Kumily - Spies Garden

Next day it was relieving rest till afternoon and after lunch we were taken to a nearby spice garden named ‘Munnor Spies Garden’. A guide was provided to us and we have to choose walk around or take an elephant ride. I preferred to walk around to get a closer look. 

Kumily boasts of lush greenery, waterfalls, spice gardens and wildlife reserves. The town is located close to other tourist destinations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. One of the major spices produced in the area is cardamom. The variety, Cardamom Small, botanically known as Elettaria Cardamom, is the one that is mostly grown here. Kerala contributes about 70 percent of the national production of cardamom with the major chunk coming from the plantations of Kumily. As you take a walk along the paths in the garden,  the thing that strikes you first is the lingering aroma in the air. All of it was very new to us, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon or cardamom and coffee. The geographical and climatic peculiarities of Kumily such as the cool climate and its elevation from the sea level make it ideal for spice cultivation.

The pepper plantations are something else that are worth seeing. The sunlight seeping through the shapely leaves of the pepper plants is an alluring sight. Most hotels and travel agencies conduct tours to spice plantations. Some plantations in Kumily have guest houses which tourists can use with prior permission from the owners.It is a great feeling to get up at dawn in the lap of Nature, smelling the fresh, aromatic air - almost like waking up in a green paradise that is far removed from our flawed planet.

Apart from being enjoyable, these plantation tours give tourists an insight into the growing, harvesting and processing of spices. The peeling and drying of cinnamon, and the painstaking task of hand-pollination of vanilla can be observed on such trips.There are various places close to Kumily that are well-known for their sprawling cardamom plantations. These include places like Chakkupallam, Anakkara and Vandanmedu. The spices collected from Kumily like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and so on are used for flavouring food as well as for preserving it. They also add nutritional value to food.

Various parts of the plant like the dried seed, the fruit, the root, the bark and the vegetative substance are used in the industries of cosmetics and perfumery. Some spices like turmeric have high medicinal value and also have an important place in Hindu religious rituals. Garlic and ginger are two other spices that have medicinal value. They are also used as preservatives. The main tourist attraction in Kumily is its spice market. Spices are the main things to buy in Kumily. In the evening we too ventured for some spice shop to purchase various spices and price was comparatively cheap from we pay here.

!!!Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail – Ralph Waldo Emerson!!!