Kotagiri
Kotagiri (Introduction)
Kotagiri is the oldest and the third largest hill stations in the Nilgiris. Looming over and above all the surrounding hills in the North-eastern escaKotagiri Hill Station,travel Kotagirirpments, its climate is claimed to be one of the best in the World.
Kotagiri literally means the lines of the house of the Kotas. Kotagiri is quietly tucked away in the Nilgiris and used to be the summer resort of the British.Till date the beauty of hill resort of Kotagiri attracts tourists and the sun scorched souls from far and wide. Unlike Ooty and Coonoor, Kotagiri is situated in an 'open-terrace' massif. At an elevation of 1985 m. the town has developed around numerous knolls and valleys.The Kotagiri weather is more bracing than that of Coonoor and balmier than that of Ooty.
Kotagiri (Sight Seeing)
The Hill Station of Kotagiri has several tourist attractions.
1. Kodanad View Point: It is 18 kms away from Kotagiri on the easternmost ridges of the Blue Mountains and hence the name meaning Terminus Country.From this point, the country lies spread out before the eye sparkling hills row after as though bathed in the mystic silver sunshine. The enchanting valley dips down to embrace the historic gajalahatti pass glancing at the green corpeted paddy fields of Thengumarahaada and watced over from its eyrie by the habitat of Hallimoyar.While the River Moyar scurries along to join her pal Bhanvani round the corner, across the valley of Talamalai ranges of the Eastern Ghats cuddle upto Mysore Plateau, westerly strides of which again adjoin the Kodanaadu stairs in the north, over the deeptrenched Mysore Ditch.
2. St. Catherian's Falls: It is 8 km from kotagiri on the Mettupalyam road branching off at Aravenu. This double-cascaded Falls is the second highest in the district(250 ft) and it waters from the upper stream of the kallar river crossed by the invisible Mettupalyam-Ooty road beyond the mountains in the south-west.
It is named after the wife of M.D. Cockburn, the pioneer-planter of Kotagiri. The native name of the Falls is GEddhehaada Halla meaning "Foothills Dale River".
It presents a lovely view of the sweeps of forests and woodlands, waylaid by tea gardens and yet running to meet the plains in the south-western moorings.The glittering Dolphin's Nose of Coonoor is also seen across the mighty gap in the hills-one of the three great systems of faults in the geological formation of the Blue Mountains.
3. Elk Falls: It is 7 km from Kotagiri and situate above Uyilathi village. The road passes through serenely laid out Badaga habitations.
'Enroute' at the Kannerimukku village is found the first European house in the Nilgiris built by collector Sullivan in the year 1819. The two-storeyed house is now in a sad-state or ruins.
Though the water is fully only in the wet months, the site is always worth a visit. It commands towards the north, a spectacular view of the Echoing Valley of Kookal and a vista of exquisite surroundings.
4. Long Wood Shola: About 3 km from the town, the road proceeding towards the Badaga village of "Milidhane" branes off to Longwood Shola which is Forest Reserve.
Getting There
By Air
The airport at Coimbatore is the nearest to Kotagiri at a distance of over hundred km.
By Road & Rail
Kotagiri is well linked with the other important places in Tamil Nadu through road transport. There are regular buses to Ooty, Mettupalayam and Coonoor..
