This is about a Tourist Place. It is located in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. It has a Chilled Climate
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Kodaikanal Kodaikanal is a city in the hills of the Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. [2] Its name in the Tamil language means “The Gift of the Forest”. [3] Kodaikanal is referred to as the “Princess of Hill stations" and has a long history as a retreat and popular tourist destination. Kodaikanal was established in 1845 as a refuge from the high temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains. [4] Much of the local economy is based on the hospitality industry serving tourism. As of 2011, the town had a population for 36,501. 1 Etymology Main article: History of Kodaikanal § Etymology It is not known who first used this name or what they in- tended it to mean. The word Kodaikanal is actually an amalgamation of two words: Kodai and Kanal. And the Tamil language has at least four possible interpretations of the name “Kodaikanal”. By pronouncing the first syllable of Ko- daikanal with a long Tamil 'O', as in koe-dei, it means summer, whilst the final two syllables: kanal, in Tamil can mean to see, rendering 'Kodaikanal' as a 'place to see in Summer'. Kodaikanal is a summer forest, and it is also a place that the first missionaries to settle used as a refuge to escape the overbearing and mosquito-ridden heat of the plains - a place that they would have counted on seeing in the summer! "Kanal", in Tamil, can also mean dense forest or closed forest. In this case, "Kodai" can have at least four dif- ferent meanings. By pronouncing 'Kodai' with the long Tamil 'O' and short 'e', Ko-dai means “the end”. So that KODAI KANAL could mean “The End of the For- est” which makes poetic as well as geographical sense, in that Kodaikanal is situated at the crown of the Palani Hills, and is effectively surrounded and protected by thick forests, which one must traverse to reach Kodai. [3] By pronouncing Kodai with the short Tamil 'O' (as in KODI), it would means “Creepers” or vines. So that Ko- daikanal could also mean “The Forest of creepers”, or the Forest of vines. “The Forest of Creepers” is also thought to be the English language meaning given in 1885 dur- ing the early western habitation of the place, [5] and is still accepted. [6] They called like this with its beauty. By pronouncing Kodai with a short Tamil 'O', and a long 'E', KODAI might be interpreted to mean “Gift”, render- ing “Kodaikanal” as “Gift of the Forest”. Keeping the short Tamil 'O' but adding a long 'A', Kodai could be understood as the Tamil word for umbrella, where Ko- daikanal is a forest fashioned like a protecting umbrella. Or perhaps 'umbrella' just because of the once pristine shola, it rained so much in Kodai! [3] Another Tamil word for creeper or vine is Valli, the honey collecting daughter of the chief of the Veddas mountain tribe. The chief and his wife prayed to the Mountain God for a girl-child and their prayers were answered when the chief found a new-born girl child during a hunting expedi- tion. As she was found among creeper plants, they named the child Valli and she grew up as princess of the tribe in Kurinji and became the consort of lord Murugan. [7] The romantic traditions of Murugan in Sangam literature are thus associated with the name Kodaikanal. 2 History Main article: History of Kodaikanal The earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Palaiyar tribal people. The earliest specific references to Ko- daikanal and the Palani Hills are found in Tamil Sangam literature of the early Common era. [8] Modern Ko- daikanal was established by American Christian mission- aries and British bureaucrats in 1845, as a refuge from the high temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains. [4] In the 20th century a few elite Indians came to realise the value of this enchanting hill station and started relocating here. [9] Tourism has been impacted by industrial pollution is- sues including the closure of a mercury factory owned by Unilever's Indian subsidiary Hindustan Unilever af- ter evidence of widespread mercury pollution. [10] To date no proper clean-up operation has been mounted. The is- sue gained prominence in early 2015 when “Kodaikanal Won't”, a rap music about mercury pollution in the region went viral globally getting more than a million views in 4 days. 3 Geography The town of Kodaikanal sits on a plateau above the south- ern escarpment of the upper Palani Hills at 2,133 me- 1
Transcript
Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal is a city in the hills of the Dindigul districtin the state of Tamil Nadu, India.[2] Its name in the Tamillanguage means “The Gift of the Forest”.[3] Kodaikanalis referred to as the “Princess of Hill stations" and has along history as a retreat and popular tourist destination.Kodaikanal was established in 1845 as a refuge from thehigh temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains.[4]Much of the local economy is based on the hospitalityindustry serving tourism. As of 2011, the town had apopulation for 36,501.
