Travel guide · Heritage · 10 min read

Ramakkalmedu: The Windswept Hill on Kerala's Edge

On the eastern rim of Idukki, where the Cardamom Hills fall away to the plains of Tamil Nadu, a grassy ridge catches some of the strongest winds in South India. Its legends, its giant sculpture of the Kuravan and Kurathi, its wind farms, its views and how to visit it.

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

Walk up the last slope to the top of Ramakkalmedu and the wind meets you head on. It pours over the ridge from the east, flattening the grass, tugging at your clothes and roaring in your ears. Then the land simply ends. A thousand metres below, the plains of Tamil Nadu stretch away into the haze: a patchwork of fields, coconut groves, tanks and small towns, with the blue line of more hills far beyond. This is Ramakkalmedu, one of the most dramatic viewpoints in Kerala.

The name and the legend

The name Ramakkalmedu is usually explained as "the hill of Rama's stone" or "the hill where Rama set foot". According to local tradition, Lord Rama, with his brother Lakshmana, passed this way while searching for Sita after she was carried off by Ravana, the king of Lanka, and his foot touched a rock on the hilltop. A rock on the hill is still pointed out as Ramakkal, "Rama's stone".

The legend is one of many across South India that link the landscape with the Ramayana. Like the stories of the Pandavas at Marayoor and of Kannagi at the Kuthirayala cave temple, it shows how deeply the epics are woven into the geography of these hills.

The Kuravan and Kurathi

On the highest point of the ridge stands a huge sculpture of a Kuravan and a Kurathi, a hill man and woman, with their child. It was created by the sculptor C. B. Jinan and installed in 2005, and has become the symbol of Ramakkalmedu.

The figures recall one of Idukki's best-known legends. Deep in the district, the Periyar flows through a narrow gorge between two great rock hills, Kuravan Mala and Kurathi Mala, said in local tradition to be a Kuravan and Kurathi turned to stone. It was this gorge that a tribal elder, Kolumban, is remembered for showing to a visiting European, W. J. John, in the 1930s, setting in motion the idea of the Idukki arch dam, which was eventually built between the two hills and completed in the 1970s. The sculpture at Ramakkalmedu also evokes the hill peoples of the borderlands between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, whose cultures have mingled here for centuries.

The wind

Ramakkalmedu lies in a gap in the Western Ghats through which air is funnelled between the plains of Tamil Nadu and the hills of Kerala. The wind blows almost constantly, often at around 35 km/h, and much more strongly in the monsoon months, when the southwest monsoon winds roar through the pass. It is often described as one of the windiest places in Asia.

That wind has been put to work. On private land in the nearby villages of Pushpakandam and Kuruvikanam stand rows of wind turbines, making up one of Kerala's early wind farms; reported capacities range from about 14 to 25 MW. The power is fed into the state grid. The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT) has also developed renewable energy projects at Ramakkalmedu, including a solar power plant, as part of plans to make the area a renewable energy hub.

The view

From the summit, the view to the east takes in the plains of the Theni and Cumbum valleys of Tamil Nadu: the towns of Bodinayakanur, Cumbum, Kombai, Thevaram and Uthamapalayam, and, on clear days, the Vaigai and the hills beyond. As darkness falls, the lights of the towns come on one by one across the plains, a sight many visitors stay to watch.

To the west lies the green, rolling country of the Cardamom Hills: cardamom plantations shaded by forest trees, pepper vines, small farms and villages. The contrast between the wet hills of Kerala and the dry plains of Tamil Nadu, seen from a single point, is one of the most striking things about Ramakkalmedu. (Read about the rain shadow in our article on Munnar's climate.)

Things to see

• The Kuravan–Kurathi sculpture on the summit.
• Ramakkal, the rock linked with the Rama legend.
• Aamappara (Tortoise Rock), a rocky outcrop near Ramakkalmedu named for its shape, with its own viewpoint and walkway.
• The wind farm viewpoint overlooking the turbines.
• Thirumalairayar Perumal Kovil, a temple about 4 km down the slope on the border, where people from both states worship, reached by a quiet path.
• Short hikes along the ridge and the grassy slopes. (Read our guide to trekking and hiking in Munnar and Idukki.)

The Kerala Tourism Department and the District Tourism Promotion Council have added walkways, a garden, seating, fencing, lighting, parking and a snack bar at Ramakkalmedu, and a watchtower and walkway at Aamappara.

Nearby

• Thooval waterfall near Nedumkandam: please note that entry and bathing have been banned after several drownings. (See our guide to Idukki's waterfalls.)
• Kumily and Thekkady, the gateway to Periyar Tiger Reserve and the Mullaperiyar dam.
• Kalvari Mount, near Kattappana, overlooking the Idukki reservoir.
• The cardamom country around Nedumkandam, Udumbanchola and Kattappana.

When to visit

• September to February: the best months, with clear skies and long views. December and January can be cold and very windy.
• March to May: warm days and hazy views, but pleasant evenings; sunsets can be beautiful.
• June to August: the southwest monsoon brings rain, thick mist and extremely strong winds. Views are often hidden, and the district may restrict travel during weather alerts.
• Time of day: early morning for clear views and quiet; late afternoon and dusk for sunset and the lights of the plains.

Cautions

• Stay away from the edge. The eastern side drops steeply, and gusts can be strong enough to unbalance a person. Keep children close.
• Take care in mist and rain, when visibility can fall to a few metres.
• Dress warmly. The wind makes it feel much colder than the temperature suggests.
• Don't climb on the sculpture or on loose rocks.
• Off-road jeep rides in the area have been subject to district regulation; use only services operating on approved routes.
• Carry your waste back. The wind scatters plastic across the hills.

Ramakkalmedu is a place of contrasts: between two states, between the wet hills and the dry plains, between ancient legend and modern wind turbines. Stand on the ridge with the wind in your face and the plains below, and it is easy to see why people have told stories about this place for so long. (Read also our Munnar sightseeing guide.)