In both Malayalam and Tamil, the word ‘Munnar’ means three rivers, as it is merging place of three mountain streams. The Duke of Wellington was the first prominent person to visit Munnar.
Munnar was once the summer capital of the British in southern India. Munnar was developed to cultivate tea plants by British although it was first discovered by Scottish planters. In the early developmental stages only Tamilians worked ther as few Malayalis inhabited in that area Munnar.
But later more and more Malayalis were recruited as employees to work in plantations and bungalows, that were build for estate managers of British origin. They occupied most of the top posts. Some of the bungalows that were build for them is still in good condition and being used.The local people here speak Malayalam, the official language of Kerala and since there are a lot of Tamilians, the second language is Tamil.
Munnar has an ancient history and prehistoric relics that can be dated back to Stone Age civilization. The written history begins only from 10th century. In the early 19th century, the headman of the villages of Anchanad, Kannan Thevar, held lands to the north of the high ranges, which belonged to the local Rajah of Poojar.
According to record history, the first tea sapling was planted by A.H. Sharp at Parvathi, part of the present Sevenmullay estate, consisted of 50 acres of land in the surrounding jungle.
J D Munro, a British lawyer and tea planter leased close to 600 sq. km of land around Munnar, which was then covered with thick jungle, from the Poonjar chief, a subordinate of the Maharaja of Travancore. He then cleared the jungle for Tea plantations. This land was later known as Kannan Devan (Kannan Thevar) Concession Land.
Later in 1895, Messrs Finlay Muir & Company bought Munro’s land and in 1976 Tata-Finlay Ltd. purchased it. Then in 1983 James Finlay Group sold their remaining share holdings and the company became known as Tata Tea Ltd., the largest integrated tea company in the world.
Culture
While exploring the natural beauty of Munnar you can also take an insight into the culture of the region, which is well depicted in the festivals of Munnar. The festivals celebrated in Munnar are an occasion of full excitement and fun.
Attukal Pongala, celebrated in the month of February is one and the only temple festival in the world where women assemble together to make offerings by cooking a pudding for the goddess in the Attukal temple. It is taken home after the chief priest of the temple will come and sprinkle the holy water and will shower the flowers. Another most celebrated festival is the Thrissur Pooram Festival, which takes place in the month of May/June. It is a massive show with about thirty caparisoned elephants bedecked with gold ornaments. Mahouts holding objects symbolizing royalty ride each elephant. The most popular amongst all the festivals of Munnar is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race held in the month of August. Pavilions are set up for the spectators on the banks and in the middle of Punnamada Lake the venue of the race. There are separate races for women and the race begins with a colorful pageant of floats performing arts and decorated boats and goes on late into the evening. The festival of Onam in Munnar brings more life to the city. This festival lasts for ten days and involves singing, dancing, and feasting with religious ceremonies. This harvest festival is celebrated to welcome the legendary king Mahabali. The most exciting feature of the festival however, is the snake boat races held at several places on the palm-fringed lagoons.
