The stars which are scattered below; the twinkling lights of Kumily

By Sachin Mathews Mani

Stargazing is a popular pastime which cannot be enjoyed in an urban environment since urban pollution does not make the atmosphere conducive for star gazing. Kumily is not an exception.

While it may be difficult to look up and view the glory of the stars on most nights, there is a spot where you can practise light gazing or look down and view the star studded town of Kumily.

This perfect location to view the glittering lights of the town is at Ottakathalamedu which is about 5 kilometres from Thekkady.

Ottakathalamedu situated at an altitude of roughly 1300 metres above sea level is a challenging trekking spot; being more of an off-road track. The best mode of transportation would be a two wheeler. Ottakathalamedu also has a watchtower which provides a fantastic view.

The place is only now emerging as a popular destination for tourists and therefore not fully equipped to handle night tourism. However, it is a lovely spot to watch the sunset and gaze at the lights of Kumily when they come on to do their twinkling dance. Weather permitting, you can also have a good view of the full moon on the 6^th and 7^th March 2023.

When visiting, it is a better to have the help of some local folk since the place carries a certain amount of risk and has limited options to eat or have a snack.

It is hoped that the Government’s tourism initiatives are focused on this location and better infrastructure is developed to make it a go to location for Tourists.

A Tale of Unconventional Love: How a KSRTC Bus and a Kumily Hotel Found Each Other!

By Sachin Mathews Mani

You come out of a four star heritage hotel in Kumily and the first thing to meet the eye is a Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Bus parked in the Hotel Compound making you wonder why a KSRTC Bus is parked here!

If you were in Kumily a couple of years ago and had lunch at the Hotel Ambadi then there would be no need to wonder for this used to be a regular afternoon scene there.

To come back to the present KSRTC completed its 85th birth anniversary on 20th February 2023. The State Corporation is now going through the toughest time in its history, and we all hope it will rise again to its past glory. The emotional bond between KSRTC and Keralites is very deep; no wonder KSRTC is a part of the Malayalee lifestyle.

There have been many instances of bonding between KSRTC Buses and the people of the State but this is the only instance when a Hotel fell in love with a Bus Service.

How the Romance Began

Well, here is how it all began! Over forty years ago, the Kumily – Kottayam – Vaikom – Ernakulam bus service was commenced by the Ernakulam Bus Depot and was subsequently operated by the Kumily Depot. During the eighties Kumily was not as big a Town as it is now. The number of hotels and shops were fewer, and not enough facilities were found in the bus stand for the passengers.

Prior to the introduction of the bus service, goods transportation to the high-ranges; especially to Kumily and Kattapana was difficult. The goods transportation was mainly by bullock carts, which were slower but more economical. However, hotels needed fresh goods on a daily basis, so they needed a fast logistics system. This felt need was subsequently satisfied by the KSRTC.

Forty years ago, Kumily was not as big a town as you now witness. The number of hotels and shops were fewer, and there were not enough facilities at the bus stand for the passengers.

During that period, the bus was parked in front of the Hotel Ambadi. The hotelier was a person from Vaikom.

The bus service would commence from Ernakulam and Vaikom. Goods to this hotel were dispatched to Kumily from Vaikom through this KSRTC bus. The driver and conductors used to be provided free meals by the hotel until the very last day as long as the service was in operation. The tradition continued for decades, even after the ownership of the Hotel changed hands.

KSRTC fans used to refer to this service as ‘Ambady Fast’. KSRTC lovers give pet names to their favorite buses and this probably was the only bus service named after a hotel.

The hotel management also had a great emotional connect with the bus. It is said that one day due to an unexpected change in the schedule, the bus couldn’t reach the hotel and the owner called the Kumily Depot to enquire why the bus hadn’t got there.

In 2004 the service was transferred to the Kumily depot and continued its operation until 2020 when due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the service was temporally shut down.

This service had been a profitable, popular service for Kumily but unfortunately it didn’t restart even after all the restrictions were revoked.

However the lovers and fans of KSRTC living in Kumily are eagerly waiting for the resurrection of their favorite ‘Ambady Fast’.

It’s heartwarming, to see such unique relationships between a bus and a hotel. Relationships between humans are common, Relationships between humans and objects are also found but the relationship between two non-living objects was indeed a rare sight and the stuff that makes for good folklore.

The renewed broad gauge line via Theni to Bodinayakanur will now enable easier access for Tourists from Tamil Nadu who would like to visit Kumily / Thekkady, the gateway to God’s own country.

Earlier Metre Gauge Trains Known as “Cardamom Express”, used to run between Madurai and Bodi from 1928 and enabled the growth and development of the Cardamom trade. The trains were suspended nearly thirteen years ago to facilitate the conversion of the tracks to broad gauge.

After the Commissioner of Rail Safety (CRS) gave his approval for the use of the fifteen kilometers long track connecting Theni with Bodinayakanur, the Railway Board has recently approved a proposal for the tri-weekly Madras Central – Madurai air-conditioned express to be extended upto Bodinayakanur from May 2023.

This will result in Tourists being able to reach Kumily from Bodi in less than one and a half hours by road covering a distance of approximately 73 kilometers.

Earlier tourists from Madras had to break Journey at Madurai and travel a distance of 140 kilometers by road for about three and a half hours.