Vagamon Hill Station

It is a very ideal tourist spot surrounded by the greenery of tea gardens, beautiful meadows, deep puzzling valleys and dales. The enchanting hill station dotted with tea gardens will soon be one of India’s foremost eco-tourism projects

All the trekking enthusiasts will enjoy climbing this 1100 metres tall hill. This tourist place also has to offer Thangal Para, the Indo-Swiss Project and Kurisumala Ashram. One could rejuvenate and cherish memories of this enchantingly beautiful land.

Grass covered hills, velvet lawns and the cool mountain air make Vagamon a perfect holiday retreat. A curious blend of religious mysticism and European legacies, this hillside village is a haven of tranquility. Vagamon is surrounded by three chain of hills, namely, Thangal hill, Murugan hill and Kurisumala. These three hills – Thangal Hill, Murugan Hill and Kurisumala – is a mark of religious harmony. The dairy farm managed by the Kurisumala monks is worth a visit.

Vagamon, at an elevation of 1100 m above the sea level is at an accessible distance of 100 km from Cochin and 60 km from Kottayam. It is a paradise for the seekers of peace and tranquility and abundance of nature. The hill station is surrounded by tea estates. The hill station is an amalgamation of natural beauty, religious mysticism and colonial legacies.

The hill station of Vagamon is an ideal destination for a break away from the fast lanes of city life and to live a laidback life. The important tourist attractions of Vagamon are the Kurisumala hill, which is ideal for trekking. A small church over the top of the hill and the nearby Kurisumala Ashramam are worthy of a visit. Kurisumala Ashramam is actually a monastery for Christian ascetics, who have belief in the Christianity along with the Indian spiritual beliefs and the Gandhian thought.

Vagamon is a popular spot for trekkers. The hill station offers all the tourists with an opportunity for long treks, paragliding, mountaineering and rock climbing. Placid lakes are the location where you can sit idle for hours or can go for boating. You may spot wild animals like elephants and wild buffalos if you quest deep into the forests.

ATTRACTIONS IN VAGAMOM

Vagamon Kurisumala
Kurisumala is a Christian pilgrim centre and one of the main attractions at vagamon. The main day of attraction is on Good Friday. This is where hundreds of devotees from far and near converge during the holy week and after to climb the hill carrying wooden crosses.  The Picturesque Kurisumala is located about eight km from Vagamon. During Easter, this Christian pilgrim centre attracts thousands of devotees to the church atop the hill.

Kurisumala Ashram
Kurisumala Ashram, a monastery for Christian ascetics, who have belief in the Christianity along with the Indian spiritual beliefs, is worth visiting a place in Vagamon.

Kurisumala Ashram is at the heart of the Sahya Mountains, which run parallel to India’s south west coast. It is a place sanctified by the breeze which blows softly across the valleys and by the overwhelming beauty of the creation, and the mediative thoughts which arise from the depth of silence. Even today people move to the mountains in search of peace of mind and of God-experience.

The Kurisumala Ashram is a Catholic monastery that attracts monks from across the world because of its unique mix of spiritual elements and practices from the Christian and Indian traditions. The Ashram is situated in 40 acres of land of spectacular greenery.

Inside the Ashram compound, there is a church, a guesthouse, a library, a satsang hall, a vegetable garden, a dairy farm, a bread-baking unit and a milk processing centre. The Cistercian abbey here was built in 1958 by Abbot Francis Acharya of Belgium and Fr. Brede Griffiths of England. The monks here wear saffron robes, walk barefoot and eat vegetarian food. The surroundings offer a tranquil ambience that is ideal for meditation and rejuvenation.

Water falls
At vagamon there are several waterfalls with grassy hillocks stretching into the forest on one side and ending at the cliff on the other. This large tract of land has a small stream originating at the lake and going through.

The steep hill tract which provides access to the water fall area is along the ridge and there can be many pavilions along that to enjoy rain, wind, and the infinite view of the hillscapes. There can also be performance podiums with the mountainous landscape as the background.

Pine Forest
Need some Privacy and that too on the natures lap, this is the place to be…. Be it having a nap in the pines or having a long stride through the Pines, you will forget everything that you have had at your Office or what ever.

Rocky out crop
The steep rocky hill tract is almost mountainous in character. The cliff and ravine topography area is ideal for adventure activities that would attract people who like gliding, rope climbing, jumping and the like. There can be viewing pavilions too, as gufas in the vertical surface of the hill which would attract people for staying inside. This can be carved out of the rocks and would provide an adventurous stay.

Wild Orchid
In Vagamon we can find a wide variety of orchids. The orchids are flowers of exquisite beauty and variety of patterns belong to one of the largest family, the Orchidaceae.

Thangal Para
A journey of about five kilometers from Vagamon, down the Elappara route, will take you to the Thangal Para, of religious significance to Muslims. There is a durgah here which is the resting place of Husrath Sheikh Fariduddin Baba, a Sufi saint, who is believed to have reached Kerala from Afghanistan about 800 years ago. Legends say that the Sufi saint, who had great spiritual powers, reached here on horseback along with 40 followers.

Murugan Para
Murugan Para, to the east of Kurisumala, is a hill that houses a rock-cut temple dedicated to Lord Murugan. Hundreds of devotees visit the place every year.

Kolahalamedu
The highest place in Vagamon is Kolahalamedu, which has towering pine trees with needle-covered branches. Kolahalamedu, which attracts a lot of visitors, has been declared as a protected area.