1 Etymology
Main article: History of Kodaikanal § Etymology
It is not known who first used this name or what they in-tended it to mean.The word Kodaikanal is actually an amalgamation oftwo words: Kodai and Kanal. And the Tamil languagehas at least four possible interpretations of the name“Kodaikanal”. By pronouncing the first syllable of Ko-daikanal with a long Tamil 'O', as in koe-dei, it meanssummer, whilst the final two syllables: kanal, in Tamilcan mean to see, rendering 'Kodaikanal' as a 'place to seein Summer'. Kodaikanal is a summer forest, and it is alsoa place that the first missionaries to settle used as a refugeto escape the overbearing andmosquito-ridden heat of theplains - a place that they would have counted on seeing inthe summer!"Kanal", in Tamil, can also mean dense forest or closedforest. In this case, "Kodai" can have at least four dif-ferent meanings. By pronouncing 'Kodai' with the longTamil 'O' and short 'e', Ko-dai means “the end”. Sothat KODAI KANAL could mean “The End of the For-est” which makes poetic as well as geographical sense,in that Kodaikanal is situated at the crown of the PalaniHills, and is effectively surrounded and protected by thickforests, which one must traverse to reach Kodai.[3]
By pronouncing Kodai with the short Tamil 'O' (as inKODI), it would means “Creepers” or vines. So that Ko-daikanal could also mean “The Forest of creepers”, or theForest of vines. “The Forest of Creepers” is also thoughtto be the English language meaning given in 1885 dur-ing the early western habitation of the place,[5] and is stillaccepted.[6] They called like this with its beauty.By pronouncing Kodai with a short Tamil 'O', and a long
'E', KODAI might be interpreted to mean “Gift”, render-ing “Kodaikanal” as “Gift of the Forest”. Keeping theshort Tamil 'O' but adding a long 'A', Kodai could beunderstood as the Tamil word for umbrella, where Ko-daikanal is a forest fashioned like a protecting umbrella.Or perhaps 'umbrella' just because of the once pristineshola, it rained so much in Kodai! [3]
Another Tamil word for creeper or vine is Valli, the honeycollecting daughter of the chief of the Veddas mountaintribe. The chief and his wife prayed to the Mountain Godfor a girl-child and their prayers were answered when thechief found a new-born girl child during a hunting expedi-tion. As she was found among creeper plants, they namedthe child Valli and she grew up as princess of the tribe inKurinji and became the consort of lord Murugan.[7] Theromantic traditions of Murugan in Sangam literature arethus associated with the name Kodaikanal.
2 History
Main article: History of Kodaikanal
The earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Palaiyartribal people. The earliest specific references to Ko-daikanal and the Palani Hills are found in Tamil Sangamliterature of the early Common era.[8] Modern Ko-daikanal was established by American Christian mission-aries and British bureaucrats in 1845, as a refuge from thehigh temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains.[4]In the 20th century a few elite Indians came to realise thevalue of this enchanting hill station and started relocatinghere.[9]
Tourism has been impacted by industrial pollution is-sues including the closure of a mercury factory ownedby Unilever's Indian subsidiary Hindustan Unilever af-ter evidence of widespread mercury pollution.[10] To dateno proper clean-up operation has been mounted. The is-sue gained prominence in early 2015 when “KodaikanalWon't”, a rap music about mercury pollution in the regionwent viral globally getting more than a million views in 4days.
3 Geography
The town of Kodaikanal sits on a plateau above the south-ern escarpment of the upper Palani Hills at 2,133 me-
tres (6,998 ft), between the Parappar and Gundar Val-leys. These hills form the eastward spur of the WesternGhats on the Western side of South India. It has anirregular basin as its heartland, the centre of which isnow Kodaikanal Lake a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) circum-ference manmade lake.A few kilometers away from Ko-daikanal ,a small village named Vattakanal is located inthe Dindigul District on the southern tip of the upperPalani hills in the state of Tamil Nadu,along the easterncoast of the Western Ghats.Vattakanal is better known as'Vatta' by most or 'Little Israel' by the villagers that ob-serve a large number of Israeli tourists who flock therefrom October onwards.Meadows and grasslands cover the hillsides. GiganticEucalyptus trees and shola forests flourish in the valleys.Mighty rocks and cascading streams lie above the valleys.There are many high waterfalls and ubiquitous gardensand flower beds in bloom.[9]
Kodaikanal is known for its rich flora. Of the big trees,cypress, eucalyptus and acacia are the dominant varieties.Pear trees are numerous and the fruits are of high qual-ity. Competing with the fruit trees are the flowering ones- mainly rhododendron and magnolia. Large dahlias ofdifferent hues are the main attraction of Bryant Park, sit-uated close to the Kodai lake. Water lilies in the park’spond are another pleasing sight. The town abounds in akind of beautiful yellow wild flowers.[11]
North of the town, high hills that slope down into thevillages of Pallangi and Vilpatti stand guard. On theeast the hill slopes less abruptly into the lower Palnis.A precipitous escarpment facing the Cumbum Valleyis on the south. On the west is a plateau leading toManjampatti Valley, Indira Gandhi National Park, theAnamalai Hills and the main body of the Western Ghatsof Kerala boarder.
