The Nilgiris District
Encyclopedia
The Nilgiris District is in the Indian state
of Tamil Nadu
. Nilgiri (Tamil : நீலகிரி or Blue Mountains when translated into English) is also the name given to a range of mountains spread across the states of Tamilnadu as well as Karnataka
and Kerala
. The Nilgiri Hills are part of a larger mountain chain known as the Western Ghats
. The highest point is the mountain of Doddabetta
, with a height of 2,623 m. The district is mainly contained within this mountain range. The district headquarters is Udhagamandalam, popularly known as Ooty. It was ranked first in a comprehensive Economic Environment index ranking of districts in Tamil Nadu not including Chennai prepared by Institute for Financial Management and Research in August 2009.
As of 2011 it is the second least populous district of Tamil Nadu (out of 32
), after Perambalur.
The Nilgiri hills have a history going back a good many centuries. It is not known why they were called the Blue Mountains. Several sources cite the reason as the smoky haze enveloping the area, while other sources say it is because of the kurunji flower, which blooms every twelve years giving the slopes a bluish tinge.
It was originally tribal land and was occupied by the Todas around what is now the Ooty area, and by the Kotas around what is now the Kotagiri(Kothar Keri) area. The Badagas
are one of the major non tribal OBC (other backward community) population in the district who reside in the mountain. Although the Nilgiri hills are mentioned in the Ramayana
of Valmiki
(estimated by Western scholars to have been recorded in the second century BCE), they remained all but undiscovered by Europeans until 1602. This was when the first European set foot into the jungles. A Portuguese priest going by the name of Ferreiri resolved to explore the hills and succeeded. He came upon a community of people calling themselves the "Toda." This priest seems to have been the only European to have explored this area. The Europeans in India more or less seem to have ignored the ghats for some two hundred or more years.
It was only around the beginning of the 1800s that the English unsuccessfully considered surveying this area. Around 1810 or so the East India Company decided to delve into the jungles here. An Englishman Francis Buchanan
made a failed expedition. John Sullivan who was then the Collector of Coimbatore, just south of the Nilgiris, sent two surveyors to make a comprehensive study of the hills. They went as far as the lower level of Ooty, but failed to see the complete valley. The two men were Keys and Macmohan (their first names seem to be lost to the annals of history) and their mission was significant because they were the first Englishmen to set foot in the Nilgiri hills which soon led to the complete opening up of the area.
The original discovery however, is attributed to J.C. Whish and N.W. Kindersley, working for the Madras Civil Service, who made a journey in 1819 and who reported back to their superiors that they had discovered "the existence of a tableland possessing a European climate."
The first European resident of the hills was John Sullivan, the Collector of Coimbatore, who went up the same year and built himself a home. He also reported to the Madras Government the appropriateness of the climate; Europeans soon started settling down here or using the valley for summer stays. The complete valley became a summer resort. Later on the practice of moving the government to the hills during summer months also started. By the end of the 19th century, the Nilgiri hills were completely accessible with the laying of roads and the railway line.
. Its latitudinal and longitudinal dimensions being 130 KM (Latitude : 10 - 38 WP 11-49N) by 185 KM (Longitude : 76.0 E to 77.15 E). The Nilgiris district is bounded by Mysore district of Karnataka
and Wayanad district of Kerala
in the North, Malappuram
and Palakkad
districts of Kerala
in the West, Coimbatore
district of Tamil Nadu
in the South and Erode
district of Tamil Nadu
and Chamarajanagar
district of Karnataka
in the East. In Nilgiris district the topography is rolling and steep. About 60% of the cultivable land falls under the slopes ranging from 16 to 35%.
The altitude of the Nilgiris results in a much cooler and wetter climate than the surrounding plains, so the area is popular as a retreat from the summer heat. During summer the temperature remains to the maximum of 25°C and reaches a minimum of 10°C. During winter the temperature reaches a maximum of 20°C and a minimum of 0°C. The rolling hills of the Downs look very similar to the Downs
in Southern England, and were used for similar activities such as hunting.
