Wayanad - First Impressions

Wayanad – the name comes from the words ‘Vayal Nadu’ – land of paddy fields, and that’s what I expected to see – paddy fields stretching in all directions. However, entering the district through the heart of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the sight that greeted me was of towering trees lining both sides of the road....

Going further, it was evident that we were truly in ‘God’s own country’ – Kerala. Palm trees lined the roads and the fields, separating the now dry fields of paddy....

And amidst these trees and fields rose rocks of all sizes and shapes, lending an unique touch to the scene....

Trees laden with fruits greeted us at every turn... 

We ogled at the clusters of bananas.....

And drooled at the sight of jackfruits....

We saw Mangosteens  for the first time...

And also Breadfruit, which we hadn’t even heard of before!

Coffee seemed to be a common plant... almost every house had a small ‘plantation’...

If I thought this was beautiful, I was in for more surprises. A few miles away, and the landscape changed. Now, instead of coffee, there was tea... acres and acres of undulating land, covered by tea plantations...

And then there were the rivers – at some places, the Kabini, elsewhere the Vythiri.... each flowing peacefully amidst lush greenery hiding the presence of people....

Wayanad is among the newest and most sparsely populated of Kerala’s districts. It is tucked away in a corner of the state, bordering the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. In a land known for its coastline, it has no connection whatsoever with the coast, nestling instead amidst the mountains.

And, I could have missed all this and more..... if it wasn’t for the way things happened....

I had been hearing about Wayanad for years. Everyone I knew seemed to be going there. As with all other places, I put it on my mental wishlist, and waited for the day I would be able to plan a trip there. As it turned out, the long awaited trip fell into my lap in the most unexpected manner.

Thomas Cook India offered to plan a trip for me, and since I was already going to Bangalore and Mysore, they suggested I take a short break somewhere nearby. The only question was “Where?” Coorg was the first place that came up, but I had just visited the area in March. They then suggested Wayanad, and I needed no further urging.

We had less than a week to work things out, and you can’t imagine how hectic those last few days turned out to be. My tickets were waitlisted, my arrangements for Mysore had to be changed, I had to finish all pending work at home, since I would out for more than half a month...... looking back, I find myself wondering how it all got done!

One of the biggest things I worried about was the plan Thomas Cook would draw up for me. Their Wayanad itinerary was called ‘Xplorer’ and all of you know I love exploring. However, I also have ankle problems and weight problems which don’t allow me to do a lot of walking or cycling. I am not too great with heights, and the plan involved ziplining!!!! Having no experience whatsoever with professionals planning trips for me, I was also wary of the cost. All it took was one meeting with their tour planners and things fell into place easily. They modified the plan to suit the dates I had free, the activities to suit my interests, and the cost to fit my pocket.

And that’s how this trip to Wayanad happened.

What you have seen of Wayanad is just a glimpse. In the coming weeks, let me take you along with me, as I relive my memories of exploring Wayanad.

Update: 

Here are all the posts I have written about Wayanad...

• Discovering a ruined gem
• Phantom Rock
• Exploring Kuruva Island
• Encounter with a python
• A Forest Shrine
• Tirunelli Temple
• Review: Misty Hills, Wayanad
• Journeying into the wild at Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary
• On the river at Wayanad
• Communing with our ancestors at Edakkal Caves
• Jain  Temple, Sultan Bathery