3.1 Climate
Kodaikanal has a monsoon-influenced Oceanic climate(Cfb, according to the Köppen climate classification).
The temperatures are cool throughout the year due to thehigh elevation of the city.
4 Demographics
According to the 2011 census, Kodaikanal had a popu-lation of 36,501 with a sex-ratio of 1,004 females forevery 1,000 males, much above the national average of929.[13] A total of 3,893 were under the age of six,constituting 1,945 males and 1,948 females. ScheduledCastes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 19.86% and.28% of the population respectively. The average liter-acy of the city was 79.78%, compared to the nationalaverage of 72.99%.[13] The city had a total of : 9442households. There were a total of 14,103 workers, com-prising 163 cultivators, 744 main agricultural labour-ers, 130 in household industries, 12,118 other work-ers, 948 marginal workers, 10 marginal cultivators, 51marginal agricultural labourers, 34 marginal workers inhousehold industries and 853 other marginal workers.[14]As per the religious census of 2011, Kodaikanal had48.84% Hindus, 12.0% Muslims, 38.69% Christians,0.02% Sikhs, 0.22% Buddhists, 0.04% Jains, 0.15% fol-lowing other religions and 0.04% following no religion ordid not indicate any religious preference.[15]
5 Economy
Agriculture and tourism are two major parts of local economy.Above, terraced farming in Kodaikanal.
The economy of Kodaikanal predominantly depends ontourism. The number of tourists increased from two mil-lion in 1999 to 3.2 million in 2009.[16] The town’s infras-tructure changes every year in preparation for the peaktourist season. Major roads are converted into one-waylanes to regulate the constant inflow of traffic and specialpolice are brought in for the safety of the tourists and pro-tection of local businesses. Hotels are often fully bookedduring the high season, and remain virtually empty duringthe off-season. Due to the rapid development of nearby
cities such as Madurai and Coimbatore, the town is learn-ing to deal with year-round tourism.Plums, pears, chile peppers, carrots, cauliflower, cab-bage, garlic and onions are cultivated by terrace farmersin surrounding villages. Most are trucked to other partsof India and some are sold in the local market. Populartourist souvenirs include handcrafts, home-made choco-lates, postcards and Eucalyptus oil.Due to its relatively unpolluted image, variouslocations[17] within Kodaikanal are used for movieshootings as well. Some examples being Jo Jeeta WohiSikandar [18] though depicted as Dehradun, the Tamilmovie Guna, Manmadhan Ambu, Thenali etc.
6 Health
The major medical facilities are KHMS Hospital, VanAllen Hospital and the Government Hospital and ThePrana Spa. These hospitals treat patients with commonailments and injuries and perform child delivery and care,but are not equipped with modern medical equipment forcomplicated diagnoses and surgery.KHMS hospital in 2009 was formed to provide qualityhealth care to residents and visitors.In April 1915, Dr. Van Allen raised funds to constructthe first unit of the hospital at the entrance of Coaker’swalk. It was named after him. Facilities got updated fromtime to time and now it has X-ray machine, well equippedpathological lab, and operation theatre with blood trans-fusion facilities.The Government Hospital is situated on the hillside nearRock Cottage on Lower Shola Road. It was a small mu-nicipal hospital until 1927. Now it has X-ray, Dental, andMaternity wards and other facilities.
