What is "kurangani"

Kurangani is a hill station atop the Western Ghats accessed from Bodinayakkanur in Tamil Nadu, India. It has estates growing coconut, mangos, all spices, and coffee. There is a mountain rivulet that passes between Kurangani mountains in the east and Kolukkumalai in the west.

Kurangani Hills near Bodinayakanur in Theni district is suitable for trekking and nature walks, including the 12 km walk from Kurangani village to Top Station through the central village. Those who visit Munnar in Kerala can also enter the trekking route here by walking down the dense woods and plain grasslands of Kurangani Hills. By reaching Top Station, border of Theni district, from Munnar after 35 km travel, one can start trekking down the hills.

Although, Kurangani Hills is near the famous Munnar Hills and Kolukkumalai Hills—the highest hills for tea plantation in the world at an altitude close to 8,000 feet—the place is still not known in the tourism circuit. However, several foreign tourists do come here. Some nature lovers within the state also frequently visit Kurangani Hills. Films Alagar Samiyin Kuthurai, Myna and Kumki were shot on the Hills. The best months to explore the Hills are from August to December.

The hills are characterized by frequently-changing weather, low-hanging clouds, chilly atmosphere and strong winds, and are home to a wide range of flora and fauna. It takes four to five hours to complete the trek from Kurangani village, the foothills of the Hills, to reach Top station, whereas two-and-a-half hours is enough for the return trip. Trekkers can find Samabalaru falls, the source of Kottakudi river which serves the drinking water needs of Bodinayakanur (Bodi) town, while wading through here. The central village, with a population of 200 people and 50 houses, is four more kilometres from the Falls. A couple of cottages can provide accommodation for visitors. Foreigners, who come prepared with tents, prefer to stay under the open sky. There are guides for the thick woods.

The villagers say that tourists frequently spot Indian gaurs, barking deer, langurs, and wild cats, but warn about the presence of leopards and tigers.