Little Castle Cottages Kodaikanal

                            Eternal charm of Kodai Hills

Blue mountain ranges of Western Ghats, dense forests and a treasure trove of scenic delights welcome tourists to the "Princess of Hill Stations".

Located in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, the word "Kodaikanal" in Tamil literally means "Gift of the forest".

The picturesque town of Kodaikanal sits on a plateau on the southern slopes of the upper Palani Hills at 2,133 metres (7,000 ft), between the Parappar and Gundar Valleys.

These hills form the eastward spur of the Western Ghats that divide the extreme end of South India into two states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala

Way back in 1845, Kodaikanal was set up by the American missionaries as hill resort for short stays and adventure camping during the summers when plains become too hot for human comfort.

During those times, this mountain resort has been a safe haven from tropical diseases that were common in plains.

It is said that that Lieutenant Ward, an Englishman, was the first to climb from the Kunnavan area of Vellagavi (a tiny village on Palani hills) to Kodaikanal in 1821 for a survey of mountain ranges of Palani.

In 1834, J.C Wroughten, the then Madras sub-collector and C.R. Cotton, revenue board member, went up the hills from Devadanapatti and built a small bungalow at the head of Adukkam pass near Shenbaganur.

The visit of English botanist Dr Robert Wight in 1836 and his observation about the hill station attracted botanists and nature lovers to Kodaikanal.

First two houses named Sunnyside and Shelton, on the South Lake Road, were built between 1844-1845 by American Missionaries.

Six more such American families migrated to Kodaikanal.

What start as a small trickle of foreign immigrants became a torrent of human settlements on these craggy hills which led to the discovery of Kodaikanal as we know now.

Plenty of sight-seeing

Botanical gardens, lakes, waterfalls, valleys, fast flowing streams, trekking, pine forests, pillar rocks, Shembaganur museum, green valley view, Dolphin's nose and solar observatory are just some of the endless attractions for nature buffs.

Tourists visit Kodai hills throughout the year as the resort is known for its chill climate and lush green cover with pine trees raising high as if to touch the horizon.

Mode of transport

Apart from government buses, private players like Omni buses and tour operators ply regular services from Madurai and Dindigul.

Private tour operators offer a number of Kodaikanal packages that include accommodation and food at choice lodges owned by the government and private firms.

Best time to visit Kodaikanal

The peak season for enjoying sightseeing and other tourist activities are the times between April to June and from September to October.

June to August is good time for enjoying the greenery and the scenic beauty of the place.

November to January months is winter time but is enjoyable for sightseeing and ideal time for honeymoon trip to Kodaikanal.

Little Castle: Home away from home

A luxurious stay on two-storeyed cottage named House of Pegasus will offer that extra bit of excitement and joy to explore the hidden marvels of Kodai hills.

House of Pegasus -- winged white stallion of Greek mythology -- has five large deluxe bedrooms on two levels with separate entrance for both portions.

The cottage has modern furnishings along with all basic facilities to make the stay very pleasant for families and just-married couples.

For large groups of extended families the two levels of accommodation can be made into one entity through the opening of a doorway that connects the stair hall.

In fact, Little Castle is designed purposefully to accommodate families on pleasure trip, honeymoon couples and friends groups visiting Kodai on vacations.

Pegasus House is located just 3 km from the lake and hence, has got easy access to the tourist circuit.

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