| Munkdakayam,
a little known village in the interiors of central Kerala, is a unique
hamlet steeped in planting history and timeless lore. Legend has it
that when Pastor Henry Baker came here over 150 years ago, he found
gentle herons nesting beside a shimmering pool of water. And so, he
christened the spot Mundi-kayam (Mundi – Heron, and Kayam -
pool). He
was followed by the English, the Irish and the Scots, who established
Tea, coffee and rubber plantations. The pioneer among them was John
Joseph Murphy, a colourful Irish bachelor, who set up the first
commercial rubber plantation in India, near Mundakayam. Today, Mundakayam
is home to a prosperous community of people with thriving plantations
and a distinctive way of life.
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