Travel · Viewpoints · 5 min read

Chellarkovil: Where Kerala Looks Down on the Cumbum Valley

A few kilometres from Kumily, the cardamom hills end in a sudden drop. From the viewpoint and the waterfall of Chellarkovil, you see the green fields, coconut groves and vineyards of the Cumbum valley spread out below.

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

Drive out of Kumily through cardamom and pepper gardens, past small churches and village shops, and after a few kilometres the road runs out of hill. Ahead there is only sky. At Chellarkovil, the plateau of the Cardamom Hills ends in a long escarpment, and from its edge, at about 1,200 m, you look straight down onto the plains of Tamil Nadu: the fields, canals and coconut groves of the Cumbum valley, laid out like a map, with the blue hills of the far side rising in the distance.

The valley below

The Cumbum valley is one of the most fertile corners of Tamil Nadu, and much of its wealth comes from Kerala's mountains. Since 1895, the waters of the Periyar, held back by the Mullaperiyar dam and sent east through a tunnel, have flowed down into the valley's canals. From Chellarkovil you can see what that water grows: paddy, banana, coconut, vegetables and, around Cumbum and Surulipatti, the famous grape vineyards. (Read the Mullaperiyar dam and the vineyards of Cumbum and Surulipatti.)

Sunrise over the plains can be spectacular, and on clear evenings the lights of the Tamil towns twinkle below. On many days, though, mist wraps the escarpment, and the valley appears and disappears through moving cloud.

The border waterfall

A stream from the Kerala hills drops over the edge of the escarpment near Chellarkovil in a waterfall that marks the state border, often called the Aruvikuzhi falls. It is at its fullest in the monsoon and soon after, when the water pours white over the rocks; in the dry months it shrinks to a trickle. The rocks are slippery and the drop is dangerous: enjoy it from safe points.

The eco-tourism centre

The Kerala Forest Department runs a small eco-tourism centre at Chellarkovil, with a watch tower over the valley, a butterfly garden, a garden of medicinal plants and guided nature walks, with the participation of the local community. Bird life is rich along the edge of the hills.

Nearby

• Kumily and Thekkady, with Periyar Lake and the spice gardens. (Read our Thekkady and Kumily guide.)
• The Mangala Devi Kannagi temple, on another ridge above the same valley, open one day a year.
• The cardamom auction town of Puttady, and the drive north to Ramakkalmedu.

Visitor's guide

• Getting there: about 15 km from Kumily by road; the last stretch is narrow.
• Fees: small charges for the eco-tourism facilities; check locally.
• Safety: stay back from the cliff edge and the top of the waterfall, especially in mist or rain.