6.1 Kodaikanal Mercury Poisoning
Air and water-borne mercury emissions have contam-inated large areas of Kodaikanal and the surroundingforests. A study conducted by the Department of AtomicEnergy confirmed that Kodaikanal Lake has been con-taminated by mercury emissions.,[19][20]
Mercury pollution was reported in Kodaikanal affect-ing lakes in the area. The causes, originating from aHindustan Unilever thermometer factory nearby, were re-ported to be dispersal of elemental mercury into the at-mosphere from improper storage and dispersal into thewater from surface effluents from the factory. Apart fromtests conducted on Kodaikanal lake, moss samples col-lected from trees surrounding the Berijam Lake, located20 km (12.4 mi) from the factory were also tested. Theseshowed mercury levels in the range of 0.2 µg/kg, while inKodaikanal lake the lichen andmoss levels were 7.9 µg/kg
and 8.3 µg/kg, respectively. Fish samples taken from Ko-daikanal lake also showed Hg levels in the range of 120 to290mg/kg confirming that pollution of the lake had takenplace due to mercury emissions from the factory.[21]
The Hindustan Unilever thermometer factory causedwidespread mercury pollution through improper disposalof broken thermometer waste containing large quantitiesof mercury. The factory sold much of this waste to ajunkyard in Kodaikanal and also dumped large quantitiesin the forest behind the factory. The factory was eventu-ally closed in 2001 after 18 years of operation. Hindus-tan Lever, have used considerable legal manoeuvering toavoid paying compensation to the ex-workers and theirfamilies, many of whom died or became physically hand-icapped as a result of mercury poisoning.[22][23]
The ex-workers joined to form the 559-strong Ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association and in 2006filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) suit in the MadrasHigh Court. The association wants an economic reha-bilitation scheme, healthcare treatment and a monitoringprogramme at the company’s expense for everyone whoever worked in the factory. It also wants the companyprosecuted. Hindustan Unilever denies that any of thehealth problems of the workers or their families were theresult of mercury exposure in the factory. In 2010 theworkers were still fighting for compensation.[24]
In June 2007, the Madras High Court constituted a five-member expert committee to decide on the mercuryworkers’ health claims. The last court hearing was in June2008. The committee later failed to find sufficient evi-dence to link the current clinical condition of the factoryworkers to past mercury exposure in the factory.[25]
In November 2011, a Ministry of Labour, Governmentof India commissioned report made the following obser-vations to the Hon'ble Madras High Court:“The committee is of the opinion that there is a prima-facie evidence from the personal & medical investiga-tion of victims during the field visit to HLL Factory, Ko-daikanal on 4th, 5th & 6th October, 2011 that not onlythe ex-workers of the HLL, Kodiakanal, but also theirnew born children have suffered on account of mercuryexposure such as Tremor, knee pain, Loss of memory,Loss of teeth, Irregular menstrual period for women, In-fertility, Skin problmes, Premature delivery of baby bypregnant women and children having ailments like Men-tal retardation, Deformity of organ, Birth defect like bluebaby and Loss of memory were also noticed.”Additional site remediation studies are being undertakenby national institutions, as desired by the Tamil NaduPollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Court’s Sci-entific Experts Committee (SEC) during the project re-view meeting in January 2010. IIT Delhi is revalidatingthe risk assessment study and site-specific clean-up stan-dards; the National Botanical Research Institute, Luc-know, is studying the impact on trees and preservationof trees; and the Centre for Soil and Water Conservation
Research and Training Institute, Ooty, is studying the im-pact on soil and soil erosion. Based on the above studyfindings, results of remediation trials and recommenda-tions of the SEC, the TNPCB will take a final decision onthe clean-up standards. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL)will commence soil remediation work at the factory siteonce a decision on clean-up standards is taken and con-sent is given by TNPCB.[26]
7 Education
The following schools are located at Kodaikanal:R.C.Town Higher Secondary School, Pck Presen-tation Convent Primary School, Bhavan’s GandhiVidyashram,[27] Brindavan Public School,[28] KodaikanalInternational School, Kodaikanal Public School,[29] St.John’s Girls Higher Secondary School, St. Joseph’s Pub-lic School, St.Peter’s Matriculation Higher SecondarySchool,[30] St. Xavier’s High School, Zion MatriculationHigh School, Sankara Vidhyalaya.The main colleges here are: Kodaikanal Christian Col-lege, which is the first Arts and Science College in Ko-daikanal established in the year 1994; ever since, the col-lege says, it has been committed to imparting holistic ed-ucation and transforming students into model global lead-ers, for which the evidence is seen in the strong alumni.The American University of India (AUI) / Kodai Interna-tional Business School (KIBS) (www.auiedu.com) is anelite Business school offering MBA & BBA programs inUSA& India located in Ugarthenager. Sacred Heart Col-lege. Mother Theresas University is distinctive as India’sonly university exclusively devoted to women’s issues.[31]
In 2005 a new engineering college specializing inInformation Technology, Kodaikanal Institute of Tech-nology under Anna University, was established 22 kilo-metres (14 mi) below Kodaikanal town.
8 Religion
Since Kodaikanal was founded by the American and Eu-ropean Missionaries, Christian churches are abundant inKodaikanal. They include the Church of South India -opposite Bryant Park, St. Peters Church near CoakersWalk, Gorapur, Lake End, La Salette, Lutheran Mission,Sacred Heart - Munjikal, Saint Antony’s - Antonyar KovilStreet, Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Joseph’s, Saint Mary’sand Saint Peter’s - Coakers Walk Road. Amongst themost popular is Union Church with a large Tamil con-gregation and Margaret Eddy Memorial Chapel at Ko-dai International School with lively services in a typicallyAmerican style and distinctive stone architecture.There are many Hindu Temples in Kodaikanal includ-ing the Durgai Amman Kovil, Kurinji Andavar Kovil,Mariamman Kovil, Observatory Murugan Kovil and
Kurinji Andavar (Murugan) temple built by Lady Ramanathan(R.L.Harrison) of Australia, wife of Ponnambalam Ra-manathan[32]
Vinayagar Kovil. The Muslim mosques are Ellis Villaand Munjikal. There is an active community of TibetanBuddhist refugees.
