OOOH.....TY
My husband handed me something. “Your tickets for the Queen of hill stations”, he said. I looked down. “Oh Ooty,”I looked and felt disappointed. When families all across were on a ‘going abroad for a small holiday’ trip, Ooty was like falling down from a peak. ....
From Chennai we were to travel to Mettupalayam, which would be a good 9 ½ hours. From there we were to board the narrow gauge ‘Toy train’.
I was told it would be a novel experience for our seven-year-old son and us. It sure was. When we reached the station we found the train already packed. It was on first come first served basis. But our persistent efforts paid off in the end. We were bundled into a coach full of luggage. Another family like ours also managed to squeeze in. thus began our sojourn heavenwards with our feet failing to touch the ground. I cannot put down on paper the thrill of clutching onto something, more tangible than my husband’s hand, for safety with one hand whilst a finger of the other was pressed onto the Start button of the handy cam hung around my neck. The thrill deepened with the rising rattling sound of the age-old engine, which echoed and tried to leave deep imprints on our eardrums. Every sense was aroused. When we entered the tunnels (about 3 to 4 of them) the smell of burning coal announced the slightly scorching fumes which enveloped us. We grew smarter with every move. We pulled up our glass panes on anticipating tunnels. I wish somebody had told us to avoid the last coach as the Toy train is run on coals and an uphill train engine always pushes a train. Not that we had much choice. But I thanked whoever it was that told us to sit on the left side as the right side of the train faces the rocky slope. Half way up the journey a friendly guard tried to alleviate some of our tribulations. He ordered the sacks to be pulled out and dumped somewhere else. Thus our feet found the ground when the memorable ride came to an end.
The beauty of the surroundings makes you feel beautiful. When we were coming up, a busload of people seeing us huffing and puffing, changed their minds about going down. They had indeed missed one of nature’s treats.
From there we went to Pykara Lake. There are boating facilities there. It is not so commercialized and crowded like the Ooty Lake. We enjoyed the peaceful and quiet ride punctuated by the boatman’s warm answers to our typical “tourist’s” questions. The Pykara waterfalls is a wonderful picnic spot.
The still waters around the waterfalls are picturesquely dotted with pink lotus. By the time we reached Ooty Lake, a light drizzle caught up with us. So we didn’t stop there for long. And as we had already seen the wonders of another lake we decided to forego the pleasures of this one. Then we drove to the Botanical Gardens. A huge signboard proclaimed that a charge of Rs 50 would be charged on a camera and Rs500 for a video cam. We reacted worse than Scrooge. We indignantly walked in without any. And what we missed. The garden was in full bloom. All those songs, which you see in Tamil movies, choreographed around flowers, must be originating from there. Moreover there were seeds and saplings also for sale. Our feet were killing us when we reached home, tired and satiated with the beauty of the place.
But from there we had a telescopic view of Kotagiri (a place vying to get into the tourists’ line of vision), Mettupalayam and a most ‘videogenic’ St Catherine’s Falls. After tiring of the view with the monkeys (it is full of them) one can enjoy a quiet cup of masala tea and carry home small packets of rare spices and herbal oils extracted from the trees adorning Nilgiris.
Lambs rock, which is close by, offers a rustic appeal. Here one has to climb up a rocky roughly cut track. One gets to walk (at last!) up the forested slopes only to see the frightening and sheer fall from a height. My memories of Lamb’s rock will always be wrapped up with images of branches of trees curved as a parrot or a pony by nature and unforgettable signposts one of which read “Truck and enjoy the fresh air”.
We also enjoyed the fresh and fragrant air of Sims Park. Here again we got to see wonderful flowers in bloom, different types of gardens and innovative landscaping.
When we got back from Ooty (this time by a cab) we definitely fed renewed, recharged after having made that connection with nature right there in the heart of the Nilgiris.
(WATCH OUT FOR UPDATES WITH PHOTOGRAPHS)
From Chennai we were to travel to Mettupalayam, which would be a good 9 ½ hours. From there we were to board the narrow gauge ‘Toy train’.
