HOME
 Ooty Rameshwaram Travel |
Ooty Travel
Udhagamandalam
(Ooty), the capital of Nilgiri district, is popularly known as the "Queen
of hill stations' among the tourist circuits. It is situated at a distance
of 105 km away from Coimbatore. The height of the hills in the Nilgiri range
varies between 2280 and 2290 metres, the highest peak being Doddabetta at a
height of 2623 metres.
History Of This Beautiful Hill Resort
It is believed that the name Nila, has been in use for over 800 years
since, the King of the Hoysalas Vishnu Vardhana, who ruled from 1104 to 1141
AD seized the Nilgiris Plateau. His general Ponisia recorded this fact in
1117 AD with mention of Todas. The name Nilgiri was due to the blue haze,
which envelops the range with most distant hills of considerable size.
This Nilgiri territory came into possession of the East India Company as
part of the ceded lands, held by Tipu Sultan, by the treaty of
Srirangapatnam in 1799. Rev. Jacome Forico, a priest was the first European
who visited Nilgiris in 1603 and released his notes about the place and
people of Nilgiris. In 1812 surveyor William Keys and Macmohan visited the
top of the plateau.
In 1818, Wishand Kindersley, Assistant and Second Assistant to Collector of
Coimbatore visited this spot and submitted their experience report to the
Collector of Coimbatore Mr. John Sullivan. Settlement in Udhagamandalam
began in 1822 with the construction of the Stone House by John Sullivan, the
then Collector of Coimbatore. The bungalow, which is locally called "Kal
Bangla", is one of the landmarks of Udhagamandalam and is now the
Chamber of the Principal of the Government Arts College.
The Tea
The establishment of numerous tea estates made Ooty famous. Lofty
mountains, dense forest, sprawling grasslands and miles and miles of tea
gardens greet the passengers on most routes. The annual Tea and Tourism
Festival attracts crowds in huge numbers. Visit Ooty during this festival,
when tea lovers from all over the world converge. An occasion not to be
missed! Visit Indian Hillstations
Prime Attractions :
Botanical Gardens - Botanical gardens are a major tourist
attraction for those who visit Ooty, one of the most popular hill stations
of India. They sprawl over 50-acre and lie on the lower slopes of Doddabetta
peak, which is the highest point in Ooty. Marquis of Tweeddale established
these gardens in the year 1848.
The gardens are formally laid out with lily ponds, and there are clipped
bushes in the form of elephants, with raised trunks. One can find a thousand
different species of plants including some thirty types of eucalyptus in
these gardens. There is also a fossilised tree trunk, which is said to be 20
million years old. Towards the eastern part of the garden there is a wooden
house made of logs known as "Toda Mund", which provides an
excellent view.
Ooty Lake - About 1-km distance there is an artificial
lake with a charming look, which was formed in 1824 by Mr. John Sullivan,
the then Collector of Coimbatore.
Doddabetta - Doddabetta is the highest peak (2623 meters)
in the Nilgiris, which is about 10-km from Ooty. It is a beautiful place
lying between the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats and offers a
beautiful view of the Nilgiri hill ranges. It is surrounded by dense Sholas.
Deer Park - At a distance of 1-km from the Lake there is
a Deer Park, which is worth visiting.
How to get there ?
Air - Coimbatore, 105 km from Ooty, is the nearest
airport.
Rail - 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.
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.
Entertainment
in Ooty :
Trekking - The Nilgiris are a trekker's paradise.
Landscaped by nature, the hills abound in trek for lovers of nature. There
are treks and treks in whichever direction you turn and from whichever point
you start. A trek can be full of thrill, excitement and adventure and a way
of seeing and enjoying nature in all its beauty and splendour.
Udhagamandalam (Ooty) offers several trek routes, which vary in distance,
altitudes and terrain. There is a base camp at Parsons valley, from where
one can start trekking to various points within Western Ghats. The down
hills of Western Ghats on the North ends up with meeting the extensions of
Eastern Ghats, where the sprawling Mudumalai Sanctuary lies which opens
vistas for adventure tourists.
Trekking pamphlets are available with the Nilgiri Wildlife and Environment
Association (NWLEA). There are guides who have sound knowledge of certain
areas. If necessary, their services may be hired. And for further details
contact the Tourist Information Office at Charring Cross, Ooty.
Hang-Gliding - Hang-glidng courses are also organised
during March to May every year, with the assistance of the Department of
Tourism. Contact the Tourist Officer, Ooty for assistance.
Angling - Goad Trout, Carp and mixed water fishing is
possible in various streams and lakes of Ooty. The Assistance Director of
Fisheries issues the fishing licence.
Rameshwaram Travel
Rameshwaram
(also spelt as Rameswaram) is a pilgrimage centre of nationwide importance,
as Rama is said to have worshipped Shiva here on his way back from SriLanka.
The temple is in the island of Rameshwaram, the Banares of the South ,
connected to the mainland by a bridge. The deity here constitutes one of the
12 Jyotirlingas of India.
The Sacred Pilgrimage To Rameshwaram :
A pilgrimage to Rameshwaram is among the important injunctions laid on the
Hindu from time immemorial. The great temple of Sri Ramanatha is connected
by tradition with Kashi. A pilgrimage to Kashi is not considered complete
without a pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. In olden days groups of pilgrims, many
of them quite old, walked huge distances to the two temples, taking months
and years, and some failing to survive the rigours and dangers of such
incredibly long journeys. Men and women knew this cost might be exacted of
them, but they repaid it cheerfully.
The Rameshwaram pilgrimage has long been a tradition in South India,
particularly in Tamil Nadu, and has passed into folklore. Many kings of old
prided themselves on having planted columns of victory in
Rameshwaram-Krishna III the Rashtrakuta, in the 10th century; the Hoysala,
Vishnuvardhana, in the 12th century.
Temple Architecture - The
temple 264m east to west and 200m north to south, and with three Prakaras,
two big Gopuras and two more unfinished ones, faces east, a few metres from
the sea. It contains two Lingas under worship. There are innumerable other
shrines and twenty-two "Tirthas" (also spelt as Teerthas), or
sacred bathing places.
At the main eastern entrance stands a huge Gopura of nine storeys and 38.4m
high. The outermost, or third, corridor, 196m long and 120.4 wide, is one of
the achievements of the Hindu artist down the ages. There are about four
thousand pillars, each 3.7m high. All are located on a platform 1.5m high.
They look like an orderly, petrified forest.
A huge Nandi, 6.7m long and 5m high, stands beyond the second Prakara. It
is made of 'Sudai', a material used for sculptures on Gopuras. On either
side of it there are portraits of two of the Nayaks, Visvanatha and
Krishnappa.
The western Gopura is smaller than the eastern, but still impressive, being
24m high. On the northern and southern sides there are unfinished Gopuras.
Sethu - 5km south of the temple is Sethu, where there is
a celebrated temple of Sri Anjaneya, and where, tradition holds, Sri Rama
built a bridge to Sri Lanka. In Devipatnam, or Navapashanam, also by the
sea, there are nine stones visible at low tide. It is believed that they
were set up by Sri Rama to represent the nine planets, the Navagrahas.
How to get there ?
Air - The nearest airport is at Madurai, at a distance of
154-km.
Rail - Rameshwaram is well connected by trains from all
the major cities of India.
Road - State transport buses are available from the
railway station to the various places in and around Rameshwaram. For local
transportation taxis, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and tongas are
available. Also city bus service is available in the island.
