Bangitappal
Bangitappal (Cannabis tableland), is a valley in the southwest end of Mukurthi National Park located at: 11°15.39′N 76°30.33′E / 11.25650°N 76.50550°E, elevation: 2,580 m (8,460 ft) at the confluence of two streams at the head of the Sispara Pass in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu South India.
Bangitipal used to be a halting place on the old Sispara ghat road from Kozhikode to Ooty, constructed in 1832. This pass provided a short land route for postal runners from Ooty to the West Coast in the 19th century and was used for smuggling of cannabis, tobacco and later salt. [1] A forest rest house and a trekkers shed built there in 1930 are now used by park staff and visiting researchers.
A rough 5 km (3.1 mi) jeep road leads there from the Upper Bhavani Dam.
Notes
- ^ Venugopal, Dharmalingam, "Stairway to heaven, up the blue mountain", The Hindu Business Line, July 08, 2002.Ooty trek Archived 2008-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
