Yelagiri

Yelagiri or Elagiri is a small hill station located in between the towns of Vaniyambadi and Jolarpettai (Tamil Nadu, India). The hill station dates back to the British colonial days.

The Whole of Yelagiri was once the private property of the Elagiri Zamindar Family.It was taken over by the government of India during the Early 1950s.The house of the Elagiri Zamindars still exists in Reddiyur.Their Descendents are scattered in Erode,Nellore,Bangalore,USA and Germany.

External links

* [http://www.mistymusings.com/2007/10/01/yelagiri/ A travelogue to Yelagiri]

Yelagiri, also known as poor man’s Ooty, is a great place to unwind yourself. Situated at a height of 920 metres above sea level it has a pleasant climate and can be a perfect getaway for weekends anytime of the year. There are 11 hair pin bends on the way to Yelagiri and every bend has been named after poets such as Kambar and Valluvar. It takes approximately an hour by bus to go uphill. The view from the top is overwhelming especially in the nights.Yelagiri comprises 12 villages and Athanavoor is the biggest of them all. There are three major attractions in Yelagiri. There is the artificial lake known as the Ponganur lake, where boating is popular. Then there is Swami Malai, near Mangalam, a hamlet at the foot of the hill . Its an easy climb taking about an hour with infrequent breaks (about a 1000 foot climb). Smaller peaks with quaint names like the Javadi Hills, Palamathi Hills and others are also worth climbing. The Jalagamparai Waterfall is a five km trek from Yelagiri downhill. Its a tough trek, but the view of the valley from the sides of the mountain is truly rewarding. Its not the mountains alone which are special but the quiet villages, thatched houses, the fields and its farmers, sunrise and sunset draws visitors to this beautiful hill station.Driving from ChennaiYelagiri is about 250 km from Chennai. The Poonamalee High Road out of the city leading to the Bangalore highway towards Vellore via Sriperumbudur, Walajapet and Katpadi. Vellore would be a good place to plan a break, there are a lot of eating places right on the highway. From Vellore continue on to Ambur and then towards Vaniyambadi. Take a left at Vaniyambadi and another left at Ponneri towards Yelagiri- watch out for this one as it is easy to miss. There are 11 hairpin bends on the ghat road from Ponneri to Yelagiri and the road is pretty narrow so you can't actually park a car to enjoy the view except at some of the wider hairpin bends. Bikes won't have this problem though.Please note there are no petrol stations in Yelagiri, so its always better you fillup your tanks in the city. Sight SeeingSwami Malai, Jalagamparai Waterfalls, Vainu Bappu Solar Observatory (Elagiri), one of the largest solar observatories is in Kavalur. And if you are lover of temples there is one in almost every village here.FoodThere are number of eateries and lodges available. Tariff ranges from Rs 300 to Rs 3000.