Rajakkad Estate , Dindegul

We drove past Kottayam up into the Western Ghats to Kumily where we stopped for lunch. We visited the shop where Brendan had bought the bronze tiger two years ago and were greeted by the shop owner who remembered us and was delighted to hear that the tiger had arrived safely. He joked and tried to sell us another one :)) We crossed the border from Kerala into Tamil Nadu and after an eight hour drive arrived at Rajakkad Estate. This beautiful old building is owned in partnership with the Fry family (of chocolate fame). Jeremy Fry decided to spend his retirement in India and bought an estate in the hills. He had problems obtaining building materials and decided to purchase a large traditional Kerala house. Many of these were being demolished at this time and he, being an architect and engineer , decided to have this old house rebuilt on his estate. Some years ago he became tired of the politics in his area and enlisted the help of a promising young man the help him move again. This young Indian found the present site and the coffee plantation and set about arranging to move the old gentleman again. The house was once more dismantled , pieces numbered ,and loaded onto 36 lorries and taken to its present site. The old gentleman spent his last few months in the house before he died. It has now been turned into an hotel with beautiful gardens overlooking the surrounding hills. Wild birds abound and it is truly a haven of tranquility.