VALPARAI – HISTORY
Valparai is a Taluk and hill station in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located 3,500 feet above sea
level on the Anaimalai Hills range of the Western Ghats, at a distance of
100 km from Coimbatore and 65 km from Pollachi.
There are 40 hairpin bends on the way to Valparai from Azhiyar. While
major portions of the land is owned by private tea companies, large forest
areas continue to be out of bounds. The Government of Tamil Nadu in collaboration with ITDC initiated Tourism promotion through infrastructure
development including Resort hotels and Amusement
parks to attract tourists.
According to the
Census of India 2001, the population of Valparai is about 94,962. Males making
up 49% of the population and females 51%. Valparai has an average literacy rate
of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%.
In valparai at 1846
Ramasamy Mudaliyar started coffee plantation and in 1864 Coffee plantation was
done by Karnatic Coffee Company. The future Edward
VII build guest house for soldiers at 1875. The British government takes off
the land from madras state government in the year 1890 by W Wintil and Nordan.
Carwer Named the Hill station as Anamalais then.
In 1864 Karnatic Coffee
Company and some other peoples asked the Madras Government to provide some land
for cultivation in the Anamallais. Government accepted the proposal and sold the
waste land for Rs. 5.00 per acre. In the initial stages, Planters cultivated
coffee. But they were not able to get the desired yield of coffee, which had a
huge market. So the Karnatic Coffee company sold some part of the lands to some
people. Now one part of the area is called Waverly Estate and another part is
called Water Falls Estate.
In 1875 England's
Honorable Prince A.P. WALES EDWARD VII visits India, he plans for hunting in
Grass Hills via Konalar Valley. So people made a camp. In that camp many
English people stayed. So that camp was called Aangilakurichi. (Now a days
Angalakuruchi) All arrangements were made for him including Railway tracks,
Roads and Guest houses.
Soldiers, Horses, Elephants were employed for the work. But due to
some reasonable fact he cancelled his hunting program in Anamalais.
In 1877 Government had taken a decision that not to give any of
the land to the people for plantation. They felt deforestation will spoil the
valuable Rain, Forest and other important Plants.
Teak wood was completely vanished. This made the Estate owners and
Forest officers in to a clash.
In 1890 Mr. W.WINTIL and Mr. NORDAN asked the government to give
land. They proved, all the water sources were wastly mingled in Arabic Ocean
via Cochin. So the govt. planed to give the land again.
MR. WINTIL cutted all the trees in his land and made the land more
fertile and planned to plant the coffee in his estate. For his estate he
employed 17 years experienced great man Mr. CARWER MARSH for the salary of Rs.
250/- MR.CARWER MARSH was an excellent hard worker. His sweet co-operation with
the people made more attracted. He was the medicine for the sick and an
eligible worker so he was called as The Father of Anamalais.
In olden days his
hard work and his sufferings now made people to lead their happy. MR.CARWER
MARSH statue was sent by his wife. Today his statue standing Majestically in
Kavarkal Estate.
Valparai, the
pollution free heavenly land is located above the 3,500 feet from the sea level
on the Anamalai mountain range. Valparai does not mean only a single town. It
stands majestically with Green Spread Mountains and forest all around. Facility
with kind hospitality for you is assured in Valparai. All your needs such as
boarding, food, shopping can be satisfied with esteemed Lodges, Hotels and
Shops. The place to visit at least once in your life span. To bring out the Joy
and peace within you. Visit, enjoy the pleasure of Nature, and keep the green
memories alive.
The unique grass forests,
Grass Hills, are also located near Valparai. The hill sports tall grass and
houses elephants, boars, cheetah and other wild animals. In addition one can
drive around the mountain tea estates enjoying the pleasant climate and forget
the once dense forest that have paved the way for tea bushes.
64-km drive from
Pollachi to Valparai is itself an exotic experience. En route is the Indira
Gandhi Wild Life Sanctuary where lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri and the
common langur, Malabar giant squirrel, elephant, gaur, spotted deer, sambar,
barking deer and wild boar reside. From Valparai you can visit the Aliyar,
Sholaiyar and Nirar dams. Tunnels bored into the mountains and canals to
harness the water from Parambikulam, Aliyar, Nirar, Sholaiyar Dam, and several
tourist spots.
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Tea Plantations and Coffee Estates
Stanmore Group: (M/s. Hindustan Lever Ltd.)
In 1898 Mr. E.J.
Martin developed the Sirikundra Estates. In 1896 with the help of Passion
Quince Company Agency. They made Rubee Tea company. In 1927 Nallakathu and
Injiparai estates were bought by those personalities. They planted 5204.08
acre’s with the tea plant in 1939.
Vellamalai Group: (M/s. Periya Karamalai Tea Produce Co. Ltd.)
Vellamallai,
Kanchmallai tea estate was developed in the years 1925 to 1930 nearly 1038.5
acres are planted with tea.
Periya Karamalli Tea Group: (M/s.Periya Karamalai Tea Produce
Co. Ltd.)
In 1911 Mr. Carwer
Marsh started his work. Till 1927 with 777 acres. They Planted the tea plants.
Shekalmudi groups: ( M/s. Parry Agro Industries Ltd.)
In 1904 Mr. Marsh and
Mr. Congre planted Rubber in Kallayana Panthal Estate. The Name Kallayana
Panthal derived from the name Kalyani the tribal GOD.
Tea and Coffee plantations around Valparai
Ø Tamil Nadu tea plantation corporation
Ø Parry Agro limited
Ø The Bombay Burma Trading Corporation
Ø Jayshree Tea industries
Ø Periya Karamalai Tea Estate
Ø Tea Estates India limited
Ø N.E.P.C tea limited
Ø Tata tea Estate limited
Ø Puthuthottam tea estate limited
Ø Murugan Estate
Ø Sri Ram Estate
Ø Siva Coffee Estate
Ø Anali Estate
Ø Sajitha Estate
Ø Chenniappa Estate
Ø Manampolly Estate
Dams around Valparai area
Ø Sholayar Dam
Ø Neerar dam
Ø Kadamparai Dam
Powerhouse situated around Valparai area
Ø Sholayar Powerhouse
Ø Manampolly Powerhouse
Ø Kadamparai Powerhouse