Established | 1 April 2005 |
---|---|
Location | Munnar, Idukki district Kerala, India |
Coordinates | 10°05′44″N77°03′03″E / 10.095544°N 77.050717°E |
Type | Tea museum, industry and history museum |
The KDHP Tea Museum is an industry and history museum situated in Munnar, a town in the Idukki district of Kerala in South India. Tata Tea Museum is its official name, but it's also known as Nalluthanni Estate where it is located, [1] or Kannan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) Tea Museum. [2]
The tea estate is owned by Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (P) Ltd. (KDHP) – the plantation dates back to the 1880s. The museum opened on 1 April 2005. [3] The tea museum preserves the aspects on the genesis and growth of tea plantations in Kerala's mountain region in the Idukki district on the Western Ghats at the border to the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. Tata Tea opened the museum which houses curiosities, photographs and machineries, depicting a turning point that contributed to Idukki's flourishing tea industry. Set up at the Nallathanni Estate, the museum is a tribute to its pioneers who transformed Munnar into a major tea plantation centre of Kerala, from the rudimentary tea roller from 1905 to a fully automated tea factory. Visitors and tea lovers can see various stages of the tea processing – Crush, tear, curl - and learn about the production of Kerala black tea variants. The power generation plant of the estate dates back to 1920s; a rail engine wheel of the Kundala Valley Railway that shuttled between Munnar and Top Station by 1924. A section of the museum also houses classic bungalow furniture and office equipment of the Colonial area in Kerala. Tea tasting across different varieties of tea is another attraction here. [1] A 2nd-century burial urn was discovered at the Periakanal tea estate; it is also displayed at the museum. [4]
The museum is about 4 kilometres (2.49 mi) from the Munnar town, situated in the Nalluthanni Estate. Aluva is the nearest railway station (112 kilometres (69.59 mi)); Cochin International Airport is about 72 kilometres (44.74 mi) away. [1] Kerala State Road Transport Corporation provides buses from different locations to Munnar town. [5] The museum is open from 9 am to 4 pm (or 5 pm); it is closed on Monday and holidays. Address: Tata Tea Museum, Nalluthanni Estate, Munnar, [1] [4] KL-685 612, Idukki district, Kerala.
Munnar, IPA: [muːn̪ːɐːr], is a town and hill station on Western Ghats mountain ranges located in the Idukki district of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. Munnar is situated at around 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) above mean sea level, in the Western Ghats mountain range. Munnar is also called the "Kashmir of South India" and is a popular honeymoon destination.
Idukki (ഇടുക്കി), IPA: [iɖukːi], is a district in the Indian state of Kerala. It was constituted on 26 January 1972, by splitting the district of Kottayam into two parts. Its division was previously headquartered at Kottayam city, but moved to Kuyilimala near Painavu and Cheruthoni in June 1976. Idukki district lies amid the Cardamom Hills of Western Ghats in Kerala.
Thekkady(Idukki district) is a town near Periyar National Park, an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India. The named Thekkady is derived from the word "thekku" which means teak. This place experiences a pleasant climate all over the year. It drops to its lowest in the month of December-January and highest in the month of April-May.
The Anaimalais or Anamala, also known as the Elephant Mountains, are a range of mountains in the southern Western Ghats and span the border of western Tamil Nadu(Coimbatore district and Tiruppur district) and central Kerala(Palakkad district, Thrissur district, Ernakulam district, and Idukki district) in Southern India. The name anamala is derived from the Tamil word aanai, the Malayalam word aana, meaning elephant, or from tribal languages. Mala or Malai means 'hill', and thus 'Elephant hill'.
Devikulam is a Grama Panchayat and small hill station of about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Munnar in the Idukki District of Kerala State, India. It lies 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) above sea level.
Poonjar is a small Indian town located on the eastern side of Kottayam district in Kerala state, India. Before the independence of India, Poonjar had been the part of Travancore princely state. Pala, Teekoy, Kanjirappally, and Erattupetta are the nearest towns and villages of Poonjar.
Ghat Roads are access routes into the mountainous Western and Eastern Ghats, mountain ranges of the Indian Subcontinent. These roads are remarkable feats of engineering and most were constructed during the British Raj. Ghat roads were built to connect to the famous Hill Stations established in the mountains for residents to avoid summer heat. They generally served to connect coastal areas with the upper region Deccan plateau of the Indian Subcontinent.
