Wayanad is known for its paddy fields, coffee plantations and spices like cardamom and black pepper are in abundance here. While travelling to this northeast part of Kerala, look beyond nature and discover ancient structures that stand tall even in their dilapidated state, says Divya Kaushik
God has his own ways to show his affinity towards some of his creations. like an artist adds that extra element, be it the bindu or a silhouette, to hallmark his ‘special’ works, the Master painter uses colours. May be that is why the Nature dons such dark, undiluted shades here. The hills covered with thick patches of dark green, burnt orange soil and wild shrubs in vivid colours capture our imagination as we zip through the serpentine road leading us way up to Wayanad Hills. Afternoon shower has had a magical effect on this place known for its paddy fields, coffee and tea plantation in the north-east of Kerala. Everything looks lustrous with tiny droplets of water resting on the widespread green cover. We cross the Wayanad Gate, an important landmark to enter Vythiri, and realise it is easy to leave behind the commercial ways and surrender to simplicity. Unlike other popular hill stations, there aren’t any fancy hotels here, we drive past small cottage-like structures with green canopies and small make-shift fences as a boundary. It’s almost a ten-minute drive from the Wayanad Gate to Vythiri Village Resort, the luxury destination designed in a way to bring you closer to Nature.
The mighty Chembra stands tall and high around the resort, as if to safeguard the nature’s reservoir. Chembra Peak is the highest peak in Wayanad at 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) above the sea level. It is part of the Wayanad hill ranges in the Western Ghats, adjoining the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu. A heady aroma, sweet like a jasmine, greets us right at the entrance. It is all over and so addictive that you just can’t get enough of it. “It is the fragrance of the coffee flower,” NK Mohammed, the chairman and the managing director of the resort, tells us. Something as bitter as coffee can taste this sweet, was a surprise. He leads us to gardens alongside the walking tracks and hints at the white flower. “It is the coffee flower. This is the season for the flower to bloom. You will find this flower all across Wayanad and therefore the scent. Six to nine months later small green cherries, that hold two coffee seeds, will appear.
During the ripening process, the coffee turn from green to yellow and then to deep red. They are then processed to produce green coffee beans that are later roasted and ground to make fresh coffee. Wayanad is known for its coffee and spices like cardamom and black pepper,” says Mohammed and leads us further. Plants with leaves resembling the shape of a betel leaf are grown over a large area. He tells us that they are black pepper plants. Tiny green balls growing on the plant make us believe that it indeed is a black pepper plant. The bigger trees that occupy a major space in the resort are jackfruit trees. As we walk further, we find out that many medicinal plants and herbs are grown all over the space to let you absorb the goodness of those herbs through your senses. This is reminiscent of ancient times when in ashrams ayurvedic herbs were planted to accustom one with them and their healing properties. Mohammed informs us that these medicinal plants help them prepare essential oils that they use in their ayurveda spa. “We get many guests who come here to get an ayurvedic treatment. They often ask us about the oils that are used during the treatment and how they are prepared. So we have these plants here to help them know about these herbs and their properties,” says Mohammed. He leaves us for the evening and we decide to take a walk in the lap of nature. The chirping of birds, squeaking of monkeys and the sound of stream give us company.
Origin of Wayanad
There’s nothing better than a spirited conversation to begin the day. With this thought in mind we head towards the tea gardens, paddy fields, with children waving to us and smiling faces inviting us to their houses. We hesitantly enter one. We are offered tea, flavoured with home-grown cardamom in a small verandah of a one-room house. After this warm welcome, we begin the conversation with the discussion on history and origin of Wayanad. The name Wayanad is derived from Vayal Nadu, which means the land of paddy fields. The district was carved from the then Kozhikode and Kannur district. The area is still inhabited by tribals and it is said that they were the first ones to arrive in Wayanad, much before the place was discovered. When we talk about the history of Wayanad, our hosts share with us a popular story. It is believed that when Britishers came here they were not able to find an entry route to Wayanad, the area that they knew has spices in abundance. They met a tribal and asked for his help. Unaware of the selfish motives of the Britishers, the poor man helped them with directions and guided them through the area. After looting the place of its spices, mostly cardamom and black pepper, the Britishers left the area since the rest was all forest. While leaving, they killed the man who helped them reach Wayanad. Years later, when the road was constructed for the entry to Wayanad, it became infamous in no time for the number of accidents that happened there. “An accident used to happen almost every day,” our hosts tell us. Tribals believed that the route was cursed by the dead man’s spirit so they performed a puja and tied the spirit of the man to a chain to the tree at the entry point of Wayanad. A small temple was also built here. “Thereafter the accidents are rare on this road and it is believed that this chain is growing with the tree and the day when this tree will fall, that will be the end of Wayanad,” say local people who take charge of the small temple, where both the deity and the chain are worshipped with equal reverence.
