Nilgiri, Tamilnadu

General Information

Area : (District Area): 2,459-sq-kms

Population : (district): 7,10,210 (1991 Census)

Altitude : 2,280 and 2,290 metres

Clothing : Heavy woollen in winter and light woollen in summer

Languages : Spoken: Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and English

Temperature : Summer- Max 25ºC, Min 10ºC, Winter- Max 21ºC, Min 5ºC

Rainfall : 1,960 mm

Nilgoris - Introduction

High above the sea level, situated at the junction of the two ghat ranges of the Sahayadri Hills, Nilgiri district provides a fascinating view. Kerala on the west, the Mysore State on the north, and Coimbatore district on the east and south bound it. Headquarters of Nilgiris district is Udhagamandalam (also called as Ooty).Nilgiri means "Blue Mountains". The entire area of the Blue Mountains constitutes the present district of Nilgiri. The height of the hills in the Blue Mountain range varies between 2,280 and 2,290 metres, the highest peak being Doddabetta at a height of 2,623 metres.

Nilgiris derives its charm from its natural setting. The steep hills and fantastically narrow valleys with numerous rivers and rivulets running in all directions with a few fine waterfalls here and there provide beautiful scenery. The temperate and most equable climate further heightens the attractiveness of the place. The major tea growing areas in the South are the Nilgiris and these tea gardens are beautiful to watch.

Accessibility

By Air : Coimbatore, 105-km from Ooty, is the nearest airport. It has daily flights to and from Chennai, Bangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum.

By Train : Ooty is on the narrow gauge railway connected to Mettupalayam (47-km), which is directly connected to Coimbatore and Chennai. The famous toy train connects Ooty with Mettupalayam and Coonoor.

By Road : A good network of roads and national highways connect Ooty with all major towns and cities. There are regular bus services to and from Coimbatore, Trichy, Bangalore, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Mysore, Palghat, Calicut, Tirupati and other important destinations in South India. Ooty is also well connected with major cities of Kerala and Karnataka.

Places to Visit

Wildlife Sanctuary : The Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary is located where the Nilgiri Hills, the offshoot of the Western Ghats meet the Eastern Ghats. The Mysore-Ooty highway runs through the sanctuary, following the course of the Mayyar River, which separates Mudumalai from Bandipur.This 321-sq-kms wide sanctuary encompasses a National Park measuring an area of 103-sq-kms. The sanctuary has varied mixture of flat land, open grassland, swamp and valleys. Apart from the wide range of animal and bird life, the rich fauna of this sanctuary has made Mudumalai very popular with wildlife enthusiasts.

Kodanad Viewpoint : Kodanad Viewpoint located at a distance of 16-km from Kotagiri commands a panoramic view of the plains and the eastern slopes of the Nilgiris.

The Mukkurthi Peak and National Park : About 40-km from Ooty there is a beautiful peak called "Mukkurthi". The Mukkurthi National Park is located on the Southern corner of the Nilgiri Plateau. The Kollaribetta and Nilgiris Peak are other major peaks around. A number of little perennial streams flow between these peaks, which fall into Bhavani Puzha. Silent Valley is located on the Western side in the Western Ghat, which is a feast to the visitor's eye.

Hill Station in Tamilnadu

General Information :

Area : 130,058 sqkm

Population : 55 million

Capital :Chennai

Language : Tamil

Introduction :

Perched in the Southern most part of Indian Peninsula, the state of Tamil Nadu is situated between Bay of Bengal in the east and Indian Ocean in the south. Tamilnadu is a state that is blessed with all the geographical landforms ranging from beaches like Marina beach, Kanyakumari beach and hill stations like Ooty, Kodaikanal to rain forests and plains. The state is so naturally beautiful that it seems that God himself has handpicked the most splendid spots and assembled them to make this enchanting state of Tamilnadu.In the west by the states of Kerala and Karnataka and in the North by the Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The land mass of the state can be divided into two natural divisions,
(1) The Eastern coastal plain
(2) The hilly region along the North and the West

A stroll through the clouds afloat, collect a handful of natural pleasure as a memoir, open the hands and they dissolve into oblivion. This pleasurable dream is not impossible on a hill station with the pleasant climate. With their dreamy and rejuvenating atmospheres, Ooty on the Nilgiri's and Kodaikanal on the Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu are two favorite tourist spots.

Nilgiri (meaning 'blue mountain') hills at the concurrence of the Eastern and Western Ghats are enveloped by the blue haze of the clouds, making the name worthwhile. Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Coonoor and Kotagiri hill stations are on the Nilgiri's. Amongst these, Ooty is known as the 'Queen of hill stations'.