Vagamon

Vagamon
Wagamon
Hill station

Vagamon meadow
Nickname(s): Scotland of Asia
Vagamon
Vagamon

Location in Kerala, India

Coordinates: 9°40′50″N 76°52′0″E / 9.68056°N 76.86667°E / 9.68056; 76.86667Coordinates: 9°40′50″N 76°52′0″E / 9.68056°N 76.86667°E / 9.68056; 76.86667
Country  India
State Kerala
District Kottayam
Government
 • Type Democracy
Elevation 1,100 m (3,600 ft)
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 685503
Vehicle registration KL-37, KL-35
Nearest city Elappara, Palai, Kottayam
Nearest Railway Station

Kottayam,

Nearest airport = Cochin International Airport

Vagamon or Wagamon is a hill station located in Idukki district of Kerala, India. Few area is located in Kotayam district also.

Climate

Darayan Kanam

It has a cool climate, with the temperature between 10 and 23 °C during a summer midday. It is situated 1,100 metres above sea level.

History

Vagamon was discovered by the British who found the place ideal for tea plantations and they were followed by Christian missionaries who built their abode of service at Kurisumala in Vagamon. National Geographic Traveler has listed Vagamon on their directory of the "50 most attractive places to visit in India".[1]

Tourism

Western Ghats as seen from Vagamon View Point

Still untouched by commercialisation, the sleepy town with its scenic valleys, beautiful green meadows, enchanting pine forests, mists, fogs, tea estates, waterfalls with the overall greenery is really striking. The landscape is mostly hilly bald with green meadows. Vagamon is also home to a large variety of flowers and orchids. Cuddled up within three striking hills Thangal, Murugan and Kurisumala hills which are the representation of the chief religions in Kerala, i.e. Hindu, Muslim, and Christian which represent the cultural harmony. Vagamon has amenities for trekking, paragliding, mountaineering and rock climbing. However business interests are trying their best to exploit and sell and market Vagamon for tourists. How much benefit the local people are receiving from tourism boom is to be seen. The efforts made by the Kurishumala Ashram have helped the farmers of vagamon to improve their earnings by ensuring better price for milk and marketing opportunities.[2]

Geography

Waterfall on Vagamon road

Vagamon is at the fringe of the Western Ghats and the foot hills on its lower side reach up to Teekoy with a gradual descent. This narrow strip of descending land gives a vital connectivity to the plains as both sides of vagamon up to kuttikkanam on the south west and moolamattom on the north east, are marked by steep and inaccessible hill slopes. Travelling by the hill highway in this section is an exhilarating experience with deep valleys and magnificent views all around. Vagamon presents very spectacular views with an ethereal touch. Vagamon's charm is worth experiencing and is indeed one of the must see places for tourists. Reaching Vagamon itself is an extraordinary experience. The meandering road to Vagamon is cut in solid rock lined with pine forests. And as you wind your way through green capped hills, the rolling plains come into view thousands of feet below you.

Transportation

Vagamon Road

The road to vagamon from Erattupetta (Erattupetta also known as the gateway of Malanadu) opened an easily accessible and direct route to vagamon from the plains. This road which was constructed in the 1950s was an engineering marvel and is rated a state highway. The road was made in treacherous and dizzying terrain under the initiative and leadership of Acharya Francis who established the Kurisumala Ashramam. About a dozen workers died during the construction at the hanging cliffs, and a 20-foot-tall memorial tower stands in honour of those who gave their life for this road project at the beginning of the road in Teekoy town junction.

Education

DC School of Management and Technology (DCSMAT) and DC School Of Architecture And Design are the two institutions, promoted by DC Kizhakemuri Foundation and co-promoted by DC Books, located in Pullikkanam near Vagamon. DCSMAT, one of the leading management colleges in Kerala, has two campuses located in Thiruvananthapuram and Vagamon.[3] DCSMAT offer courses such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). DC School Of Architecture And Design provides courses such as Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design (BA Interior Design) and Bachelor of Architecture (BArch).

