KERALA ECO TOURIST CENTER MARAYOOR

Location Marayoor, a rain-shadow village on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats , is 40 kms from Munnar on the Udumalpet road. It holds a lot of natures blessing to be unfolded before its visitors.Its also a unique place where tourism meets adventure. The fresh mountain air, the mist-clad hills and panoramic view make it worthy of a visit. By travelling either from Marayoor to Munnar or from Munnar to Marayoor, one can feel the enchanting beauty of natures blessing to be remembered for a life time. The enchanting beauty of Marayoor offers diversity in every aspect of the land and its culture. Hamlets, rocky hills, rivers, brooks, cave temples, sugar cane fields, waterfalls, stone coffins, sandal wood and bamboo forests are all in store for the visitor. It is the only place in the state with a natural growth of sandal wood trees. The rare Neelakurinji flower is native to this region. History Marayoor comes under Devikulam block.Several notes are found in history and epics about this area.It is believed that Lord Sriram and Sitadevi visited this place during Vanavasam.The name Devikulam took its origin from Sitadevi and it is believed that she took bath in a pond here. In the great epic Mahabharatha also,this area has been cited. It is said that Pandavas had stayed in the area during their Vanavasam and so the place was named as Maranjirunnaoor. Now the place is known as Marayoor.

Attractions The road from Rajamala to Marayoor is flanked by lush green tea estates. There are occasional waterfalls. Then comes the sandalwood forest. The air is cool and one comes under the rain shadow area. A major tourist spot is the Muniyaras, or the stone coffins, which date back to the Neolithic period. The stone coffins are everywhere - they are stone slabs resembling crudely-made boxes, resting on vertical rocks. Descending the hill, one can see cane crops dancing in the wind. A childrens park formed under the canopy of a single Banyan tree spreads across a hectare of land and is a wonderful sight. Then there is the Thoovanam Waterfalls where one can spend endless hours romancing with nature. The Rajiv Gandhi National Park nearby is also an attraction. Sandalwood forest Marayoor is the only place in Kerala with a natural growth of sandalwood trees. The sandalwood factory run by the Forest Department is of tourist interest. A reduced amount of rainfall is ideally suited for the abundant growth of the best sandalwood trees in the country. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the roots and wood of sandalwood (Santalum album)trees. The sandalwood oil otherwise called the "liquid gold" is a popular perfume, especially among the elite. Muniyaras The muniyaras or stone coffins date back to the Neolithic period. The legendary wanderings of Rama and Sita and the Pandavas are clearly depicted here.Caves, paintings and under ground tunnels are also found here . Thoovanam waterfalls The spectacular Thoovanam waterfalls provides venue for adventure and romance.Visitors will enjoy the beauty and freshness of this ideal picnic spot. Neelakurinji flowers The rare Neelakurinji is native to this region. Neelakurinji is an exotic flowering plant that paints the hills blue when it blossoms once every 12 years. The last blooming happened in 2006. Childrens park A childrens park formed under the canopy of a single Banyan tree spreads across a hectare of land and is really a wonderful sight