The district usually receives rain both during South West Monsoon and North East Monsoon. The entire Gudalur and Pandalaur, Kundah Taluks and portion of Udhagamandalam Taluk receive rain by the South West Monsoon and some portion of Udhagamandalam Taluk and the entire Coonoor and Kotagiri Taluks are benefited by the rains of North East Monsoon. There are 16 rainfall registering stations in the district The average annual rainfall of the district is 1,920.80 mm.
The principal town of the area is Ootacamund
, or Udhagamandalam, which is the district capital. The town also has several buildings which look very "British", particularly the Churches. There is even a road junction known as Charing Cross. The other main towns in the Nilgiris are Coonoor
, Kotagiri
, Gudalur
and Aruvankadu
. The famous tourist spot in Coonoor are Lambsrock and Sims park. In Sims park, a "Fruit Show" is conducted during summer. All the varieties of fruit are displayed during that time. This park is situated on the way to Kotagiri.
According to the 2011 census
Nilgiris district has a population
of 735,071, roughly equal to the nation of Guyana
or the US state of Alaska
. This gives it a ranking of 495th in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 288 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was -3.55 %. The Nilgiris has a sex ratio
of 1041 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 85.65 %.
There are several tribes living in the Nilgiris, whose origins are uncertain. The best known of these are the Toda and Kota people, whose culture is based upon cattle
, and whose red, black and white embroidered shawl
s, and silver jewelry is much sought after. The district is also home to the Paniya tribes and the Badaga people.
As per the 2001 Census, Hindus formed the majority of the population (78.60%), followed by Christians (11.45%), Muslims (9.55%) and others (0.4%).
,written in the Tamil script
and spoken by about 245 000 Badaga
s in 200 villages in the Nilgiris.
Tamil
is the principal language spoken in the Nilgiris. Many people speak and understand English. Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi
are also used to an extent. The Nilgiris is also home to the Toda language
, spoken by the Toda people
and Kota language is spoken by Kota Tribes. The language of Paniya
is spoken in the western parts of the district where the Paniya tribes live.
The Nagapattinam - Gudalur National Highway Passes through this district. The Nilgiri Ghat Roads
link the district with the nearest cities in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka. All the taluks are connected with Major District Roads. The village roads are maintained by Panchayat Union. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway
from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam via Coonoor, is a great tourist attraction. It was used in the film A Passage to India
as the railway to the caves. It is a rack railway
as far as Coonoor. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway
, is now a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
. This services many of the populated areas of the district including Coonoor
, Wellington
, Aruvankadu
, Ketti
, Lovedale and Ooty. There is no sea port or Airport in the district. The nearest international airport to the Nilgiris is at Coimbatore.
1. Pykara Power House
2. Pykara Micro Power House
3. Moyar Power House
4. Kundah Power House - I
5. Kundah Power House -II
6. Kundah Power House - III
7. Kundah Power House - IV
8. Kundah Power House - V
9. Kateri hydro-electric system
The Nilgiris District is basically a Horticulture
District and the entire economy of the district depends upon the success and failure of Horticulture Crops like Potato
, Cabbage
, Carrot
, Tea
, Coffee
, Spice
s and Fruits. The main cultivation is plantation Crops, viz., Tea and Coffee. Tea
is grown at elevations of 1,000 to above 2,500 metres. The area also produces Eucalyptus
oil and temperate zone vegetables. Potato and other vegetables are raised in Udhagai and Coonoor Taluks. Paddy and Ginger are grown in Gudalur and Pandalur Taluks. Paddy
is also grown in Thengumarahada area in Kotagiri Taluk. Besides these crops, Ragi, Samai, Wheat, Vegetables etc., are also grown in small extent throughout the district. There are no irrigation schemes in this district. The crops are mainly rain fed. Check Dams have been constructed wherever it is possible to exploit natural springs.
