Kodaikanal: Where You Explore Yourself

ASR

Kodaikanal: Where You Explore Yourself

Put your earphones on with Ilayaraja music and your head, out of the windows, into the winds. The songs of nature with the drizzling touch of the rain bead on the top of your nose, the brushing of the hill trees that branched out of the rocky slopes, the chasing of the monkeys for the shakes that you slurp into your mouth along with the guzzling of chill breath.

Source: Wiki common The heavenly view at Kodaikanal

On this wonderful journey, your first stop would be at the perfect Silver Cascade Falls that welcomes you at the Kodaikanal entrance. Of course, bathing at the falls is strictly restricted but you can capture your first best picture at Kodaikanal where the falls pose for you at the back.

So, where does this Kodaikanal located? It is a taluk, belonging to the Dindugal district, Tamil Nadu. Kodaikanal is a binding word of two Tamil words Kodai which means ‘summer’ and Kanal, which means ‘to see’. Together it means to see in summer. In the Tamil language, a word can have multiple meanings, some of them for Kodaikanal are the dense forest, forests of creepers, and the gift of forests.

An add-on specialty about Kodaikanal is that it has served as the setting for the love saga of the Tamil Lord Murugan and his lover Valli, which has evidenced in Tamil Sangam Literature of Kurunthokai and Ettuthokai, representing Kodaikanal as Kurinji hills as it is the hill of famous and rare flower, Kurinji.

Of course, all the hill stations were developed only after the arrival of the Britishers and Kodaikanal got no other excuse for it. The difference is the invaders developed the spot and not discovered it. Because Kodaikanal is a place with a rich history. Before 1300 CE, the nomadic hunter tribe called ‘Palaiyar’, who excelled in the skill of collecting honey from beehives went into this deep forest in search of food and started to settle there. While at the same time, another tribe called ‘Puliyans’ was also there who were experimenting with agriculture in the same place it is surprising to note that both tribes were unknown to each other and some indigenous communities have done forest trading, centuries ago.

Between 1300 to 1800 CE, many people started to migrate due to famine and disease. Among such are the Mannadiars, Aasaris, and Arundhathiyars, who started to build houses, farming tools, temples, and many more. Other communities like some Mudhaliars also migrated to the hills. Many groups moved, settled, and even conquered the earlier tribes of the Puliyans to work for them. These artifacts of Palaiyar are at the Shenbaganur Museum for tourists to visit in Kodaikanal.

Now, history comes on the track of the British officer B. S. Ward who first climbed the mountain of Kodaikanal, in 1821 to inspect the rocky terrains. The positive and embracing report given by him paved the way for the development of the beautiful green hill. The major significant change was the establishment of the Cathedral by a group of American and British missionaries. This turned out to be the best for the local people as the American missionary’s charity helped them with social reforms.

Another interesting note is traveling on the roads laid by the British officials, the must-visit checklist continues with the Pine forest where you can go around for a ride on galloping horses, followed by the cuffed walk with your loved ones in the long Coaker’s walk to have a stunning view of nature. The Green Valley viewpoint is about five thousand feet drop, which gives you an incredible view of the plains and hills with the floating cloud to your eyes. Shopping lovers can do shopping at the best price with negotiable rates.

How a hill station could be without any haunting thriller stories? The story that revolves around the tourist spot Guna Cave is not any regular spooking story but a true story where many lovers have committed suicide in the cave. So, the government has strictly prohibited entry into the caves by fencing and the visitors can enjoy the creepy root ways. As it has seen many deaths, it is also named Devil’s Kitchen.

Then why wait? Take a pen and a piece of paper along with some snacks. Sit amid nature to feel the tranquility that life grants. Without any doubt, Kodaikanal is the best place to feel mother nature at its best despite its population and development. For its flair, it has been honored with the title ‘Princess of hills’ which allows you to find yourself.