Kodaikanal
Encyclopedia
Climate
Kodaikanal has a monsoon-influenced subtropical highland climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
(Cfb, according to the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
). The temperatures are cool throughout the year due to the high elevation of the city.
Economy
| Season | Months |
| Peak Season | April–June |
| Low Season | Feb-March; July–September |
| Second Season | October–January |
The economy of Kodaikanal is predominantly run by tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. The number of tourists increased from two million in 1999 to 3.2 million in 2009.
The town's infrastructure changes every year in preparation for the peak tourist season. Major roads are converted into one-way lanes to regulate the constant inflow of traffic and special police are brought in for the safety of the tourists and protection of local businesses. Hotels are often fully booked during the high season, and remain virtually empty during the off-season. Due to the rapid development of nearby cities such as Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
and Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
, the town is starting to enjoy year-round tourism.
There are at least 50 hotels catering to all categories of tourists and over 30 south & north Indian, continental, western and Chinese restaurants, and many more small eateries and tea stalls.
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s (ATM) in Kodaikanal. The Bank of India
Bank of India
Bank of India is a state-owned commercial bank with headquarters in Mumbai. Government-owned since nationalization in 1969, It is India's 4th largest bank, after State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda. It has 3415 branches, including 29 branches outside India...
has a branch and ATM at S.G.J Thangadurai Building, Anna Salai. The Canara Bank
Canara Bank
Canara Bank is a state-owned financial services company in India. It was established in 1906, making it one of the oldest banks in the country. As on 2009 November, the bank had a network of 3057 branches, spread across India...
has a branch and ATM at CLS book shop complex, Anna Salai. The Central Bank of India
Central Bank of India
Central Bank of India , a government-owned bank, is one of the oldest and largest commercial banks in India. It is based in Mumbai...
branch is at M M Street, Law's Ghat Road, Perumalmalai. The Indian Bank
Indian Bank
Indian Bank is a major Indian Commercial Bank headquartered in Chennai , India. It has 22,000 employees, 1923 branches and is one of the big public sector banks of India. It has overseas branches in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and 229 correspondent banks in 69 countries...
has a branch and ATM at Anna Salai. The State Bank of India
State Bank of India
The State Bank of India is the largest Indian banking and financial services company with its headquarters in Mumbai, India. It is state-owned. The bank traces its ancestry to British India, through the Imperial Bank of India, to the founding in 1806 of the Bank of Calcutta, making it the oldest...
has a branch at Anna Salai and also has an ATM on Lake Road, outside Kodaikanal International School. The Union Bank of India
Union Bank of India
Union Bank of India is one of India's largest state-owned banks , is listed on the Forbes 2000. It has assets of USD 13.45 billion and all the bank's branches have been networked with its 1135 ATMs. Its online Telebanking facility are available to all its Core Banking Customers - individual as...
has a branch at Naidupuram and also has an ATM on the 1st Floor of Municipal Shopping Complex opposite the Old Bus Stand, Anna Salai.,. ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank Ltd. is India's second largest financial services company headquartered in Mumbai, India. It offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specialised subsidiaries in the areas of...
also has an ATM in Kodaikanal.
The Kodaikanal Co-operative Land Development Bank, The Kodaikanal Co-operative Urban Bank at Anna Salai and the Madurai District Central Co-operative Bank at Post Office Road offer only local Commercial bank
Commercial bank
After the implementation of the Glass–Steagall Act, the U.S. Congress required that banks engage only in banking activities, whereas investment banks were limited to capital market activities. As the two no longer have to be under separate ownership under U.S...
ing services. There is an excellent bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
where residents, local villagers and tourists come buy woollen clothing, flowers, fresh grocery, meat, handicrafts, hot snacks, cheap toys, medicinal herbs and oils, hardware, dry goods and cooking fuels. The cosmopolitan nature of Kodai is evident on Anna Salai, the main business street, where it is common to see local villagers, European and American students and backpackers, foreign retirees and families from other parts of India, all mixed together in their common activity of shopping
Shopping
Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one....
