Marayur is known for the Dolmens and Stone Age Civilization.  Marayur, or Marayoor, is also famous for its natural sandalwood. It is situated in the state of Kerala, India. Marayoor Jaggery alias Marayoor Sharkkara is a Geographical Indication (GI) tagged product from this place.

The ancient unique Dolmens and rock paintings found here indicate that the civilization of Marayur dates back to 10000 B.C.  It is also proof of the petroglyph skills which existed in the Stone Age Civilization days. It’s the confluence of history, culture, and wilderness at Marayoor.

The Dolmens, which belong to the Iron Age, and the caves, rock edicts, engravings, etc, tell us the history and the rich heritage of Marayoor.  Rock paintings at Attala, in the western Marayor, have more than 90 paintings in rock, most of which are abstract designs, except for a few paintings that depict humans and animals.  There is a rock painting of a man and a deer in the nearby Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. A new rock painting was recently discovered near this painting.

Marayur has around 100 species of flowering plants, including medicinal plants. Sandalwood is a  highly aromatic wood used for scents and perfumes and for herbal medicine. Processing of Sandalwood and Sandalwood oil is the major local industry. Sandalwood oil, or Liquid Gold for its high price, is extracted from the roots and the wood of the Sandalwood tree.

Marayur Heritage Safari

Munnar Wildlife Division of the Kerala Forest Department offers the Marayur Heritage Safari. It is a Jeep safari. The 3-hour package costs INR 3500 for Indian adults. There are no separate charges for children if accompanied by adults. It covers 5 locations. Please verify the charges with the official website, as the rates are subject to change over some time. The link to book the heritage safari package and to check the availability of free slots is given in the first sentence of this paragraph.

How Do I Go to Marayur?

Marayur Town is in the Idukki district of Kerala state. It is well connected by roads to other parts of Kerala and the neighboring state, Tamilnadu. Marayur is 42 kilometers north of Munnar Hills, on the Aluva – Munnar- Udumalpet road, i.e., on the Kerala State Highway 17. Anamalai, the highest peak in southern India, is close to Marayur.

Palani Railway station is the nearest one at around 68 kilometers distance. This is not on the mainline, and the nearest major mainline station is Coimbatore, at around 115 kilometers distance. Another major railway station, Ernakulam Junction railway station, is around 156 kilometers distance. Aluva railway station (near Kochi) is around 144 kilometers distance. Kottayam railway station is around 168 kilometers distance.

Cochin International Airport, at around 145 kilometers distance, and Madurai Airport, at around 169 kilometers distance, are the nearest airports to Marayur.