Kodaikanal Lake and Travel

Kodaikanal has been one of my favorite places ever since I visited in 1999. I had no idea how the place would look like other than learning it was a hill station like Ooty, the only other place I have visited then - two years earlier before visiting Kodaikanal. Since 2012 I have been visiting the Princess of Hill station yearly except in 2014, and my last trip was in 2019 so, it's obvious I haven't been there in the last two years.

Kodaikanal lake on a cold evening.

I really miss the place. Thanks to covid 19. Either we go to other places or not, we don't miss going to Kodaikanal, especially after my uncle established his Woodhouse and cottages in the lower hills of Kodaikanal. And needless to say, Kodaikanal has become like a second home for us, since next to our home, the longer we stay outside was only at Kodaikanal. The weather there has become familiar or adapted to us to visit any time of the year except the monsoon time where we could not explore any places due to rain and cold. 

A beautiful private boathouse along the Kodaikanal Lake.

A couple enjoying their boat ride in the lake. Glad motorboats are not allowed in the lake to keep it clean.

I have driven to many parts of the Kodaikanal, but yet there are many places to explore, and some are road-less traveled. I'm so curious to visit Kodaikanal, and other places too, and some never traveled before, when the situation becomes favorable. But the thought of Kodaikanal and travel, in general, keeps haunting me and inspires me to write more about them.

The road that goes around the Kodaikanal Lake for about 6kms

Cycling is one of the favorite activities for anyone who visits the Kodai lake, and you see some guys enjoying their ride around the lake. This is a candid shot I captured from inside the car.

There wasn't a trip to Kodaikanal complete without coming around the Kodaikanal Lake - the most favorite place in Kodaikanal. Taking a drive around the lake is a favorite pastime for me whenever I visit   Kodaikanal, and I also love spending time on the lake sipping on hot tea. The star-shaped lake is one of a beautiful artificial lake converted from a natural marshland, and it still retains its original despite the lack of cleanliness. Hope you like the lake photos I posted here.

Lake in thick mist and rain during a monsoon day in July

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While the farmers were busy washing, and packing carrots in sacks (what you saw in my previous post here) I found this little temple peacefully located adjacent to the activity of farmers, adding quiet to the afternoon.  Leaving back others at  Kukkal lake bank, where we picnicked last year July during vacationing at my uncle’s woodhouse near Kodaikanal, my cousin and I drove down the road from the lake just to see what lies beneath and was pleased to spot this temple in a fresh coat of paint. Google maps mark this as Amman (goddess) temple and I get no details other than that. But I guess it's a popular temple among the village people from an image I saw in google where people throng in average numbers. 

Predator

Some kind of wild or unknown insect, which perhaps looks like a sort of mosquito. From a long back visit to Yercaud 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Washing and Packing of Carrots

 

Apart from tourism and cold weather, Kodaikanal is popular for vegetables that grow in mountains esp. Carrot is produced at large, along with the medicinal hill garlic which is an important cultivation in Kodaikanal upper villages of Poombarai, Mannavanur, Polur, Kukkal and Vilpatti. An important thing about the Kodaikanal Hill Garlic was it was granted by the prestigious ‘Geographical Indication’ (GI) tag – a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin.

Going past the Kodaikanal town on the observatory road would take one to one of the beautiful mountain village called Poombarai at about 20 km from the town and Kukkal is another peaceful and pleasant village of the mountains about 10 km from there is where these photos of Carrots were shot.  What you see here is farmers washing carrots near a small canal that flows from Kukkal Lake above Kukkal village and stuffing them in sacks before taking them to markets in mini trucks.

Carrots don't look pretty when uprooted from the muddy soil because the condition of the soil - deep loose loamy - is left in a state of dirt that does stick to the carrot  and it's only after hard washing reveals its bright color. The carrot grows above the elevation of 1500 meters and is cultivated yearlong with assured irrigation unlike the land below the range (of 1500) that rely only on monsoon rain. Kodaikanal upper villages are located around 2000 meters, experiencing cool weather throughout the year and I enjoy taking drives around the scenic landscapes of terrace farming and forest.

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Colorful row or line houses at Senbahanoor, a neighborhood in Kodaikanal. 