Stone age
It’s not one of those harsh afternoons, mild breeze touch the face often and trees on the pathways provide enough shade to save us from the sun. Despite this, it is not an easy task to climb a steep pathway. We realise that we are not the only ones walking a few steps and stopping to catch our breath, everyone who is coming to Edakkal caves is panting and somehow managing to reach till the top. “It is said that the caves are one of the wonders of the world and it is just a little bit of hard work,” says a spirited young man walking with us. Rock engravings in the Edakkal caves are invaluable treasures of the world heritage. Edakkal is situated on the Western slope of the Ambukuthy hill.
After climbing a steep staircase we manage to reach the first part of the cave, which is more like a rock dwelling. But it is heartening to note that the place is very well-maintained and visitors respect this treasure and follow the rules. The way leading to the caves that are famous for their engravings is even steeper and we see some people giving up and returning from there. But there are a few who decide to climb up with us and share famous stories about these caves. As we enter, we meet the guide who is mostly present there and he quickly guides us to the engravings on the eastern wall of the cave. “Edakkal means ‘stone in between.’ The cave here was formed when a big stone fell on to the cliffs of two big rocks. The cave is about 96 feet long and 20-22 feet wide. There is a big opening at the right turn corner of the roof allowing enough light into the cave. The engravings are spread over an area of 500 sq ft on the two walls of the caves. Historians and archaeologists vouch that these engravings were incised between 4000 BC and 1000 BC, during the Neolithic Period in South India,” the guide informs us.
The engravings represent various objects and cultural signs of the past societies. The drawings include figures of humans and animals, trees, wheels, carts, symbols, letters and signs. Then there are some inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi script. Human figures depicted in different styles are the most important among the drawings. “Some of the newly found human figures are comparable with signs and symbols reported from various Chalcolithic and Bronze Age sites of the subcontinent,” says the guide. The centre of the eastern wall bears the most significant human figures. The figures wearing ornaments and feather or leaf head gears with raised hands remind us of the tribal cultural practices that existed here centuries ago.
The other part of the cave shows two rocks separated by a narrow slit that appears so perfect as if someone has actually split the rock with specific measurements. This, too, has a popular story behind it. “It is believed that once lord Ram arrived here with his brother lakshman. To make his way he cut the rock into two. We do not know how true this story is as it is not mentioned anywhere but this is something that the locals believe,” the guide tells us.
Jain remnants
While talking about the history of Wayanad, Mohammed tells us that it was the Jain community who first migrated to Wayanad from Karnataka in the 13th century. It is difficult to believe but Mohammed says that apart from Christians and Muslims, a few families of Digambara sect of Jain community are still present in Panamaram village, where one can find temples in dilapidated state. We travel to Panamaram village to witness this unique, and sadly ignored, part of history. While driving through the village, one comes across this temple-like ruined structure that withholds its glory even in dilapidated state with its crumbled walls, narrating the stories of an era gone by. The Jain community in the area believes that these temples were built between 12th to 14th centuries. When we see this temple up and close, we find that apart from the Jain iconography, there are images of Vishnu, Shiva and Krishna engraved on the walls. Just like any historical Jain temple, it has five entrance to the sanctum. It is believed that many Hindu temples in Kerala were inspired by the Jain temples in their architecture style.
Apart from this temple, which we came across almost accidentally, there is also a 13th century Jain temple at Sultan Bathery. local traditions suggest that there were 12 Jain streets in and around Sultan Bathery. The Hanneradu Bidi (12 streets) is one among the 12 settlements in Sultan Bathery, which was known as Ganapati Vattam in inscriptions. The Jain temple here is said to be built in the 14th century. This is an example of the cloistered temple and is wholly built out of granite. Axially the temple consists of garbhagriha, antarala, closed mahamandapa and a detached namaskara mandapa of Kerala tradition. The sanctum is square shaped, devoid of any image but the lalata bimba of the garbhagriha has sacred Jain images. These are shown in a square outline as in padmasana with dhyam mudra. The doors are decorated with different motifs of sakhas. The pillars of the temple are engraved with the images of tirthankaras. The ASI guard at the temple informs us that it was repaired in 1996. “The idol which was originally here has been shifted to a new Jain temple in Kalpetta but it is brought here every year on Mahavir Jayanti,” he says. An idol of Mahavira and Ganesha are now placed together inside the temple.
The other Jain temple, which is surrounded by the Jain families who have lived in Wayanad for ages, is in Puthanangadi. Chandranath Swamy temple is over 300 years old with a huge statue of the eighth Jain tirthankara Chandraprabha. The old statue inside the temple is over 500 years old. Shyam Sundar Jain, the priest and the caretaker of the temple, has been living with his family and brother in the temple compound. “In 1950, the trust was formed to develop this temple,” he tells us.
These Jain temples may go unnoticed if you only travel Wayanad to witness the sheer beauty of it, but the essence of the place lies in these structures that have stood the test of time and are here as storytellers, narrating the past.