.
Plums, pears, chile peppers, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic and onions are cultivated by terrace farmers
Terrace (agriculture)
Terraces are used in farming to cultivate sloped land. Graduated terrace steps are commonly used to farm on hilly or mountainous terrain. Terraced fields decrease erosion and surface runoff, and are effective for growing crops requiring much water, such as rice...
in surrounding villages. Most are trucked to other parts of India and some are sold in the local market. Popular tourist souvenirs include handcrafts, home-made chocolates, postcards and Eucalyptus oil.
Health
The three major medical facilities are the Kodaikanal Health and Medical Services (KHMS), Van Allen Hospital and the Government Hospital. These hospitals treat patients with common ailments and injuries and perform child delivery and care, but are not equipped with modern medical equipment for complicated diagnoses and surgeries.KHMS is a modern hospital and is well-suited for the basic needs of the people, including child delivery. The local residents and those from the nearby villages, do not have to travel down to the plains, thanks to KHMS. KHMS is an integrated hospital, wherein both modern medicine as well as other forms of medicine are practised, this includes, homeopathy,reflexology, reiki, cold pack treatment, spinal bath, naturopathy, murma (diagnosis through the pulse). KHMS offers x-ray (radiology); sonography (ultrasound); pathology laboratory, pharmacy, OT, OPD. KHMS has a modern dental clinic as well.
In April 1915, Dr. Van Allen raised funds to construct the first unit of the hospital at the entrance of Coaker's walk. It was named after him. Facilities got updated from time to time and now it has X-ray machine, well equipped pathological lab, and operation theatre with blood transfusion facilities.
Government Hospital is situated on the hillside near Rock cottage on lower shola road. It was a small municipal hospital until 1927. Now it has X-ray, Dental, Maternity ward and other facilities.
Air and water-borne mercury emissions have contaminated large areas of Kodaikanal and surrounding forests. A study conducted by the Department of Atomic Energy confirmed that Kodaikanal Lake has been contaminated by mercury emissions.,
Education
Kodaikanal is renowned for the Kodaikanal International SchoolKodaikanal International School
Kodaikanal International School is a co-educational independent residential school offering education for grades P-12. It is located on in Kodaikanal, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, South India. Kodaikanal is a hill station at in the Palani Hills, north-west of Madurai.Early alumni of KIS include US...
, Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Brindavan Public School, St.Peter's Matriculation Higher Secondary School and the Kodaikanal Public School The other schools are: Bhavan's Gandhi Vidyashram, Brindavan Matric Higher secondary School, St. Joseph's Public School, St. Xavier's High School and St. John's Girls Higher Secondary School.
The main colleges here are (American University of India (AUI) / Kodai International Business School (KIBS) www.auiedu.com) which is an elite Business school offering MBA & BBA programs in USA & India located in Ugarthenager, Kodaikanal Christian College
Kodaikanal Christian College
Kodaikanal Christian College is a private, self-financing, autonomous college in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India. Founded on October 12, 1994, KCC is the first arts and science college to be established at Kodaikanal by the House of Abrahams Charitable Trust under the leadership of Dr...
, and Sacred Heart College. Mother Theresas University is distinctive as India's only university devoted to exclusively women's issues.
In 2005 a new engineering college specializing in Information Technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
, Kodaikanal Institute of Technology under Anna University
Anna University
Anna University was a premier technical university in Tamil Nadu, India. Anna University was formed on September 4, 1978, as a unitary university that integrated four technical institutions in the city of Chennai , including the College of Engineering, Guindy, Alagappa College of Technology,...
, has been established 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) below Kodaikanal town. It has a 25 acres (10.1 ha) Wireless network
Wireless network
Wireless network refers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment...
ed campus including of state-of-art Laboratories, Digital Library & Learning Management System, 24/7 high-speed 8 Mbit/s Internet facility and a Hostel.
