OOTY
It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. Nilgiris means "Blue Mountains". It is a land of picturesque picnic spots. Used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the Britishers during the colonial days. An added attraction for the tourists to Udagamandalam is the mountain train journey on a ratchet and pinion track which commences from Kallar, near Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair-raising curves and fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens.
This is the highest point in nilgris Located at a distance of 8 km from ooty. In nilgris plateau this peak point runs north- south. A very high location, whose height is about 2636 m. There are three more hills along with Dodda-Betta, whose names are needed to be mentioned because, the impressive udagamandalam valley is seen as these four mountains unite among themselves. Their names are the snowdown hill, the club hill and the elk hill.
The Ooty Lake is the pride of the Blue Hills. It is the central and strategic attraction. Mr. John Sullivan formed this artificial lake in the year 1824, the then Collector of Coimbatore. The Ooty lake which extends to an area of 65 acres. Earlier the entire lake was used for fishing. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation on behalf of the Tourism Department took the possession of the lake for pleasure boating facilities in the year 1973. Another added attraction of the Ooty lake is the Mini Train and an amusement park.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was built by the British in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division. In July 2005, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the site then became known as "Mountain Railways of India." after it satisfied the necessary criteria, thus forcing abandonment of the modernisation plans. For the past several years diesel locomotives have taken over from steam on the section between Coonoor and Udhagamandalam. Local people and tourists have led a demand for steam locos to once again haul this section.
Udhagamandalam, which is the Head Quarters of the district, is the largest and most important hill station in south India. This principle station on the Nilgiris is at an elevation of 2286 meters and situated at the center of the district. It is an extensive valley enclosed on all sides but the west by a lofty range of hills. The name of the ooty or Ootacamand was first mentioned in about 1821 in the Madras Gazette which was then spelt as "Wotokymund" by an anonymous correspondent who was one among the Europeans to set an eye on Ootacamand. It is also fondly called the Queen of Hill Stations.
Cairn Hill
Situated at a distance of 3 km form the avalanche hills. The dense cypress tree in this place makes it important. A very nice picnic spot to visit. Withstanding many natural calamites like Earthquakes, cyclones and Heavy rainfalls this small But Beautiful place still survives which calls us every now and then to visit.
Dodda-Betta
This is the highest point in nilgris Located at a distance of 8 km from ooty. In nilgris plateau this peak point runs north- south. A very high location, whose height is about 2636 m. There are three more hills along with Dodda-Betta, whose names are needed to be mentioned because, the impressive udagamandalam valley is seen as these four mountains unite among themselves. Their names are the snowdown hill, the club hill and the elk hill.Glen morgen
This spot is located at a distance of 17 km from ooty. An important place with thick forests. More varieties of trees are seen over here. Some important species helpful to mankind are also found here. An Electricity Board operates here. But, due to thick forests and perils of wild animals, the staff of that electricity board use to travel in a winch to reach the power house. The Distance between this electricity board and powerhouse is some four kilometers. But all over the way we could enjoy watching the undisturbed wild habitat and green trees.
Tiger Hill
A Beautiful hill located to the east of udagamandalam. That too is at the lower bend of Dodda-Betta peak. Mountain Trekking is a is an excellent thing to be done to reach the spot actually for about 3 km. up the hill, A drinking water reservoir is seen. A closed cave is seen at the upper parts of this Hill. The reasons behind this closed cave will take us to some legends.
Government Botanical Garden:
The garden was laid out in 1847 by the Marquis of Tweedale, then the Governor of Madras and is spread over 22 hectares ascending the slopes on the hill at an elevation of 2,400 - 2,500 mts. above MSL. Lush green well maintained lawns, rare trees species (like the cork tree which is probably the only such tree in India, the paper bark tree and the monkey puzzle tree-monkey cannot climb this tree.), a 20 million year old fossilized tree, an Italian - style garden bordering, a clear pool, a vast variety of flowering bushes and plants , fern house with a vast range ferns and orchids are some of the highlights of this garden. A flower show along with an exhibition of rare plant species is held every year in the month of May at this garden.
The garden is divided into six different sections:
1. Lower Garden
2. New Garden
3. Italian Garden
4. Conservatory
5. Fountain Terrace
6. Nurseries
The Ooty Lake is the pride of the Blue Hills. It is the central and strategic attraction. Mr. John Sullivan formed this artificial lake in the year 1824, the then Collector of Coimbatore. The Ooty lake which extends to an area of 65 acres. Earlier the entire lake was used for fishing. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation on behalf of the Tourism Department took the possession of the lake for pleasure boating facilities in the year 1973. Another added attraction of the Ooty lake is the Mini Train and an amusement park.Ooty Palaces
Ooty is not only a place of green things and beautiful flowers. But also a Tourist spot with extraordinary architectural heights. Various rulers of Tamilnadu have built many palaces which were used by them as their summer resorts. Mainly the palaces seen here were Built By Kings of mysore, vadodara , jothpur and Hydrebad. Out of many palaces the Arronmore Place of Jothpur province was sold to madras Government after independence.
The name of that place is been changed as Thamizhagam and it is been used as the government Guest house.The king of Jodhpur built another palace called as Awnandale. It is still maintained and is in a good condition.The erstwhile maharaj of mysore, constructed a Beautiful palace in a swiss chalet style called fernhill palace in the year 1842. Now this palace is converted to a posh star hotel impressing the tourists. Also Baroda palace and elk hill house are some examples for sculptural beauties in udagamandalam.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was built by the British in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division. In July 2005, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the site then became known as "Mountain Railways of India." after it satisfied the necessary criteria, thus forcing abandonment of the modernisation plans. For the past several years diesel locomotives have taken over from steam on the section between Coonoor and Udhagamandalam. Local people and tourists have led a demand for steam locos to once again haul this section.
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