Travel · Viewpoints · 5 min read

Chathurangapara: Windmills on the Edge of Kerala

At the last Kerala village on the Kochi–Dhanushkodi highway, wind turbines turn on a high ridge and the land falls away to the farms of the Tamil plains. A viewpoint of wind, light and borders.

By GK Global, Adimali, Munnar · Trails & Tales by GK

The wind is the first thing you notice at Chathurangapara. It comes up from the plains in long, steady gusts, tugging at your clothes, flattening the grass and turning the great white blades of the wind turbines that line the ridge. Walk to the edge and the reason becomes clear: the land simply ends. Below, far down the escarpment, the farms of Tamil Nadu spread out like a patchwork quilt, chequered with fields, coconut groves and the roofs of distant towns.

The view

From the ridge, known locally as Chathurangapara Mettu, the views stretch over the Tamil Nadu plains: the towns of Bodinayakanur and Thevaram, the farmlands around Kochu Thevaram and Kombai, and the forested hills of Kurangani, scene of the 2018 forest fire. To the south, the plains lead into the Cumbum valley, fed by the waters of the Periyar sent across the mountains by the Mullaperiyar dam. (Read the Kurangani forest fire and the vineyards of Cumbum.)

On the Kerala side lie cardamom estates and small farming villages, many of them Tamil-speaking, and the rocky hills of Kallippara nearby, where Neelakurinji has bloomed in recent years.

The wind on the ridge

The strong winds that sweep up from the plains and make Ramakkalmedu one of the windiest places in Kerala blow across this ridge too. Wind turbines were set up along it, and they have become part of the landscape, slowly turning against the sky. Further south, windmills also stand at Ramakkalmedu and Pushpakandam.

Life on a border

Chathurangapara sits right on the state boundary, and much of the eastern tip of the ridge lies on the Tamil Nadu side. Disputes over the exact line have made both states slow to develop facilities, so do not expect much in the way of railings, toilets or cafés. Its quiet is part of its charm.

Safety

• The wind can be strong enough to knock you off balance, especially early and late in the day. Keep well back from the cliff edges.
• Do not climb on rocks near the drop, and keep children close.
• Do not approach or climb the wind turbines or their fences.

Getting there

From Munnar, take the Gap Road past Devikulam and Chinnakanal to Poopara, and continue along NH 85 towards Bodimettu; the turn to the viewpoint leads up a short, steep road of about 2 km. Allow an hour and a half from Munnar, more if the Gap Road is busy or closed. It combines well with Kolukkumalai, Anayirangal and Ramakkalmedu.