Religion
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches are abundant in Kodaikanal. They include Church of South India - opposite Bryant Park, Gorapur, Lake End, La Salette, Lutheran Mission, Sacred Heart - Munjikal, Saint Antony’s - Antonyar Kovil street, Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Joseph's, Saint Mary's and Saint Peter’s - Cockers Walk road. Amongst the most popular is Union Church with a large Tamil congregation and Margaret Eddy Memorial Chapel at Kodai International School with lively services in a typically American style and distinctive stone architecture.
There are many Hindu Temples in Kodaikanal including the Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
i Amman Kovil, Kurinji Andavar Kovil, Mariamman
Mariamman
Māri ,Tulu, also known as Mariamman , both meaning "Mother Mari", spelt also Maariamma , or simply Amman or Aatha is the South Indian Hindu goddess of disease and rain. She is the main South Indian mother goddess, predominant in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and...
Kovil, Observatory Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
Kovil and Vinayagar Kovil. The Muslim
Tamil Muslim
Tamil Muslim refers to those Muslims who have Tamil as their mother tongue. There are around 500,000 in Malaysia which is 2.6% of the total population of Malaysia and 20,000 in Singapore.Tamil Muslims are largely urban traders rather than farmers...
mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s are Ellis Villa and Munjikal. There is an active community of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an Buddhist refugees.
Civil Society
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
s and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
organizations operating for social, charitable and environmental goals. Established clubs in Kodaikanal are the Kodaikanal Lions Club (est. 1985) under the jurisdiction of Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
(district 324B); Kodaikanal Boat Club (est. 1890) with nearly 650 permanent members; Kodaikanal Golf Club
Kodaikanal Golf Club
Kodaikanal Golf Club is a private membership club with a 18 hole, par 71 Golf course. It is located about southwest from the center of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, South India at an elevation of ....
(est. 1895) with over 600 members and an 18 hole golf course, spread over 143 acre (0.57870098 km²); and The Indian Club (est. 1915) on Poet Thyagarajar road.
In 1890, the Kodaikanal Missionary Union (KMU) was formed to enable missionaries of the various demominations to come together for recreation and to develop mission strategy and outreach in cooperation with each other. In 1923 it built an Edwardian style clubhouse with large central hall for social events and afternoon teas, 6 tennis courts, a reading room, and other spaces for meetings. With the decline of missionary activity in India, the KMU was wound up in the 1980s, and the property was turned over to Kodaikanal International School. The KMU library with many valuable old books besides newer materials, is still functioning in one room, and provides something of a social venue. The valuable original KMU archives materials have been incorporated into the archives of the school, which has hired an archivist and is in process of converting the whole original KMU building into an archives and display center for the school and the community. (2008)
The Cottage Crafts Shop at Anna Salai, is run by the voluntary organisation, Coordinating Council for Social Concerns in Kodai (CORSOK). They sell goods crafted by development groups and uses the commission charged to help the needy.
In 1994 the "Potter's Shed" was inaugurated. This pottery and craft Shop in Kodaikanal has made and sold hundreds of thousands of fine pieces of locally made pottery. All profits from this business are contributed to the Bethania Kids, Center For Children with Disabilities.
The Kodaikanal Lake Protection Council and Vattakkanal Organization for Youth, Community and Environment (VOYCE) are active in preserving Kodaikanal's environment. Plastic bags are banned and almost all shops and roadside vendors heed the rule and use recycled paper bags in fear of a social reprisal. Local hotels have also participated in improving the environment by placing garbage cans all across the town, with their prominent donated by signs acting as silent salesmen.
Places of interest
Kodaikanal Lake
Kodaikanal Lake
Kodaikanal Lake, also known as Kodai Lake is a manmade lake located in the Kodaikanal city in Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, India. Sir Vere Hentry Levinge, the then Collector of Madurai, was instrumental in creating the lake in 1863, amidst the Kodaikanal town which was developed by the British...
