NILGIRIS
The 'Nilgiris' (Blue Mountains) is the name given to a range of mountains, and a district in the south-Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Doddabetta, with a height of 2,637 m. is the highest point. Tea, which is the main cash crop, is grown between elevations of 1,000 to above 2,500 metres. Eucalyptus oil, produced from the blue and red gum trees is another unique produce.
Temperate zone, and many English vegetables are also grown here in abundance. This beautiful landscape forms the major film backdrop many Indian movies.The high altitude results in a much cooler and damper climate than the surrounding plains, therby making it an ideal summer retreat. The rolling hills of the Downs look very similar to the Downs in Southern England, and were used for similar activities such as hunting.The principal town is Ooty or Udagamandalam. Over here there are many 'British' looking buildings,particularly the Churches. There is even a road junction known as Charing Cross.
The other main towns in the Nilgiris are Coonoor, Kotagiri, Gudalur and Aruvankadu. The famous tourist spots in Coonoor are Lambs rock and Sims park, where the "Fruit Show" is conducted during the summer season. All varieties of fruit are on display The park is situated on the way of Kotagiri. There are several tribes of uncertain origin living in the Nilgiris. The best known of these are the Toda people, whose culture is based upon cattle, and whose red, black and white embroidered shawls, and silver jewelry is much sought after. There is a unique mountain railway running from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam via Coonoor. This rack-and-pinion toy train is now a world heritage possesion.
Two eco regions cover portions of the Nilgiris. The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests lie between 250 and 1000 m. These forests are home to the largest herd of Asian Elephants in India, as well as tigers. These evergreen rain forests are among the most diverse on the planet. Above 1500 meters elevation, the evergreen forests begin to give way to stunted forests, called sholas, which are interspersed with open grassland. These grasslands are the home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr, which resembles a stocky goat with curved horns. Much of the native forest has been cleared for grazing cattle, or for plantations of tea, Eucalyptus and Acacia. Two national parks protect portions of the Nilgiris. Mudumalai National Park lies in the northern part of the range where Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu meet, and covers an area of 321 km². Mukurthi National Park lies in the southwest of the range, in Kerala, and covers an area of 78.5 km². The entire range, together with portions of the Western Ghats to the northwest and southwest, was included in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986, India's first biosphere reserve. The region has given its name to a number of bird species, including the Nilgiri Pipit, Nilgiri Woodpigeon and Nilgiri Blackbird.
Read more to know more about the interesting history of Nilgiris!
| Ooty | Coonoor | Kotagiri | Gudalur |
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