Ootacamund & The Ghats of The Blue Mountains

Ootacamund, Ooty or Udhagamandalam  nestled in the hills of the Niligiris, the Blue Mountains is located at an elevation of 7350 ft above sea level in the State of Tamilnadu, India. It is a plateau between the Western and the Eastern Ghats and falls under the UNESCO World network of Biosphere Reserve.  It is one of the most beautiful  and International renowned hill stations with stunning views and lush green valleys. The Blue Mountains name probably came from the smoky blue haze given off on warm days by the eucalyptus trees which covers most of the areas. Unlike other famous hill stations of the Indian sub continent, Ooty was not a part of any kingdom or empires. It is envisaged to be  originally a tribal land occupied by a tribe known as The Todas. The Todas gave away a part of the town to John Sulivan,  the then Governor of Coimbatore  and in course of time the Niligiris terriority came in possession of the British East India Company.

The climatic conditions are subtropical highland climate, with temperature dipping to a freezing temperature of (-) 2 degree C in winters. Unlike the Southern Indian weather which is either hot, hotter, or hottest, Ooty is relatively mild throughout the year with average low temperature ranging between 5 to 12 degree C and average high temperature ranging between 17 to 22 degrees. The region is blessed with the South West monsoons in June-July and the return North East monsoon in November.

Ooty has the location's advantage of access from different directions. It is situated in the tri - junction of the Indian States of Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Kerala. It can be reached from Coimbatore in Tamilnadu by The Ghats of Kallar, ( NH 67 ), The Kotagiri Ghat ( SH 15 ) and The Manjur Ghat. It can be approached from Kozhikode - Sultan Bakerty in Kerala and Mysore in Karnataka through The Gudalur Ghat (NH 212 / 67) and The Sigur Ghat (SH 67 ). 

We have lost count of the times we have traveled in these Ghat roads of the Blue Mountains.  We have traveled in bright sunshine, at sundown, in chilly  evenings, in dense fog with almost nil visibility, driven late into the night, in the heavy down pour during the monsoons,  but each time the drive was a new experience. We could soak into the exotic species of flora and fauna, besides the deep ravings full of vegetation, the dense forests, the towering mountains, the  gurgling streams during the monsoons and the miles and miles of evergreen carpeted tea gardens. We believe the Ghats of the Blue mountains has a psychiatric spiritual therapy to ward over the negativity that come up following any stressful experience.  Each time we made a trip to the Ghats of The Blue mountains we came back rejuvenated.

Rarely has been a situation where The Niligiris have been totally cut off on all The Ghat routes. However it is always prudent to check on the road conditions before embarking on a road journey to Ooty.  At times routes are closed due to landslides and the traffic is diverted to other ghats. We experienced one of the most devastating landslips in the Ghats of Kallar during  November 2006 and the road was closed for months before it could be made motor able again. As far as possible travel by tourist after sunset is to be avoided.

One of the favorite and most traveled transit location from south of  Ooty is the textile and engineering city of Coimbatore., Tamilnadu. Airlines fly in and out of Coimbatore Airport and the flight timings are conducive to the needs of the tourist. Barring the North - East of India, all major cities are connected to Coimbatore by air. Train connectivity from all corners of the country is excellent, the famed one is the overnight train from Chennai,The Nilgiris Express. One can also travel the Konkan Railways along the west coast of India and detrain at Palkard, a location 40 KMs from Coimbatore. Taxis can be hired from the Coimbatore Airport and bus service availed from the Ooty Bus station at Gandhipuram 7 KM away from the Airport and 2 KM away from the Railway station. The drawback we found in the public  transportation to Ooty was that there are no facility of luxury buses or mini buses or share taxis from Coimbatore to Ooty. Tourist are left to a choice of availing full taxis or  avail the Tamilnadu State Transport bus services from Gandhipuram.

Ooty from Coimbatore is 90 KM by road. As we travel towards Ooty, the majestic view of  hills of the Blue Mountains  are sighted and the excitement builds in oneself with each passing kilometer.  After a travel of an hour or so we hit the town Metapulayam. This is the town where all roads from South of Ooty intersect and the place where the Ghat roads to the Blue Mountains commence. The town is also  hub where all the vegetables from Ooty and the surrounds reach to be dispatched  to various cities and towns of southern India. Mettapulayam  was the  Railway station wherein in the bygone days the famed Nilgiris Blue Mountain train awaited the arrival of the Nilgiris Express from Chennai to  transport the tourist to Ooty, wending its way through hair raising curves and tunnels. It was a sight to behold  and had an imprint in the memories of the tourist for years to come. The Nilgiris Blue Mountain train was developed on the concept of ratchet and pinion track and today the train runs from Coonoor to Ooty on purely as a symbolic tourist joyride.

