UDUMALPET
Udumalpet is called as Poor man Ooty. It is one of the summer resorts, which is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The reason for the name is in olden days it was called as Udumalai and in rural sides it is called as Pettai. So it is called as Udumalpettai.
The population of Udumalpettai is 1 lakh, and the water for drinking purposes were taken from the Reservoir called Thirumurthi. The Thirumurthy and the Amaravathy dams are situated south of the Udumalpet. These are also tourist places in Udumalpet which adds charm to the city. The tourist place called Thirumurthi hills, which is located 21 kms from Udumalpet. There are many temples in this city and also the nearby places. The other tourist places are Swimming Pool, a Boat house and Crocodile farm are situated near Sainik School of South. There are large numbers of Industries in Udumalpet so called as industrial town. The Industries like paper, textile industries are flourishing. Agricultural fields are also developing faster here and especially cotton. So, there is an name for Udumalpet called as Cotton town.
The city was previously under Coimbatore district but was moved under the newly formed Tirupur district in October 2008. The change was opposed by many of the residents but it was not reverted back. In short known as Udumalai, the city is surrounded by the high mountains of Western Ghats on three sides.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census, in Udumalaipettai, there are 14,889 households. The total population is 59,668 with 29,330 males and 30,338 females. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Udumalaipettai has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 77%. Interestingly, 8% of the population is under 6 years of age. The town is known for its moderate climate ( Max 36 degree - Min 15 Degree), cultured people, good food and good water from Thirumoorthy Hills.
Education
Udumalpet is well known for its schools and educational institutes. There are about eleven higher secondary schools and three colleges. The Government Higher Secondary School was established during British rule and is a model for best performing schools in the government sector. The only Sainik School of Tamil Nadu is located at Amaravathinagar which is 21 km from Udumalpet. Other schools in the town are Sri Kanniga Parameswari higher secondary school, Srinivasa Vidhyalaya, RGMHSS, Stella Maris and a few others. Over the years, schools in Udumalpet have consistently produced students who have scored top ranks in State examinations.
The colleges in the town include Government Arts College, which is a state funded college, Sri GVG Visalakhi College founded by late Sri G.V.Govindasamy Naidu is one of the renowned women's college in the area and the privately owned Vidhysagar College of Arts and Science located on the National Highway 209. Rudhraveni Muthusamy Polytechnic is one of the famous polytechnics in the area which provides technical education. Its located between palani and udumalpet NH 209.
Notable people
Udumalai Narayana Kavi, a renowned poet was from this town.
Tourism and natural beauty
The town is surrounded by hills and has a good weather throughout the year. Waterfalls in Thirumoorthy hills draw quite a few tourists. It takes half an hour to reach the falls by trekking from the Thirumoorthy temple. The Thirumoorthy temple is a scenic place with Amanalingeshwarar Thirukkoil at the foot hills. The way atop the hill is pretty exciting up to some 1 km and extremely challenging to go beyond that. It is said if you bend and crawl for about 40 meters beneath a rock behind Panchalingam, you could reach the next layer of Western Ghats, i.e., the plain between two adjacent hills and it is said that even tigers exist there.
A drive from Udumalpet to Munnar gives one unforgettable views of the Western Ghats. Chinnar is 25 km from Udumalpet and is home to the Indra Gandhi wildlife sanctuary which is famous for known for the elephants that inhabit the area. Chinnar is also the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. As you cross the Tamil Nadu border and enter Kerala, you can see a distinct change in the vegetation. While the Tamil Nadu areas have vegetation dominated by shrubs and thorny trees, the vegetation in Kerala is lush green with tall trees. Marayur is 20 km from Chinnar, famous for its sandalwood forests which often fall prey to poachers.
As you drive past Marayur towards Munnar, you can see Anamudi, the highest mountain peak in south part of India to your right. This area also houses the Eravikulam National Park famous for its population of the Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat. This area offers abundant scope for mountain trekking. On the trekking route to the Anamudi peak, you can see a Trout farm. The rest of the drive towards Munnar is through neatly manicured tea estates owned by Tata Tea Ltd and Waterfall Estate. The landscape is also dotted by tea factories and labour lines.
