Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

A GREAT DESTINATION

ated on the southern arm of a deep bay in the Western Ghats. Places of Interest - The Main Falls (Chittar Falls), Kutralanathar • Temple, Chitra sabha, Chittaruvi, Shenbagadevi Falls, Honey Falls, Five Falls, Tiger Falls, New Falls, Old Courtallam Falls. Yercaud — Tamil Nadu; Best Time - April-June; Access - (A) Coimbatore (177 km) (R) Salem (37 km); Desc. - A small town which offers a quiet and restful holiday. The scenery along the entire length of the road from Salem to Yercaud is enchanting and consists of coffee and orange estates. Through a small hill resort, it is rich in scenic beauty and less expensive. Auroville — Pondicherry (10 km away); Best Time - Aug-Mar; Access - (A) Madras 160km (R) Pondicherry connected to Ma- dras; Desc. - Designed by French architect Roger Anger, Aurov- ille was meant to be an "Experiment in International Living". Access - (A) Cochin (88 km) (R) Trichur (32 km); Desc. One of the most sacred and important pilgrim centres of Kerala. Also known as the Dwaraka of the South. Kovalam Beach — Trivandrum, Kerala; Best Time - Throughout the year except May, July & Oct-Nov (heavy rain); Access - (A) Trivandrum 16km (R) Trivandrum 16km; Desc. - One of India's best beaches. Ideal for surf riding, catamarans are available. Ayurvedic oil massages & oil baths are given by experts. Kaladi — Kerala; Best Time - Nov-May; Access - (A) Cochin (45 km) (R) Angamaly (10 km) Alwaye (22 km); Desc. - A tiny village cradled in green fields. An important pilgrimage centre since it was the birth place of Sri Adi Sankaracharya, one of India's foremost philosopher-saints; Places of Interest - Adi Shankara's shrine, Sringeri shrine, Manicamangalam temple. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary — Kerala; Best Time - Oct-June; Access - (A) Cochin (208 km), Madurai (160 km); Desc. - The Periyar lake was artificialy created in the year 1900. The whole area of the sanctuary abounds in lovely natural scenery in one of the most beautiful parts of India. An added attraction is its wild life. Guruvayur - Kerala; Best Time - Oct-March; AHeppey — Kerala; 64 km from Cochin; Best Time - Throughout the year except June &July; Access - (A) Cochin-64km (R) Cochin; Desc. - Pleasant easy going market surrounded by coco- nut plantations & canals. Snake boat races are an event worth seeing (August). The Pooram festival — Trichur, Kerala; Best Time - April-May; Access - (A) Cochin-74km; Desc. - A spectacular pageant of ca- parisoned elephants, fireworks, etc. Coral and marine life, beaches - Andaman & Nicobar Is. - Bay of Bengal; Best Time - Dec-March; Access - (A)Port Blair Shipping service from Calcutta and Madras; Desc. - An archipel- ago of almost 200 virgin islands with golden beaches. Under the blue and crystal clear sea, the coral and marine life can be viewed clearly. The capital of the archipelago and landing point is Port Blair.

Meenakshi Temple — Madurai, Tamil Nadu; Best Time - Jan- Feb; Access - (A) Madurai (R) Madurai; Desc.- The temple at- tracts thousands of pilgrims everyday. Example of Dravidian School of Architecture. Famous for its gigantic profusely carved gopurams-tallest one 49m high. The temple has exquisite sculp- tures, ornate pillars and painted ceilings. Ramanathaswamy Temple — Tamil Nadu; Best Time - July- April; Access - (A)Madras (A) Madurai Rameswaram(Varanasi of the South) 152 km (R) Rameswaram; Desc. - The most renowned features of the temple are the most magnificent and longest corridors in India measuring 4000 ft The pillars are cut out of single pieces of granite and are beautifully decorated. Ootacamund (Ooty) — Tamil Nadu; Best Time - April-June or September & October; Access - (A) Coimbatore (105 km) (R) Coimbatore (40 km); Desc. - Snuggled in the thickly wooded Nilgiris is Udhagamandalam, anglicised to Ootacamund which has been abbreviated to Ooty. Called the "Queen of the Blue Moun- tains" Ooty attracts tourists from all over the country. Ooty is characterised by rolling meadows, gardens and lakes; Places of Interest - Botanical Gardens, Doddabetta (2633m or 8475 ft) the highest of the Nilgiris, Mukruti Peak, Pykara Dam, Wenlock Downs, Kalhatti Waterfalls, Elk Hill, Marlimund lake, Avalanche, Todapho. Coonoor — Tamil Nadu; Best Time - Throughout the year; Access - (A) Coimbatore (125 kms) (R) Coimbatore (58 km); Desc. - Set against the backdrop of the Nilgiris, Coonoor (the beautiful plan- tation town) lies 18 km south of Ooty. Kodaikanal - Tamil Nadu; Best Time - April-June; Access - (A) Madurai (131.2 km) (R) Kodaikanal Rd (80 km); Desc. - Kodai- kanal the charming hill station stands amidst the sylvan grandeur on the southern crest of the upper Palani Hills near Madurai. Kodai is among the most picturesque Hill stations. Known as "Botanists Paradise" it is the home of the wonder plant "Kurunji" which blooms once in 12 years; Places of Interest - Kodaikanal lake, Shola Falls, Observatory, Coaker's Walk, Fairy Fally, Silver Cascade. Courtallam — Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu; Best Time - June-Sept; Access - (A) Madurai, Trivandrum (R) Tenkasi (6 km); Desc. - Known as "The common man's health resort" Courtallam is situ-