Mettapulyam is a natural halting point for the tourist on their way to Ooty. A number of resorts have mushroomed over the years and the most attractive is the Black Thunder Resort. The resort has an inbuilt  theme water park which has a natural look and feel with the surrounding hills adding to the awe. The Theme park has the lazy river, wave pool, Thrillarium, Surf Hills, cannon ball,  aqua bowl,side winder etc to thrill the crowd.  It has a restaurant which serves ethnic Tamil and Kerala delicacies. The boarding rooms  available is good and classy. It is an idle place to relax and spend a day before continuing the journey to Ooty.

THE KALLAR GHAT

The Kallar Ghat on NH 67, also known as the Coonoor Ghat which follows the valley of the rivers of the Kallar and Coonoor. It is the most traveled road running through Coimbatore - Mettupalayam -Coonoor- Ooty.The road from Mettapulaylam towards Coonoor climbs into the Blue Mountains and soon one is welcomed by the first of the fourteen hair pin bends. These bends are just like the hair pins ladies use to keep their hair in place. The bends are quite sharp hence with each passing hair pin bends there is an appreciable climb of the Ghat. These hair pin bends are,  so sharp that at times the heavy vehicles have tough time maneuvering the curves. The formation of the roads are just like series of  terraces as the roads snakes into the dense mountains and hardly one get a view of the plains of Mettapulyam and Coimbatore. The drive is tough for the first timers and one should be a patient and alert of the traffic especially the heavy vehicles. One interesting observation of the traffic was at the hair pin bends where the heavy vehicles   going up the mountain tend to stay on the outer curve i.e on the right side and the smaller vehicles coming downhill have to cross over from the inner side i.e on the right hand side. The drive gets tougher during the monsoons where the dense fogs engulfs the mountains and visibility reaches the nadir and one requires all the driving skills to stay on the road. As we commence our climb there is a noticeable change  in the surrounding vegetation. It is tropical at Kallar and as we make our way we reach Bulliar, the border hamlet of the Nilgiris District the vegetation changes to sub tropical and as we near Conoor the pines , blue gum and cypress tress welcome us. The scenery is awesome, the weather cool and the sunlight slitting  through the thick vegetation  creates interesting shadows.

The sight of a  row of huge eucalyptus trees on the road welcomes us as we reach Coonoor at a height of 1850 m above sea level, the second largest hill station in the Nilgiris. The surrounds are picturesque with stunning views of the Coimbatore plains and the Nilgiris. It is an ideal base for trekking expeditions into the Nilgiris and is the Tea capital of the region with miles and miles of carpeted tea gardens. Coonoor is divided into Lower and Upper Coonoor. The lower Coonoor is a busy market place, densely populated and the roads with lots of traffic. Most of the buses from the plains originate and terminate in Coonoor, hence the buses add to the traffic menace  The Coonoor Railway Station stands out in the surrounds catering to the tourists symbolic travel to and back from Ooty on the Nilgiris Mountain Train.   As one climbs a kilometre or two the serene surroundings of Upper Coonoor welcome the tourists for there eyes to behold. Lined are beautiful bungalows with manicured lawns and gardens. It is one of the best residential locations in the country. The climatic conditions are ideal for the flora to blossom and the century old Sim's Park in Upper Coonoor built in 1874 is a must visit destination. The park has a number of rare trees and plants and is a Botanist delight and the icing on the cake is the annual fruit and vegetable show held in May. Further in case one has network with the authorities, there is a beautiful guest house deep inside Sim's Park where a night stay experience will touch the heart of lovers of ecology.

The twist and turns of the road beyond Coonoor soon leads to the famous Black Bridge, the entry to the Madras Regimental Centre (MRC), Wellington, one of the oldest Defense Regiment of the Indian Army. A well laid out parade ground inside the MRC is awesome. The MRC museum is a must visit destination    for the lovers of Defense History. It is over  two decades since we first visited Wellington, but today also the roads, the Officer quarters, the Mess, the barracks, the playgrounds, the Command Hospital, the environs, the people, the stores around  remain the same. The only change is that the Black Bridge has undergone a raze and rebuilt. One of our favorite walking stretch is the road from the MRC main gate to beyond the Gymkhana Club golf course to upper Coonoor. Do walk the stretch to understand the true meaning of rejuvenation. The famed Defense Service Staff College from where the finest Officers of  Army, Navy & Air Force have graduated is located in Wellington. The view from the Gurkha Hill  which houses the Officers of the Defense Service Staff College at night is amazing with twinkling  stars on the sky as if you can just touch them and below the lights of the Coonoor valley.

The Ghat road further winds its way through Arukkadu and Ketti Valley into Lovedale where the residential Lawrence School established in 1858 is situated. Five kilometers  further the road  hit Charring Crossing the center of Ooty town.     