There is also a trekking route from Amaravathi Dam to Kodaikanal which is frequented by the students of the Amaravathi Sainik School. The villages surrounding Udumalpet are well known for their beauty. Villages are criss-crossed by Amaravathi River and various irrigation canals. Coconut tree farms are common sight and this area is one of the leading producer of coconuts in the region. The countryside is a popular film shooting spot, providing scenic backgrounds and greenery. Thirumoorthy hills houses a beautiful dam which is a very famous shooting spot for Tamil movies and Malayalam movies.
Thirumoorthy Hills
Thirumoorthy Hills form a part of the Anamalai range of the Western Ghats. It consists of 3 places of interest – Thirumoorthy Temple, Panjalinga Falls, and Thirumoorthy Dam.
Legend says that a few thousand years ago, sage Athari Maharishi along with his wife Anushiya Devi lived here. Moved by their prayer, Lord Shiva along with Brahma and Vishnu (3 moorthis or Thirumoorthy) came in disguise to test their devotion. Overwhelmed by their appearance the couple offered them their tribute.
The 3 moorthis refused to accept their offerings as such and demanded that Anushiya Devi should make the offering in nudity. She accepted their demand, and with the power of her devotion, she changed the 3 moorthis into babies and fed them. On seeing the devotion of Anushiya Devi, the 3 moorthis blessed the couple and so the place gets its name. There is an old temple here on the foothill.
One has to climb around 2-3 km to reach the Panjalinga Falls, but it’s worth the climb as the water there is fabulous, but only during the winter and rainy months the falls will be in full force.
Thirumoorthy Dam is a nice place for a one-day outing from Coimbatore. It has boating, a nice place to have your lunch (of course, you should pack your lunch as there are no good hotels out there), and the drive there is ultimate. From Coimbatore, you can either go to Udumalpet and go from there or take my favorite, the more interior and scenic route that goes through the villages. The drive is simply great with the whole route surrounded by sunflower gardens, coconut groves, and paddy fields.
PALANI
Palani which was located near udumalpet.,has been mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature as "Podhini", which came to be called as Palani later.
The temple was believed to be constructed by Cheraman Perumal – A king of the chera dynasty. There is an interesting story about it. When the king was touring the Palani hills, Lord Murugan came and gave a darshan in his dream. He instructed the king to rebuild the hill temple. The Chera King went up the hill and really found the idol of Murugan. He with all devotion rebuilt the present temple.
Next came Cholas and Pandyas; they also expanded the small temple by adding mandapams and gopurams between 8th and 13th centuries. The Nayaka kings did their part by adding beautiful sculptures.
The edicts on the walls of the Temple stand as proof of the gifts for conducting poojas and constructions made by several kings.
The names found are – Jadavarma Sundara Pandian (1259 A.D), Sadayavarman sundarapandiyan, Sadayavarman veerapandian, Veera Nanjana wudaiyar, Mallikarjuna Devarayar II and others. Mallikarjuna Devaryar belonged to Nayaka Dynasty.
There is also mention about Palani temple in Sangam Literature where it is called as ‘Podhini’. The book is ‘Thirumurugattrupadai’. The poems refer Palani as the third Padai Veedu of Murugan in his fights against the Asuras.
Arunagirinathar makes mention about Palani and Murugan in his ‘Thiruppugazh’.
The story of ‘Pazham nee’, Idumban and Kavadi tradition are found in Sthalapuranam which explains the puranic references.
Sculptural beauty
Tamilnadu is famous for sculpture and paintings in temples. Palani temples, which were close to the hearts of various dynasties of Kings, have its own beautiful pieces.
At the entrance near the Rajagopuram one cannot miss the amazing pieces of two ladies: one standing with her child and another standing in front of her. In the front mandapam we can see deer, parrot, rishis in tapas and pillars with ‘Yalli’- an animal with the face of dragaon and body of a lion. The ‘Karpaga Vruksham’-A tree which gives everything one wants- is carved in the walls of the mandapam. In Thiru Aavinan Kudi and Periyanayaki Amman temple we can see similar beauties in pillars and walls. In the Navaranga Mandapam the dancing posture of Lord Siva and Goddess Kali attract everybody.
The paintings of Nayaka period: The paintings with postures of singers, artists and dancers are available in the walls of the Periyanayaki Amman temple.
