Ooty Tourism :- The Queen Of Hills

Ooty officially known as Udagamandalam is a town and a municipality in the Nilgiris district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 86 km north of Coimbatore is the headquarters of the Nilgiris district. It is a popular hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills. Local residents call it "Queen of Hills".

                                 Originally occupied by the Toda people, the area came under the rule of the East India Company at the end of the 18th century. The economy is based on tourism and agriculture, along with the manufacture of medicines and photographic film. The town is connected by the Nilgiri ghat roads and Nilgiri Mountain Railway. Its natural environment attracts tourists.

The Toda in the Nilgiris are first referenced in a record belonging to Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana and his general Punisa, dated 1117 CE. The Toda people were known for raising water buffalo. The people known for farming activities. Nilgiris was ruled by various dynasties like Satavahanas, Gangas, Kadambas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagara empire. Tipu Sultan captured Nilgiris in the eighteenth century and extended the border by constructing a hideout cave-like structure. The Nilgiris came into possession of British East India Company as part of the ceded lands, held by Tipu Sultan, by the treaty of Srirangapatnam in 1799.

In 1818, J. C. Whish and N. W. Kindersley, assistants to John Sullivan, then Collector of Coimbatore, visited Ooty and submitted a report to him. Sullivan camped at Dimbhatti, north of Kotagiri in January 1819 and was enthralled by the beauty of the place. He wrote to Thomas Munro, " ... it resembles Switzerland, more than any country of Europe... the hills beautifully wooded and fine strong spring with running water in every valley.

Aranmore Palace in Ooty, served as the summer capital of the Madras Presidency; it was visited by British officials during the colonial days as a popular summer resort. Soldiers were sent to nearby Wellington to recuperate. Wellington is the home of the Madras Regiment of the Indian Army.After Independence, it developed into a popular hill resort.

Information About Tourist Attractions In Ooty

Rose Garden- A tremendous number of visitors come hooked for exploring the gardens specialized for growing roses. It is said that there are 17256 rose plants and 1919 varieties of roses that attracts tourists frequently.

Doddapetta park- Basically known as big mountain, the peak is specialized for panoramic views of Eastern and the Western Ghats. The enamoring Nilgiri mountain ranges provides sight of beautiful views of sunset and nature. Telescopes are provided by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation to watch the distant hills of Chamundi hills.

Botanical Garden- Spread over 22 hectares, the garden is known as the home of flowers and also more than 650 species of trees. Also, get the chance to pay a visit to Todas who are original tribes of Ooty.

Mudumalai Bird Sanctuary- Located just 2 km from the city, the national park is a well-known for tiger reserve sanctuary. One can spend wonderful moments at Mayar waterfalls. It is haven to wildlife, like deer, spotted deer, peacock, grey jungle fowl, and other migratory water birds.

Ooty Lake- The star attraction of Ooty, the lake is spread over an area of 65 acres. Skirted by Eucalyptus trees, the lake is fed by streams flowing down the hills. 

Avalanche Lake -Located in the heart of the Nilgiris 28 kilometers from ooty, Avalanche lake is certainly a wanderer’s haven. The surrounding landscape is simply mesmerizing. You can camp beside the lake in tents and enjoy trout fishing. 

 

Stone House -    The bungalow of the erstwhile British Governor John Sullivan, the Stone house was built in 1822. Today it serves as a residence of the principal of the Government Arts College in Ooty and is also considered to be the first bungalow in Ooty.  

Ooty Mountain Rail - Declared as a UNESCO world heritage site, the railways were built by the British in 1908. The trains are still powered using the traditional steam engines.

Pykara Falls - The Pykara falls are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ooty and are famous for the shola trees, Toda settlements and wildlife.

                   How to reach ?

                         

                                   Since Ooty is a popular hill station of the country, it is accessible easily from the rest of the country through air, railways and even by road. A decent network of railways and road help you reach the Queen of the Hills.

       

                                  By Air

                                The nearest airport to Ooty happens to be Coimbatore International Airport, located at a distance of 89 kilometres. Once you reach the airport, buses and cars are easily available that can take you to Ooty. 

                                    

                                  By Rail

The nearest Railway Station to Ooty happens to be Coimbatore, located at a distance of 88 kilometres.