Ooty the Queen of Hills in the Indian subcontinent and the Nilgiris district in south India has many places of interest to travel. One of the places is Manjur.
Manjur is one of the scenic towns in India located in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu in southern India. It is located in the Nilgiris Hills and the road Manjur Ghat passes through the town. Manjur Ghat road has 48 hairpin bends and the town is situated on the top section of the ghat.
Manur Ghat road route is one of the roads to reach Ooty, the headquarters of the Nilgiris district from Coimbatore. The road starts at Karamadai – Athikadavu – Mulli – Geddai – Manur (Manjoor) – Kundah Dam – Yedakadu – Mount Lawrence /Avnalji Road / Avalanche Road) – Emerald Cross Road – Muthurai Palada – Fern Hill – Ooty. Manjur Ghat road also serves as the backup to reach Ooty when other routes are closed such as Coonoor Ghat and the Kotagiri Ghat.
Manjur Ghat road has hairpin bends and they are marked on the road. There are 48 hairpin bends on the narrow road below Manjoor. One of the places of interest on the route is Geddai. Geddai is located at the bottom of the ghat road, 575 m or 1,885 feet, where two hydroelectric power stations are located.
One of the places of interest near Manju is Manjur Penstock View Point. It presents views of Mulli Valley. Nearby is a winch station nearby that carries engineers and workers to check the pipes through which water is pumped. The 3 km winch trip will be an adventure, but need to get permission from EB. The trekking routes that one can explore here are towards Kundah, Avalanche, Parsons Valley, and Yedakadu.
“Located seven kilometres from Manjur and at an altitude of 1,885 feet, the place is a picture of calm. Five main pipes snake down the hillside before emptying the water at great force into the Geddai power station. This is Electricity Board terrain. There is a view point, somewhat ill-maintained, which provides a panoramic view of the Nilgiris from the comfort of a concrete bench with flaking green paint,” mentions Nilgiris.com, and about the Winch Station. “Down below are acres and acres of native shola forests, an overwhelming view. The winch station is only a five-minute walk away. From here, a car makes its way down a four-stage route, dropping engineers and workers off to check the pipes every day. The winch station is a sight by itself. The old machinery that lowers the black, oiled steel coil that holds the car has been working continually since 1956. A grease-specked board in brass announces the country of origin: England.The three-kilometre trip by winch to Geddai takes a total of 80 minutes, 20 minutes for each stop. Once the winch at Penstock reaches the next stop, the next winch car there takes over. To hop aboard one, you need permission from the Electricity Board. A little away from the winch station is a Forest Department trekking shed, also with a view point. From here, you can see a body of dirty brown water swirling near the power station. The route to the view point is fragrant with blooming jaadi malli and roses. From here, you can trek to Kundah, Edakadu, Avalanche, Pandithopal and Parson’s Valley. For permission to stay in the trekking shed, write to the District Forest Officer, Nilgiris South Division, Udhagamandalam.”
Note: Manjur is also a name for a musical instrument among the Arab-speaking countries with East African origin. And there is Manjur is another Manjur village in Bogalur block of Paramkudi taluq in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, and another in Ahmadnagar district of Maharashtra, India.