, 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) from the bus stand, is an artificial, roughly star-shaped 45 ha (60 acres) lake built in 1863. It is recognized as Kodaikanal's most popular geographic landmark and tourist attraction. Rowboats and pedalo
Pedalo
A paddle boat or "pedalo" is a form of waterborne transport, primarily for recreational use, powered through the use of pedals....
s can be hired at the Kodaikanal Boat Club with its main entrance near the only five-star hotel in Kodaikanal, The Carlton. Horses and bicycles can be hired beside the lake for short periods. The 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) path that skirts the periphery of this lovely lake is a favourite walk for the locals and tourists alike.
Bryant Park: Just east of the lake and 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) from the bus stand, is a wonderfully maintained 20.5 acres (8.3 ha) botanical garden. The park was planned and built in 1908 by a forest officer from Madurai, H.D.Bryant, and named after him. With 325 species of trees, shrubs and cactuses, the park is a rainbow of stunning flowers during the peak season. A large section is dedicated to nearly 740 varieties of roses. There is a 1857 Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
tree and a Bodhi tree
Bodhi tree
The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo , was a large and very old Sacred Fig tree located in Bodh Gaya , under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism later known as Gautama Buddha, is said to have achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi...
which adds a religious significance to the park. Ornamental plants are cultivated in a nursery for sale. The park organizes horticultural exhibits and flower shows every summer, to coincide with the peak season. Entrance fee to the park is nominal and it is open all year.
Pambar River
The Pambar River originates in the Anaimudi Hills in Idukki District of Kerala state in South India.-Route:It traverses Turner’s Valley in Eravikulam National Park and flows into the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary through the Taliar Valley between Kanthalloor and Marayoor Villages and eastwards through...
in the southeast, Periyakulam
Periyakulam
Periyakulam is a town and a Municipality in Theni district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Periyakulam is located at . It has an average elevation of 282 metres . It is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering the neighbouring state of Kerala. It is one of...
town and even the city of Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
. A fascinating rare phenomenon called Brocken spectre
Brocken spectre
A Brocken spectre , also called Brocken bow, mountain spectre or glockenspectre is the apparently enormous and magnified shadow of an observer, cast upon the upper surfaces of clouds opposite the sun...
can be witnessed, when a person can see his shadow on the clouds with a rainbow halo. This occurs when the sun is behind the viewer and clouds and mist are to the front. There is an observatory with a telescope halfway along the walk. Entrance fee to the walkway is nominal and it is open all year.
Bear Shola Falls, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the bus-stand, is a tall waterfall in a Reserve forest
Reserve forest
You may be looking for forest reserve, a generic term associated with protected forest areas, which is also used as a specific term for protected forests in some countries...
. The final approach to this quiet area is a gently climbing foot-path.
Green Valley View, (formerly called Suicide Point) 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) from the bus-stand and near the golf course, has an excellent panoramic view of the plains and a sheer drop of 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft) overlooking the Vaigai Dam
Vaigai Dam
Vaigai Dam is built across the Vaigai River near Andipatti, in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, southern India. It provides water for irrigation for the Madurai district and the Dindigul district as well as drinking water to Madurai and Andipatti...
to the south. The stairway leading up to it is highly commercialized and lined with rows of shops to tempt tourists.
Pine forest
Pine Forest
Pine forest may refer to:* A forest of pine trees; see temperate coniferous forest*Pine Forest, Texas** Pine Forest, Texas, city in Orange County, Texas** Pine Forest, Hopkins County, Texas, unincorporated community in Hopkins County, Texas...
s, In 1906, with a view to growing valuable timber, Mr. Bryant started
the Kodaikanal pine plantations in the south-west of Kodaikanal.
