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Birds and Bees
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Yelagiri: Peaks, peace and lots of trekking paths
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TRAVEL TRIVIA: There are no crows in the Yelagiri Hills. When I am told about this, I am convinced that my informant is soft in the head. But others say the very same thing.
Trivial pursuit: Unconvinced, I keep my eyes peeled for crows for 10 hours, 37 minutes and 24 seconds. Not one shows up.
This is surprising as there is habitation in Yelagiri - as many as 14 villages nestle in these hills that form a part of the Eastern Ghats, near Tirupattur. But never mind what the crows think of this summer destination, I can list quite a few reasons for working Yelagiri into your travel plans. A five-hour journey from Chennai is all it takes to reach these hills. With the mercury touching a maximum of 29 C in summer and a minimum of 9 C in winter, you cannot ask for a more temperate climate. At about 3,500 feet above the sea level, these hills have an altitude that is, well, not exactly low-lying. Trekking possibilities exist for all kinds of legs. I go on an easy 20-minute short trek up what is called the Thayaloor hill. Sturdier legs than mine may find such treks a walk in the park and can opt to scale Swamimalai, which, at 4,338 feet, is the tallest peak. There is plenty by way of accommodation. In Athanavur, the main destination for tourists who visit these parts, resorts and hotels jostle for space. Somehow, they blend into the landscape.
After visiting Punganoor Lake for a boat ride and a quiet walk around its floral garden, I attempt to reach other villages on foot. It does not take me much time to realise my folly. These villages are three to four kilometres apart and after a few turns here and there, I am as confused as a dog that has lost its scent.
Forced to hire an auto, whose driver doubles as a guide, I revel in the serene beauty of these hills. If you are prepared to look, there is an embarrassment of riches. There are the rose gardens at Padanur.
There is a quiet beauty about the Amman Koil in Nilavur, guarded by imposing Ayyanar statues, encircled by a lily pond and set off against a natural edifice of granite that seems to rear in the background. And then, one might choose to walk through the horticulture farm, under YMCA's keep, in Thayaloor.
The flowers in these hills are as "sweet" as they are beautiful. "The honey here is as pure as can be," says my guide-cum-driver. Light dawns on me. Earlier in Athanavur, almost all shops were stacked with what looked like bottles of rum and brandy. Now I realise they were actually honey filled in liquor bottles.
Yelagiri may not be good enough for the birds (well, crows actually) but the bees seem to love it, I find myself thinking.
How to get there
Any Bangalore-bound train from Chennai will take you to Jolarpet. From there, buses or a taxi will take you up Yelagiri.
You may also take a bus from Chennai to Tirupattur and another from Tirupattur to Yelagiri Hills.
PRINCE FREDERICK
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Metro Plus
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Chennai
Coimbatore
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