I was told it would be a novel experience for our seven-year-old son and us. It sure was. When we reached the station we found the train already packed. It was on first come first served basis. But our persistent efforts paid off in the end. We were bundled into a coach full of luggage. Another family like ours also managed to squeeze in. thus began our sojourn heavenwards with our feet failing to touch the ground. I cannot put down on paper the thrill of clutching onto something, more tangible than my husband’s hand, for safety with one hand whilst a finger of the other was pressed onto the Start button of the handy cam hung around my neck. The thrill deepened with the rising rattling sound of the age-old engine, which echoed and tried to leave deep imprints on our eardrums. Every sense was aroused. When we entered the tunnels (about 3 to 4 of them) the smell of burning coal announced the slightly scorching fumes which enveloped us. We grew smarter with every move. We pulled up our glass panes on anticipating tunnels. I wish somebody had told us to avoid the last coach as the Toy train is run on coals and an uphill train engine always pushes a train. Not that we had much choice. But I thanked whoever it was that told us to sit on the left side as the right side of the train faces the rocky slope. Half way up the journey a friendly guard tried to alleviate some of our tribulations. He ordered the sacks to be pulled out and dumped somewhere else. Thus our feet found the ground when the memorable ride came to an end.
We had organized our trip in such a way that we would stay in Aravindkadu which was about 12km from Ooty and 6 km from Conoor in opposite directions. The next day we hired a cab for Rs 800 to show us around Ooty. Feeling the warmth of woolens next to my skin was as novel as driving amidst the rugged beauty of nature. The first stop we made was called Six miles. When we looked down we saw an unexciting slope covered with these tall and slim trees. 
We had been told that many movies are shot there. The only thing I could think of was the around-the-trees song sequences. Nevertheless we decided to go all the hog and go down there. What we found there was one of my highlights of Ooty. There was a bluish green lake, wide and meandering alongside mountain slopes and disappearing between two slopes in the far horizons.
There is a huge boulder almost strategically placed to take photographs.
There is a huge boulder almost strategically placed to take photographs.
The beauty of the surroundings makes you feel beautiful. When we were coming up, a busload of people seeing us huffing and puffing, changed their minds about going down. They had indeed missed one of nature’s treats.
The next place we stopped was called Nine miles. This was uphill. Here we walked upwards almost towards the point where the skies kissed the slopes.It was an unending expanse of greenslope wide beyond belief
Then it was onto the highest peak called Dodabetta. From there one can see all around. But it wasn’t one of our lucky days, I guess as the peak was covered in fog and clouds.
From there we went to Pykara Lake. There are boating facilities there. It is not so commercialized and crowded like the Ooty Lake. We enjoyed the peaceful and quiet ride punctuated by the boatman’s warm answers to our typical “tourist’s” questions. The Pykara waterfalls is a wonderful picnic spot.
With a night’s restful slumber in between, the next day we went towards Conoor. We drove through steep tea estates; beautifully landscaped gardens and picture perfect bungalows.
We even enticed a shy tea plucker to pose with us. When I made the request, like a frightened deer, she turned around and asked a man with her if she may do so. Her voice still rings in my ears, “Anna………”. After Ooty Conoor was like raw nature. We drove through narrow uphill roads through heavily forested areas. This was Nilgiris in its raw form. In some places the sunlight can hardly penetrate. Thus we drove a dangerously winding road through Adderley Estate (about 8 km from Conoor) to a place called Dolphin’s nose. Of course standing there you cannot justify the name. It is believed to be shaped like a dolphin’s mouth I guess.
But from there we had a telescopic view of Kotagiri (a place vying to get into the tourists’ line of vision), Mettupalayam and a most ‘videogenic’ St Catherine’s Falls. After tiring of the view with the monkeys (it is full of them) one can enjoy a quiet cup of masala tea and carry home small packets of rare spices and herbal oils extracted from the trees adorning Nilgiris.
Lambs rock, which is close by, offers a rustic appeal. Here one has to climb up a rocky roughly cut track. One gets to walk (at last!) up the forested slopes only to see the frightening and sheer fall from a height. My memories of Lamb’s rock will always be wrapped up with images of branches of trees curved as a parrot or a pony by nature and unforgettable signposts one of which read “Truck and enjoy the fresh air”.
We also enjoyed the fresh and fragrant air of Sims Park. Here again we got to see wonderful flowers in bloom, different types of gardens and innovative landscaping.
When we got back from Ooty (this time by a cab) we definitely fed renewed, recharged after having made that connection with nature right there in the heart of the Nilgiris.
(WATCH OUT FOR UPDATES WITH PHOTOGRAPHS)
Comments