A couple of years back I visited Ooty for the first time. As I have seen in many movies, I assumed Ooty to be a remote place with a village girl look, who always wears mist as natural ornaments. But when I landed there, I could easily find that Ooty has lost its natural charm, a lot of buildings everywhere, and now it has turned into a commercial town. Then I happened to read about Yercaud from a woman’s magazine Vanitha, another hill station of Tamil Nadu, only 36 kms away from hot Salem, known as ‘Poor man’s Ooty’. Through this column, let me give an idea of this peaceful hill station, giving comparisons with ‘Rich man’s Ooty’.
Yercaud – Poor Man’s Ooty
Boating in Yercaud lake
Why is Yercaud so special?
Low expenses to stay there make it a special tourist spot for the common man. You can enjoy everything that nature lends you at Ooty here, but in mild quantities. Though the piercing chillness of Ooty is not found in Yercaud its mist surely invites a lot of tourists here.
20 hairpins to reach the top gives you exactly the same effect while you climb the mountain to reach Ooty from Mettupalayam. Though you can’t find big shops like Ooty, if you wish to visit a hill station to get peace of mind away from pollution and the noise of vehicle horns, Yercaud is, of course, the best option. Rental for stays is also cheap, and you can enjoy two days here with your family if you have sufficient time.
Spots common to Ooty and Yercaud
Chillness, hairpin points, view from the top, boating by the lakeside, flower shows exactly in the same season, children’s park, rose garden, waterfalls, deer park – everything in Ooty is found in Yercaud too. Lord Servayan is considered to be the protector of this hill station, and a temple is situated in a den at the top of the Yercaud mountain ranges called Shevaroy temple. Pagoda Point, also known as Pyramid Point, is the best viewpoint of Yercaud. Rocks known as Gentleman’s seat and Ladies’ seat are situated there, which were once used by the British to enjoy the village view from the mountain top. It’s somewhat similar to Doddabetta Peak of Ooty, which is the highest point of that hill station.
So, let me conclude. If you want to get the full effects of a hill station on a low budget, you can visit this place.
Image source: Wikipedia
Also read a few more articles on temples of India outside Kerala. Click on the images in the gallery to read
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