P.s. The state government of Tamil Nadu had further relaxed the lockdown by allowing public transportations – the operation of busses and metro trains only within the districts and inside the state – opening of malls without functioning of theatres and no pass for elders and kids; and work places with 100% employers and extended time limit for shops to be opened in evening and reopening of resorts and lodges but e-pass had been made mandatory for visiting any of the tourist places and it will be issued by district collectors. By this move life almost seemed to turn back to regular mode or at least within the districts the movements would be easier for the people. And for a country with high population and closely living community social distancing is a far difficult custom to follow and so far I think the lockdown had hold back people in someways and what opened in front is a challenge. People are so happy by the move but I don’t feel for it as these relaxations cause a fear of increasing Covid cases and it is up to people to make it safe and profitable at same. The situation doesn’t seem favourable for kids and elders as the government advised them not to come out but the increasing cases and death rate is really raising the anxiety and any kind of indifference or indication makes around make feel the same. Take care all

A Weather, Reminder of Mountains

The weather has been pleasant and cools these days (in Chennai) and it wasn’t raining either but still, the clouds, continue to seize the sky, kept low the temperature that lures me to dream of mountains. Though not exactly, I feel a mild cold in the air to embrace me and my mind cling to the memories of the same feel. It’s been more than a year I visited mountains or stayed overnight other than the home esp. this cool weather is impossible to restrain the thoughts of Smokey Haven or what I call a bird paradise – Thandikudi – nestled in the lower Palani hills of Kodaikanal. It was a place that wasn’t too cold as Kodai or hot as plains but comfortable weather to stay all day out exploring the locality of coffee and pepper plantations and listening to birds in woods.

 

Glad my uncle built his wood houses there, so it was always a hassle-free and home-like stay for us and it would be fun if two more families of my uncles join the stay. I too used to the comfort of the woodhouse or to say my uncle had built the house easily accessible by the wheelchair so that I could visit it anytime without difficulty. He knows how I enjoy staying into nature or travel to hills and the woodhouse was first executed for personal use before the idea of renting happen. The weather is one pleasing thing about this place and no matter what the season was, it never drops out of comfort and the weather in Chennai right away is something that makes the mind think about. Perhaps due to Aadi (the season with high wind blow, falls between July-August) is believed to bring a successful year of rain and these cloudy moments brings hope as the southwest monsoon had smashed this year.
 

I leave you with some nature and cool images for the glimpses of the locality from different times of the visit. I love being there any time of the season and it has something to please or offer with the arrival of differences in nature like the migration of birds, flowering environment and wind.  

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia

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Here is a kind of line houses in Valparai, what is just a piece of what was washed off in the recent landslides and flash flood in the high mountain ranges of Munnar; killing nearly 50 people belong to the families of tea labourers. The southwest monsoon is smashing around the Western Ghats Mountains of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and many a places are flooded and Munnar, a beautiful hill station in the Idukki district of Kerala is one of the top producers of tea and many a labours work here are from the plains of Tamil Nadu.

The landslide turned into a major disaster, where rescue operations are still underway as people are being dug out of the mud. The disaster location being close to the Anamudi, the highest peak of south India and the popular tourist spot (Eravikulam National Park) for Thar goat sighting, exposed to cold winds and rain to extend the rescue operation. Valparai is nothing less to Munnar, and these two places are bordered by a valley that separates the two states. And their living conditions were also similar and the workers were all settlers from the plains to work in the tea plantations. It’s the workers of Rajamalai tea estate went to grave before buried really. While the covid eradicating away the lives in plenty, the plane crash and landslides were doing their better half. Nature has its own plans and no one can predict its move and we could only mourn for those died.  

Pandemic Panic

Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu has become the second hotspot city of Covid 19 in India, reaching a new peak of cases with every passing day that counts above 1.5k. Our city is divided into 15 zones and my zone Adyar is at 7th place right now with about 1500 covid cases, the situation doesn’t seem to turn better sooner unless any severe actions are taken to control the pandemic despite people’s cooperation. The lockdown is relaxed almost 2/3^rd here and perhaps this could be the causes for the faster spreading of virus and we have any idea where this led so rather creating a panic even though we’re conscious with our preventive actions. We know it is not easy to put stop it’s spreading and holding people at home with no work and income at same, but still something need to be done before yet many losses of lives.