This temple is situated in Palani Town and a Taluk in Dindigul District. It is an ancient and very big temple getting a large income among all the temples in TamilNadu. This temple is one among the six Padaiveedus (abode) of Lord Muruga.that is the third Padaiveedu namely Arulmigu Thiruvaavinankudi temple which is one of the subtemples of this temple. Many "Siddhas" are said to have lived in this region. The idol of Palani Andavar is said to have been made of "Navapashanam" by Siddhar Bogar. Thai Poosam and Panguni Uthiram are very famous festivals and a large number of devotees are coming here for those festivals. 38 sub-temples are attached with this temple. It belongs to 9th century and the king namely Cheraman Peruman constructed this temple. As per the historical records the main Deity Arulmigu Palaniandavar idol is consisted of Navapashanam, ie a combination of 9 poisonous herbals mixed in a proportion to give a high medicinal power to cure the diseases of immunity and it was designed and made up by a siddar named Bohar.
Height of the Hill Temple : 150 M
Total no. of Steps : 693
Direction the Temple : Towards WEST
Pragaram around the Hill(Giriveethi) : 2.4 KM
KODAIKANAL
Kodaikanal which is near to udumalpet., famous well known tourist place.Kodaikanal has several scenic natural attractions which are enjoyed by its visitors and make it a popular romantic destination for newlyweds. These are described in order of distance from the bus-stand.
Kodaikanal Lake, 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bus stand, is an artificial, roughly star-shaped 45 ha (60 acres) lake built in 1863. It is recognized as Kodaikanal's most popular geographic landmark and tourist attraction. Rowboats and pedalos can be hired at the Kodaikanal Boat Club with its main entrance near the only five-star hotel in Kodaikanal, The Carlton. Horses and bicycles can be hired beside the lake for short periods. The 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) path that skirts the periphery of this lovely lake is a favourite walk for the locals and tourists alike.
Bryant Park: Just east of the lake and 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bus stand, is a wonderfully maintained 20.5 acres (8.3 ha) botanical garden. The park was planned and built in 1908 by a forest officer from Madurai, H.D.Bryant, and named after him. With 325 species of trees, shrubs and cactuses, the park is a rainbow of stunning flowers during the peak season.
A large section is dedicated to nearly 740 varieties of roses. There is a 1857 Eucalyptus
tree and a Bodhi
tree which adds a
religious significance
to the park.
Ornamental plants
are cultivated in a
nursery for sale.
The park organizes
horticultural exhibits
and flower shows every
summer, to coincide with
the peak season.
Entrance fee to the park is nominal and it is open all year.
Coaker's Walk, 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bus-stand, constructed by Lt.Coaker in 1872, is a 1-kilometre (3,300 ft) paved pedestrian path running along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai. The walk, winding around Mount Nebo, starts in front of the Van Allen hospital, running parallel to the Van Allen Hospital Road and joins the main road beside St.Peter's Church, providing a stunning panoramic view of the plains. On a clear day one can view as far as Dolphin's Nose in the south, the valley of the Pambar River in the southeast, Periyakulam town and even the city of Madurai. A fascinating rare phenomenon called Brocken spectre can be witnessed, when a person can see his shadow on the clouds with a rainbow halo. This occurs when the sun is behind the viewer and clouds and mist are to the front. There is an observatory with a telescope halfway along the walk. Entrance fee to the walkway is nominal and it is open all year.
Bear Shola Falls, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the bus-stand, is a tall waterfall in a Reserve forest. The final approach to this quiet area is a gently climbing foot-path.
Green Valley View, (formerly called Suicide Point) 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) from the bus-stand and near the golf course, has an excellent panoramic view of the plains and a sheer drop of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) overlooking the Vaigai Dam to the south. The stairway leading up to it is highly commercialized and lined with rows of shops to tempt tourists.
Pine forests, In 1906, with a view to growing valuable timber, Mr. Bryant started the Kodaikanal pine plantations in the south-west of Kodaikanal.
Shembaganur Museum of Natural History, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand, founded in 1895, is open to the public (except Tuesdays) for viewing their outstanding taxidermy collection of more than 500 species of animals, birds and insects and a living collection of over 300 exotic orchid species. The museum is affiliated with Loyola College in Chennai and exhibits artifacts of the ancient Palaiyar tribes people whose descendants still live in these hills.
