Ooty Hill Station-India
 Ootacamund, the queen of the hill stations of South India,
is situated in the Nilgiri's at an altitude of 2240 metres. Ooty
is known for its extraordinary scenic beauty and salubrious
climate amidst the "Nilgiri's" or "Blue Mountains".green
Udhagamandalam better known as Ooty is the most popular hill
station in the South.
Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiri's district
where the two ghats converge. Nature has been bounteous with this
region which is indeed the most beautiful in the region. Apart
from coffee and tea plantations, trees like conifers, eucalyptus,
pine and wattle embrace the hillside in Udhagamandalam and its
environs. Summer temperature is rarely higher than 25°c with
a minimum of 10°c and winter is are distinctly cooler with a
high of 21°c and a low 5°c.
Ooty, the Queen be seated in this heavenly abode remained
undiscovered to the great southern dynasties and it took the
British to explore it in the early 1800s. They were, however, not
the first friends of this land as a tribe called Todas had been
living there long before the British came, claiming that the
Nilgiri's had been their home since time immemorial. The British
constructed the first railway line in the area and made it the
summer capital of the Chennai Presidency.
Places to see
Botanical Garden : A
spectra of regionally exclusive and ornamental plants adorn this
garden which is the venue for the Flower Show held in May every
year. There is a fossil tree trunk 20 million years old in the
midst of the garden.
St. Stephen's Church : The St. Stephen's Church, located
on the Mysore road, near the Collectorate, is one of the oldest
churches in the Nilgiris. It dates back to the days of Rt.
Hon'ble Stephen Rumbold Lushington, the then Governor of Madras,
who keenly felt the need for a cathedral exclusively for the
British, in Ooty. He laid the foundation for the church on April
23, 1829, to coincide with the birthday of King George IV. The
church has a fine pew with a raised chancel. There are
stained-glass painting on the Eastern side as well as behind the
chancel. The glass paintings depict Mary holding baby Jesus in
her arms and the crucifixion of Christ among others. On the
Western wall, above the paneled doorways, is a large life-like
painting of the Last Supper.
Upper Bhavani : 10 Km/6 Mile from Korakundah and about 20
Kms/12 Mile from Avalanchi. Some of the best sholas like the Thar
Shola lies enroute. The area is a rich and undisturbed wildlife
habitat. From Bangithappal via Sispara one can trek to Silent
Valley.
Doddabetta : It is the highest peak (2623 meters) in the
Nilgiri's and is 10 kms/6.2 Mile from Ooty. It lies at the
junction of Western & Eastern Ghats and offer beautiful vistas of
the Nilgiri Hills ranges. There is a telescope house run by
TTDC.
Elk Hills :A vast array and uninterrupted view of Ooty and
the Lovedale Valley, from here overwhelms the beholder!
How to reach :
By Air : The nearest airport is
Coimbatore(100 Km/62 mile) which is connected to Chennai, Mumbai
and Bangalore.
By Rail : Ooty is connected by good motorable road to
Chennai and Coimbatore. There are regular bus services connecting
Ooty to Coimbatore, Trichy, Bangalore, Madurai, Kanniya Kumari,
Mysore, Palghat, Calicut and Tirupati.
By Road : Ooty on the narrow gauge railway is connected to
Mettupalayam which is directly connected to Coimbatore and
Chennai.
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