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Yercaud,
Tamil Nadu
Yercaud
at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,920 feet), stand in the Servaroyan
(Shevaroy) Hills above the city of Salem in Tamil Nadu, is considered
as a Jewel of the South. Coffee and citrus fruits, most notably
oranges, are grown in abundance apart from bananas, pears and jackfruit.
Scenically, Yercaud is as enchanting and picturesque as the hill
stations on the western ghats and trekking here can be one of the
most pleasurable ways to spend the vacation.
Yercaud's
population size is 36,863 (according to 1991 census) Around April
there are the pleasant showers, which bring the coffee bushes into
blossom. Yercaud can be visited round the year. It's an hour drive
from Salem district and is the least expensive hill station in India.
The cool climate attracted a number of Christian denominations and
the sight of nuns and priests is not uncommon. They run the two
prestigious schools - the Sacred Heart Convent for girls and the
Montfort School for boys.
Climate:
It enjoys pleasant cool climate.
Summers:
Temprature ranges from maximum of 30 degree Celcius and minimum
of 16 degree Celcius.
Winters:
Temprature
ranges from maximum of 25 degree Celcius and minimum of 13 degree
Celcius.
Suggested
clothing:
Summers:
ordinary
cotton.
Winters:
Ordinary
cotton with light woolen pull-over.
Best
time to visit:
The
most popular seasons are February-June and September-November, while
late November and December tend to be cold and misty.
Languages
spoken:
Tamil
and English.
Accomodations:
- Hotel
Shevaroys
Hospital Road, on the main road above the lake. It has an immaculate
garden and a restaurant serving south Indian and North Indian
versions of continental food.
Tel: 04281-22273.
- Hotel
Tamil Nadu - The state government's hotel is located on the Salem-Yercaud
Ghat road on the shore of the lake. There is also a tourist information
centre here.
Tel: 22273.
- Youth
Hostel which can be booked through the TNTDC office in Madras
Tel: 560294, 584356.
How
to reach there:
Salem
is 32 km away, Chennai is 363 km away, Bangalore is 234 km away,
Hogenakkal is 145 km away, Namakkal is 78 km away.
Air:
The nearest airport is at Tiruchirapalli, 180 kms away. Alternatively,
visitors may use Coimbatore or Bangalore for convenient air connections.
Rail:
The nearest railhead, Salem, 32 km away, is served by a number of
mainlaine trains. Among the most convenient trains to and from Chennai
are the overnight Yercaud Express and the daytime Koval Express.
There are also trains from Cochin, Trivandrum, Mangalore and Bangalore.
Road:
There are frequent buses from Salem. Bus services are available
from Chennai and several other important points.
What
to see:
Holy
Trinity Church:
It is one of several churches in Yercaud, and is reminder of British
rule. Below the church is the club where planters still meet, particularly
on Thursdays.
The
Grange: The
castle like building built by the then Collector of Salem, Mr. M.D.
Cockburn, who first introduced coffee from Arabia and apples and
other fruits fron South Africa between 1820 A.D. and 1829 A.D. Yercaud
is said to have played an important role in the revolt of 1857 A.D.
Servaroyan
Temple:
Atop the Servaroyan Hill, the third highest hill in the range, is
the Servaroyan Temple , a cave temple with a modern facade. Another
temple is Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple.
Churches:
There are many Churches like Sacred Heart Church, The Retreat Church,
St. Joseph's Church, Holy trinity Church, CSI Church and Lutheran
Church.
Mosque:
There is a Yercaud Mosque situated in Yercaud.
Anna
Park:
This is a lovely garden, near the lake. Another viewpoint is Pagoda
Point.
Yercaud
Lake:
It is a picturesque place surrounded by lush vegetation. Boating
at the lake is both refreshing and enjoyable. Here 4-seater and
2-seater pedal boats and 4-seater rowing boats are available.
Beer's Cave:
It is situated near the Norton Bungalow on the way to Servaroyan
temple. It is an important tourist spot.
Lady's Seat:
has a telescope house with a panoramic view of distant Salem and
the winding road up. At dusk when Salem's lights twinkle, they look
like jewels scattered on velvet.
Killiyur
Falls:
This 3000 feet high water falls is situated amidst picturesque surroundings.
What
to shop:
The bazaar has a number
of shops catering to the plantation workers, and small coffee shops
and restaurants selling cheap and tasty meals.
Tourists
Info:
- Tourist
Office at Hotel Tamil Nadu Complex,
Salem-1,
Tel: 416449.
- Tourist
information can also be had at Hotel Tamil Nadu, Yercaud and Hogenakal.
- Tourist
Office,
Collectorate Complex,
Dharmapuri.
Tel: 04342-61705.
Around
the city:
Namakkal
is 81 kms from Yercaud.The town lies at the foot of a small hillock
which is about half a mile in circumference. There is a fort on
the hillock. There are two rock cut cave temples here, one dedicated
to Narasimhaswamy and the other to Ranganathaswamy. There is also
a big Hamuman Statue of about 20 feet height here carved out of
a single stone.
Tiruchengodu
is 74 km from yercaud. This is another pilgrim centre which has
an ancient temple dedicated to Ardhanareeshwar - a unique concept
of Shaivism where the deity is half male and half female.
Sankagiri,
68 kms from Yercaud, this place is famous for the fort of Hyder
Ali and Tipu Sultan who put up a strong resistance to the British
until Tipu was defeated in Srirangapatnam in 1792.
Salem,
32 kms from Yercaud, this is one of the largest cities in the region
and has some old temples but is basically known for its industries,
mainly steel and handloom. The Indian Institute of Handloom Technology,
the second of its kind in India is located here. The
Government Museum at Omalur Road contains valuable collections of
sculptures and terracottas. Visiting hours : 9.00 a.m. to 12.30
p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Friday closed).
Mettur,
107 kms from Yercaud, this multi-purpose dam built on the river
Kaveri is a nice picnic spot, situated as it is, amidst well-maintained
gardens. The dam is one of the oldest dam in India. The Dam provides
irrigation facilities to Salem, Tiruchirappali and thanjavur districts
for 2,71,000 acres. There is a lovely park close to the dam. Big
industrial units are located here.
Click here for more information on Yercaud
city in Tamilnadu
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