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand on Observatory Road, at 2,343 metres (7,687 ft) is the highest location near Kodai. The first observations were commenced here in 1901. Former Director John Evershed, discovered the phenomenon of radial motion in sunspots, now known as the Evershed effect. The Kodaikanal Terrestrial Telescope can view a grand panorama including: Sothupparai Dam, Vaigai Dam, Periyakulam and Varaha river. This Indian Institute of Astrophysics facility has a comprehensive Astronomical Science museum with organized public tours, access to the astronomy library, and scheduled night-time telescopic sky viewing. It is open daily to the public during peak season, and a few hours each Friday the rest of the year.
Pillar Rocks, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the bus-stand, is a set of three giant rock pillars which stand 122 metres (400 ft) high. Managed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, The viewpoint can be crowded but is not commercialized. There is an excellent public garden adjacent to the viewpoint.
Guna caves, made popular by the Tamil movie Guna, previously called Devil’s Kitchen, are deep bat-infested chambers between the three gigantic boulders that are the Pillar Rocks. The deep narrow ravines of the caves are now closed to public due to the tragic deaths of twelve youths there. These dangerous caves are highly protected now, and tourists can see sections of the cave system from afar.
Silver Cascade, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Kodaikanal at a wide bend in the long and winding Laws Ghat Road, at altitude 1,800 metres (5,900 ft), is a 55-metre (180 ft) waterfall formed from the outflow of Kodaikanal Lake. The water quality is reportedly poor and not good enough for bathing. This impressive waterfall is a popular stop for first-time visitors. There are a few souvenir and fruit vendors and many monkeys here. There is also a smaller but more serene waterfall below the bridge which crosses the stream here.
Dolphin's Nose, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the bus stand, is flat rock projecting over a breathtaking chasm 6,600 metres (21,700 ft) deep. It is an undisturbed area 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) down a very steep rocky trail beginning soon after Pambar Bridge. Orange juice vendors along the trail offer a welcome rest stop. Beautiful views of steep rocky escarpments rising from the plains can be seen. The old village of Vellagavi can be reached through a rugged bridle path here. A short paved walkway leads from the road here to Pambar falls (which is also locally addressed as 'Liril Falls' after the famous Liril Soap Advertisement filming in 1985).
Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the bus-stand, is famous for its Kurinji flower which blossoms in the area only once every 12 years. The deity here is called Sri Kurinji Easwaran, who is in fact Lord Murugan. This temple was built in 1936 by a European lady, who on coming to Celon, converted to Hinduism.She changed her name to Leelavathi and married Mr.Ponnambalam Ramanathan. She is also known as Lady Ramanathan. This temple was handed over to Arulmighu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thiru Kovil, Palani by Mrs Devi Prasad Bhaskaran(also known as Padmini, niece and adopted daughter of Mr S Natesan Pillai, son in-law of Lady Ramanathan) and her husband Dr R. Bhaskaran.
MUNNAR
The population of Udumalpettai is 1 lakh, and the water for drinking purposes were taken from the Reservoir called Thirumurthi. The Thirumurthy and the Amaravathy dams are situated south of the Udumalpet. These are also tourist places in Udumalpet which adds charm to the city. The tourist place called Thirumurthi hills, which is located 21 kms from Udumalpet. There are many temples in this city and also the nearby places. The other tourist places are Swimming Pool, a Boat house and Crocodile farm are situated near Sainik School of South. There are large numbers of Industries in Udumalpet so called as industrial town. The Industries like paper, textile industries are flourishing. Agricultural fields are also developing faster here and especially cotton. So, there is an name for Udumalpet called as Cotton town.
The city was previously under Coimbatore district but was moved under the newly formed Tirupur district in October 2008. The change was opposed by many of the residents but it was not reverted back. In short known as Udumalai, the city is surrounded by the high mountains of Western Ghats on three sides.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census, in Udumalaipettai, there are 14,889 households. The total population is 59,668 with 29,330 males and 30,338 females. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Udumalaipettai has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 77%. Interestingly, 8% of the population is under 6 years of age. The town is known for its moderate climate ( Max 36 degree - Min 15 Degree), cultured people, good food and good water from Thirumoorthy Hills.
Education
Udumalpet is well known for its schools and educational institutes. There are about eleven higher secondary schools and three colleges. The Government Higher Secondary School was established during British rule and is a model for best performing schools in the government sector. The only Sainik School of Tamil Nadu is located at Amaravathinagar which is 21 km from Udumalpet. Other schools in the town are Sri Kanniga Parameswari higher secondary school, Srinivasa Vidhyalaya, RGMHSS, Stella Maris and a few others. Over the years, schools in Udumalpet have consistently produced students who have scored top ranks in State examinations.