THE KOTGIRI GHAT

It is believed that Kotagiri Ghat road SH 15 Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty is the probable route taken by John Sulivan during his discovery trips of the surrounds of Ooty in 1819 AD. It is a road less traveled than the Kallar or Coonoor Ghat as one has to travel an extra ten kilometers to Ooty. However, a decision to travel  an  additional ten kilometers will takes you through a journey of sheer bliss and pure ecstasy. As we leave behind Mettupalayam, soon we get to read sign posts  Animal crossing - Drive slow.  The rivulets of the Niligris drain into the Bhavani River which is ultimately restricted  by the Lower Bhavani Dam creating  the Bhavanisagar reservoir near Sathyamangalam in  Erode District.  These water bodies are the source of water for the animals and in early mornings and late afternoons we can sight animals commonly, deer and hordes of elephants. The Kotagiri Ghat Road gently climbs into the mountains with the stunning views  the plains of Mettupalayam and Coimbatore and the water bodies of the Bhavani till we turn to reaches the toll gate for entry into Niligris District.  This mountain  falls in the range largely deprived of the Southwest Monsoons and are dominated by the dry scrub and volcanic rocks. Further for the same reason the landslips are minimal and turns out to be an all weather road. Unlike the Coonoor Ghats, the feel of the drive is smooth with the tyres caressing the winding road as we make gradual climb from one hill  to another to reach Kotagiri, the age old Hill Resort of the British Empire established in 1819. The town is 16 kilometers short of Ooty  at an altitude of 1950 meters above sea level . Kotagiri means Mountains of the Kotas tribe who are  experts in the Art of pottery and terracotta.  Kotagiri is situated in the shadow of the Dodda Betta Peak and famous for its salubrious climate. The tourist delights at Kotagiri are the Kodanad View Point, Elk falls and the Catherihene falls. The climatic conditions, the ecology, the weather, the landscape of Kotagiri are very familiar to surrounds in Britain and brought back memories of England which the Britishers had left behind for services to their Kingdom.  It was a boon for the Englishman as they made it their summer home away from the hot and sultry Chennai. As we cross the small town of Kotagiri, we find a distinct change in the ecology. Slowly the look of an English countryside gives way to the evergreen fir and pine trees. There is chill in the weather as we approach the road leading to the Dodda Betta Peak, the highest mountain in the Niligiris District, a junction of the Western ghats and the Eastern Ghats,   It attains a height of 2637 M or 8650 ft above sea level. It has a reserve forest all around and an  observatory at the top where we can view the magnificent panoramic view of the Nilgiris through the telescopes. Another ten kilometers and the roads leads to Charring Cross, the center of Ooty town.    

THE GUDULAR GHAT

NH 212 connects Kozikode in Kerala through the Bandipur National Park to Gundulpet in Karnataka. The tourist coming to Ooty from Kozikode in Kerala  through the Silent Valley take a diversion on SH 28 from Sultan Bakery through Devarshila to reach Gudular. Those coming from Bangalore & Mysore reach Gundulpet on NH 212 and take the NH 67 cutting across Madhumalia National Park.to head for Gudular. Any which way, it is a treat to the eyes for the flora and fauna for the lovers of nature and ecology.  The Gudular Ghat connecting Gundulpet - Bandipur-Madhumalia - Gudular -Ooty on NH 67 is one of the most enchanting and memorable drives we have had in our lifetime. Sighting of animals is a routine affair especially deers, peacocks and elephants. It is a regular feature to  wait patiently for hordes of wild elephants to cross the highway with cars, trucks and buses all standing still  on a guard of honor. It gives one a chilling feeling of fear as the wild elephants make their crossing but once the way is clear and the vehicles move to continue their journey, memories of the sighting of the herd of elephants remains for a long long time. Just twenty kilometers short of Ooty, The Pykara River, sacred to the Todas welcomes the tourists to its fold. The Pykara river rises in the Mukurthi Peak and gets down on the plateau after a series of cascades and falls cultivating  into a must see destination when in Ooty, The Pykara Lake which bewitches the tourist by its sheer scenic beauty.  The Government of Tamilnadu Tourism runs a boat house which are facilitated with speed boats. The ride in the boats in the Pykara Lake along the sholas all along the boundary of the lake  is equally exciting and breadth taking. It is also one of the favorite picnic spots in and around Ooty. 

NH 67 further leads to the Wenlock Downs, a famous film shoot location especially the two locations 6th Mile and 9th Mile (14 KM from Ooty). It has a gentle undulating hills for miles and miles of  grasslands, a look alike of the Yorkshire Dales in England. As the grasslands recede NH 67 winds it way through the crossing at  Thalaikundha, passes the Pine Forest, the one time famous Hindustan Films compound, The Gymkhana club golf course to Charring Crossing in Ooty covering a distance of 67 Kms from Gudular to Ooty.