While the experts believe in herd immunity or community immunity or group protection, which happens when a large percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, whether through vaccination or previous infections, thereby providing a measure of protection for individuals who are not immune. But it seems to take a while and before it covers a large population many lives are put at risk as the spreading become uncontrollable. So far we’re doing fine and it’s been 3 months I stepped out of home and it’s the days more than the ones I took for my femur fracture and traveling seems to be a distant dream for me, right now. The season for holiday or summer vacation is over here as the May ends, the time I dream a lot about traveling since many a tours took place during this time and this pandemic break the 7 years chain of visits to my favourite travel destination, Kodaikanal.

And this was the time the tourist hub (and all hill stations) waits for the remaining year to make a peak business but this pandemic and the following lockdown has quite blocked everything related to tourism and the revenue of the people. Though it was a great let down, the residents of Kodaikanal welcome this change or lockdown as it not only keep it pandemic free but also put the princess of hills at peace and pollution free, as it huff and puff usually during this time with lining up of tourist.  As you all know my uncle have a woodhouse and cottage near Kodaikanal and his situation is no different from the mentioned above and he too lose his business that only picks up during this time as his woodhouse is located away from the active tourism. Lately we too avoided visiting his place during the peak season time to not become a cumbersome. So we either visit earlier or later at the end of season, because the place his woodhouse is located is best at all seasons.

Uncle's woodhouse and cottages in night mood. Tried a blur effect on the image

My uncle and aunt had gone there right now to check how things are after getting an e-pass. My uncle used to visit Kodaikanal at least one or two times a month but past three months he haven’t moved out of home because of lockdown and now they got a e-pass with a condition to turn in in 48 hours. But things haven’t worked like they planned and someone locally had informed about their arrival to the health department and they have quarantined them for a week at the woodhouse and a covid test is taken. If positive they would be quarantined for 20 days but they hope for negative. While calling from there, they told us about the strange behaviour of the neighbours who avoids and stopped speaking with them because they come from Chennai – the hub of covid 19. I wasn’t surprised to hear this rather felt happy at the consciousness of the people of the Kodai hills and perhaps this makes Kodaikanal an infection-free state.

TELC Jubilee Church (aka German Church), Kodaikanal

Every time I decide to travel, even if the destination was same, I do some research for any new places to see because I think only if there’s a search for something a travel would be interesting.  And old is something always fascinate me and top my list of places to see, more than anything newly constructed. If you’re a follower of my blog, would know Kodaikanal is a beautiful place where I had yearly vacation in last several years and have covered overall places, but still my search of places haven’t end or doesn’t seem to. And one such place I visited in recent times was the century old TELC Jubilee Church.

Kodaikanal has many historic places esp. churches that are more than 100 years old, built during British regime and TELC (Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church) is a cute little church with unique architecture that really made me wonder have I seen anything similar in construction. It has a cylindrical bell tower to capture our attendance at glance and constructed in granite stones, the church still looks amazing in its original structure and features. As it located on a small hill mound, one need to climb the rock stairs to reach the door front, opening a small wooden gate at the entrance what resisted me further going up close to church.

We visited the church in evening after going through another historical church (which I would write about later) and the weather was pleasant with mild sunshine as we went in search of the church. It took us sometime to find the church as many unknown about it when enquired at the locality and Google maps did wrong locating as well; the church hide away like a treasure in a patch of woods cover above the upper lake road in Pambarpuram area of Kodaikanal. My parents, grandma and bro went up to the church, to capture some photos on my behalf and they were invited by someone in charge, took them around and explained about the church.

Dad, mom and grandma posed in front of church

The church was founded in 1906, by the Germans and the Swedes who emigrated over a century ago in Pambarpuram area of Kodaikanal and the church practiced worship in four languages: German, Swedish, English and Tamil, from the following year. In 1919, the Tamil congregation of different German, Danish, and Swedish Lutheran missions joined together to form the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC). And following the independence of India, in 1947, the Germans and the Swedes agreed to the self-administer of the church by Tamil people and later on to till date the worship is conducted in Tamil by designated priest.  

