Ootacamund is in Southern India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a popular hill station in the Nilgiri Hills. The weather here is quite pleasant. It is around 15-20 degree Celsius all year round. In winter, it drops to 0 degree c. It attracts the tourists for its natural beauty.
The Government Rose Garden
This garden is full of greenery and is well-maintained. Every year in May a flower show and an exhibition of rose plants is held at this garden. The garden has a number of indigenous as well as exotic plants and a fossilized tree which is 20 million years old.
Ooty Lake
Ooty Lake is another attraction for tourists. It occupies a vast area. The lake also has boating facilities, which the tourist enjoy a lot. The lake has a number of Eucalyptus trees and a railway line running along one bank. Boat races and boat pageantry take place at the lake for two days in the month of May.
Stone House
This was the first house to be constructed in Ooty. The tribals called it Kal Bangala. It is now the residence of the principal of the Government Arts College.
Toda Huts
Toda tribals lived in old Ooty. That area is known as Kandal Mund. Their huts are on the hills above the botanical gardens.
Ooty Mountain Railway
This mountain railway was built in 1908 by the British. It has steam locomotive. It was added by UNESCO in 2005 to the World Heritage Site. Presently the locomotives run on diesel. They ply between Coonoor and Ooty.
St Stephen’s Church
This church is one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiri district. It is located on the road to Mysore in Ooty. This is a 19th century church. The architect of this church was John James Underwood.
Wax World
It is in a 142 year old bungalow. It has life-size wax statues of personalities of Indian history, culture and heritage.
Places Around Ooty
Doddabetta Peak
This peak is about 10 kilometers from Ooty. It is the highest peak in the Nilgiri’s. It stands at 2623 meters above sea level. The peak is amidst beautiful scenes of the Nilgiri Hill Ranges. It is surrounded by dense forest. The tourists can get a paranoiac view of Ooty’s landscape using the telescope provided by the TTDC. You will also find restaurants which cater to the needs of the tourists.
Pykara River
This is a sacred river of the Todas. It is 19 kilometers from Ooty. The river descends from the Mukurt peak and passes through the hilly regions. It turns from north to west on touching the Plateau’s edge. The river has awesome falls known as Pykara Falls. The tourists will find a rest house at Pykara. There is a boat house, a damn and a power house. Pykara has grassy meadows, Toda settlements and is well protected by Sholas.
Mudumalai National Park
This park is a tiger reserve. It is on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills also known as the Blue Mountains. This wildlife sanctuary is the first one to be established in India. It is divided into five ranges. In the park, many armies one can spot leopards, Bengal tigers, endangered Indian elephant, gaur, chital and many other species. This sanctuary has hundreds of birds. The tourists can also visit Emerald, Lake Avalanche Lake, Frog Hill viewpoint and the Needle Hill viewpoint.
Ooty Golf Course
The golf course is in the town of Ooty, at an altitude of 7200 feet. It is an 18-hole golf course. It was formed in 1891. The golf course is surrounded by thick forests. You will see trees like rhododendron, oak, eucalyptus and fir, which give the golf course a scenic view.
Mariamman Temple
This temple is near Ooty market. It is dedicated to the Goddess of rain. Every Tuesday the locals go to worship Goddess Mariamman. The temple holds a festival in April. During this festival, the devotees walk over burning coal. This is a way to show their devotion to the Goddess. They offer lamps made from grounded rice to the Goddess.
Coonoor can be visited from Ooty. It is also a small hill station about 17 kilometers Fromm Ooty. Coonoor was used as a backdrop of the American film ‘A Passage to India’ by David Lean.
The tourists can go to Red Hills at a distance of 28 kilometers from Ooty. It has eight enchanting lakes.
In Ooty, you will find shops that are full of natural products. You can purchase aromatic tea, eucalyptus oil, delicious forest honey and fresh fruits. You can buy embroidered articles, silver jewelry as souvenirs for your loved ones and friends. These handcrafted things are the work of the members of the Toda Community.
Accommodation is easily available in Ooty. There are a number of hotels of all grades.
Ooty is hundred kilometers from Coimbatore Airport. A number of flights not only from India but also from other countries fly down to Coimbatore. By rail, the tourists can take the Nilgiri Express which leaves Chennai at night and reaches a town at the foothills of the Nilgiri’s in the morning. The tourist then take the Nilgiri Mountain Train.
As the train winds its way up the hill you can enjoy seeing the tea gardens, grasslands, dense forests and mountains. Do capture these enchanting moments on your camera. The journey takes about 5 1/2 hours, but it is worth it.
Buses ply from Ooty from all over India. Private taxis too are available from the Coimbatore Airport. I too had visited Ooty when I was 15 years of age. I enjoyed my trip with my parents a lot. Ooty and its surrounding towns are worth a visit. While writing this blog on Ooty, I could visualize my own trip. I had travelled by train and then from Coimbatore by a shared taxi. The very air around Ooty has the aroma of eucalyptus and of course near the tea estates the flavour of fresh tea.
