While this aspect remains a mystery, the story is a tragic one dating back to the colonial era. Back then, only a few indigenous tribes knew the route to Wayanad. A British engineer took the help of a tribesman called Karinthandan to reach Wayanad. Once there, the engineer killed the tribesman, taking credit for discovering the path himself. With time, many mysterious incidents led to the belief that Karinthandan’s restless spirit is troubling travellers. A priest was summoned and the tribesman’s spirit exorcised, his soul said to be chained to a tree in the process. The tree, ironically, has become a tourist spot.
