Kumily

Kumily is the largest Gram Panchayat in Kerala. It is a town in Cardamom Hills near Thekkady and Periyar Tiger Reserve, in the Idukki District of Kerala. Kumily is known as Gateway to Thekkady and it is also known as spices capital of Kerala.HistoryThe present-day Kumily has roots in the colonial period of British. The area was once owned by the Thekkumkoor rajas in central Travancore and later when Marthanda Varma conducted his campaigns in central Travancore, regions including Kumily came under Travancore kingdom. Till the end of the 19th century, the area was given under control of Poonjar kings. But the drastic and significant changes occurred in the region by the advent of British powers. They obtained these regions from the local rulers and transformed the forestlands into cultivatable one. Large-scale production of cash crops like cardamom, pepper, coffee, cinnamon etc. were began in the hilly terrains. Many people from in and outside Kerala were brought to work in these plantations.TopographyKumily lies in the southeast part of Idukki district with an altitude ranging from from mean sea level. A sizeable portion is covered by vast cardamon plantations and the rest, in the south and southeast portion which is under the premises of Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary are thick forests.