Two ecoregion
s cover portions of the Nilgiris. The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
lie between 250 and 1000 meters elevation. These forests extend south along the Western Ghats range to the southern tip of India. These forests are dominated by a diverse assemblage of trees, many of whom are deciduous
during the winter and spring dry season. These forests are home to the largest herd of Asian Elephant
s in India, who range from the Nilgiris across to the Eastern Ghats
. The Nilgiris and the South Western Ghats is also one of the most important tiger
habitats left in India.
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests
ecoregion covers the portion of the range above 1000 meters elevation. These evergreen rain forests are among the most diverse on the planet. Above 1500 meters elevation, the evergreen forests begin to give way to stunted forests, called shola
s, which are interspersed with open grassland. These grasslands are the home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr
, which resembles a stocky goat with curved horns. The Nilgiri Tahrs are found only in the montane grasslands of the South Western Ghats, and number only about 2000 individuals.
Three national parks
protect portions of the Nilgiris. Mudumalai National Park
lies in the northern part of the range where Kerala, Karnataka
, and Tamil Nadu meet, and covers an area of 321 km². Mukurthi National Park
lies in the southwest of the range, in Kerala, and covers an area of 78.5 km², which includes intact shola-grassland mosaic, habitat for the Nilgiri tahr. Silent Valley National Park
is just to the south and contiguous with these two parks, and covers an area of 89.52 km². Outside of these parks much of the native forest has been cleared for grazing cattle, or has been encroached upon or replaced by plantations of tea
, Eucalyptus
, Cinchona
and Acacia
. The entire range, together with portions of the Western Ghats to the northwest and southwest, was included in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
in 1986, India's first biosphere reserve.
In January 2010, the Nilgiri Declaration set out a wide range environmental and sustainable development goals to be reached by 2015.
The region has also given its name to a number of bird species, including the Nilgiri Pipit
, Nilgiri Woodpigeon and Nilgiri Blackbird.
and Kothagiri. The Nilgiri Mountain Train or popularly known as the Toy Train is popular amongst tourists as the journey offers spectacular and breathtaking views of the hills and forests. Mudumalai National Park is popular with wildlife enthisiasts, campers and backpackers. The annual flower show organized by the Government of Tamil Nadu
at the Botanical Garden in Ooty is a much awaited event every year, known for its grand display of roses. Nilgiris is renowned for its Eucalyptus
oil and Tea. Tourists are also attracted to study the lifestyles of the various tribes living here and to visit the sprawling tea and vegetable plantations along the hill slopes. Other popular tourist destinations in the district are Pykara Waterfalls and Lake, Avalanche and Doddabetta peak.
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. Nilgiri (Tamil : நீலகிரி or Blue Mountains when translated into English) is also the name given to a range of mountains spread across the states of Tamilnadu as well as Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
and Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. The Nilgiri Hills are part of a larger mountain chain known as the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
. The highest point is the mountain of Doddabetta
Doddabetta
Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Hills, at 2637 metre . There is a reserved forest area around the peak. It is 9 km from Ooty,on Ooty-Kotagiri Road in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, South India...
, with a height of 2,623 m. The district is mainly contained within this mountain range. The district headquarters is Udhagamandalam, popularly known as Ooty. It was ranked first in a comprehensive Economic Environment index ranking of districts in Tamil Nadu not including Chennai prepared by Institute for Financial Management and Research in August 2009.
As of 2011 it is the second least populous district of Tamil Nadu (out of 32
Districts of Tamil Nadu
The state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India is divided into 32 districts, including two newly carved districts Ariyalur and Tirupur.More can be found on the sites of the individual districts which are linked from the site of the Tamil Nadu Government ....
), after Perambalur.