9 Civil Society
Kodaikanal Golf Club
Kodaikanal has several clubs and civil society organi-zations operating for social, charitable and environmen-tal goals. Established clubs in Kodaikanal are the Ko-daikanal Lions Club (est. 1985) under the jurisdic-tion of Lions Clubs International (district 324B); Ko-daikanal Boat Club (est. 1890) with nearly 650 per-manent members; Kodaikanal Golf Club (est. 1895)with over 600 members and an 18-hole golf course,spread over 143 acres (0.58 km2); The Indian Club (est.1915) on Poet Thyagarajar Road and The Rotary Club ofKodaikanal.[33]
In 1890, the Kodaikanal Missionary Union (KMU) wasformed to enable missionaries of the various denomi-nations to come together for recreation and to developmission strategy and outreach in cooperation with each
other. In 1923 it built an Edwardian style clubhouse withlarge central hall for social events and afternoon teas,6 tennis courts, a reading room, and other spaces formeetings.[34] With the decline of missionary activity inIndia, the KMUwas wound up in the 1980s, and the prop-erty was turned over to Kodaikanal International School.The KMU library with many valuable old books besidesnewer materials, is still functioning in one room, and pro-vides something of a social venue. The valuable originalKMU archives materials have been incorporated into thearchives of the school, which has hired an archivist and isin process of converting the whole original KMU build-ing into an archives and display centre for the school andthe community.[35] (2008)
Kodaikanal lake View showing: Mount Perumal, Boat house,Carlton Hotel, Kodaikanal International School, Fish hatchery,Lake Road.
Kodaikanal has several Social service societies whichpromote local trade and increase employment of ruralvillagers in the town’s periphery by participating in itstourism fuelled growth. These include the KodaikanalPeople Development Group (KOPDEG) which has beensuccessful in providing employment for marginalizedwomen and marketing their products. TheMade-in-Indiatagged products from Kopedeg are unique to Kodaikanaland are targeted at foreign tourists who regularly buythem as souvenirs.[36]
TheCottage Crafts Shop at Anna Salai, is run by the volun-tary organisation, Coordinating Council for Social Con-cerns in Kodai (CORSOK). They sell goods crafted by de-velopment groups and uses the commission charged tohelp the needy.[37]
In 1994 the “Potter’s Shed” was inaugurated. This potteryand craft Shop in Kodaikanal has made and sold hundredsof thousands of fine pieces of locally made pottery. Allprofits from this business are contributed to the BethaniaKids, Center For Children with Disabilities.[38]
The Kodaikanal Lake Protection Council and Vat-takkanal Organization for Youth, Community and Envi-ronment (VOYCE) are active in preserving Kodaikanal’senvironment. Plastic bags are banned and almost all
shops and roadside vendors heed the rule and use recycledpaper bags in fear of a social reprisal. Local hotels havealso participated in improving the environment by plac-ing garbage cans all across the town, with their prominentdonated by signs acting as silent salesmen.[39]
10 Places of Interest
Kodaikanal lake
Kodaikanal has several scenic natural attractions whichare enjoyed by its visitors and make it a popular romanticdestination for newlyweds. These are described in orderof distance from the bus-stand.Kodaikanal Lake, is an artificial, roughly star-shaped 45ha (60 acres) lake built in 1863. It is recognized as Ko-daikanal’s most popular geographic landmark and touristattraction. Rowboats and pedalos can be hired at the Ko-daikanal Boat Club. Horses and bicycles can be hiredbeside the lake for short periods. The 5 kilometres (3.1mi) path that skirts the periphery of this lovely lake is afavourite walk for the locals and tourists alike.