Shembaganur Museum of Natural History, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand, founded in 1895, is open to the public (except Tuesdays) for viewing their outstanding taxidermy collection of more than 500 species of animals, birds and insects and a living collection of over 300 exotic orchid species. The museum is affiliated with Loyola College
Loyola College, Chennai
Loyola College is a Jesuit institution in Chennai, India. The college admits undergraduates and post-graduates and offers degrees in the liberal arts, sciences and commerce. It is an autonomous institution affiliated with the University of Madras.-History:...
in Chennai and exhibits artifacts of the ancient Palaiyar tribes people whose descendants still live in these hills.
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory is an solar observatory owned and operated by Indian Institute of Astrophysics. It is located on the southern tip of the Palni Hills 4 km from Kodaikanal town, Dindigul district, Tamilnadu state, South India....
, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand on Observatory Road, at 2343 metres (7,687 ft) is the highest location near Kodai. The first observations were commenced here in 1901. Former Director John Evershed
John Evershed
John Evershed was an English astronomer. He was the first to observe radial motions in sunspots, a phenomenon known as the Evershed effect....
, discovered the phenomenon of radial motion in sunspots, now known as the Evershed effect
Evershed effect
The Evershed effect, named after the British astronomer John Evershed, is the radial flow of gas across the photospheric surface of the penumbra of sunspots from the inner border with the umbra towards the outer edge....
. The Kodaikanal Terrestrial Telescope
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
can view a grand panorama including: Sothupparai Dam, Vaigai Dam
Vaigai Dam
Vaigai Dam is built across the Vaigai River near Andipatti, in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, southern India. It provides water for irrigation for the Madurai district and the Dindigul district as well as drinking water to Madurai and Andipatti...
, Periyakulam and Varaha river. This Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Indian Institute of Astrophysics
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics , with its headquarters in Bangalore , India, is a premier national institute of India for the study of and research into topics pertaining to astronomy, astrophysics and related subjects....
facility has a comprehensive Astronomical
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
Science museum
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
with organized public tours, access to the astronomy library, and scheduled night-time telescopic sky viewing. It is open daily to the public during peak season, and a few hours each Friday the rest of the year.
Tamil Nadu Forest Department
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department was established as the Madras Forest Department in 1855 by Dr. Hugh Francis Cleghorn, "the father of scientific forestry in India". The department is responsible for managing all the protected areas and forests plus environmental and wildlife related issues of Tamil...
, The viewpoint can be crowded but is not commercialized. There is an excellent public garden adjacent to the viewpoint.
Guna caves, made popular by the Tamil movie Guna
Guna
' means 'string' or 'a single thread or strand of a cord or twine'. In more abstract uses, it may mean 'a subdivision, species, kind, quality', or an operational principle or tendency....
, previously called Devil’s Kitchen, are deep bat-infested chambers between the three gigantic boulders that are the Pillar Rocks. The deep narrow ravines of the caves are now closed to public due to the tragic deaths of twelve youths there. These dangerous caves are highly protected now, and tourists can see sections of the cave system from afar.
Silver Cascade, 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Kodaikanal at a wide bend in the long and winding Laws Ghat Road, at altitude 1800 metres (5,905.5 ft), is a 55 metres (180.4 ft) waterfall formed from the outflow of Kodaikanal Lake. The water quality is reportedly poor and not good enough for bathing. This impressive waterfall is a popular stop for first-time visitors. There are a few souvenir and fruit vendors and many monkeys here. There is also a smaller but more serene waterfall below the bridge which crosses the stream here.
Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the bus-stand, is famous for its Kurinji flower
Strobilanthes kunthiana
Neelakurinji , is a shrub that used to grow abundantly in the shola grasslands of the Western Ghats in South India above 1800 metres...
which blossoms in the area only once every 12 years. The deity here is called Sri Kurinji Easwaran, who is in fact Lord Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
. This temple was built in 1936 by a European lady, who on coming to Celon, converted to Hinduism.She changed her name to Leelavathi and married Mr.Ponnambalam Ramanathan. She is also known as Lady Ramanathan. This temple was handed over to Arulmighu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thiru Kovil, Palani by Mrs Devi Prasad Bhaskaran(also known as Padmini, niece and adopted daughter of Mr S Natesan Pillai, son in-law of Lady Ramanathan) and her husband Dr R. Bhaskaran.
