To feel the touch of nature, Ooty is a right spot for the lover of nature. It is located at a distance of 300 km from Bangalore. It sparkles with fresh vegetation and sceneries. It is “queen of all hill station”. The height of the hills in the Nilgiri range varies between 2280 and 2290 meters. It attracts the tourist by its charming flowers. Lofty mountains, dense forest, acres and acres of tea estates are green feast for the eyes of the tourist.
The fast food world man runs his life in this world of tension; and living in the sweltering heat; to while away his short leisure hour he can spend that with nature (ooty).The weather of valley is salubrious. Ooty is a best place to know the culture and tradition of India and tribal people.
Botanical gardens, lamb’s rock and Dobabetta peak, kalhatty fallskandal, cross shrine, mini garden and rose garden; Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park are till more amusing places in Ooty and its surroundings. Ooty lake boating is a remarkable spot which highly entertains the tourist. Udagamandalam otherwise called as Ooty. Its mountain train journey on a ratchet and restrain track which commences from kallar will give a new adventures effect. Finally Nature never betrays the tourist.
On August 5th , 2011 we left Bangalore and headed towards Ooty. It was a very memorable one. The time was 2AM,and the driver came to my house. We were ready with the luggage. On the way near Mandya, we sipped some hot tea at a stall on the highway. We had planned to reach Bandipur by 6AM, as the gate opens at 6, following the night ban. All went on perfectly.
The Team included : Sujay , Sushmitha , Arjun , Ambika and Suresh uncle
The Team included : Sujay , Sushmitha , Arjun , Ambika and Suresh uncle
Jumbo charge : image by Sujay |
Jumbos at Bandipur Though we did not stop at Bandipur for a safari, these gentle giants were found at a far distance.To know more about my Bandipur trip , see this link : http://arjunhaarith.blogspot.com/2011/09/ranganathittu-bandipur-mudumalai.html After we cross the border, we enter the Mudumalai Sanctuary.The Mudumalai sanctuary lies on the northern and north-western side of the Nilgiri (Blue Mountains), about 80 km north-west of Coimbatore in the extreme north-western corner of Tamil Nadu, on the interstate boundaries with Karnataka and Kerala states in southern India. This 321-sq-kms wide sanctuary includes a National Park measuring an area of 103-sq-kms. The sanctuary has various mixtures of flat land, open grassland, swamp and valleys. Apart from the wide range of animal and bird life, the rich fauna of this sanctuary has made Mudumalai very popular with wildlife enthusiast. There are tigers at Mudumalai, though it takes a lot of luck and determination to spot one of these big cats that are such masters of secrecy. But there are several other creatures of the jungle that can be sighted more easily.
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The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was built by the British in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division. In July 2005, UNESCOadded the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the site then became known as "Mountain Railways of India." after it satisfied the necessary criteria, thus forcing abandonment of the modernisation plans. For the past several years diesel locomotives have taken over from steam on the section between Mettupalyam, Coonoor and Udhagamandalam. Local people and tourists have led a demand for steam locos to once again haul this section |
After returning , we had some delicious lunch and moved to Dodda Betta peak. At the entrance of the peak, there were many endemic birds such as Great Tit, Nilgiri Laughing thrush , Black bird etc., Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Hills, at 2637 metre (8650 feet). There is a reserved forest area around the peak. It is 9 km from Ooty,on Ooty-Kotagiri Road in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, South India. It is a popular tourist attraction with road access to the summit. The Chamundi Hills can be viewed from the peak.The name "Doddabetta" traces its roots from the Badaga/Kannadalanguage translating into 'Big Mountain'. Hecuba (2375 m), Kattadadu (2418 m) and Kulkudi (2439 m) are the three closely linked heights in the west of the Doddabetta range and nearby Udagamandalam. In the Nilgiris plateau Doddabetta is highest peak of the Nilgiris districtsss remarkable for the flattened curve of its summit. Sholas cover the hollows of its slopes. Slightly stunted, rhododendron trees, in the midst of thick coarse grass, flowering sub-elphine shrubs and herbs are common, even very near the peak.There is an observatory at the top of Doddabetta with two telescopes available for the public to enjoy the magnificent panoramic view of the whole district. It opened on June 18, 1983 and is run by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC). |
Great tit |
From the top of the Dodda Betta peak, Coonoor can be seen. The houses in the picture belong to Coonoor town |
The 22-acre (89,000 m2) Ooty Botanical Gardens was laid out in 1847 and is maintained by theGovernment of Tamil Nadu. The Botanical Garden is lush, green, and well-maintained. A flower show along with an exhibition of rare plant species is held every May. The Gardens have around a thousand species, both exotic and indigenous, of plants, shrubs, ferns, trees, herbal and bonsaiplants. The garden has a 20-million-year-old fossilized tree.
Image by Sujay THANK YOU |