Video Notes:- The scope for Videography was severely restricted by nearly 0.5 million heads trying to get into the frame in Ooty & Motion artifacts owing to restricted MS frame rate/size requirements.(Better Video in following revs promised.)
Music Credits:- Maestro Illayaraja’s BGM for Maniratnam movie Gitanjali(Telugu) picturised by P.C.Sriram in Nilgiris,
Sojourn at Nilgiris-1
God made this earth spherical and livable. The same God made this earth plain at some places and gave heights and depths to many places. He gave us water and food to sustain. He gave us many colours to see and somatic sensation to feel.(In the space of 4 days, I visited Khammam in A.P at 49.6” and Ooty at 10*)
Nilgiris, the blue mountains stretching the blue skies was also created 3000 miliion years ago by the same God which extends 2500 sq kms wide and so near to the blue sky reaching heights of 2500 metres. Nilgiris with its plenty of natural resources that includes the chromatic flora, the ever long alpines, the finest roots, the chirping birds and the free fauna beckons you into this eternal valley of springs with a sight to behold for this life. The queen of Hills can be covered from three different states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu at proximal distance by road and rail. The Country side of Nilgiris is Nature abound with many Cottage Villages which include **Ooty, Coonoor, Kundah, Kotagiri and Gudalur.
Ie Lloko e mandoo
It means rocky village in Toda, The tribal language of Ooty. The same when translated in tamil means Ottakal Mandu which the Britishers conveniently changed it to Ootacamund or simply Ooty. **Uthagamandalam is its tamil name now.
Right amidst the Rocky Mountains which spiral to great heights(2285 mts) lies the undulating gorge of Ooty occupied by 18 tribes including Toda, mostly converted to Christianity during the British regime. The British made it their second home because of the cool climate and constructed the major part of the town and the rail from Mettuplayam, the splendour of what it is now as a town. Most of the scenic beauty of Ooty is the result of efforts of British Collector John Sullivan.
*Race Course & Railway Station
*The Race course is the epi-centre of Ooty surrounded by the market in the north, Railway Station and Bus Stand in the West, Hillocks with tea plantations to the south and the Charring Cross to the East.
Normally a quite town, it had its peak rush of 0.5 million flocking the City on 20-21st May for the annual flower show which meant that
People had to stay even in Buses as there was no Peepal tree.
Every room in the town was occupied to hilt
We had to wait to occupy the grub table or grab the seat the fittest way.
The small town with just 10 roads had more than 10000 vehicles moving at snail’s pace.
St Stephen’s Church
*Built in 1820, The lovely Church stands tall like a Gothic castle across the Charring Cross made of teak wooden roof and glass paintings marking the symbol of Old Ooty.
Ooty Lake
Behind the Bus stand across the hillocks lays the beautiful Ooty Lake with plenty of water alien to Cities and serene atmosphere and lots of entertainment for kids. Nevertheless, we carried all the pollution with us and with the crowd in peak season; we preferred a quieter more resplendent Pykara lake for boating outside Ooty.
We missed the Museum and Aquarium as we could not fly like Elephants on Ooty’s busiest day. The Feast of the Cross Festival is conducted for devout Christians on May 3rd every year.
Doddabetta
We took the ride up the beautiful Hillock towards south east and what we found was Nature merging from East and West of the famous Indian Ghats to one peak point at 2623 meters above sea level for real chill out, Being the highest point in South India, you can look under your shoulders for a majestic view of the Valley beneath with all the resorts and **Coonoor on the Eastern side. Throwing more light will be difficult after summer when the foggy mountains disappear in the mist.
The ride down(on video) takes you to the Tea Factory & Museum (separate Video rev follows) and we had great fun opposite the picture bridge which covers’ a bird’s eye view of the terrace gardens with tea plantations.(Stepped views are always photographer’s delight as they add third dimension to the wall hanging.)
Botanical Gardens(Separate rev on Flower show)
Centenary Rose Garden
*When Gardeners work for 100 years, they decide to graduate to another Garden-The Rose Garden(1995).We drove just above the beautiful terrace garden and it was already calling us with its wonderful colour and scent. As we moved in. we had the delight of watching 100s of varieties of Rose plants stacked on the terraces that add all the more charm to them. Alas, why did God give one day’s life for this Queen which rules the world?
Travel:-
On road –can be covered from Bangalore/Mysore from Karnataka
Bangalore-135 Kms-Mysore-22kms-Nanjungud-21 kms-Begur-14 kms-Gundulpet-9 kms- Bandipur WL Sanctuary-14 kms-thepakadu(Mudumalai Point) From here
Route A:- Via Masinangudi -40 kms-Ooty(Enchanting ghat section, not allowed during nights-one way, during peak, not recommended for heavy vehicles-36 hair pin steep bends, shorter distance, can spot elephants)
We happened to go in the night and with the financial help to the Sentries at two Check posts managed the night drive to spot nearly 5 elephants on the road. By the time, we searched for our clickaboo, they flew off in the bush, sans joy(avoid horn on this route)
Route B:- Via Gudalur & Pykara-76 kms-Ooty(rough round route with enough potholes to get tyreless and rocking.
Gudalur** is good connecting point from Malapuram(Northern Kerala)
From Coimbatore-37 kms-Mettuplayam-34 kms-Coonoor-17 kms-Ooty
By Rail:- From Mettupalayam to Ooty by Nilgiri Mountain railway. The most beautiful train journey that you can take across the ghats for a six hour journey of 46 kms covering 16 tunnels and 250 bridges will make you feel that time has stopped.
108 years into operation, this small train on narrow gauge can be explored on Coonoor Ooty sector. The Stations on this line were picturised by famous Directors Maniratnam( Geetanjali) and Balu Mahendra(Sadma). We were less fortunate and more time driven.
Accomodation:- There are two options, if you want serene long vacation, plenty of resorts around to draw your own sketches of Nature
Short trip:- Hotels for all budgets, Apartments of all kinds inside Ooty town. During Flower show, no stone will be left unturned and even roadsides are accommodative. In either case, book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Part 2:- Coonoor & Ooty Pykara sector
Part 3- Ooty Flower show
Part 4- Mudumalai WLS
Thanks for watching and reading.