History
It was originally tribal land and was occupied by the Todas around what is now the Ooty area, and by the Kotas around what is now the Kotagiri(Kothar Keri) area. The Badagas
Badagas
The Badagas are an indigenous people inhabiting the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, southern India. Their language is Badaga.-Traditional Attire:In olden days the Badagas used to wear distinctive dresses...
are one of the major non tribal OBC (other backward community) population in the district who reside in the mountain. Although the Nilgiri hills are mentioned in the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
of Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
(estimated by Western scholars to have been recorded in the second century BCE), they remained all but undiscovered by Europeans until 1602. This was when the first European set foot into the jungles. A Portuguese priest going by the name of Ferreiri resolved to explore the hills and succeeded. He came upon a community of people calling themselves the "Toda." This priest seems to have been the only European to have explored this area. The Europeans in India more or less seem to have ignored the ghats for some two hundred or more years.
It was only around the beginning of the 1800s that the English unsuccessfully considered surveying this area. Around 1810 or so the East India Company decided to delve into the jungles here. An Englishman Francis Buchanan
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Dr Francis Buchanan, later known as Francis Hamilton but often referred to as Francis Buchanan-Hamilton was a Scottish physician who made significant contributions as a geographer, zoologist, and botanist while living in India.The standard botanical author abbreviation Buch.-Ham. is applied to...
made a failed expedition. John Sullivan who was then the Collector of Coimbatore, just south of the Nilgiris, sent two surveyors to make a comprehensive study of the hills. They went as far as the lower level of Ooty, but failed to see the complete valley. The two men were Keys and Macmohan (their first names seem to be lost to the annals of history) and their mission was significant because they were the first Englishmen to set foot in the Nilgiri hills which soon led to the complete opening up of the area.
The original discovery however, is attributed to J.C. Whish and N.W. Kindersley, working for the Madras Civil Service, who made a journey in 1819 and who reported back to their superiors that they had discovered "the existence of a tableland possessing a European climate."
The first European resident of the hills was John Sullivan, the Collector of Coimbatore, who went up the same year and built himself a home. He also reported to the Madras Government the appropriateness of the climate; Europeans soon started settling down here or using the valley for summer stays. The complete valley became a summer resort. Later on the practice of moving the government to the hills during summer months also started. By the end of the 19th century, the Nilgiri hills were completely accessible with the laying of roads and the railway line.
Geography and climate
The district has an area of 2,452.50 km2. The district is basically a hilly region, situated at an elevation of 2000 to 2,600 meters above MSL. Almost the entire district lies in the Western ghatsWestern Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
. Its latitudinal and longitudinal dimensions being 130 KM (Latitude : 10 - 38 WP 11-49N) by 185 KM (Longitude : 76.0 E to 77.15 E). The Nilgiris district is bounded by Mysore district of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
and Wayanad district of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in the North, Malappuram
Malappuram
Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...
and Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
districts of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in the West, Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
district of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in the South and Erode
Erode
Erode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
district of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
and Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar is a town in the southern end of Karnataka, a state in India. It is also the headquarters of the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is named after Chamaraja Wodeyar IX , king of Mysore, who was born in the town...
district of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
in the East. In Nilgiris district the topography is rolling and steep. About 60% of the cultivable land falls under the slopes ranging from 16 to 35%.
The altitude of the Nilgiris results in a much cooler and wetter climate than the surrounding plains, so the area is popular as a retreat from the summer heat. During summer the temperature remains to the maximum of 25°C and reaches a minimum of 10°C. During winter the temperature reaches a maximum of 20°C and a minimum of 0°C. The rolling hills of the Downs look very similar to the Downs
The Downs
The Downs are a roadstead or area of sea in the southern North Sea near the English Channel off the east Kent coast, between the North and the South Foreland in southern England. In 1639 the Battle of the Downs took place here, when the Dutch navy destroyed a Spanish fleet which had sought refuge...
in Southern England, and were used for similar activities such as hunting.
The principal town of the area is Ootacamund
Ootacamund
Ootacamund , is a town, a municipality and the district capital of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Ootacamund is a popular hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills...
