The vast expanse of grassy dunes in the upper Kodaikanal hill ranges of Mannavanur are now covered in layers of frost, making the region resemble a fairyland. The villages of upper Kodaikanal hills including Gundupatti, Kookal, Gundancholai, Poombarai, Mannavanur and Parikombai have been witnessing a steep dip in temperature over the past few days. As a result, the areas have been experiencing frosting in the early mornings.
Tourists visiting the Mannavanur eco-tourism site have been thrilled to see the spectacular scenery and have come back with stunning pictures of the landscape. “The pictures could easily be mistaken for a place in Kashmir. We were excited to see miles and miles of frost covering the grasslands,” said S. Devaki, who visited Kodaikanal over the past weekend.
Locals in the villages are are equally thrilled and have demanded that the place be promoted among tourists. “The frost is seen from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. after which it melts. Afternoons are warm but after 3 p.m. the cold starts setting in,” said a resident.
“The frosting can be seen for the next 10 days, depending on the temperature. Over the past one week, the Kodaikanal Observatory has recorded a minimum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, it recorded a minimum temperature of 11 degree Celsius. In the upper regions such as Mannavanur, the temperature may further dip to 3 degrees,” said Neeraj Bairwa, scientific assistant, Meteorological Department, Kodaikanal Observatory.
“With the Pongal holidays starting on Tuesday, the tourists inflow has also increased. A large number of the tourists are moving towards the upper hills, away from Kodaikanal town. Some of them also evince interest in camping in these sites. It will be a great boost to tourism in the hill town if the tourism department introduces camping in places like Mannavanur,” said Aseer, a tourist agent in Kodaikanal.