Location

Vagamon is located 15 km from Kottamala ,39 km from Thodupuzha, 23 km from Erattupetta, 33 km from Palai, 45 km from Kumily, 22 km from Kuttikanam and about 65 km from Kottayam. Cochin International Airport and Manianchira Fort International Airport are the nearest airports, while the closest railway stations are Kottayam, Palai and Erattupetta. There are many fine resorts available in the surrounding areas with affordable cost for trekkers. Key tourist centers such as Thekkady, Peermade and Kulamavu are straightforwardly reachable from Vagamon.

Places of interest

  1. The nearby Kurisumala Ashram is an abode of calm and spiritual delight. This hill area includes 12 sub mounds where pilgrims visit. Travelers can enjoy trekking and climbing this high hill. The area is fully surrounded with Tea estates and lakes.
  2. Indo-Swiss Project Dairy Farms: Indo-Swiss Project dairy farms is situated on the Kurisumala hill. The dairy farm is managed by the Kurisumala monks (restricted entry).
  3. Mitraniketan: Padma Shri Laurie Baker's & wife Dr. Elizabeth Baker's previous residence (ashasadan) and workstation (mitraniketan) and also home to nurse Alina Cattani, and Dr. Hildegarde Sina, constructed in 1963, it is famous for its Baker style of construction.
  4. Vagamon Meadows: The rolling green meadows of Vagamon has a lake amidst them. It has for long been a favorite location for shooting movie songs.
Vagamon Pine Forests
  1. Pine Forests: A valley having huge lofty pine trees lined in rows (pine valleys is one of the Most attractive place in VAGAMON)
  2. Mooppanpara: It is a v-shaped canyon, one of the admired view points as well acknowledged as a suicide point. The outlook from the summit of the strenuous climb is amazing.[4]
  3. Murugan Hill: It is situated near to Thangal Para. A Murugan temple is situated which is devoted to Lord Muruga with gorgeous stone age carving.[5]
  4. Paragliding and Paragliding Festival
  5. Bible Believers' Assembly is located on Zion Nagar, Vagamon its a place to worship God in Truth and Spirit. It is the first Pentecostal church in Vagamon now with Malayalam, Tamil worship services.

Feature films in Vagamon

Song sequences of many South Indian films are shot in Vagamon. Recently, the Naseeruddin Shah starrer - The Blueberry Hunt - was shot in Vagamon and surrounding area.

Issues

Organised crime activity

In August 2008, the Kerala Police said it had begun investigations two months back into a training camp organized in December 2007 by the banned SIMI activist[6]

Natural disaster

Always be alert and keep yourself safe by not standing on hill top when there is suspected rain, since there can be lightning hazard.

On 18 August 2014, two tourists from Kozhikode died in Vagamon, after lightning struck them. Others who were with them sustained minor injuries. The incident happened at around 4:30 PM when the tourists were hanging around the barren hill tops. Both fell after the thunder struck them and their dresses had burnt out. Though both were shifted to hospital, they died by the time they reached hospital.[7][8]

People

Books

References

  1. ↑ http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/103305-Vagamon-Scotland-Asia.aspx
  2. ↑ http://tourism.webindia123.com/tourism/hillstations/vagamon/index.htm
  3. ↑ "INDIAN BUSINESS SCHOOL TO FEATURE AT GHEDEX FROM APRIL 20 TO 22 – Muscat Daily".
  4. ↑ http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/103305-Vagamon-Scotland-Asia.aspx
  5. ↑ http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/103305-Vagamon-Scotland-Asia.aspx
  6. ↑ "'SIMI's camp in Kerela, not ultra's training ground'". The Deccan herald.
  7. ↑ http://kaumudiglobal.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=54064
  8. ↑ http://www.mathrubhumi.com/story.php?id=477741
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