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Location:
19-km Away From Ooty, Tamil Nadu
Attraction: Sim's Park, Pasteur Institute,
Pomological Station, Lamb's Rock, Law Falls
Best Season: November To February
Famous Show: Fruit And Vegetable Show
COONOOR - A
SMALL TEA GARDEN TOWN
Coonoor is situated on the eastern side of the southern extremity of
the Doddabetta range, at an altitude of 1,858 metres above the sea
level. It is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiris. Coonoor is
located 19-km away from Ooty, a famous hill station of India. Coonoor
was home to the Coon hill tribe.
Coonoor is the
first of th e
three hill stations in the Nilgiris- Ooty, Kotagiri and Coonoor - that
one comes across when leaving behind the southern plains. Grassy
meadows, tea bushes and profusion of Sunflowers, Marigolds and
Rhododendrons, all growing wild cover it. Coonoor is essentially a small
tea garden town where the weather remains pleasantly cool throughout the
year. The town is physically divided into upper and lower Coonoor.
PRIME
ATTRACTIONS
Sim's Park: Sim's
Park is a carefully planned and artistically laid park cum botanical
garden, named after the Honourable J.D.Sim, a member of the
governor-general's council (1870-75). Sim's park was inaugurated in 1874
and is situated in a deep ravine at an elevation of 1,768 to 1,798 Mts.
The park consists
of 1,000 plant species, which includes magnolia, tree ferns, pines and
camellia, planted in a scattered fashion all over the place, that lend a
special charm to the park specially when they bloom in different seasons
throughout the year.
The rose garden
at the bottom of the slope is equally remarkable. Many species of trees
and shrubs, which do not thrive, well in Ooty are found to flourish
here. The winding footpath spread all over the park is the most
distinctive and lovable feature of this park. A newer attraction is a
map of the World made by plants sent by various countries, just like
Ooty's.
A Fruit and
Vegetable show is held in the park during the month of May, which
attracts thousands of visitors.
Pasteur
Institute
Pasteur Institute
established in 1907 is located just opposite to the Sim's Park. This
institute is famous for research on Rabies and giving effective
treatment to persons bitten by rabid animals. It also manufactures Polio
vaccine.
There is an
interesting history behind the idea of setting up an Institute for the
production of anti-rabbis vaccine. Mrs. Lily Packenham Walsh, wife of a
senior British officer, died of a dog bite in 1902 in Chennai. During
those days, the vaccine was available only in the Pasteur Institute at
Kasauli (North India) and patients had to be taken all the way to
Kasauli for treatment. Therefore, the Pasteur Institute at Coonoor came
to be donated by wealthy American philanthropist to Lord Curzon, the
then Viceroy of India. Lt. Col. Cornwallis was its first director. The
main building of the Institute stands on the spacious grounds, which are
well laid out. It is an oblong two-storied structure, with turrets at
each corner and presents a solid and rather imposing appearance. Since
Independence many new buildings have come up.
Pomological
Station
Pomological
Station is one of the three experimental fruit gardens in the Nilgiris
maintained by the Horticultural Department where the states Agricultural
Department researches on fruits including Plums, Apples, Peach,
Persimmons, Apricot, Lemons, Pomegranates etc
This garden was
established in 1920 with a view to demonstrate and propagate scientific
methods of raising nursery plants and of growing fruit-bearing trees.
Jams and other fruit preservatives are prepared for sale to the public.
Laws Falls Laws
falls are a beautiful picnic spot, named after Lt. Colonel Law, who
traced and mainly constructed the Coonoor Ghat. They are about 5 km
below Coonoor on Mettupalayam road. The height of the falls is about 180
feet. There are vast stretches of undisturbed sholas and it is a
paradise for naturalists.
Lamb's Rock Visitors
can have a breathtaking view of the Coimbatore planes from Lamb's Rock,
8 Km from Coonoor on the way to Dolphin's Nose. It's a sheer precipice,
which drops down several hundred metres into the heart of dense jungle.
Lady Caninng's
Seat A small house that commands panoramic view of the tea estates
and the plains marks Lady Caninng's Seat, 9-km from Coonoor.
Dolphin's Nose
Dolphin's Nose is about 12 km from Coonoor. The Nose is unique rock
of tremendous proportions, jutting out of the face of the hillside in
formation in which its name suggests. It exposes a vast panorama, which
encompasses Catherine falls.
The Droog The
Droog located 15-km awa y
from Coonoor is also a famous picnic spot, standing at 6,000 feet high
overlooking the plains, which was used by Tippu Sultan as an outpost.
Three km of trekking has to be done to reach the point.
Kattery Falls Kattery
falls are one of the highest falls in the Nilgiris situated about 5-km
from Coonoor on the Kendala road. At the beginning of the century a
Hydro power station was build, the first ever-Hydro power plant to
harness the fall to generate electricity for Cordite factory.
FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE SHOW
A Fruit and Vegetable show is held in the park during the month of
May, which attracts thousands of visitors.
HOW TO GET
THERE
Air: The nearest
airport is Coimbatore, which has daily flights to and from Chennai,
Bangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum.
Rail: Coonoor is
on the toy-train line between Mettupalayam (28 km) and Ooty. The toy
train leaves Mettupalayam for Ooty early morning and arrives at Ooty by
noon. The total time taken on the return trip back to Mettupalayam is
about 3½ hours. However, this train service is often disrupted during
the heavy monsoon season.
Road: Coonoor is
well connected by road with the major cities and towns of the state.
There are regular
buses from Ooty, Coimbatore, and Kotagiri.
WHERE TO STAY
Coonoor has its
share of luxury to moderate and budget hotels to guesthouses and
picturesque resorts. Upper Coonoor is highly recommended.
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