Panchalimedu – A rare gem in the hills!

Featured, Tourist Attractions, Travel By Aravind Balachandran Aug 26, 2023 No Comments

Namaskaaram! (Hello!)

Panchalimedu is a spot everyone should visit. It is enroute Kuttikkanam and we couldn’t have asked for a better start to our weekend on the hills as we could enjoy both the sun and cool breeze. Govind had visited Panchalimedu around 9 years ago with some of his friends and they had nothing up on the hill then (literally nothing!). However, fast-forward 9 years, and the whole place has become a beautiful tourist spot. They have a proper entrance, shops, refreshment stalls, restrooms, rest areas, and above all, enough dustbins so that the place is not littered and is kept beautiful. Honestly, they have managed to keep the place quite clean, which is an achievement. The tourists are now slowly learning about this place and are visiting the place, but it was not very crowded.

Enjoy the shorts of Panchalimedu

There is not a lot to see in Panchalimedu, yet. It has some trekkable path which goes up a mound and the end is visible as we climb up. There is a Hindu temple and a Christian shrine within the location. Both the temple and crosses lining up the path to the shrine are visible and adds a good visual treat to one’s eyes. Panchalimedu is a spot which has a very important role to play in Mahabharata. This is considered to be the place where the Pandavas, along with their spouse Panchali (Draupadi), stayed for almost a year during their exile.

What stood out for us at Panchalimedu was that they had a clearly defined system for handling plastic garbage. We bought Sprite and Coca Cola to quench our thirst after the trek, and we were charged Rs. 10 extra per drink. We were told that if we return the bottles at the exit, they will reimburse Rs. 10 per bottle and ensure that you dispose the bottle in a dustbin near the exit. What a clever way to ensure proper waste disposal! People who take the bottle away with them will not get the reimbursement and the bottle will not be littered inside the premises. The local administration has ensured the even the road leading up to the main entrance of the park is sufficiently lined up with dustbins so that it would make the visitors use the dustbins rather than just carelessly throwing garbage away.

The administration is now investing in making Panchalimedu a proper tourist spot with other attractions. While we were there, we were witness to the installation of the first pole for constructing a zipline facility. Along with that, there are many stone mandapams (rest areas) and benches for visitors to sit and relax, while staying away from the harsh sun but enjoying the cool breeze.