What I think special about the church was its architecture of German and Sweden, though I have any idea of its architectural style, its unchanged look of ancient beholds. The church still holds the sacred objects leftover by the Germans and the bell outside the church is also a German established in year 1923, and the name of the church is engraved on the bell in Tamil. The sound of bell is heard up to 2 km in radius. I find the entire atmosphere of the church is quiet and being evening, the birds’ noise was pleasant as natural prayers.  TELC Jubilee Church is a different aspect of Kodaikanal, from the regular tourist places, but I hope the future won’t be the same.

Contemplating Woman!

One above the far

balanced rocks, gives shape to a

contemplate woman!

Ps. The cute balanced rock sculpture was capture at the courtyard of my uncle’s woodhouse near Kodaikanal and this was arranged by the manager of the woodhouse and cottages. I was really wondering how the rock on the top was balanced vertical but the secret was revealed within two days of my stay there. The rock was glued (with fevicol) on top of the other and it fell down when it rained heavy. The glue he used seems to stick woods so it couldn’t withstand the heavy shower and the rock slid off.  

Monsoon Feel

Rain always brings cheers to mind unless it was a kind of downpour or flood like situation. Chennai kept receiving rain now and then in the evenings mostly make feel cheerful, refreshing and relieving from the midday hot weather. During my vacation I experience wonderful showering moments with distinct pattering though the woodhouse and trees and coffee plantations and on the hills the weather was much treating. I tried to capture rain through various possible ways I could and managed to click some pretty images exposed to fresh green foliage and flowers. I’m stuck by thought of what to post and the evening rain comes to rescue and yet enjoyable. Here I share an image that gives me monsoon feel!

Skywatch Friday

I feel good enough right now as I say goodbye to the setback of my health! A visit to pulmonologist last week has helped recovering a lot from cough and cold and also could sleep well laying straight and to left and feel relaxed to go through blogs but still haven’t checked many. Here I share couple of pleasant sky shots captured from the woodhouse balcony where I spent vacation with the families for a week last month.  I’m someone always look out for natural frames rather adding frames through Photoshop and here I got to crop the image to get the up and bottom frame of wood house’s porch top and rail. In-between the shadow of trees and mild blanket of clouds the blue sky glimpse pleasantly. 

P.s. The Ghats along the west coast of India is highly battled by rain and everywhere there’s flood and landslides to keep things and life at trouble. The Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu is witnessing historical rains with Avalanche records the highest ever in south India – 92cm in last 24 hours and 82cm a day before followed by 42cm on 6th August. The landscapes and roads all over the western side of Nilgiris were damaged and most of the dams were at fullest and already opened the shutters to prevent further flooding. I wish the situation turns normal soon. We are in need of water badly, but how could it benefit all when it downpour at this particular place alone? Many districts in north central Tamil Nadu is still at the grip of drought and Nilgiris become the wettest ever recorded history! Who could be blamed when nature plays the trick but we could not say it’s no man’s fault.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Family Vacation 2019 Ups and Down!

Don’t know why the vacation wasn’t exciting or to say there was something missed feeling throughout the stay but travel wise I enjoyed the trip and spending time in lap of mountains in company of birds and trees. It’s always a pleasure to stay at Smokey Haven, my uncle’s woodhouse and cottages at Thandikudi near Kodaikanal, where we spent our days with extended families from July 8 to 13. Since the inauguration of the resort in 2015, I continue to visit it at least once a year and I’m happy and thanks to my uncle for executing a project alike i.e. building a woodhouse in the vicinity of coffee estate and tall big trees helps me staying and enjoy an environment full of nature rich.  Anytime there would be a bird chirping outside but this time I felt a bit lesser sound of the birds and spotting birds has reduced too what I perhaps guess was migration! I know there are some little birds that migrate from Himalayas and it was the environment that console me lot as I felt down sometime.

Smokey  Haven Woodhouse and Cottages we stayed

Though we waked up early and began the journey, the most part of traveling (490km) went under scorching weather until climbing up the hill. Our car couldn’t produce enough cooling to the cabin, though we serviced the car before traveling it quite went out of gas when we switched on the AC on the return journey. We travelled in two cars and our 9 seater was occupied by 5 of us with boot space quite went for wheelchair, commode and luggage and the uncle’s Innova had other five since my uncle’s family was ahead of us in another car. Though we travelled together they speed up always leaving us far behind as we drive on moderate speed to help me balanced.  While traveling at two different speeds doesn’t bother me much unlike how it continues at the vacation period as well.  My uncle had built an additional woodhouse at their vicinity at a ground below the already exists, were all others stayed and we 5 including the grandmother stayed at the old woodhouse. It wasn’t the old or new mattered, but none came above to spare time with us and it felt like we came alone like how we travel last time to the same place.

