The grass is greener here
On the way to the Wenlock Downs, 5 km. from the railway station, the Hindustan photo Films (ph: 444020) at Indunagar can be visited with prior permission from its Public Relations Department. Started in 1960, it processes imported German raw films for motion pictures, X- ray films, special photographic materials for both amateur and professional photography, photo typesetting paper, video and audio magnetic tapes and instant photo booths among other things. One wing of the laboratory produces specialized sensitizing dyes and other organic chemicals used in photography. The sludge recovery plant reprocesses factory waste and recovers silver for use in the production of silver nitrate. Water for the factory is supplied from the nearby Kamaraj Sagar at the sixth mile in Sandynallah, which is a very picturesque picninc spot. The lake can be reached via Kandal or by the Ooty- Mysore Road past HPF. The factory did well when it was a monopoly but with freer imports and management problems, it has almost closed down and is waiting for infusion of aid to keep it alive
The English lover the Wenlock Downs because it was exactly like their rolling Wiltshire meadows. Named after a former Governor of Madras these vast undulating expanses of grassland puzzle botanists. Why do forests not take over the grassland but grow only in the sheltered slopes in spite of so much rain? One theory is that frost plays a vital role- the sheltered places are forests and the open places grasslands. The Downs are 8 km. from the railway station on the Ooty- Mysore road where once the Toda tribes grazed their cattle, These 40 sq. miles (104 sq. Km.) of grassy lands and woods are transformed into a fairy garden when the monsoon rains bring to life dormant seeds buried under the grass
It is a popular shooting site for movies. Many a hero and heroine sing and dance in several languages while running around the trees with the gorgeous backdrop of the mountains. If is your lucky day, you can see your favorite stars acting and perhaps take part in a crowd scene. On such days the roadside is a long stretch of parked vehicles, only some belonging to the film unit. So much filming takes place that the Tourism Department has included it in their daily sightseeing tours. Film shooting has been going on since the 1950’s. The Government charges Rs. 500 a day for shooting outside and Rs. 1000 a day inside the Botanical Gardens
At the top of one stretch of the 7000 acres of the Downs, the reward is a panoramic view of the Ooty Mysore lake. The top seems deceptively near but the climb goes on forever. It is as if Nature has laid out this huge green carpet at the water’s edge for us to enjoy our picnic. But enjoy it and leave it as Nature intended- not with scraps of paper, broken bottles and plastic garbage
On the same road as the Wenlock Downs and the HPF, 17km, from the railway station, Glenmorgan is a place which both the ordinary tourist and the history student will find interesting. Permission of the Electricity Board (Ph: Ooty 444205) is needed to enter the viewpoint area which has a fantastic view of the Bhavani Valley and the Lampton’s Peak range in Coimbatore district
The Glenmorgan Reservoir is an independent source of water supply for the pykara hydro- electric project. The mechanical ropeway carrying stag to the power house at Singara, leaving at 8.15 a.m. and 4.15 p.m., takes about one hour. The Divisional Engineer’s permission is required for outsiders to go on the trolley. The beautiful lake and gardens, the picturesque views of the Moyar Valley, the Mudumalai Sanctuary and even Mysore, all amidst one of the oldest tea estates, combine to make this very exclusive. The Ooty town bus makes seven trips here, between 8.45 a.m. and 7.30 p.m Glenmorgan is six km. off the main Ooty- Mysore roade. The approach road is not very good but motorable. The many Toda settlements with the original temple and some houses set in their usual scenic surroundings form an added attraction