HISTORY OF MUNNAR
 Munnar
has an ancient history and prehistoric relics discovered
around the area point to Stone Age civilization. However
the written history begins from the 10th century onwards.
In Tamil, the word Munnar means three rivers and as
it is at the confluence of three mountain streams, the
name is apt. In the year 1790, the Duke of Wellington
became the first European to visit the area and the
Tamilians (known as 'Muthuvans') also migrated to Munnar
and nearby places during this period.
In the early 19th century, the headman
of the villages of Anchanad, Kannan Thevar, held lands
to the north of the high ranges, which belonged to the
local Rajah of Poojar.
 In
1877 said Poonjar chief, a subordinate of the Maharaja
of Travancore, leased 588 sq. km of land around Munnar
to a Mr. J D Munro, a British lawyer cum tea planter.
This tract, henceforth called the Kannan Devan (Kannan
Thevar) Concession Land, was completely undeveloped,
largely unexplored, and covered with thick jungle.
 Thus
Mr. Munro had a huge task ahead of him, but succeeded
in clearing it all for tea production and the plantation
still exists to this day. (According to records however,
the first tea sapling was planted by A.H. Sharp at Parvathi,
part of the present Sevenmullay estate, which then consisted
of 20 hectares (50 acres) of cleared land in the surrounding
jungle.)
 In
1895, Messrs Finlay Muir & Company bought Munro’s
land and almost 100 years later in 1976 Tata-Finlay
Ltd. purchased it. Then in 1983 James Finlay Group sold
their remaining share holdings and the company became
known as Tata Tea Ltd., the largest integrated tea company
in the world.
 Although
many years have passed, this area still grows tea (a
lot of it) and the remaining surrounding jungle remains
largely untouched offering a wonderful resource for
a true Indian adventure like no other with numerous
sightseeing activities and in the areas more recent
history, hotels, to accommodate the visitors who now
flock to this popular spot in the hills.
By Train The nearest railheads
are Kottayam, KochiCochin, Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram
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