South India Places of Interest
–» MUNNAR
Hill
Stations in India tend to be all underrated as places of visit and travel in
the want of proper marketing and advertisement stratagems. These Hill Stations
in India fail to enter the consciousness of tourists and general people alike.
Munnar being one of them needs to be rediscovered by nature lovers and seekers
of freshest of natural flavors.
Hill Stations in South India being known for their sleepy image and low profile
need to be refurbished. Munnar has a lot of significance in its nomenclaturing
and its glorious historical backdrop too, makes it no lightweight. Munnnar
as a lesser-known Hill Station in India was the Summer Capital of British
Raj in South India with numerous proud precedents attached to its history
and origin. It is really a place waiting to be discovered. The name itself
means a lot with the reference being made to the confluence of three South
Indian rivers, making it a unique Hill Station in India and also in the South.
The three rivers being Kundala, Nallathali and Mudrapuza that adds to the
beauty of the place to be discovered.
The Coffee and Cardamom plantations abound in large numbers in this Hill
Station in India and coupled with its expansive grassy lands it qualifies
as a perfect picture postcard beauty only that it deserves a lot more attention
on the national and international scene as a Destination. It is already a
popular honeymoon destination for the moon gazing newly weds. It remains for
the others a place to be to discovered making a tour to Munnar a must.
India Travel Destinations, the tour guide, arranges for tours to Munnar to
relocate it in the public conscience as a prominent Hill Station in India.
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–» MYSORE
Mysore
is one of the major cities of Karnataka, emerging as a thriving market for exotic
sandalwood and incense products, the Mysore silk-sarees and stone-carved sculptures.
Also known as the fragrant city of Karnataka, Mysore mesmerizes the tourists
with its charm and rich cultural heritage. It was the political capital of the
dynasty, which ruled the state of Karnataka for some 150 years till the independence
of the country from the British. The Wodeyar kings, who were the great patrons
of art and culture, made Mysore their capital and thus it became the cultural
capital of the south.
There are a lot of places of tourist interest in the city. Mysore Palace, one
of its kind, Brindavan Garden, Chamundi Hills, St. Philomena's Church, Zoo,
Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, Ranganathaswamy Temple are ever tempting for tourists.
It’s early to see why Mysore, at an altitude of 770 metres, is popularly
with travellers since it’s friendly and easy-going with plenty of shady
trees, well-maintained public buildings, clean streets and a good climate. The
contrasts with the state capital, Bangalore, couldn’t be greater. Mysore
has chosen to retain and promote its heritage while Bangalore is hell-bent on
confronting the 21st century.
Mysore is also a crafts center, and there are numerous shops selling a large
range of sandalwood, rosewood and teak carvings, and furniture. Probably the
most stunning display can be seen at Cauvery Handicrafts in the center of town.
Until Independence, Mysore was the seat of the maharajas of Mysore, a princely
state covering about a third of present-day Karnataka, and their attraction.
Just south of the city is Chamundi Hill, topped by an important Siva temple.
North of the city lie the extensive ruins of the fortress of Srirangapatnam,
built by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan on an island in the middle of the Cauvery
River. Tipu Sultan fought the last of his battles with the British here in the
closing years of the 18th century. To the east is the beautiful temple of Somnathpur
while to the west, below the Krishnaraja Sagar (Dam), are the Brindavan Gardens,
a popular attraction with Indian tourists.
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–» NAGARHOLE
One of the finest remaining habitats of the Asiatic Elephant, Nagarahole is
situated in the Deccan Plateau and forms an integral part of the Nilgiri biosphere.
The serpentine river after which the park is named, winds through lush green
wilderness, hence the name (Nagara Hole in the local tongue means Serpent River).
Kabini is the largest river draining the forest and a dam built on it has created
a splendid lake to the south of the park, which also forms a boundary with the
Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Huge herds of elephants amble down to Nagarahole in
the summer months, which is an excellent time to watch them in their element.
Over 300 bird species have been reported here, including rarities like Blue
Face Malkhoa, White-cheeked Barbet and Nilgiri Flycatcher
Large carnivores such as the Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Striped Hyena
and the Jackal are aplenty. Herbivores include Gaur, Axis Deer, Sambar, Indian
Muntjac, Mouse Deer, Four-horned Antelope, Wild Boar, Crested Porcupine and
the Black-naped Hare. The primate residents include the Common Langur and Bonnet
Macaque. Other species worth mentioning are the Sloth Bear, Pangolin, Giant
Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, Giant Fruit Bat and the elusive Slender Loris.
The landscape is a mix of gentle slopes and shallow valleys interspersed with
swamps. The trees here are more widely spread with open grassland patches. Large
timber trees such as teak, rosewood and Mathi (Terminalia tomentosa) dominate
the parts of forests with dense undergrowth in areas of high rainfall. The drier
areas on the other hand comprises of shorter trees like Dindalu (Anogeissus
Latifolia), Flame of the Forest, Indian Laburnum and bamboo.
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–» OOTY
Ooty
nestles in an amphitheatre created by four majestic hills—Doddabetta, Snowdon,
Elk Hill and Club Hill. These hills are part of the Nilgiri ranges that are
really the meeting point for the Western and the Eastern Ghats. But why the
‘blue’ mountains—one would naturally wonder at the name. Do rest
assured, when the lavender-blue flowers of the famous Strobilanthes cover the
hills in floral profusion, it would be time to stop wondering, for it is these
funnel-shaped blossoms that are the reason for the name.
Although signboards all around scream and beg to make people call this 36-sq-km
hill resort Udhagamandalam, their pleas obviously fell on deaf ears. As the
blaze of the afternoon sun gives way to a nippy evening, one can make his
way towards the nearby lake. This part of Ooty was once a huge bog with a
west-flowing stream. A Tamilnadu Tourism Development Corporation venture,
it remains open from 8 am to 6 pm. Sitting at the edge of the lake and watching
the sun dipping down to herald darkness, is a soothing experience, to put
it lightly.
The beautiful Botanical Gardens are, in a word, Ooty’s milestone. The
Botanical Gardens of Ooty, established in 1847, are much like the typical,
manicured and planned gardens one sees so often. But the real beauty of the
place is its plants—an amazingly diverse array with trees, shrubs and
herbs of a mindboggling number of species. And the flowers were really something
to write home about. Was it the altitude—Ooty nestles at 2240 m above
sea level—and the rarefied air, or the lack of polluted air that gave
these flowers an added shine and gloss? They smiled from everywhere as one
ambles about the lovely, spread-out profusion. The fossil tree trunk that
one sees here is believed to be 20 million years old!
The great charm of Ooty is not so much the specific tourist destination; it
is, in fact, the long lovely walks that it offers. Anywhere you go, the serenity
of the Nilgiris will be all around you. Specially the strategic points from
where one could either see Ooty or the view all around, like Snowdon, Ketty
Valley, the Wenlock Downs and, of course, Doddabetta. Further, one could hire
a horse either near the boathouse or at the Savoy—for a slightly more exhilarating
excursion in and around town.
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