The colleges in the town include Government Arts College, which is a state funded college, Sri GVG Visalakhi College founded by late Sri G.V.Govindasamy Naidu is one of the renowned women's college in the area and the privately owned Vidhysagar College of Arts and Science located on the National Highway 209. Rudhraveni Muthusamy Polytechnic is one of the famous polytechnics in the area which provides technical education. Its located between palani and udumalpet NH 209.
Notable people
Udumalai Narayana Kavi, a renowned poet was from this town.
Tourism and natural beauty
Thirumurthy temple
A drive from Udumalpet to Munnar gives one unforgettable views of the Western Ghats. Chinnar is 25 km from Udumalpet and is home to the Indra Gandhi wildlife sanctuary which is famous for known for the elephants that inhabit the area. Chinnar is also the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. As you cross the Tamil Nadu border and enter Kerala, you can see a distinct change in the vegetation. While the Tamil Nadu areas have vegetation dominated by shrubs and thorny trees, the vegetation in Kerala is lush green with tall trees. Marayur is 20 km from Chinnar, famous for its sandalwood forests which often fall prey to poachers.
As you drive past Marayur towards Munnar, you can see Anamudi, the highest mountain peak in south part of India to your right. This area also houses the Eravikulam National Park famous for its population of the Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat. This area offers abundant scope for mountain trekking. On the trekking route to the Anamudi peak, you can see a Trout farm. The rest of the drive towards Munnar is through neatly manicured tea estates owned by Tata Tea Ltd and Waterfall Estate. The landscape is also dotted by tea factories and labour lines.
There is also a trekking route from Amaravathi Dam to Kodaikanal which is frequented by the students of the Amaravathi Sainik School. The villages surrounding Udumalpet are well known for their beauty. Villages are criss-crossed by Amaravathi River and various irrigation canals. Coconut tree farms are common sight and this area is one of the leading producer of coconuts in the region. The countryside is a popular film shooting spot, providing scenic backgrounds and greenery. Thirumoorthy hills houses a beautiful dam which is a very famous shooting spot for Tamil movies and Malayalam movies.
Thirumoorthy Hills
Thirumoorthy Hills form a part of the Anamalai range of the Western Ghats. It consists of 3 places of interest – Thirumoorthy Temple, Panjalinga Falls, and Thirumoorthy Dam.
Legend says that a few thousand years ago, sage Athari Maharishi along with his wife Anushiya Devi lived here. Moved by their prayer, Lord Shiva along with Brahma and Vishnu (3 moorthis or Thirumoorthy) came in disguise to test their devotion. Overwhelmed by their appearance the couple offered them their tribute.
The 3 moorthis refused to accept their offerings as such and demanded that Anushiya Devi should make the offering in nudity. She accepted their demand, and with the power of her devotion, she changed the 3 moorthis into babies and fed them. On seeing the devotion of Anushiya Devi, the 3 moorthis blessed the couple and so the place gets its name. There is an old temple here on the foothill.
One has to climb around 2-3 km to reach the Panjalinga Falls, but it’s worth the climb as the water there is fabulous, but only during the winter and rainy months the falls will be in full force.
Thirumoorthy Dam is a nice place for a one-day outing from Coimbatore. It has boating, a nice place to have your lunch (of course, you should pack your lunch as there are no good hotels out there), and the drive there is ultimate. From Coimbatore, you can either go to Udumalpet and go from there or take my favorite, the more interior and scenic route that goes through the villages. The drive is simply great with the whole route surrounded by sunflower gardens, coconut groves, and paddy fields.
PALANI
Palani which was located near udumalpet.,has been mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature as "Podhini", which came to be called as Palani later.
The temple was believed to be constructed by Cheraman Perumal – A king of the chera dynasty. There is an interesting story about it. When the king was touring the Palani hills, Lord Murugan came and gave a darshan in his dream. He instructed the king to rebuild the hill temple. The Chera King went up the hill and really found the idol of Murugan. He with all devotion rebuilt the present temple.
Next came Cholas and Pandyas; they also expanded the small temple by adding mandapams and gopurams between 8th and 13th centuries. The Nayaka kings did their part by adding beautiful sculptures.