Bryant Park
Bryant Park: Just east of the lake and 500 metres(1,600 ft) from the bus stand, is a wonderfully main-tained 20.5 acres (8.3 ha) botanical garden. The park
was planned and built in 1908 by a forest officer fromMadurai, H.D.Bryant, and named after him. With 325species of trees, shrubs and cacti, the park is a rainbowof stunning flowers during the peak season. A large sec-tion is dedicated to nearly 740 varieties of roses. Thereis an 1857 Eucalyptus tree and a Bodhi tree which addsa religious significance to the park. Ornamental plantsare cultivated in a nursery for sale. The park organizeshorticultural exhibits and flower shows every summer, tocoincide with the peak season. The entrance fee to thepark is nominal, and it is open all year.[40]
Coaker’s Walk (1900)
Coaker’s Walk, 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bus-stand, constructed by Lt.Coaker in 1872, is a 1-kilometre(3,300 ft) paved pedestrian path running along the edgeof steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai. The walk,winding around Mount Nebo, starts in front of the VanAllen hospital, running parallel to the Van Allen HospitalRoad and joins the main road beside St.Peter’s Church,providing a stunning panoramic view of the plains. Ona clear day one can view as far as Dolphin’s Nose inthe south, the valley of the Pambar River in the south-east, Periyakulam town and even the city of Madurai. Afascinating rare phenomenon called Brocken spectre canbe witnessed, when a person can see his shadow on theclouds with a rainbow halo. This occurs when the sun isbehind the viewer and clouds and mist are to the front.There is an observatory with a telescope halfway alongthe walk. Entrance fee to the walkway is nominal and itis open all year.Bear Shola Falls, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the bus-stand, is a tall waterfall in a Reserve forest. The finalapproach to this quiet area is a gently climbing foot-path.Green Valley View, (formerly called Suicide Point) 5.5kilometres (3.4 mi) from the bus-stand and near the golfcourse, has an excellent panoramic view of the plains anda sheer drop of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) overlooking theVaigai Dam to the south. The stairway leading up to itis highly commercialized and lined with rows of shops totempt tourists.[41]
Pine forests, In 1906, with a view to growing valuable
Village view
timber, Mr. Bryant started the Kodaikanal pine planta-tions in the south-west of Kodaikanal.[42]
ShembaganurMuseum of Natural History, 6 kilome-tres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand, founded in 1895, is opento the public (except Tuesdays) for viewing their out-standing taxidermy collection of more than 500 speciesof animals, birds and insects and a living collection ofover 300 exotic orchid species. The museum is affiliatedwith Loyola College in Chennai and exhibits artifacts ofthe ancient Palaiyar tribes people whose descendants stilllive in these hills.[43]
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi)from the bus-stand on Observatory Road, at 2,343 me-tres (7,687 ft) is the highest location near Kodai. Thefirst observations were commenced here in 1901.[44]Former Director John Evershed discovered the phe-nomenon of radial motion in sunspots, now known asthe Evershed effect. The Kodaikanal Terrestrial Tele-scope can view a grand panorama including: SothupparaiDam, Vaigai Dam, Periyakulam and Varaha river. ThisIndian Institute of Astrophysics facility has a comprehen-sive Astronomical Science museum with organized pub-lic tours, access to the astronomy library, and schedulednight-time telescopic sky viewing. It is open daily to thepublic during peak season, and a few hours each Friday
Silver Cascade Waterfall is formed from the outflow of Ko-daikanal Lake
Pillar Rocks
Pillar Rocks, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the bus-stand,is a set of three giant rock pillars which stand 122 metres(400 ft) high.[46] Managed by the Tamil Nadu Forest De-partment, The viewpoint can be crowded but is not com-mercialized. There is an excellent public garden adjacentto the viewpoint.Guna caves,[47] made popular by the Tamil movie Guna,previously called Devil’s Kitchen, are deep bat-infestedchambers between the three gigantic boulders that are thePillar Rocks. The deep narrow ravines of the caves arenow closed to public due to the tragic deaths of twelveyouths there.[48] These dangerous caves are highly pro-tected now, and tourists can see sections of the cave sys-tem from afar.[49] In the late 1970s the inside of the caveswas well photographed.Silver Cascade, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Kodaikanalat a wide bend in the long and winding Laws GhatRoad, at altitude 1,800 metres (5,900 ft), is a 55-metre(180 ft) waterfall formed from the outflow of KodaikanalLake.[50] The water quality is reportedly poor and notgood enough for bathing.[51] This impressive waterfall isa popular stop for first-time visitors. There are a few sou-venir and fruit vendors and many monkeys here. There isalso a smaller but more serene waterfall below the bridge
which crosses the stream here.
