Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam, which stands 7,349 feet above sea level in the Nilgiris, is known as the Queen of southern hill resorts of India.

Ooty, as it is popularly known, spreads over 36 square miles, and the temperature ranges from 25 degree celsius in summers, to near freezing in winters.

This famous hill station is at the junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, three southern states of India.

It was founded by the Britishers, in the early part of the 19th century, to serve as summer headquarters for the government of Madras. Before that time, the area was inhabited by Todas.

The two most popular attractions of Ooty, are the Ooty lake and the Botanical Gardens. The lake covers an area of one and a half square miles, with a railway running along one bank.

The large graveyard of St. Thomas's church, built in 1870, overlooks the lake. It has the tallest memorial of Ooty, a huge pillar surmounted by a cross, over the grave of William Patrick Adam, the Governor of Madras Presidency, who died in Ooty in 1881. Paddle boats or rowing boats are available for boating enthusiasts.

The Botanical Gardens were established in 1848, by the Marquis of Tweeddale. The gardens lie on the lower slopes of Dodabetta peak, the highest point in Ooty.

The gardens are formally laid out with lily ponds, and there are clipped bushes in the form of elephants, with raised trunks. Here, a thousand different species of plants including some thirty types of eucalyptus, are to be found.

The Roman Catholic Cathedral, recently enlarged, can be seen on the road from Charing Cross to the Botanical Gardens.

Charing Cross is a road junction with markets around it. A short walk from Charing Cross is the Spencers departmental store, which still sells its own Planter's Special cigars, made of Indian tobacco.

Ootacmund Club is the most exclusive, and best preserved of all the former British clubs.

The Ooty hunt, which still rides to hounds, in pursuit of jackals, is one of the main offerings of the club. A good game of golf can be had, at the Wenlock Downs, of the Ooty Gymkhana Golf Club.

Ooty races are the other major attraction. The Ootacmund Derby is the climax of the season, and attracts top Indian jockeys. These tribal people still inhabit the area, but only around 3000 remain.


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