There is also mention about Palani temple in Sangam Literature where it is called as ‘Podhini’. The book is ‘Thirumurugattrupadai’. The poems refer Palani as the third Padai Veedu of Murugan in his fights against the Asuras.
Arunagirinathar makes mention about Palani and Murugan in his ‘Thiruppugazh’.
The story of ‘Pazham nee’, Idumban and Kavadi tradition are found in Sthalapuranam which explains the puranic references.
Sculptural beauty
Tamilnadu is famous for sculpture and paintings in temples. Palani temples, which were close to the hearts of various dynasties of Kings, have its own beautiful pieces.
At the entrance near the Rajagopuram one cannot miss the amazing pieces of two ladies: one standing with her child and another standing in front of her. In the front mandapam we can see deer, parrot, rishis in tapas and pillars with ‘Yalli’- an animal with the face of dragaon and body of a lion. The ‘Karpaga Vruksham’-A tree which gives everything one wants- is carved in the walls of the mandapam. In Thiru Aavinan Kudi and Periyanayaki Amman temple we can see similar beauties in pillars and walls. In the Navaranga Mandapam the dancing posture of Lord Siva and Goddess Kali attract everybody.
The paintings of Nayaka period: The paintings with postures of singers, artists and dancers are available in the walls of the Periyanayaki Amman temple.
This temple is situated in Palani Town and a Taluk in Dindigul District. It is an ancient and very big temple getting a large income among all the temples in TamilNadu. This temple is one among the six Padaiveedus (abode) of Lord Muruga.that is the third Padaiveedu namely Arulmigu Thiruvaavinankudi temple which is one of the subtemples of this temple. Many "Siddhas" are said to have lived in this region. The idol of Palani Andavar is said to have been made of "Navapashanam" by Siddhar Bogar. Thai Poosam and Panguni Uthiram are very famous festivals and a large number of devotees are coming here for those festivals. 38 sub-temples are attached with this temple. It belongs to 9th century and the king namely Cheraman Peruman constructed this temple. As per the historical records the main Deity Arulmigu Palaniandavar idol is consisted of Navapashanam, ie a combination of 9 poisonous herbals mixed in a proportion to give a high medicinal power to cure the diseases of immunity and it was designed and made up by a siddar named Bohar.
The Thiruvaavinankudi temple (Adhi) is said to be the temple in Adivaram. Lord muruga, stayed for a while and went up the hill. so both the hill temple and Thiruvaavinankudi are considered to be the places of sancity.
Height of the Hill Temple : 150 M
Total no. of Steps : 693
Direction the Temple : Towards WEST
Pragaram around the Hill(Giriveethi) : 2.4 KM
Kodaikanal which is near to udumalpet., famous well known tourist place.Kodaikanal has several scenic natural attractions which are enjoyed by its visitors and make it a popular romantic destination for newlyweds. These are described in order of distance from the bus-stand.
Kodaikanal Lake, 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bus stand, is an artificial, roughly star-shaped 45 ha (60 acres) lake built in 1863. It is recognized as Kodaikanal's most popular geographic landmark and tourist attraction. Rowboats and pedalos can be hired at the Kodaikanal Boat Club with its main entrance near the only five-star hotel in Kodaikanal, The Carlton. Horses and bicycles can be hired beside the lake for short periods. The 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) path that skirts the periphery of this lovely lake is a favourite walk for the locals and tourists alike.
Bryant Park: Just east of the lake and 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bus stand, is a wonderfully maintained 20.5 acres (8.3 ha) botanical garden. The park was planned and built in 1908 by a forest officer from Madurai, H.D.Bryant, and named after him. With 325 species of trees, shrubs and cactuses, the park is a rainbow of stunning flowers during the peak season.
A large section is dedicated to nearly 740 varieties of roses. There is a 1857 Eucalyptus
tree and a Bodhi
religious significance
to the park.
Ornamental plants
are cultivated in a
nursery for sale.
The park organizes
horticultural exhibits
and flower shows every
summer, to coincide with
the peak season.
Entrance fee to the park is nominal and it is open all year.