Kattappana is a municipal town in the Sahyadri of Kerala state, India. It is the main urban centre in the high ranges of Idukki district, situated about 2,788.71–2,952.76 feet (850.00–900.00 m) above mean sea level, in the High Ranges, the high altitude region of Kerala has recently raised to the status of municipality. Kattappana is a class III urban centre. It is the first municipality in high range of Idukki district with the real mountainous touch of Idukki as Thodupuzha municipality is situated in low range. It is a major commercial town and flourished with the boost in production of agriculture and spices. Thopramkudy is the nearest town.
Top Station is a tourist destination located in Theni district of Tamil Nadu. Even though located in Tamil Nadu, the only road connecting it to the outside world is through Kerala. Top Station is notable as the historic transshipment location for Kannan Devan tea delivered there from Munnar and Madupatty by railway and then down by ropeway to Kottagudi. This area is popular for the rare Neelakurinji flowers. The Kurinjimala Sanctuary is nearby. Top Station is the western entrance to the planned Palani Hills National Park.
Lakkom Water Falls, also known as Lakkam Waterfalls, is a tourist attraction located near Marayoor in the Idukki district of Kerala. These falls are part of the Eravikulam stream, which is a part of Eravikulam National Park and is one of the major tributaries of the Pambar River.
Elappara is a village in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the panchayaths in Peerumedu taluk. The area is marked by a cool climate as the region is situated at an elevation of more than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above the sea level. Elappara is famous for its vast tea plantations.
Kannan Devan Hills is a large village located in Devikulam taluk of Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala. The village of Kannan Devan Hills in Devikulam Taluk, was given on lease on 11 July 1877 by the Poonjar Thampuran to John Daniel Munroe, of London and Peermedu, for tea plantation. The lands and plantations were later resumed by the Government of Kerala by the Kannan Devan Hills Act, 1971.
Kundala Valley Railway was the first monorail system in India, later converted to a 2 ft narrow-gauge railway, that operated in Kundala Valley, Munnar of Idukki district in Kerala, India. The railway line had 35 km length.
Anakkara is a geographic area of around 50 square kilometres that spans across Vandanmedu, Chakkupallam Panchayats in the Udumbanchola Taluk of Idukki District. Anakkara is the administrative capital of Chakkupallam Gram Panchayat and Anakkara Revenue Village. Situated at about 18 Kilometers from Thekkady wildlife sanctuary on the Kumily-Munnar state highway, Anakkara is a fast-growing tourist destination for its unique spice gardens and many picnic spots in and around. It is one of the 36 distinct places identified by Government of India and United Nations Development Programme for exploring and promoting the unique tourism potential of these places.
Suryanelli is a resort settlement in the Chinnakanal village in Idukki district.Kerala, India. Situated 40 km South East of the popular tourist location of Munnar. It is surrounded by tea plantations and many resorts.
Tata Consumer Products is a fast-moving consumer goods company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, and a subsidiary of the Tata Group. It is the world's second-largest manufacturer and distributor of tea and a major producer of coffee.
The Great flood of '99 (Malayalam:'തൊണ്ണൂറ്റി ഒമ്പതിലെ വെള്ളപ്പൊക്കം' occurred when the Periyar River in Kerala state of India flooded in the month of July 1924. This happened in the year 1099 ME in the Malayalam Calendar. As the Malayalam Calendar was popular in Kerala, the flood is generally referred to as "The Great flood of "99".The rain continued for about three weeks. Many districts of present-day Kerala were deeply submerged by the flood - from Thrissur, to Ernakulam to Idukki, Kottayam even up to Alappuzha and Kuttanad. A huge mountain called Karinthiri Mala was washed away by this flood and the road to Munnar also went along with it. As the road to Munnar was lost by this flood, a new road from Ernakulam to Munnar became necessary - the present day road from Ernakulam to Munnar was constructed after this. Kundala Valley Railway which was the first monorail system in India was also completely destroyed. Various remnants of the old Railway systems still exist at Munnar.
Kolukkumalai is a small village/hamlet in Bodinayakanur Taluk in the Theni district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is home to the highest tea plantations in the world with the tea grown here possessing a special flavour and freshness because of the high altitude. It is situated near Munnar.
The Munnar Plantation strike was a nine-day strike led by the women of the Munnar Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited (KDHPL).It was famous for it being an all-women uprising leading to the formation of an all-women union Pembilai Orumai and is referred to as a turning point in Kerala's political history.
Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company Private Limited (KDHP) is a privately owned Indian consumer goods and tea plantation company headquartered in Idukki district, Kerala. The company was formed in 2005 post the exit of Tata Tea from its plantations in Munnar. Tata Tea Ltd restructured and transferred its holdings to the Kanan Devan Hills village under participatory management
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