Oh! Ooty
Tiring
project submissions and approaching end-semester exams notwithstanding, we took
off to the cool environs of Ooty in February this year. The idea was fueled
by a wedding invitation to Coimbatore. Besides, a pre-exam break seemed like a
great idea to me.
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| Adiyogi Statue |
We left for
Coimbatore by an early morning flight on a Sunday. We spent the day catching up
with some sleep, delving into some delicious lunch at Coimbatore's landmark
restaurant chain `Annapoorna` and visiting Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha
Foundation.
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| Isha foundation |
For us, the Isha Foundation was a forty five minutes drive from the city. We
visited Adiyogi, which is a 112 feet statue of Shiva- a newly added attraction
to `Incredible India`. The sight was mesmerising. There are bullock carts which
take you till the statue to give you a more authentic experience. Later, we
meditated at the `Dhyanalingam`, which is an experience in itself.
Next day,
after attending a typical South Indian wedding, we left for Ooty. Ooty, also
known as Udhagamandalam, is a three-hour drive from Coimbatore. The route has
several uncomfortable hair-pin belts, but the scenic beauty compensates for it.
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| South Indian Breakfast at the Wedding |
We reached Club Mahindra's Derby Green by late afternnon. The resort has
residential units from the colonial era, giving it a British touch. It also
offers a splendid view of Ooty city, clothed by the majestic mountains and a
stunningly clear sky.
That very evening we left for the iconic Ooty lake, a popular spot for several Bollywood movie shootings. My father and me took a paddle boat ride in the lake. It was a bit cumbersome in the beginning, but then we settled into a nice rhythm. You can choose from four- or two-seater paddle boats / row boats, or take a motorboat ride. The setting sun and the cool breeze gave a serene experience. The temperature was only 8 degrees, which was a blessing for us Mumbaikars.
That very evening we left for the iconic Ooty lake, a popular spot for several Bollywood movie shootings. My father and me took a paddle boat ride in the lake. It was a bit cumbersome in the beginning, but then we settled into a nice rhythm. You can choose from four- or two-seater paddle boats / row boats, or take a motorboat ride. The setting sun and the cool breeze gave a serene experience. The temperature was only 8 degrees, which was a blessing for us Mumbaikars.
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| Paddle boat ride at the lake |
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| Coonoor toy train station |
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| Hold that DDLJ pose! |
We took the
hour-long Niligiri toy train ride from Ooty to Coonoor - by road, it takes half an hour (Find
the train timings at http://www.ootytourism.co.in/ooty-to-coonoor-train )The train ride was one of the best
experiences of the trip. The route was extremely pretty and hangs like a
picture.
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| View from the toy train |
From Coonoor,
our cab driver who drove from Ooty, took us to the popular Coonoor tea estate.
The experience of being at the tea estate cannot be described in words. The
green tea estates shone brightly in the sun with the beautiful sky serving as a
perfect backdrop. The moments in the tea estate simply stood still.
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| Coonoor Tea Estates |
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There are
several other attractions in Coonoor - Sims Park, Tea Factory, Dolphin’s Nose
and Lamb’s Rock. We skipped the clichéd points and headed for the Ooty
Botanical Garden. The garden was surprisingly a disappointment as there were
hardly any flowers and had become commercialised with the construction of a
road inside. Maybe, it wasn’t the right season for the flowers to bloom. Nevertheless,
we spent our evening there and went on to explore the Ooty markets.
It is astonishing to find so many Chinese restaurants in Ooty. Momos and Gobi Manchurian are two things that one will find in every corner of this hill station. We had a delicious South Indian dinner at Adyar Anand Bhavan and returned to the warmth of our resort as it was quite cold.
On our last
day in Ooty, we spent more time at the resort. We indulged in the simple but
potentially nostalgic experience of sipping tea while watching the captivating
view of Ooty. We visited the beautiful St. Stephens Cathedral - one of the
oldest churches in South India. Soon, it was time for us to head back to
Coimbatore to board our flight to Mumbai. We bid adieu to the pretty place.
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| St.Stephen's Cathedral |
Other Places
To See In Ooty
Some other popular destinations in Ooty are: Rose Garden, Avalanche Lake, Pykara, Mudumalai National Park, Wenlock Downs. There are also several trekking, horse riding, hand gliding and mountain biking trails for the adventure buffs.
Top Recommendations:
1.
Do
not miss the boating at Ooty lake.
2.
Experience
of the Nilgiri heritage toy train.
3.
Get
yourself captured amidst the stunning Coonor Tea estates.
4.
Walk
at the Upper Bazaar road for some local feel and shopping.
5.
Get
home famous Ooty chocolates (Kingstar Confectionery) and Eucalyptus Oil.
6.
Try
out the popular Gobi Manchurian at any restaurant or street vendor.
7.
For
fine dining, Ascot Multi cuisine restaurant has various options for buffet and
A la Carte.
