Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal (Tamil: [koɖaɪkkaːɳal]) is a hill station which is located in 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 tourist destination.
Kodaikanal Main Town covered with mist
Boating in Kodaikanal Lake

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 city had a population of 36,501.

History
Main article: History of Kodaikanal

The earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Palaiyar tribal people. The earliest specific references to Kodaikanal and the Palani Hills are found in Tamil Sangam literature of the early Common era.[8] Modern Kodaikanal was established by American Christian missionaries 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 issues including the closure of a mercury factory owned by Unilever’s Indian subsidiary Hindustan Unilever after evidence of widespread mercury pollution.[10] To date no proper clean-up operation has been mounted.

Geography
1955 topographic map of Kodaikanal

The town of Kodaikanal sits on a plateau above the southern escarpment of the upper Palani Hills at 2,133 metres (6,998 ft), between the Parappar and Gundar Valleys. These hills form the eastward spur of the Western Ghats on the western side of South India. It has an irregular basin as its heartland, the centre of which is now Kodaikanal Lake a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) circumference manmade lake. A few kilometres away from Kodaikanal a small village named Vattakanal is located in the Dindigul District on the southern tip of the upper Palani hills in the state of Tamil Nadu, along the eastern coast of the Western Ghats.

Vattakanal is better known as ‘Vatta’, which means circle and by most or ‘Little Israel’ by the villagers that observe a large number of Israeli tourists who flock there from October onwards.

Meadows and grasslands cover the hillsides. Gigantic eucalyptus trees and shola forests flourish in the valleys. Mighty rocks and cascading streams lie above the valleys. There are many high waterfalls and ubiquitous gardens and flower beds in bloom.[9]
Pine forest in Kodaikanal

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 quality. Competing with the fruit trees are the flowering ones, mainly rhododendron and magnolia. Large dahlias of different hues are the main attraction of Bryant Park, situated close to the Kodai lake. Water lilies in the park’s pond are another pleasing sight. The town abounds in yellow wild flowers.[12]

North of the town, high hills that slope down into the villages of Pallangi and Vilpatti stand guard. On the east the hill slopes less abruptly into the lower Palnis. A precipitous escarpment facing the Cumbum Valley is on the south. On the west is a plateau leading to Manjampatti Valley, Indira Gandhi National Park, the Anamalai Hills and the main body of the Western Ghats of Kerala border.
Climate