Dolphin’s Nose
Dolphin’s Nose, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the busstand, is flat rock projecting over a breathtaking chasm6,600 feet (2,000 m) deep. It is an undisturbed area 1kilometre (0.62 mi) down a very steep rocky trail begin-ning soon after Pambar Bridge. Orange juice vendorsalong the trail offer a welcome rest stop. Beautiful viewsof steep rocky escarpments rising from the plains can beseen. The old village of Vellagavi can be reached througha rugged bridle path here. A short paved walkway leadsfrom the road here to Pambar falls (which is also locallyaddressed as 'Liril Falls’ after the famous Liril Soap Ad-vertisement filming in 1985).Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple, 4 kilometres (2.5mi) from the bus-stand, is famous for its Kurinji flowerwhich blossoms in the area only once every 12 years.The deity here is called Sri Kurinji Easwaran, who is infact Lord Murugan. This temple was built in 1936 by aEuropean lady, who on coming to Ceylon, converted toHinduism.She changed her name to Leelavathi and mar-ried Mr.Ponnambalam Ramanathan. She is also knownas Lady Ramanathan. This temple was handed over toArulmighu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thiru Kovil, Palaniby Mrs Devi Prasad Bhaskaran (also known as Padmini,niece and adopted daughter of Mr S Natesan Pillai, sonin-law of Lady Ramanathan) and her husband Dr R.Bhaskaran.Berijam Lake: A calm serene lake surrounded by mes-merizing nature at a distance of around 20 km from Ko-daikanal. Boating is prohibited as the lake is a sourceof water for villages. Forest department permission isrequired and limited number of vehicles are allowed toenter the forest area where the lake is situated. Entryis restricted into the Berijam Lake area to between 9.30a.m. and 3 p.m. Bison, deer, panthers and snakes areoften spotted in this area. The fire tower, Silent Val-ley, Medicine Forest, and Lake View are other attrac-tions around the lake. Psilocybin mushrooms which pro-duce hallucinogenic effects when consumed, and otherpoisonous mushrooms grow around Berijam. Medicine
Forest has a certain species of trees whose fragrance is be-lieved to be having hallucinogenic effects. To enter intothe Berijam Lake permission must be obtained from theForest Department. Usually they give permission around8 a.m. every day except on Tuesdays. They give permis-sion to about 80 to 100 vehicles per day and collect theentry fee of around Rs.150 depending upon the vehicle.
11 Transport
Almost all distances from Kodaikanal are calculated withthe lake as the central point of reference. The near-est airports are Madurai (135 kilometres or 84 miles),Coimbatore (170 kilometres or 110 miles) and Trichy(200 kilometres or 120 miles). The nearest railway sta-tions are Palani Station (64 kilometres or 40 miles) north,Kodaikanal Road Station (80 kilometres or 50 miles)south east and Dindigul Junction (100 kilometres or 62miles) east.[52]
FromMadurai Aarappalayam bus stand, frequent bus ser-vices are available; the first bus in the morning leaves at2.30 am, then 3.30 am and 4.0., 5.0, 6.0 am; there are nobuses after 5 pm in the eveningThe 2 to 3 hours drive to Kodai via the steep and wind-ing Ghat roads from Batlagundu or Palani is a memorableexperience. Travellers may stop at turnouts on the roadand enjoy the scenic beauty of the Palani hills.[53] Thereis a 28 km shortcut from Periyakulam to Kodaikanalvia Kumbakarai. Bicycle rental, taxis, vans and lim-ited city buses are available.[54] Auto rickshaws are notavailable.[55]
12 References[1] Kodaikanal Department Of Municipal Administration
And Water Supply, Historical Moments, 2005
[2] “Aringnar Anna Zoological Park”. Tamilnadu.com. 8February 2013.
[3] “About City”. Government of Tamil Nadu. KodaikanalDepartment Of Municipal Administration And WaterSupply. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
[4] Mitchell Nora, Indian Hill Station: Kodaikanal, Univer-sity of Chicago, Dept. of Geography, ch 2, Rational forTropical Hill Sations, pp13-15, 1972. Original from theUniversity of California Digitized 28 Jan 2008
[5] The Cyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and SouthernAsia by Edward Balfour, Published by B. Quaritch, 1885,Item notes: vol.2 H-NYSA, P583, Original from the Uni-versity of Michigan, Digitized 29 Jan 2008
[6] Mitchell Nora, Indian Hill Station: Kodaikanal, Universityof Chicago, Dept. of Geography, place creepers, p. 98,1972. Original from the University of California Digitized28 Jan 2008
[8] Mitchell Nora, Indian Hill Station: Kodaikanal, Universityof Chicago, Dept. of Geography, Kodaikanal Sangam,p97, 1972 Original from the University of California Dig-itized 28 Jan 2008
[9] Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation and De-partment of Tourism, Kodaikanal Princess of Hill Stations
[13] “Census Info 2011 Final population totals”. Office of TheRegistrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry ofHome Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26Jan 2014.
[14] “Census Info 2011 Final population totals - Kodaikanal”.Office of The Registrar General and Census Commis-sioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.2013. Retrieved 26 Jan 2014.