, or Udhagamandalam, which is the district capital. The town also has several buildings which look very "British", particularly the Churches. There is even a road junction known as Charing Cross. The other main towns in the Nilgiris are Coonoor
Coonoor
Coonoor is a town and a municipality in the Nilgiris district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for its production of Nilgiri tea....
, Kotagiri
Kotagiri
Kotagiri is a panchayat town in The Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Kotagiri is situated at an elevation of around 1793 m above sea level and is one of the three popular hill stations located in the Nilgiris...
, Gudalur
Gudalur (Nilgiris district)
Gudalur , , , is a panchayat town and taluk in Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is said that Gudalur gets its name from Koodal + uru, meaning the Meeting Place.-Overview:...
and Aruvankadu
Aruvankadu
Aruvankadu, is a small town located in The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located between Coonoor and Ooty on the NH 67, at distances 5 km and 12 km respectively. It houses the Cordite Factory, one of the 40 Indian Ordnance Factories. It is one of the oldest Defence Factories...
. The famous tourist spot in Coonoor are Lambsrock and Sims park. In Sims park, a "Fruit Show" is conducted during summer. All the varieties of fruit are displayed during that time. This park is situated on the way to Kotagiri.
District administration
The Nilgiris District comprises six taluks viz., Udhagamandalam, Kundah, Coonoor, Kotagiri, Gudalur and Pandalur. These taluks are divided in to four Panchayat Unions viz., Udhagamandalam, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Gudalur besides two Municipalities, Wellington Contonment and Aruvankadu Township. The District consists of 56 Revenue Villages and 15 Revenue Firkas. There are two Revenue Divisional in this district viz., Coonoor and Gudalur. There are 35 Village Panchayat and 13 Town Panchayat in this district.Demographics
2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
Nilgiris district has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 735,071, roughly equal to the nation of Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
or the US state of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. This gives it a ranking of 495th in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 288 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was -3.55 %. The Nilgiris has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 1041 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 85.65 %.
There are several tribes living in the Nilgiris, whose origins are uncertain. The best known of these are the Toda and Kota people, whose culture is based upon cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, and whose red, black and white embroidered shawl
Shawl
A shawl is a simple item of clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, that is often folded to make a triangle but can also be triangular in shape...
s, and silver jewelry is much sought after. The district is also home to the Paniya tribes and the Badaga people.
As per the 2001 Census, Hindus formed the majority of the population (78.60%), followed by Christians (11.45%), Muslims (9.55%) and others (0.4%).
Languages
Among the languages spoken in the district is BadagaBadaga language
The Badaga language is a southern Dravidian language spoken by approximately 400,000 people in the Nilgiri Hills in Southern India. It is known for its retroflex vowels. The word Badaga refers to the Badaga language as well as the Badaga community/tribe...
,written in the Tamil script
Tamil script
The Tamil script is a script that is used to write the Tamil language as well as other minority languages such as Badaga, Irulas, and Paniya...
and spoken by about 245 000 Badaga
Badaga
Badaga may refer to:*The Badaga people, an indigenous people inhabiting the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, India.*The Badaga language, spoken by the Badagas....
s in 200 villages in the Nilgiris.
Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
is the principal language spoken in the Nilgiris. Many people speak and understand English. Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
are also used to an extent. The Nilgiris is also home to the Toda language
Toda language
Toda is a Dravidian language well known for its many fricatives and trills. It is spoken by the Toda people, a population of about one thousand who live in the Nilgiri Hills of southern India.-Vowels:...
, spoken by the Toda people
Toda people
The Toda people are a small pastoral community who live on the isolated Nilgiri plateau of Southern India. Before the late 18th century, the Toda coexisted locally with other communities, including the Badaga, Kota, and Kuruba, in a loose caste-like community organization in which the Toda were...
and Kota language is spoken by Kota Tribes. The language of Paniya
Paniya
Paniya is one of the languages of India. It is a language of the scheduled tribes with a majority of its speakers in the state of Kerala. It is also called as Pania, Paniyan and Panyah. It belongs to the Dravidian family of languages. According to the 1981 Census, there were 63,827 speakers of...
is spoken in the western parts of the district where the Paniya tribes live.