Coaker's Walk, 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bus-stand, constructed by Lt.Coaker in 1872, is a 1-kilometre (3,300 ft) paved pedestrian path running along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai. The walk, winding around Mount Nebo, starts in front of the Van Allen hospital, running parallel to the Van Allen Hospital Road and joins the main road beside St.Peter's Church, providing a stunning panoramic view of the plains. On a clear day one can view as far as Dolphin's Nose in the south, the valley of the Pambar River in the southeast, Periyakulam town and even the city of Madurai. A fascinating rare phenomenon called Brocken spectre can be witnessed, when a person can see his shadow on the clouds with a rainbow halo. This occurs when the sun is behind the viewer and clouds and mist are to the front. There is an observatory with a telescope halfway along the walk. Entrance fee to the walkway is nominal and it is open all year.
Bear Shola Falls, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the bus-stand, is a tall waterfall in a Reserve forest. The final approach to this quiet area is a gently climbing foot-path.
Green Valley View, (formerly called Suicide Point) 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) from the bus-stand and near the golf course, has an excellent panoramic view of the plains and a sheer drop of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) overlooking the Vaigai Dam to the south. The stairway leading up to it is highly commercialized and lined with rows of shops to tempt tourists.
Pine forests, In 1906, with a view to growing valuable timber, Mr. Bryant started the Kodaikanal pine plantations in the south-west of Kodaikanal.
Shembaganur Museum of Natural History, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand, founded in 1895, is open to the public (except Tuesdays) for viewing their outstanding taxidermy collection of more than 500 species of animals, birds and insects and a living collection of over 300 exotic orchid species. The museum is affiliated with Loyola College in Chennai and exhibits artifacts of the ancient Palaiyar tribes people whose descendants still live in these hills.
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand on Observatory Road, at 2,343 metres (7,687 ft) is the highest location near Kodai. The first observations were commenced here in 1901. Former Director John Evershed, discovered the phenomenon of radial motion in sunspots, now known as the Evershed effect. The Kodaikanal Terrestrial Telescope can view a grand panorama including: Sothupparai Dam, Vaigai Dam, Periyakulam and Varaha river. This Indian Institute of Astrophysics facility has a comprehensive Astronomical Science museum with organized public tours, access to the astronomy library, and scheduled night-time telescopic sky viewing. It is open daily to the public during peak season, and a few hours each Friday the rest of the year.
Pillar Rocks, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the bus-stand, is a set of three giant rock pillars which stand 122 metres (400 ft) high. Managed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, The viewpoint can be crowded but is not commercialized. There is an excellent public garden adjacent to the viewpoint.
Guna caves, made popular by the Tamil movie Guna, previously called Devil’s Kitchen, are deep bat-infested chambers between the three gigantic boulders that are the Pillar Rocks. The deep narrow ravines of the caves are now closed to public due to the tragic deaths of twelve youths there. These dangerous caves are highly protected now, and tourists can see sections of the cave system from afar.
Silver Cascade, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Kodaikanal at a wide bend in the long and winding Laws Ghat Road, at altitude 1,800 metres (5,900 ft), is a 55-metre (180 ft) waterfall formed from the outflow of Kodaikanal Lake. The water quality is reportedly poor and not good enough for bathing. This impressive waterfall is a popular stop for first-time visitors. There are a few souvenir and fruit vendors and many monkeys here. There is also a smaller but more serene waterfall below the bridge which crosses the stream here.
Dolphin's Nose, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the bus stand, is flat rock projecting over a breathtaking chasm 6,600 metres (21,700 ft) deep. It is an undisturbed area 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) down a very steep rocky trail beginning soon after Pambar Bridge. Orange juice vendors along the trail offer a welcome rest stop. Beautiful views of steep rocky escarpments rising from the plains can be seen. The old village of Vellagavi can be reached through a rugged bridle path here. A short paved walkway leads from the road here to Pambar falls (which is also locally addressed as 'Liril Falls' after the famous Liril Soap Advertisement filming in 1985).
Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the bus-stand, is famous for its Kurinji flower which blossoms in the area only once every 12 years. The deity here is called Sri Kurinji Easwaran, who is in fact Lord Murugan. This temple was built in 1936 by a European lady, who on coming to Celon, converted to Hinduism.She changed her name to Leelavathi and married Mr.Ponnambalam Ramanathan. She is also known as Lady Ramanathan. This temple was handed over to Arulmighu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thiru Kovil, Palani by Mrs Devi Prasad Bhaskaran(also known as Padmini, niece and adopted daughter of Mr S Natesan Pillai, son in-law of Lady Ramanathan) and her husband Dr R. Bhaskaran.
MUNNAR
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