Pinch of History

“Surprisingly grand and incomparably beautiful” General Douglas Hamilton noted down in his diary on his visit to Munnar in the year 1862. Duke of Wellington, Sir Arthur Wellesley was perhaps the first to visit Munnar from the “civilized” world in connection with his strategic move to defend Bristish India from Tipu Sultan in the year 1789. Adventurous planters from Scotland followed and experimented several crops including rubber, coffee, cinchona, camphor and sisal. Finally tea was found to be most suitable. The first tea was planted by Mr. A.H.Sharp in the year 1895. Cardamom, the king of spices was known to the world from ancient times, was a wild plant abundant in the tropical forests of Munnar. Adivasis (ethnic people) collected the hill produce and changed hands till it reached distance ports like Alexandria.