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Ooty, short for Ootacamund (an anglicized name for
Udhagamandalam), is a popular hill station in the state of Tamil
Nadu in South India. Udhagamandalam means abode of clouds in
Sanskrit. Ooty stands at 7,347 feet (2239 m) above sea level in
the Nilgiris mountain range. Located in the mountainous range
called the Blue Mountains or Nilgiris (in the native tongue), it
draws swarms of tourists every year.
The weather at Ooty is quite pleasant at a mean of 15 to 20 °C
year round, dropping to lows of 0 °C during winter. The
tourism industry has placed an enormous strain on the natural
resources resulting in pollution, water shortage and bad roads.
The landscape is quite unlike the rest of India, marked by
rolling hills covered with dense vegetation, smaller hills and
plateaus covered with tea gardens, and eucalyptus trees.
Ooty is not the destination in itself, as much as it is the
focal point of attraction. Auto touring the surrounding country
side is certainly a must do. |