Dad standing in front of Thandikudi village (beneath), picture shot from Balamurgan Temple come viewpoint

I was irritated lot to sit alone always, even though nature gives me company I felt lonely when all my dear ones were around not sharing. I haven’t felt this before while travelled as five and I would sit ideal watching birds and taking photos as it was my choice and nature of traveling, but as a family vacation mind thoughts about being together, sharing and having fun rather think about anything. I love exploring places and traveling but love double folds the family vacation or group traveling at least once a year to keep cherished throughout. As soon we come into the range of Thandikudi we all lost our Airtel network signal and I actually thought that it could be a mild fault in connecting, but the disappointment came hearing that Airtel network has stopped working there due to fall of tower! I know I haven’t gone there for networking and it didn’t bother me actually, instead only made feel happy that none will be looking into the smartphones so there would be more chances for sharing face-to-face but my cousins had another network to still connect and also hopping on and off in jeep. 

A moment together with family at the woodhouse deep inside woods

Though we expected rain in the mountains, as monsoon already began, the first two days restricted us to woodhouse and we got to the Balamurugan temple one morning and then to another woodhouse my uncle had built on behalf his friend and one day spent driving to Kodaikanal and Kookal Lake/Village. We hear people complaining of no rain until we got there and it was obvious wherever we visited except in Kodaikanal where the lake was at its brim! The Kookal Lake was muddy with water at the bottom where only water hens were walking in and out. The weather was much colder in Kodaikanal, even though clouds form as if it going to rain it didn’t happen until we move to the woodhouse. One night we spent at my uncle’s friend woodhouse (which my uncle built on behalf his friend) in a place called Vel Farms, a place deep inside the woods and remote from much activity. Overall I had good time despite the lack of sharing and feeling alone while being together as well, it was refreshing and relieving to travel after more than a year and I could cherish this for some time until I pick up another trip. 

A part of beautiful star shaped Kodaikanal Lake at its full level, in the eventide light with reflection of trees.

More details and photos will follow in further posts.

My Travel and Better Health

After a long time or more than a year, I’m getting an opportunity to travel and this’s a long gap I had after traveling become a passion. I should have taken a trip early this year but people had different plans which are unavoidable and needn’t be as each phase has its significances that need to be addressed. Being dependent it’s impossible to think or work beyond the limits. Dad’s post coronary issue (though it was addressed through stents and he leads normally) things turned worse in my life as he should not lift me anymore and mom as same following her uterus removal last year, I’m looked after by my brother and cousin bro for shifting my positions has become a problem to pick up a trip on own. Till the end of last year, dad could put me inside the car and we would take short-distance rides but now I had to look out for my brother to lift me inside the car and ours being an SUV only for him is possible.

Following dad’s angioplasty in December, we didn’t think of traveling for few months and in March brother started working on his Fitness Centre aka GYM which was opened on 8^th May and sister’s wedding arrangements in June pushed our travel plans further. Even now the brother is a bit busy making new clients to the gym will be taking off few days for a family vacation at my uncle’s woodhouse (Smokey Haven Woodhouse) in mountains of Kodaikanal. Last week I checked with my cardiologist and it was a surprise and happy moment for the doctors at the clinic to find my heart pumps normal or normal LV function (55% to 65%) which was 37% last year when diagnosed with an echocardiogram. A yearlong on medication had helped me achieve this stage and the doctor was content with the result has reduced the medication and my next appointment are only after 6 months.

