Land of Festivals: Tamil Nadu is a terra firma of many festivals.
January marks the beginning of the festival season in the state.
Pongal is the first festival and it is celebrated with much
enthusiasm. It is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. Pongal is
actually the name of a rice and lentil dish cooked in Tamil Nadu,
and on this festive day Pongal is cooked. It is celebrated on January
14, each year. In fact, four festivals are celebrated in Tamil Nadu
for four consecutive days in that week. Bhogi is celebrated on
January 13, Pongal on Jan 14, Maattu Pongal on Jan 15, and
Kannum Pongal and Thiruvalluvar Day on Jan 16.
Picturesque Hill Stations: The hill stations of Tamil Nadu offer the
visitor the most spectacular views of nature. Called the Queen of
Hill Stations picturesque, green Udhagamandalam better known
as Ooty is the most popular hill station in the South. Located in
the Western Ghats at a height of 2240m, Udhagamandalam is
the headquarters of the Nilgiris district where the two Ghats
ranges meet. Nature has been generous with this region which is
by far the most beautiful in the state. Apart from coffee and tea
plantations, trees like conifers, eucalyptus, pine and wattle dot
the hillside in Udhagamandalam and its environs. Summer
temperature is rarely higher than 25°c with a minimum of 10°c
and winter is are distinctly cooler with a high of 21°c and a low
5°c. Another renowned hill station, Kodaikanal known as Princess
of Hill Station, is breathtaking with wooded slopes and gigantic
trees. The mighty rocks, bowers, creeks and slopes captivate the
visitors. The hill station Kodaikanal was created to serve the needs
of the British and Europeans in India. The 20th century saw elite
Indians enter in Kodaikanal to enjoy its charm and beauty and to
harness its natural wealth for development. Yercaud, a Jewel of
the South, on the Shevaroy hills of the Eastern Ghats is the only
one of its kind in northern Tamil Nadu. Coffee and citrus fruits,
most notably oranges are grown in abundance apart from
bananas, pears and jack here. Yelagiri Hill, situated amidst four
mountains well known for its salubrious climate prevails
throughout the year. Tribal people live in villages in these hills.
Anamalai Hills is a range of mountains in southern India, in the
Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, forming a portion of the
Western Ghats after this range has been broken by the Palghat
Pass, south of the Nilgiris.