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A journey to Rajappara is not just a journey to the wild rocky terrains of this region. Rather it is a journey to the mysterious dense and rocky formations where history and myth romance with the natural features of a land. A remote village near Santhanpara in Devikulam Taluk in Idukki district, Rajappara is clad in an inexplicable aura by stories and legends.
The legends have it that once a king of Thondaiman dynasty of Tamil Nadu used one of the big mountains of this region for hiding. He built a mud fort at the spot where he took refuge. It is believed that this king dumped the entire wealth of his dynasty in a secret cave in this mountain. A big stone was placed at the mouth of the cave as a door and he attached an iron chain to the stone to open it. The other end of the chain was thrown somewhere in a pond near the cave.
Thus the place where the Raja stayed came to be known by the name Rajappara (para literally means rock). And the big mountain got the name Kathakupalamedu (kathaku in Malayalam means door and medu means hill). No one in the locale has ever seen such a cave or treasure but nevertheless most of them wish to believe that such a treasure really existed. For them the treasure is not a myth but a reality.
Rajappara is situated on the Munnar-Thekkady route. Kathakupalamedu and its adjacent hills are ideal for adventurous trekking. People believe that there is a spring on top of the Kathakupalamedu hill that never dries up. Climb the nearby Kattupara rock where you will be caressed by strong winds and can enjoy the panoramic view of the neighbouring State of Tamil Nadu. The nearby estates are often visited by elephants and wild bulls called gaurs. Dense mist is another visitor to Rajappara. The rocks, elephants, gaurs even people are sometimes vanished by the dense mist that envelops the entire hill within seconds.
The charming Chinnakanal, Kolukkkumala, Sooryanelli and Anayirankal dam are some of the nearby destinations. The Kochi-Madurai National Highway with its hairpin turns is a feast for the eyes and an opportunity for an exciting ride.
One can take direct buses to Santhanpara that starts from Kochi (Kochi-Adimali-Santhanpara: Kochi-Munnar-Santhanpara) or from Kottayam (Kottayam-Kumiy-Santhanpara: Kottayam-Kattapana-Santhanpara) to reach Rajappara.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Aluva, about 130 km.
Nearest airport: Nedumbassery International Airport, about 135 km.
