Kadamakuzhi

Location

Kadamakuzhi is a small cardomom plantation village in Kattappana municipality of Idukki district, Kerala. Located just 7 kilometers away from Kattappana town and 18 kilometers away from Thekkady.

Kadamakuzhi is part of Cardomom hills of western ghat mountain. There are cardomom hill reserve areas here where only cardomom can be cultivated. Kadamakuzhi has many large cardomom estates where a lot of employees from Tamilnadu work in these estates. Nowadays more workers reach from North India due to heavy shortage of labour.

The village is well connected by roads. Kattappana – Anavilasam – Kumily road pass through this village. This is the major road to access this area. But many other small roads also connect Kadamakuzhi and other neighboring places.

The main activity in this area is growing and processing green cardomom. As cardomom growing is a labour intensive process, skilled manpower is required to maintain this crop. Workers are provided housing facilities here. Most of the big estates are onwed by landlords.

Kadamakuzhi get heavy rainfall throughout the year. High altitude landscape and heavy rainfall favours cardomom here.

The village has an undulating terrain. There is a hill station known as “Chekuthan mala” in Kadamakuzhi. There are many small water streams originates from Chekuthan mala is a good source of water. Mystic underground water streams can also found here. Borewell is heavily used for irrigation.

There are many cardomom processing units in and around Kadamakuzhi area. One of the largest cardomom auction centers of the world is located in Puttady, close to Kadamakuzhi, offers easy access for the market. Kumily, also a major spice trade centre in Kerala, is also located nearby.

Eventhough there is cardomom cultivation, the village is part of forest area. Landlords are not allowed to cut trees and change landscape of the cardomom hill reserve (CHR). They are allowed only to grow cardomom.

Kadamakuzhi has a picturesque green beauty with tall trees rising in the middle of the cardomom plantations and whistling sound of birds.

Kadamakuzhi is an ideal location for bird watchers, as abundance of different species of birds can be found here. Early morning 6:30 to 7:30 is the ideal time for bird watching here.This place has abundance of Malabar grey hornbill, an endemic species of birds in the Western ghat. Grey hornbill is a regular sightings in this village.

Kadamakuzhi is place of tourism. There is a hill station called Chekuthan mala from where Kattappana town can be viewed. This is an ideal location for truckers. Famous “Triple waterfalls” is located 4 kilometers away from here. Anchuruli tunnel and Ayyappankovil hanging bridge is easy accessible from here. World famous tourist destination Thekkady is 18 kilometers away from here.