And my tea story continues.......Sinna Dorai Valparai

" And if these mountains had eyes, they would wake to find two strangers in their fences, standing in admiration as a breathing red pours its tinge upon earth's shore. These mountains,  which have seen untold sunrises, long to thunder praise but stand reverent, silent so that man's weak praise should be given God's attention. "

Donald Miller

We did stand in awe, in wonder watching this  spectacular sunset. Beginning the post with these stunning sunset colours, unedited, sans filters, but nonetheless glorious. Sinna Dorai, " chota Saab's" or the assistant manager's bungalow in Valparai makes for an absolute eye candy. Take a look at a few photographs. Well, this post is going to be a photo tour of this beautiful property.

Valparai is a small town in Tamil Nadu in the Anamalai ranges of the Western Ghats. Although it had been in our minds for a long, long time, given its distance from Bangalore,  we took some time to plan a trip to this absolutely charming place. Once that was figured out, the drive up the mountains with forty hairpin bends was a breeze for the resident chauffeur,  that's the husband 😀.....

The highway from Bangalore via Krishnagiri is beautiful with rolling green hillocks of the Eastern Ghats. As we crossed Pollachi, one of the small towns at the foothills of the Anamalai ranges, we absolutely fell in love with the view. Winding roads, lush green forests, chirping of birds and butterflies of all colours; what more did we need! And the magnificent lake Aliyar! Stunning would be an understatement. Stopping by little springs and wildflowers lined roads to capture as many photographs as we could and have chai at a small roadside stall belonging to a tea plantation was how we enjoyed the drive. There was tranquility all around; something that we sorely miss in our city life. We, often, make such trips to experience this feeling of peace and fill in our lungs with fresh mountain air.

As we approached our destination, we marvelled at the greenery around us; tea plantations, tiny villages dotting the valleys and mountain slopes and glimmering waterfalls cascading down the mountains. Picturesque! 

But the best was yet to come😀.....the pretty bungalow set amidst the tea plantations! A tiled cottage with red oxide floored long veranda or sitout welcomed us. The place was beautiful, indeed. Period furniture, antique decorative pieces, fireplaces and plenty of plants were all used so aesthetically in the house that was once the home of the family who now looks after it. (Here, I must mention that we visited this charming place twice, over a span of two months. So you can imagine how smitten we are by it! ) Aesthetics and comfort were both kept in mind while designing the bungalow. There were books to give us company along with our favourite light black tea and those gorgeous mountains faraway. Take a walk within the gates of the bungalow, drinking in the beauty of the surroundings or drive around the hilly roads; the choice was ours. Well, it wasn't just the beautiful surroundings that filled us up but also the delicious home cooked meals. Meal times were such elaborate affairs. Tables were laid with such perfection that I, seriously, felt like a guest of honour 😀😀....

The staff was forever smiling and willing to make us comfortable, be it accompanying us during our walks through the plantations or during our drives after sundown. The number of times we would've asked for a pot of their light black tea and even the picnic lunch we carried along during our trip to a faraway waterfall, too, need a mention.

I could gather some interesting trivia about one of the cottages that was built in 1942; what was to be used as a servants' quarter was believed to be haunted. Imagine, living in a haunted room! That would be our choice next time we visit Sinna Dorai Valparai 😀😀😀....

And this iron cover that says Burn &Co Ltd, belongs to pre- independence days. This company was started by a British and had its office in Howrah, West Bengal. It is instrumental in building Calcutta Tramway System and most of the city's drainage system. That's interesting, isn't it? 

 It truly felt like a home away from home each time we visited Sinna Dorai Valparai. But then I would like to add that such places call for responsible tourism. While we have such gems to visit, they surely need to be treasured and protected.