|
UDHAGMANDALAM (OOTY)
| FACTS & FIGURES |
| Area |
11 sq. km (City area) |
| Altitude |
1938 ( metres) |
| Climate |
Summer :- Max 26.7ºC, Min 10.6ºC
Winter :- Max 15.6ºC, Min 2.8ºC |
| Rainfall |
279 cm |
| Clothing |
Summer :- Light woollens
Winter :- Heavy woollens |
INTRODUCTION
This famous hill station in the Nillgiri Hills was founded by the
British in the early part of the 19th century to serve as the summer
headquarters of the Madras government. Until about two decades ago,
'Snooty' Ooty resembled an unlikely combination of southern England
and Australia: single-storey stone cottages, bijou fenced flower
gardens, leafy, winding lanes, and tall eucalypt stands covering
the otherwise barren hilltops.The other main reminders of the British
period are the stone churches, the private schools, the Ooty club,
various maharajas' summer palaces and the terraced botanical gardens.
PLACES TO VISIT
Government's Botanical Garden
 The
garden aquire an area of 22 acres.There is surprisingly a fossil
tree trunk of 20 million years. The garden consists of varieties
of tree species, variety of ferns, fashioned beds laid out in an
Italian style, grass carpet, multi coloured flowering plants, house
ferns and orchids and nurseries. This garden is certainly going
to take tourist's mind. Annual flower show is held here in May every
year.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
In the luxuriantly forested foothills of the Nilgiri, this 321 sq.
km sanctuary is part of a much larger reserve (3000 sq km ) which
includes Bandipur and Wynad in neighbouring Karnataka and Kerala.
The larger reserve ranges in vegetarian from semi-evergreen forests
to swamps and grasslands. In Mudumalai, the mostly dense forest
is home to chital, gaur, tiger, panther, wild boar and sloth bear.
Heavy rain is common in October and November and the park may be
closed during the dry season.
HOW TO GET THERE
Road: The state bus companies all have reservation offices
at the bus stand, most open daily from 9 am to 5.30 pm.
Rail: The miniature railways is the best way to get here.
Departures and arrivals at Mettupalalyam usually connect with Chennai.
|
State
Express