TRAVEL, PHOTOGRAPHY, INCREDIBLE INDIA
Unwinding at Unparalleled Udhagamandalam (Ooty)
Outstanding Ooty
Who doesn’t dream to unwind over a steaming cup of liquor tea snuggling in a cosy pullover savouring nature’s delight overlooking the Nilgiris (or the Blue Mountains) in its full bounty and inhaling as much as unadulterated oxygen as possible? I felt blessed as I have lived this priceless dream with my son and husband just a few mornings back.
Surrounded by fabulous forests, lovely lakes, great gardens and wonderful waterfalls, outstanding Ooty is a traveller’s pristine paradise up in the hills. We could experience heaven on earth exploring new and interesting terrains where we felt like creating moments in every nook and corner of the place.
The Nilgiris district is one of the 38 districts in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Udhagamandalam or Ooty is the district headquarters of the Nilgiris district.
Poetry & Prose
Sometimes I am caught between poetry and prose, like two lovers I can’t decide between.
Prose says to me, let’s build something long and lasting. Poetry takes me by the hand, and whispers, come with me, let’s get lost for awhile.
— LANG LEAV
And a section of the Western Ghats, the Nilgiris, one of the oldest mountain ranges, is located at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
We were on a 4-night 5-day trip. And everywhere we visited, we saw how nature had bestowed upon this happening tourist destination in terms of climate, local sights and sounds, scenic splendour, rich flora and fauna and not to forget, its home-grown famous beverages of tea and coffee.
My every day started around 5 in the morning eagerly waiting for the sun to come out with mobile in hand overlooking the beautiful sleepy valley enveloped in thin mist cover and a church bell ringing somewhere deep down there.
The distant ringing of bells from the temple and church tower, chirping of birds, was certainly a joyful “noise” to wake up the quaint valley with the sense of warmth and happiness that came from within. It’s nothing less than magical, really! We were lucky enough to witness magical sunrises staying in the picturesque Mountain Retreat by Hill Country Resort at Lovedale.
Every moment, every twist and turn of Ooty was click-worthy and our mobile cameras simply didn’t stop. Inhaling loads of oxygen and exhaling all the worries, we were onto an exciting excursion immersing in the pristine beauty of the quaint place. We could understand why Ooty is considered as Queen of the Hills.
The erstwhile summer capital of Madras Presidency under the British Raj, Ooty, developed into a major tourist destination post-Independence, forms a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. This Biosphere Reserve is reputed for its fragile and exquisite ecosystem best known as a “hotspot”.
Ooty, at an altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level, truly justifies the designation of a UNESCO World Heritage site and you can catch a glimpse of the essence of the rest of the reserve in the town.
From witnessing unpredictable weather, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, experiencing exciting nature walks into the lovely manicured well-maintained gardens, rich untouched shola vegetation, pine forests, curated tea gardens and vegetable plantations in abundance, lovely lakes, innumerable shooting spots, the sight of swirling milky white froth in the water of quite a few wonderful waterfalls, savouring Ooty’s homemade chocolates, marvelling the Toda handicrafts, Eucalyptus oil and spices to an unforgettable joyride on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway toy train, bonfire at the resort, we actually realized how blessed we were to have the opportunity to experience the glorious gifts of life especially when the entire world was still recuperating from the deadly pandemic.
Take care and stay safe all of you.