Transport
Nilgiri Ghat Roads
Many Ghat Roads can be found in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Nearly all of the district is located in the Nilgiri Hills, part of the Western Ghats mountains. This area borders the states of Karnataka and Kerala. The hills consequently can be reached by road from three states...
link the district with the nearest cities in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka. All the taluks are connected with Major District Roads. The village roads are maintained by Panchayat Union. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a railway in Tamil Nadu, India, built by the British in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division...
from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam via Coonoor, is a great tourist attraction. It was used in the film A Passage to India
A Passage to India (film)
A Passage to India is a 1984 drama film written and directed by David Lean. The screenplay is based on the 1924 novel of the same title by E. M. Forster and the 1960 play by Santha Rama Rau that was inspired by the novel....
as the railway to the caves. It is a rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
as far as Coonoor. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a railway in Tamil Nadu, India, built by the British in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division...
, is now a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. This services many of the populated areas of the district including Coonoor
Coonoor
Coonoor is a town and a municipality in the Nilgiris district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for its production of Nilgiri tea....
, Wellington
Wellington, Tamil Nadu
Wellington is a town in The Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Wellington is home to The Defense Services Staff College , a premier tri-service training establishment that imparts training to middle level officers of the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces, friendly foreign...
, Aruvankadu
Aruvankadu
Aruvankadu, is a small town located in The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located between Coonoor and Ooty on the NH 67, at distances 5 km and 12 km respectively. It houses the Cordite Factory, one of the 40 Indian Ordnance Factories. It is one of the oldest Defence Factories...
, Ketti
Ketti
Ketti is a small town nestled in a large valley of the same name. It is located in the The Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu State, Southern India and is a Revenue Village of Coonoor Taluk...
, Lovedale and Ooty. There is no sea port or Airport in the district. The nearest international airport to the Nilgiris is at Coimbatore.
Electricity
There are 8 Hydel Power Houses in this district.1. Pykara Power House
2. Pykara Micro Power House
3. Moyar Power House
4. Kundah Power House - I
5. Kundah Power House -II
6. Kundah Power House - III
7. Kundah Power House - IV
8. Kundah Power House - V
9. Kateri hydro-electric system
Health infrastructure
There are one District Head Quarters Government Hospital, 5 Taluk Hospitals, 28 Primary Health Centres, 194 Health Sub-Centres and 5 Plague circles in the district.Agriculture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
District and the entire economy of the district depends upon the success and failure of Horticulture Crops like Potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
, Cabbage
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
, Carrot
Carrot
The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
, Tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, Coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, Spice
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s and Fruits. The main cultivation is plantation Crops, viz., Tea and Coffee. Tea
Nilgiri tea
Nilgiri tea is generally described as being a dark, intensely aromatic, fragrant and flavoured tea grown in the southern portion of the Western Ghats mountains of Southern India...
is grown at elevations of 1,000 to above 2,500 metres. The area also produces Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
oil and temperate zone vegetables. Potato and other vegetables are raised in Udhagai and Coonoor Taluks. Paddy and Ginger are grown in Gudalur and Pandalur Taluks. Paddy
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
is also grown in Thengumarahada area in Kotagiri Taluk. Besides these crops, Ragi, Samai, Wheat, Vegetables etc., are also grown in small extent throughout the district. There are no irrigation schemes in this district. The crops are mainly rain fed. Check Dams have been constructed wherever it is possible to exploit natural springs.
