Kotagiri - Places of Interest

Places of Interest

Kodanad View Point is accessible by road, 16 km (9.9 mi) from Kotagiri or about 30 minutes by vehicle. It provides a splendid view of the great Mysore Plateau to one side and the picturesque 50-acre (200,000 m2) farming cooperative called Thengumarahada, which seems like a green mosaic amidst the shrubland, lazily meandering through this little village is the Moyar river.

John Sullivan's Bungalow, also known as the Pethakal Bungalow, that he built during his stay, has just been renovated and is open to the public. The Nilgiris Documentation Centre and the Nilgiris Museum is housed in the bungalow. Village walks, tastes of the local cuisine and folk life etc. are some of the activities that are organized here. It is located in Kannerimukku, about 2 km from the town. Naragiri is a small village near here, which abounds in tea plantations and has beautiful views of the valleys and the mountains. About 6 km from Kannerimukku is the village of Kookalthorai in the plateau with breathtaking views.

Located within Kotagiri town, Longwood forest, a pristine tropical evergreen forest is a secluded refuge for those seeking peace and quiet, it is home to the flying fox (a large arboreal squirrel) that is rarely seen, there is also a resident family of about 20 bison which can be seen grazing in the evenings just outside the forest on Milidhane road.

The Nehru park in the town is a complex which houses a temple of the Kotas, the Gandhi Maidanam which is the public playground, a Congregation centre and the Flood shelter which is used in normal times for indoor games. A private park about 3 km from the town on Coonoor road, specialises in roses and is a must see from march to June.

Other places of interest are the St.Catherine waterfalls near Aravenu, the Uyilatty falls (also known as Elk falls), 8 km from Kotagiri town and the 1,785 m (5,856 ft) high Rangaswamy Peak. It is a biconical peak and is the most sacred hill on the plateau, being the Holy deity of the Nilgiris people. This shrine is visited by thousands of pilgrims from the Kongu region and other places yearly. According to Hindu Legend, Lord Rangaswamy used to live at Karamadai in Coimbatore district on the plains but quarrelled with his wife and came to live alone here. Two-foot prints on the rock not far from Arakadu village below the peak are stated to be the proof for this.

St. Catherine Falls (Geddhehaada Halla) is an 8 km trail. St. Catherine Falls is a two step waterfalls that plummets down from a height of 250 ft (76 m). The Longwood Shola Forest is 3 km away from Kotagiri and the wild terrain offers an amazing trekking experience. Tourists require prior permission from the District Forest Officer (DFO) for taking the trekking route to explore Milidhane that leads you to the Shola Forest.

On the north west of Rangaswamy Peak beyond "Denad village", is found the Rangaswamy Pillar, which is an extraordinary isolated rocky pillar rising in solitary grandeur to a height of some 400 feet (120 m) narrowly and has sheer sides, which are quite unclimbable. Kil-Kotagiri, Sholurmattam, Karagodumattam, Kadasholai are the places en route to Rangaswamy Peak.

Kotagiri abounds in big European style bungalows built by the British and most of them retain their Englishness, are still very habitable and have been converted into upmarket homestays. New constructions too are aplenty but at the cost of aesthetics.

There are numerous tea factories producing the famous Nilgiri tea. The famous Nilgiri thailam (Eucalyptus oil) is distilled in small shacks in a rudimentary manner.

Kotagiri also has some gold deposits, which were mined to levels possible during the days of the British rule. Presently research is going on to determine if it would be possible to extract more gold from the mines.

There is also some considerable bauxite in the area. The Nehru Park is located in Kotagiri town. Kodanad View Point is a must see location near Kotagiri for breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys and the plains. The picturesque Thengumarahada village beside the Moyar river, the Bhavani Sagar reservoir and the Deccan Plateau are visible from here.