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The Nilgiri Hills |
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The Nilgiris – ‘Blue Mountains’ are amongst India’s oldest mountain ranges. They form the junction of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats in Southern India. The hills, a part of the Nilgiri District of Tamilnadu, stretch across the borders of the state into the adjoining states of Kerala and Karnataka. The Nilgiri Hills rise to the height of 7000 ft above sea level, and offer a delightful climate, scenic beauty, and pure fresh air tinged with the scent of pine and eucalyptus. KotagiriNestling amidst the lush green tea gardens of the Nilgiri Hills is the quaint old town of Kotagiri. Kotagiri is the oldest hill station of the Nilgiris and lies at an altitude of roughly 6,500 ft in the shade of the Dodda Betta Range. The area is characterised by gentle slopes, where dense forests alternate with tea estates and coffee plantations; a land where tribes like the Todas, the Kurumbhas and the Irulas still live in a way which has changed little over the past centuries. The Nilgiris are interspersed with tiny villages, with tranquil blue lakes and elegant English cottages. The Town is away from the commercialization that is now plaguing Ooty (25 km away). The quiet ambience of the area attracts a large number of people who make a beeline to this hill station to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life; the right place to be at one with nature - experience peace and quiet, breathtaking scenery, exquisite flora , birds and wild life. Kotagiri has one of the best climates in the world. It is more temperate than Ooty. The temperature ranges between 9 and 27 degrees centigrade. Days are usually bright and sunny, interspersed with light showers. It does get a bit chilly when the sunsets. During summers light woolens are adequate while in winters heavier woolens are a necessity. |
