Ooty- other sights to see

  • The varieties of roses in the Botanical Gardens are large in number, but miniscule compared to the 12 acre Rose Garden in the grounds of the ole Vijayanagaram palace. Started in 1995 to mark the centenary year, it is just about one km. from Charing Cross. Five terraces of roses are an awe inspiring sight. Each year the number and variety of roses increase exponentially so that more than 2000 varieties of roses bloom now, supposedly the largest such garden in the world. Tickets are Rs. 5 per adult, Rs. 2 per child, Rs. 10 per still camera and Rs. 25 for video cameras. At least two hours are needed to do full justice to the Rose Garden. No picnics are allowed inside

  • The Ooty town bus- market to market- goes through the bus stand, boat house, Kandal and St. Stephen’s church, Botanical Gardens, Charing Cross etc. and covers almost all the tourist places. Ooty is now clean, thanks to the new Collector and the cooperation of the citizens. Plastic bags have been abanned throughout the Nilgiris and though there are rumblings from the tourist folk, plastic bags are not given in shops or given surreptitiously. Another pleasing improvement is the large, bright, blue and white signboards giving place and road names with indicative arrows

  • Within walking distance of the railway station, the Ooty vegetable market is a feast for the eyes. The first market was built in 1847- 48 at a cost of Rs. 5800. Some of the original shops still survive. Garden- fresh vegetables and just picked fruit are available in plenty. There are not only green beans, but yellow, purple and double beans too. Broccoli and Brussels sprouts, cauli flower and cabbage, peaches and plums. And dozens of other so- called ‘English vegetables. The weekly bazaar (shandy or sandahai) is on Tuesday. One more place to buy fresh vegetables and fruits is the fairly new Uzhavar Sandhai (farmers’ market) just as you enter Ooty

  • One of the oldest landmarks, the Ooty Lawley Institute has been a private club since 1911. Seasonal visitors are allowed temporary membership from April till June and transferable officers do not pay any entrance fees. It has excellent furnished accommodation with wholesome vegetarian and non- vegetarian food for members and their quests. Cards, billiards, indoor badminton, tennis, croquet and table tennis are played here

  • The Government Arts College is located in the grounds of the historical Stone- house, the first English house in Ooty built by John Sullivan. Largely responsible for the development of Ooty as a hill station, he had earlier built a house, which cannot be located now, in Dimhattin near Kotagiri. When he came to Ooty, he built ‘Stone- house’. It became a college in 1955 and is now the residence of the principal. About 2 km, from the railway station, on the Doddabetta road, the colour- washed building no longer wears its heritage look

  • St. Stephen’s Church, 4 km. from the railway station, just above the Collector’s Office, stands at the impressive altitude of 7429 ft. (2265 mtrs.). The beams and timbers of the church, brough through the Sigur Ghat, are from Tipu Sultan’s fort at Seringapatam after it was demolished by the British. The pillars are teak, but coated with plaster and painted to look like stone. Consecrated on 5th December 1830, the church, with wooden pews and woven cane seats, is open for regular services. Beautiful stained glass windows dedicated to loved ones come alive as the sun shines through

  • The Nilgiris District Library is 134 years old. Just one km, from the railway station in the centre of town, it was started in 1867, it has about 30,000 books, old and new, even books printed a hundred years back, with a pleasant reading room. It is a treasure house of travel books from across the world arranged country- wise. Temporary membership is available for Rs. 15 during April and May

  • The Kandal Church (pronounced kaandal) is a tourist as well as a religious place where lakhs of people gather every year on the 3rd of May to celebrate the Feast of the Cross. Just 3 km. from the railway station, it is a Roman Catholic shrine with a huge crucifix brought from Paris. Considered the Jerusalem of the east, it is the only place in India to have a small piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. A copy of the cloth with which Veronica wiped Jesus’ face and which has a life- like impression of the face seems to look at you withopen eyes even though the eyes are actually closed

  • The Ooty Gymkhana Club (ph. 442254), 3 km. from the town, near the Hindustan photo Films (HPF), was started in 1896. Golf has been played here since 189. The golf links, at an altitude of 7400 ft. (2255 mtrs.), is a very interesting and challenging 18 hole course laid out over 193 acres of the Wenlock Downs. Golfers can see the Kundah hills and shoals. The club has cottages for the use of its members and their guests

  • The Ooty Club is just 1 km. from the station on the Ooty- Mysore road. Its history began as a hotel in 1833, as a private house rented by Lord Bentinck, then reverted to its original avatar in 1836. Started as a club in 1841, its claim to fame is that snooker was invented here. The original snooker table can still be seen. The club has first editions of Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters etc. Visitors are not allowed as the club is exclusively for members

  • The Government Museum, opened in September 1989, is 2 km. away on the Ooty- Mysore road. The museum has objects unique to the district like timber, insects, butterflies, rocks, wood carvings, the kurinji flower (botanical name for which is strobilanthus which blooms once in 12 years), stone sculptures, bronze works and a model of a Toda hut. A branch of the Madras Museum, it is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a lunch break between 1 and 2 p.m. Admission is free. It is closed on Fridays and on governmenthoildays

  • The CPR Environmental Centre at Nandigram, 26 B, Kotagiri Road, is a storehouse of medicinal herbs and plants. It is actively engaged in the propagation of alternate medicine

  • The 100 year old Adam Memorial Fountain is at Charing Cross. There is also a musical fountain on the Ooty- Coonoor road which is lighted every evening after 5 p.m

  • Hang gliding is organized by the Department of Tourism near the Wenlock Downs. Private hang gliding is also available on the old Kalhatti road. Contact the Tourist Office, Ooty (ph: 448977)

  • Trekking can be arranged through the offices of the Wildlife Warden and the Tourist Office at Ooty. They have detailed maps with times, distances etc. Telephone numbers and addresses have been given earlier

  • Hunting is organized 7 or 8 times a year, mostly with the army riders from Wellington. Since even jackals have become a vanishing breed, rabbits are now hunted

  • There is a helipad in Ooty, but helicopters rarely operate from there because of the swirling currents of air. All helicopters land at the Golf Course in the Wellington Gymkhana