled by deep woods on all sides. This idyllic place is evocative of the British regime when Madam Robinson, a British planter’s wife and her buddies went galloping on horseback to frolic in the pond, under a gushing waterfall. The locals were restricted from using the pond. Hence it came to be called Madammakkulam meaning ‘madam’s pond’ (Madamma’ is referred to any foreign lady). Now tourists make a dash to this place for a rejuvenating dip in the serene water of this natural pond. Just beyond the waterfalls is the Irumulachipara, two massive boulders. The hills around Peermade are bustling with picnic possibilities. Going up to Grampi or Parunthupara, (Eagle Rock), a sprawling rock spread over half a kilometre in diameter is a must-do. It offers a remarkable, panoramic view of the surrounding areas from its high peaks. We ventured to Panchalimedu, where the Pandavas are believed to have spent some time in exile. We were greeted with crosses, granite edicts, a cave and a pond here. It is equally significant to Christians who have put up crosses on the slopes of the hill. On Good Friday, people from all sections of life throng here in memory of Christ’s crucifixion. The trek to Amritha Medu, the highest peak in Kuttikkanam, can be a demanding climb and is not meant for the uninitiated and meek-hearted. From the pinnacle, one can have incredible views of the entire Peermade region. FACT FILE*Getting there: Air: Nearest airport: Nedumassery (Kochi) – 150 km Rail: Nearest railhead- Kottayam- 75 km Road: Thekkady- 35 km,Vagamon- 25 km, Kottayam-75 km, Munnar- 140 km. *When to go: September to May end. For a monsoon break, June, July and August would be ideal *Where to stay: Misty Mountain Resort, Henwoods Bungalow, Ashley Bungalow Email: gapage@sify.com Wood Palace Heritage Resort , Hotel Himarani International www.eastwesthospitalities.com KTDC Yatri Niwas. Website:www.ktdc.com

CETGuruvandanam speech, 31 july, 2011

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aerial panoramas from around the world .. - terrific views ..

www.airpano.com

excellent views ..

ge..

Pentacost st. gregorios bangalore

Dn. anish peter john from delhi, fourth year student at nagpur seminary,  who was the resource person at ovbs, spoke on the day ..

Espresso: The Great INDIAN Style

 

What an Innovation ??

Check out the neat screwdriver arrangement to shut off the steam

 

Coffee.......anyone?!! Think of pressure cooker and hot COSTA coffee ....... made in INDIA. Brilliant innovation!

Does lean production support Innovation or new product process development ?

This question has always bothered me for some time, now that I am getting ready to take a class on Lean Operations management for executive MBA students, have to find a solution to this.. Or carry out research to prove that lean system may or may not support innovation ..

Why I am putting this question is that, in lean system all efforts are to satisfy the customer. If the customer does not want any radical innovation ( or is not aware of radical innovations which can make his life better and easier), how will he support such moves ? Yes, lean supports incremental innovation, which can bring down costs, improve functionality etc..

That is the reason why US is still the innovation capital of the world, they do not have any problem in spending more on R & D which brings in occasional radical innovation, like the Internet etc , which can change generations itself..

This question I plan to ask many friends and await what they say about it.. And look out for my articles on this question soon ..

ge.

The threat from Marxists ...

The Marxists in Kerala even in this time of extreme crisis, has issued threats against the police and the media, threatening even to get on the offensive.

Being the torchbearers of dadagiri and machete(vadivaal) culture, quotation style, it is the sincere request to all malayalis to take this threat with all seriousness it deserves.

Being pushed to the corner with ractive CPIM members including dist. secy arrested for murdering TPC, and more senior members in line, this is norhing but a paper threat, to deflect public attention..

It is high time malayalis took these idiots by their collar and kick out their arrogance ..

"Kollaanum, kollikkanum madiyillathu ente naatil pokan enikku pediyakunnu" ( It is scary to go to my land where people have no qualms to kill others (by themselves) and get other people to be killed) - film actor Mohanlan

Thanks to the Marxists in our land.. They only believe in the language of blood .. They seem to forget the famous adage, "vaaleduthavan valaal.." ( those who use the sword to kill others, will also get killed by it..)

By terrorising the civilised people in society who desire peace, they continue throw their weight around .. How long can they continue scaring the people with their daadaagiri ?

It took just a single woman, Mamata Banerjee to chase these daadaas out of West bengal single handedly.. !!

Ge..