[15] “Population By Religious Community - Tamil Nadu”(XLS). Office of The Registrar General and Census Com-missioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of In-dia. 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
[16] S. Molur, K.G. Smith, B.A. Daniel and W.R.T. Dar-wall, “Anon. 2011. Tourism in forest areas of WesternGhats. Equations, January 2001, Bangalore.” (PDF), THESTATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF FRESHWATER BIO-DIVERSITY IN THE WESTERN GHATS, INDIA: 82, re-trieved 2011-09-26
[17] Filmapia.com, Movie Location > Kodaikanal
[18] Filmapia.com, Ratan’s Town in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar
[19] The Hindu, “Prevent mercury pollution”, (2007-8-23),
[20] Studies of mercury pollution in a lake due to a ther-mometer factory situated in a tourist resort : Ko-daikkanal, India, Author(s): KARUNASAGAR D. (1) ;BALARAMAKRISHNAM.V. (1) ; ANJANEYULUY.(2) ; ARUNACHALAM J. (1) ; Author(s) Affiliation(s)(1) National Center for Compositional Characterizationof Materials (CCCM), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre,Department of Atomic Energy, ECIL Post, Hyderabad500 062, INDE, (2) Jawaharlal Nehru Technological Uni-versity, Kukkatpally, Hyderabad, INDE Studies of mer-cury pollution
[21] D. Karunasagar, M.V. Balarama Krishna, Y. Anjaneyulu,J. Arunachalam (September 2006). “Studies of mer-cury pollution in a lake due to a thermometer fac-tory situated in a tourist resort: Kodaikkanal, India”(PDF). Environmental Pollution (Elselvier) 143: 153–158. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.10.032. Retrieved2007-12-12.
[22] Rathnavelu R., Amudhan R.P (7 November 2011),Mercury in the Mist, Chai Kadai U-Tube, retrieved 2011-12-09
[23] Chameleon Studio USA LLC (19 February 2011), Kodaivs Hindustan Lever press release.mp4, Greenpeace Inter-national, U-Tube, retrieved 2011-12-09
[24] Sarah Hiddleston (11 September 2010), “PoisonedGround”, The Hindu, Volume 27 - Issue 19 (Kasturi &Sons Ltd)
[25] “Kodaikanal, India”, The Facts: Mercury contaminationat our former thermometer factory, Kodaikanal, India; -Background, -Assessing the health of our workers (Lon-don: Unilever Global PLC), 2011, retrieved 2011-12-09
[26] Update on Progress of Environmental Issue of ErstwhileKodaikanal Thermometer Factory in India (PDF), Mum-bai: Hindustan Unilever Ltd., 2011, retrieved 2011-12-09
[34] Heideman, Eugene P. From Mission to Church: The Re-formed Church in AmericaMission to India, Wm. B. Eerd-mans Publishing,“KodaikanalMissionaryUnion” (KMU),p. 348 (2001) ISBN 0-8028-4900-8, ISBN 978-0-8028-4900-7 512 pages
[35] Kodaikanal International School, KIS Archives
[36] Kodaikanal People Development Group
[37] kodaikanal.com, Kodaikanal - Shopping
[38] Bethania Kids Potter’s Shed, Kodaikanal
[39] R.W. Stewart and Tanya Balcar,Shola - EnvironmentalNewsletter, The Anglade Institute of Natural History, Sa-cred Heart College, Shembaganur, Kodaikanal 624104,India, pp318-319, No. (26 December 2000) Environ-mental Information System - ENVIS : India, PambarShola : A Success Story in Conservation-V - Profit fromWaste
[40] Kodaikanal Travel Guide, Bryant Park, 2007
[41] TripsGuru Travel Services, Switzerland of the East, GreenValley View
[42] Madras (India : State); B. S. Baliga (Rao Bahadur) (2002).Tamil Nadu district gazetteers. Printed by the Superinten-dent, Govt. Press. p. 166.
[49] Saravanan Ang Mo Kio, Life is 2 Alive, The Guna Cave -Devils Kitchen (2006-10-9)
[50] , By Indian Academy of Sciences, Published by IndianAcademy of Sciences (1972) Item notes: v.76 1972 Jul-Dec, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized12 Apr 2006, Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sci-ences, p. 126
[51] TripsGuru Travel Services, Switzerland of the East, SilverCascade
[52] Kodaionline, Kodaikanal Travel Mode, 2008
[53] Dindugal District Collectors Office, retrieved 4/12/2007About Dindugal District
[54] Kodai Travel Guide,Kodaikanal a Beautiful Hill Resort
[55] NLC Ltd., Important places around Neyveli Kodaikanal
13 Further reading• Charlotte Chandler Wyckoff: Kodaikanal: 1845-1945. London Mission Press, Nagercoil, Travan-core, Indien. 1945.
• Nora Mitchell: The Indian Hill Station Kodaikanal.Research paper, University of Chicago, Departmentof Geography, No. 141. Chicago Ill., 1972.
• Volker Winkler: Kodaikanal. Land of the Clouds.Hillsboro Press, Franklin (Tennessee) 1999.
14 External links• Kodaikanal tourism and unseen places
• Kodaikanal Tour Guide and Photos
• 12 Lesser known Hill Stations in South India
• Kodaikanal
• Comprehensive further information on Kodaikanal
• Kodaikanal, 'Switzerland of the East', TrekkingRoutes
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12 15 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
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