Berijam Lake
Berijam Lake
Berijam Lake is a reservoir near Kodaikanal town in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, South India. It is at the old site of "Fort Hamilton", in the upper Palani hills....
: A calm serene lake surrounded by mesmerizing nature at a distance of around 20 km from kodaikanal.Boating is prohibited as the lake is a source of water for villages.Forest department permission is required and limited number of vehicles are allowed to enter forest area where the lake is situated.Entry is restricted into the Berijam Lake area to between 9.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Bison, deers,panthers and snakes are often spotted in this area.Fire tower, silent valley, medicine forest,lake view are other attractions around the lake.
Psilocybin mushrooms which produce hallucinogenic effects when consumed, and other poisonous mushrooms grow around Berijam.Medicine forest has a certain species of trees whose fragrance is believed to be having hallucinogenic effects.
Transport
Almost all distances from Kodaikanal are calculated with the lake as the central point of reference. The nearest airports are MaduraiMadurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
(135 kilometres (83.9 mi)), Trichy (200 kilometres (124.3 mi)) and Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
(170 kilometres (105.6 mi)). The nearest Railway stations are Palani
Palani
Palani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
Railway Station (64 kilometres (39.8 mi)) north, Kodai Road
Kodai road
Kodai road is a railway station in Tamil Nadu state, India, lying between Dindigul and Madurai at . It is formally listed as Kodaikanal Road .-History:In 1875, the Great Southern India Railway Co...
Station (80 kilometres (49.7 mi)) south east and Dindigul
Dindigul
Dindigul is a town and municipality in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. The name Dindigul comes from the Portmanteau of “Thindu” meaning pillow and “kal” meaning Rock and refers to the bare hill dominating the city’s both land and skyscape...
Railway Junction (100 kilometres (62.1 mi)) east.
The 2 to 3 hours drive to Kodai via the steep and winding Ghat roads
Ghat Roads
Ghat Roads are the name of the access routes into the mountainous Western and Eastern Ghats mountain ranges of the Indian Subcontinent. These roads are remarkable feats of engineering and most date back to British times. Ghat roads were built to connect to the famous Hill Stations of the Indian...
from Batlagundu
Batlagundu
Batlagundu [pronounced Vathalakkundu] is a panchayat town in Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The town is about an hour and a half from Kodaikanal....
or Palani
Palani
Palani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
is a memorable experience. Travelers may stop at turnouts on the road and enjoy the scenic beauty of the Palani hills. There is a 28 km shortcut from Periyakulam
Periyakulam
Periyakulam is a town and a Municipality in Theni district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Periyakulam is located at . It has an average elevation of 282 metres . It is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering the neighbouring state of Kerala. It is one of...
to Kodaikanal via Kumbakarai . Bicycle rentals, taxis, vans and limited city buses are available. Auto rickshaw
Auto rickshaw
An auto rickshaw or three-wheeler is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw...
s are not available.
Further reading
- Charlotte Chandler Wyckoff: Kodaikanal: 1845-1945. London Mission Press, Nagercoil, Travancore, Indien. 1945.
- Nora Mitchell: The Indian Hill Station Kodaikanal. Research paper, University of Chicago, Department of Geography, No. 141. Chicago Ill., 1972.
- Volker Winkler: Kodaikanal. Land of the Clouds. Hillsboro Press, Franklin (Tennessee) 1999.
External links
- Kodaikanal
- Comprehensive further information on Kodaikanal
- Kodaikanal, 'Switzerland of the East', Trekking Routes
- Map of Kodaikanal City
- Palani Hills Conservation Council
- Kodaikanal Resort, Residential Plot Info http://www.kodaikanalhomes.com
- Wikitravel, Kodaikanal
- Wildvistas/Nationalparks/Kodaikanal
