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PHOTOS: SOMA BASU

TREES AND TRAILS A trekking route.

Yes, Kurangani is one of the four villages in India, and one of the two in Tamil Nadu, to be selected as a “Spice Village” under the Endogenous Spices Tourism Circuit, a project supported by the UNDP and the Government of India. It is also one of 36 Heritage Village projects. A friend had suggested that Kurangani (120 km from Madurai) was an ideal terrain for trekkers. A google search did not reveal much information, except for the direction and the distance.But, Kurangani’s location at an altitude of 6,500 feet on the southern flank of the Western Ghats in Theni District excited me.

Lush arecanut plantation.

The drive was scenic and cool. Acres of tall arecanut palms with their silvery bark glistened in the sun. The road abruptly ended in a village that comprised a few tea kiosks, grocery shops and some semi-permanent houses. In the backdrop, I could see the mist covered peak of a verdant hill. I had arrived at Kurangani. But, what next?

Then I spotted a man dressed in crisp white dhoti and shirt at a tea shop. To my luck, he turned out to be K. Piniappan, Director of the Green Project in Kurangani. Not only was he a mine of information, his good English was also a bonus. At his makeshift office, he displayed with pride scores of photographs of the eco-friendly work done by the villagers. He told me that Top Station was 12 km from there. A rickety, wooden bridge across a narrow stream led me to a heavily pebbled track lined with a fascinating variety of spice trees — cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, fenugreek, aniseed, mustard, saffron, vanilla, bay leaf, nutmeg, asafoetida, oregano, thyme, mace, basil, clove, rosemary and juniper berry. "Learning while walking" is a great experience and I reached the first landmark after two km, a mini water fall called the Sambar falls. The sight and sound of the water was rejuvenating. From here perched high up on the hills, Top Station was visible, a white building appearing like a speck encircled by grey puffs of clouds.

There are four trekking routes in Kurangani. One, of course, to Top Station (12 km); and the second, a slight diversion to Mel Muttam (14 km). There’s a rope car way which became defunct in 1972 but its abandoned pillars still stand majestically in the mountains. It is now an active site for film shooting. The third route is Pulikuthi, a 20-km trek suitable for bird-watchers, and, the fourth is a precipitous ledge atop Kurangani called Kolukkumalai, considered one of the highest tea estates in the world at a height of 8,782 feet. Whichever direction you choose, you are bound to walk through lush plantations of teak, eucalyptus, arecanut, silk cotton, jujube, acacia, bamboo, coffee, banana, mango, sapota, plum, orange, cauliflower, broccoli, parsley, pomegranate, carrot, tapioca and cashew nut.

It was not a very arduous trek, but by the time I reached Top Station the sun had disappeared behind the hills. All I came across throughout my expedition was the occasional group of monkeys which have lent their name to this beautiful place.

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