Marayoor
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Marayoor AKA Marayur is one of the famous tourist spots in the Idukki District of Kerala state, South India. It is the land where nature, history and culture merge harmoniously into tourism. 42 kilometers north of Munnar through the Udumalppetta route, Marayoor is the only place in Kerala that has natural sandal wood forests. Ancient dolmens and rock paintings in Marayoor tell the story of a muted history dating back to the Stone Age. In 1991 Marayoor had a population of 9,590.
Name and Legend The name Marayoor is said to be derived from two words “mara” and “oor”, in Tamil and Malayalam languages “mara” means hidden and “oor” means land. Legend has it the great Pandavas of Mahabharata epic, had stayed in the area during their exile and so the place was named as ‘Maranjirunna oor’ or the land (they) hide. Later it became the land’s name “Marayoor.” Another argument is that the name Marayoor is derived from the words “mala” and “oor”, “mala” means mountain and “oor” means land, hence it was meant to be “the land of the mountains”, as the land is surrounded by mountains. Some scholars toyed with the idea that it can be both “mara” and “mala” as the name Marayoor could be interpreted as the land hidden by the mountains. There is no reason to give any credit to the story regarding Pandavas. Mara means cover and Mala means mountain. As such the argument of equivalence of mara and mala is out of question.
The most probable meaning of the place name is the Uru (Village) of Maravars (A tribe lived in this area during the turn of Christian Era, who used to attack travelers for looting, hiding in the forest. The word meaning is 'people who hides', They were traditionally members of the army of tribal chiefs and the Maharajas of Chera, Chola and Pandya).
Name and Legend The name Marayoor is said to be derived from two words “mara” and “oor”, in Tamil and Malayalam languages “mara” means hidden and “oor” means land. Legend has it the great Pandavas of Mahabharata epic, had stayed in the area during their exile and so the place was named as ‘Maranjirunna oor’ or the land (they) hide. Later it became the land’s name “Marayoor.” Another argument is that the name Marayoor is derived from the words “mala” and “oor”, “mala” means mountain and “oor” means land, hence it was meant to be “the land of the mountains”, as the land is surrounded by mountains. Some scholars toyed with the idea that it can be both “mara” and “mala” as the name Marayoor could be interpreted as the land hidden by the mountains. There is no reason to give any credit to the story regarding Pandavas. Mara means cover and Mala means mountain. As such the argument of equivalence of mara and mala is out of question.
The most probable meaning of the place name is the Uru (Village) of Maravars (A tribe lived in this area during the turn of Christian Era, who used to attack travelers for looting, hiding in the forest. The word meaning is 'people who hides', They were traditionally members of the army of tribal chiefs and the Maharajas of Chera, Chola and Pandya).
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marayoor
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 10°16'32"N 77°9'51"E
- Munnar 23 km
- Theni-Allinagaram 40 km
- Palakkad 84 km
- Kottayam 103 km
- Virudunagar 112 km
- Changanacherry 113 km
- Pattambi 143 km
- Malappuram 154 km
- Kalaiyar koil 164 km
- Kanyakumari 241 km
- Chinnar Wild Life Sanctuary 6.2 km
- Kundale Talai Malai (2534m), Kerala 12 km
- Eravikulam National Park, Kerala 13 km
- Kothamangalam Taluk 14 km
- Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park 15 km
- Anamudi / Anaimudi (2695m), Kerala 16 km
- Tourist Area - Iravikulam National Park 18 km
- Kanniamallay Estate 18 km
- Devikulam Taluk 20 km
- Idukki District 48 km
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