Following a sign of abnormal in ECG, last year May, I consulted the cardiologist and he found a weak heart or less percentage of LV function.  Though the heart getting weaker is a normal condition in the progress of muscular dystrophy, it was quite an unexpected drop for me as of 2016 echocardiogram my heart function was normal, and 2018 report of different. The doctor prescribed me few tablets and hope to sustain the condition with constant medication was cheerful about the incredible improvement of the condition and happily deducted few medicines. I’m already taking regular medicines for diabetes along with calcium and vitamin tablets to support the system and this improvement with the heart has helped a bit. The family vacation we planned for next week, with near and dear ones, is the one going to happen after three years, even though I use to visit Kodaikanal yearly as a family to relax and a little bit of exploring, I hope to have some fun with my first circle families. Only my newlywed sister is missing the trip as her in-law isn’t well.  We would be staying at the woodhouse and visit the princess of hill station – Kodai.

My family vacation in 2016. My other uncle and cousin (who took the shot) is missing in the photo. (click pic for large) 

A detour around Ooty

Trees rise and fall in nature's lap

During my visit to Nilgiris in 2017, I took a detour around the Ooty town, what I usually do or look forward to whatever places I visit, we took the road adjoin The Lawrence School following our stop at the lovely Lovedale Mountain Railway Station, and it was a casual turn toward this road while looked for a place to have lunch that we took along when we moved out of our homestay. The road led through calm and natural presence of woods and shrubs; amid where we found this Indian Gaur (aka Indian Bison) munching quietly some ten feet above our parked car and herd of sheep grazing alongside the road winding through some fresh patches of green or meadows. I really enjoyed taking this route even though the road isn’t good in shape it has some nice country sights where vegetables are cultivated and colourful houses built on hill slopes. Coming across these found the Mountain Railway track winding along the road and it was really surprise for me as I have seen this place and wished to visit when I read an article related to it on the Hindu Metro Plus, very long back, plus it has come in movies esp. the popular Tamil film Vaali.

I loved seeing the arched railway bridge at a turn of the road, which was picturesque but unfortunately it started to rain when nearing the bridge so I couldn’t get clear shots and also the iron fence along the way interrupted the view. There was lot of tiny wildflowers alongside the road and this stretch was really refreshing, breathing through the fresh mountain air and essense of soil and different form the usual views on Ooty. Following were some photos from the drive

Some sheep grazing on the roadsides

A cute one grazing alone

View on some colorful houses and residents made life thought mountains, grazing sheep and cultivating vegetables and tea. Being a part of Ooty perhaps their lives depend on tourism activities. 

A cemetery locating very close to the residences you seen a pic above

Something interesting caught our eyes, as we could see it was some kind of cultivation which resemble some arrangement of stones. There was none around there to enquire about the thing and it wasn't nearby to look closer

Saw this beautiful house on the way made through salubrious environment of green fields, tea garden and fresh mountain breeze.

A pleasant countryside view  

The winding mountain railway track along the road (between Lovedale - Fern Hill) and I wished there was a streamer passing by as we drive through.

Here comes  the pretty arch bridge or underpass of the Nilgiri Mountain Railways... where the popular tamil song Oh Sona (from Vaali) was shot.

RGB Monday

Colorful hill residence 

I enjoyed zooming on the houses on Elk Hill in Ooty when I stayed opposite to the hill during my travel. As you have seen the wide views on the hill and houses in a previous post here, this is a part of the scene and close looks at some houses more in shades of red, green, blue.

Elk Hill Residences

Elk hill is a hillock facing the Ooty town and the other side sliding down the Ketty valley, on Nilgiris, has slopes of hill residents and private resorts with tea gardens and woods spread around. Glad I was able to homestay right opposite to the hill (during my visit to Nilgiris aka Ooty in April 2017) to have a wonderful look on the same and the houses built in step formats. Our homestay had two big balconies overlooking the hill across the carrot and vegetable farming and Ooty-Coonoor main road. I really enjoyed this view and also the night ones with glittering lights from the hill residents (unfortunately I don’t have photos from night) and most of the houses built on the slope was tiled roof and built wall-to-wall with neighbours. I hope they all live as a community with peace and harmony unlike the different colors of house which perhaps one of the reasons for me to zoom for details. Looks most of the houses built there has to take only steps since there isn’t space to lay roads.

Btw. I don’t have any idea or found details why it is called Elk hill, but it only wants me to think either it should have Elk deer once on this hill or British (who discovered Ooty) brought some from their homeland. The other side of the Elk Hill has a popular Murugan temple built on the idea of Malaysia’s Batu Cave with a moderate golden statue of Muruga.