The country’s first “tea museum” was inaugurated at Munnar in the high ranges of Kerala’s Idukki district. The museum gives a glimpse of the tea plantation and its growth over 100 years in this once verdant hilly district of Kerala. The Acting MD of Tata Tea P Signaporia formally inaugurated the museum.

• The curios and memorabilia kept in the museum included the original tea roller to the present fully automated tea processing factory at Madupatty;
  • a sundial in granite made in 1913 by Art Ind School at Nazarath, Tamil Nadu; Rotovane, the old time CTC tea processing machine;
  • a pelton wheel used in the power generation plant existed in Kanniamally estate 1920;
  • wheel of a rail steam engine of Kundale Valley light railway that conveyed men and materials between Munnar and top station during the early part of last century;
  • an EPABX of telephone system dated 1909.
• A visitor gets a kaleidoscopic view of the tea processing from testing to grading and packing of the varied categories of tea.
• A tea testing section adds attraction to the museum.

Kerala

• Kerala is an Indian state in South India on the Malabar coast.It was formed on 1 November 1956 following the States Reorganisation Act by combining Malayalam-speaking regions.
• Its capital being Thiruvananthapuram.
• The state is wedged between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats.
• Kerala’s 44 rivers include the
  • Periyar , Bharathapuzha,
  • Pamba, Chaliyar,
  • Kadalundipuzha, Chalakudipuzha,
  • Valapattanam and the Achankovil River.
• Kerala’s ecotourism destinations include 12 wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks:
  • Periyar Tiger Reserve,
  • Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary,
  • Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary,
  • Thattekad Bird Sanctuary,
  • Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary,
  • Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary,
  • Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary,
  • Eravikulam National Park, and
  • Silent Valley National Park are the most popular among them