After a long trip on Kerala State
roads (en route from Wayanad to Perinthalmanna) characterized by trying monsoon
induced conditions; suppressed road rage and frustration; harangued by incessantly
sounding horns the beckoning estate gates were an absolute heaven-sent. The ascent
to the hilltop homestead, through skirted rubber trees pirouetting in the
swirling mists, was therapeutic in itself as Kumaragiri began working its magic
on senses awry and knotted tension. Swimming in a soundless sea of solitude,
the estate’s island nature has the ability to ‘transport’ one, for the briefest
time, to another ethereal place and time.
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| Skirted rubber trees pirouetting in the swirling mists of Kumararigi |
Enter the larger than life character
and the man at the center of Kumaragiri - Mr CA Kumar. In another lifetime and
career (both highly successful) Ashok Kumar went by the name and professional
designation of CA - Chartered Accountant Kumar (Bangalore). Years later in
semi-retirement and as part of a significant, self-imposed sea change the
designation has taken on new and equally impressive meaning - challenger and
champion in the face of adversity. In short, Ashok together with some
incredibly valuable 'assets' at his disposal including the bejeweled Kumaragiri
Estate and some exceptional staff, has re-invented himself as an eco-tourism
entrepreneur of note.
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| Kumaragiri Estate accommodation |
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| The A-team (L-R) CA Ashok Kumar, Kunjapa, John Johnson and Anu Johnson |
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| The communal dining and recreation area adjoining the estate accommodation |
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| Comfortably appointed accommodation |
At our first fortuitous meeting (courtesy
of Lotus Destinations Pvt Ltd - a reputable, efficient and highly recommended Cochin-based
tourism enterprise www.lotusdmc.com) described
by Ashok as one destined and 'fated' to happen, I was particularly taken by his
vision and determination to not only ‘reinvent’ himself but to also succeed at
it. Tack onto that his passion for the environment and nature, at times, assuming
eco-warrior proportions. His quest for sustainable stewardship for ‘God's given’
Kumaragiri burns brightly as does Ashok's humility, especially to learn more
about this new industry, hospitality and his hands-on approach to most things.
The estate, over 1000 acres in land area and nestling near the hills of the
Western Ghats, has been in the Kumar family for half a century and nostalgia is
rich and heavy in his narrative of those adventure-filled and carefree days
spent with his siblings on the estate.
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| Peppered profusion - one of the estate's agro-forestry crops |
It's not all plain sailing though as
Ashok relates the countless challenges associated with running a ‘marginal’
agro-forestry business (rubber and coconut plantations together with pepper
vines) on a parcel of land that is not exactly economically viable in this day
and age. Throw in bureaucratic and contentious land ownership/management issues
imposed by government and siblings alike; contract labor peculiarities; the
constant summertime threat posed by potentially catastrophic wildfires; dangers
of over-capitalization in an emerging enterprise with little or slow return on
investment and its clear that Ashok’s vision and niche tourism product – low key
and low impact eco-tourism for discerning nature lovers, is a diversified lifeline
for Kumaragiri. Guests are accommodated in four comfortably appointed double rooms
with an adjoining dining and recreational area. Surrounding verdant canopy
views, of planted plantations or natural forest, catch the eye especially when
teased by errant tendrils of twirling mist.
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| Kumaragiri Estate - an island swimming in a sea of solitude |
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| Ashok, a large than life character, together with Kunjapa at the cafeteria preparing pre-dinner snacks |
Whereas Ashok refers to our chance
meeting as ‘predestined’, serendipitous is perhaps a better coined phrase also
encapsulating the romance, beauty and mystique of Kerala state - God's Own
Country - as portrayed in the global branding of this southern Indian state as
a premier tourism destination. Kumaragiri, with its natural beauty, is every
bit of that and boasts some interesting recreational and educational
opportunities including birding, hiking, herping (for budding or seasoned
herpetologists), mountain biking, outdoor camping, working rubber and coconut
plantations, swimming and lazing around at the estate’s centerpiece water
feature. A stroll around the area reveals countless, unexpected monsoon watered
falls and streams – sights to behold and symphonies to the ears.
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| Fractured granite domes provide courses for countless monsoon watered falls |
The pièce de
résistance is the Malabar cuisine prepared by the
estate cooks, not forgetting some of Ashok’s own inspired signature snacks
including freshly roasted cashew nuts and a spicy cassava-sambal. Guaranteed to
create an olfactory and gastronomic sensation - coconut oil is gently heated on
a hot plate (infusing the evening air with its wonderfully exotic, silky and
fragrant scent) before fresh, local raw cashews seasoned liberally with chili
powder, turmeric and black pepper are slow roasted over an open flame. Grown in
Kerala, cashews are a high value, labor intensive cash crop yet the state is
acclaimed, internationally, for being the leading importer and exporter of the
nut. Cashews are processed and finished before being exported around the world.
This delightfully fresh and sumptuous snack is best enjoyed with black tea,
ever-so slightly sweetened and flavored with a sprig of bruised lemon grass. Another
culinary revelation was simple, boiled cassava served and spiced up with a sambal
consisting of coconut oil, finely chopped Kerala green chili, red onion and seasoned
with salt.
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| Savory snacks - freshly roasted cashew nuts |
A must-do, for adventure-junkies and
hard core environmentalists, is a visit to the not so proximate (a full day road
and jeep track excursion) UNESCO listed Western Ghats World Heritage site and IUCN category Silent Valley National
Park (SVNP). With a mosaic of vegetation types and associated habitats for all
manner of life forms; landscapes be it riverine or montane and steeped in
anthropological history a trip to SVNP can prove to be highly rewarding and
educational.
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| Listed by UNESCO as Western Ghats World Heritage site and IUCN as a protected national park |
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| The pristine Kunthipuhza River, once the center of a fierce controversy to dam the system for hydro-electric power in the 1970s, but saved as a result of intense environmental lobbying via the 'Save Silent Valley' campaign |
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| Jeep transportation into the hinterland of the SVNP |
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| Snapped per chance and unexpectedly - the stunning Pompadour Green Pigeon! |
Back at Kumaragiri and at the end of a
long yet satisfying day, one has wonderful option of regrouping and reflecting,
on the entire experience, at Ashok’s amazing water feature – a natural rock
pool with cascading waterfalls designed to soothe, cleanse and rejuvenate. Located
in a natural rock amphitheater, that offers commanding and breathtaking views
of the valley below, the feature provides an ideal setting complete with nature-surround
sounds for any number of trademark Kerala Ayurveda treatments. The highlight,
like no other, to an enchanting visit to the Kumaragiri Estate Website: www.kumaragiri.co.in
Email: kumaragiri@gmail.com
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| Cascading waterfalls that feed into the natural rock pool at Kumaragiri's centerpiece water feature and recreational area |
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