Travelers coming from Bangalore & Mysore reach Gundulpet on NH 212 and taking the NH 67 cutting across Madhumalia National Park.to head for Gudular, can take a diversion  at the junction of Theppakadu and take the SH 67 to Ooty. . The sanctuary  reception office of Madhumalia National Park is located at Theppakudu.  The forest department provides vehicles for visiting the Park. Theppakudu has also an elephant management camp and facilitates the tourists for joy elephant rides in the mornings and evenings. The sanctuary provides a rich posterity  and environs of diverge wild life like Nilgiris Tahr, Bison, Sambar, Tiger, leopard , spotted deer, Nilgiris langur, and various species of resident and migratory birds. It is located at the base of Nilgiris hills and the Moya River partitions the Madhumalia Sanctuary from Karnataka Bandipur National Park. It has a dense deciduous forest of teak, laurel and rosewood and interspersed with grasslands swamps and bamboo forest. We had experienced the day treks of the Sanctuary  and safari rides during the day and also late at  night. It was a thrilling experience  to sight number of bison  sambar,  herds of elephants and deer. The nearest we got to sighting a tiger was a trail of its pug marks.  Sighting the pug marks excited us and imagine in case we actual sighted a tiger  
walking towards us or crossing our trek trail.  Anyway we were rewarded with our perseverance as we had sighted a leopard waiting to cross the road late in one of our many night rides in the Madhumalia Sanctuary.

       A number of resorts have mushroomed around the environs of Madhumalia National Park especially in Masinasudi and Dodulingi. Being in proximity to the borders of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu, Madhumalia National Park is turning into a happening place and a getaway for the tourist especially from Ooty. The concept of rooms built on tree tops has caught the fascination of the tourists. It is indeed a awesome experience staying on a tree top surrounded by forest with all modern amenities. To fend away the animals in the proximity the fencing in the periphery of the  resorts are electrocuted at night. We remember waking up in the early dawn to find monkeys and birds making all sorts of sound on top of the roof of the tree house. It was scary in the beginning but as it dawned on us as to where we spent the night we began to enjoy the experience as it just gave us an insight as how our favorite comic hero Tarzen spent the whole life on tree tops.

THE SIGUR GHAT


The SH 67 commences from Theppakadu through  Madhumalia and Masinasudi to Ooty. The road to Ooty is known as the Sigur Ghat or Kalhatti or Steep Ghat. The road has thirty six hair pin bends and very steep terrain. The road is basically a short cut to Ooty - only 33 KMs. The driver is to be well conversant with hill driving. Some portions are so steep that the car is driven in the first gear. But hats off to the foreign tourist whom we saw cycling up to Ooty on this route. She might have had some stamina and physical fitness. This ghat road is only allowed to be traveled during the day time. At night the route is closed to traffic.  The Sigur Wildlife corridor has the highest density of elephants in India and many endangered vultures have been documented in the Sigur plateau, the connection between the Western and Eastern Ghat.  Hence it has the maximum opportunity of sighting or elephants crossing the road. On this ghat road between the tenth and eleventh hairpin from the  side of Thalaikundha, we had sighted the Kurunji Flower blooming along the ghats in the year 2006. The ghat road SH 67 leads to the junction of Thalaikundha where it meets the NH 67 from Gudular and continues to Ooty to reach Charring Cross. 


THE MANJOOR GHAT
Ghat roads are always susceptible to land slips especially during the monsoons. It is nightmarish to hear about the road blocks especially when one in on a holiday to a hill station. Thanks to the efforts of the District authorities of Nilgiris that when on very rare occasions when both the Coonoor ghat and the Kotagiri Ghat are closed, an alternate route through a smaller ghat road is available for local traffic and  tourists  through the Coimbatore - Karamadai - Veliankaov - Pilloor - Gedhai to the town of Manjoor where it  join the route from Upper Bhavani to Ooty. This small ghat road is known as the Manjoor Ghat. 

The Upper Bhavani is around 22 KMs from the town of Manjoor. It is a naturalist paradise and an amphitheatre of undulating landscape with miles and miles of hills covered by sea of grassland. With the mist and fog playing games with nature, ecology was at its zenith. The pleasing topography, the water bodies, the intermittent rains, the sunshine added to the awe. The Upper Bhavani reservoir, the catchment for the Hydroelectric station was a site to behold. One can sit for hours together soaking into the environment and enjoying the blissful surroundings. The drive from Upper Bhavani to Manjoor and further to Ooty through Lovedale is 54 KMs of enchanting and amazing natural scenery at its best leading to Charring Cross, the centre of Ooty.

 Follow Me for Ootacamund  and its surrounds in the Part 2 of Ootacamund and the Ghats of the Blue Mountains.