Ecoregions
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
s cover portions of the Nilgiris. The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southern India. It covers the southern portion of the Western Ghats range and the Nilgiri Hills between 250 and 1000 meters elevation in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states.-Setting:The ecoregion...
lie between 250 and 1000 meters elevation. These forests extend south along the Western Ghats range to the southern tip of India. These forests are dominated by a diverse assemblage of trees, many of whom are deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
during the winter and spring dry season. These forests are home to the largest herd of Asian Elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
s in India, who range from the Nilgiris across to the Eastern Ghats
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats or Eastern Ghauts are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. They are eroded and cut through by the...
. The Nilgiris and the South Western Ghats is also one of the most important tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
habitats left in India.
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests
South Western Ghats montane rain forests
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an ecoregion of southern India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats range in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, at elevations over 1000 meters...
ecoregion covers the portion of the range above 1000 meters elevation. These evergreen rain forests are among the most diverse on the planet. Above 1500 meters elevation, the evergreen forests begin to give way to stunted forests, called shola
Shola
Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating...
s, which are interspersed with open grassland. These grasslands are the home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr
Nilgiri Tahr
The Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiritragus hylocrius, known locally as the Nilgiri Ibex or simply Ibex, is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu...
, which resembles a stocky goat with curved horns. The Nilgiri Tahrs are found only in the montane grasslands of the South Western Ghats, and number only about 2000 individuals.
National parks of India
This is a list of all national parks of India. India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks...
protect portions of the Nilgiris. Mudumalai National Park
Mudumalai National Park
The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary Tamil:முதுமலை வனவிலங்கு காப்பகம், now also declared a Tiger Reserve, lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills , in Nilgiri District, about north-west of Coimbatore in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu, on the interstate boundaries with...
lies in the northern part of the range where Kerala, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, and Tamil Nadu meet, and covers an area of 321 km². Mukurthi National Park
Mukurthi National Park
Mukurthi National Park is a 78.46 km² protected area located in the south-eastern corner of the Nilgiris Plateau west of Ootacamund hill station in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu state in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India...
lies in the southwest of the range, in Kerala, and covers an area of 78.5 km², which includes intact shola-grassland mosaic, habitat for the Nilgiri tahr. Silent Valley National Park
Silent Valley National Park
Silent Valley National Park , is located in the Nilgiri Hills, Palakkad District in Kerala, South India...
is just to the south and contiguous with these two parks, and covers an area of 89.52 km². Outside of these parks much of the native forest has been cleared for grazing cattle, or has been encroached upon or replaced by plantations of tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
, Cinchona
Cinchona
Cinchona or Quina is a genus of about 38 species in the family Rubiaceae, native to tropical South America. They are large shrubs or small trees growing 5–15 metres in height with evergreen foliage. The leaves are opposite, rounded to lanceolate and 10–40 cm long. The flowers are white, pink...
and Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
. The entire range, together with portions of the Western Ghats to the northwest and southwest, was included in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is an International Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats, Nilgiri Hills range of South India. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster , conjoining the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World...
in 1986, India's first biosphere reserve.
In January 2010, the Nilgiri Declaration set out a wide range environmental and sustainable development goals to be reached by 2015.
The region has also given its name to a number of bird species, including the Nilgiri Pipit
Nilgiri Pipit
The Nilgiri Pipit, Anthus nilghiriensis is a long near threatened bird species endemic to the Western Ghats in South India.It is closely associated with short montane grasslands interspersed with marshy grounds and small streams mostly in hill slopes above of Tamil Nadu and Kerala...
, Nilgiri Woodpigeon and Nilgiri Blackbird.
Tourism
Tourism is an important source of revenue for the Nilgiris. The district is home to many beautiful hill stations popular with tourists who flock to them during Summer. Some of the popular hill stations are Udhagamandalam (district headquarters), CoonoorCoonoor
Coonoor is a town and a municipality in the Nilgiris district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for its production of Nilgiri tea....
and Kothagiri. The Nilgiri Mountain Train or popularly known as the Toy Train is popular amongst tourists as the journey offers spectacular and breathtaking views of the hills and forests. Mudumalai National Park is popular with wildlife enthisiasts, campers and backpackers. The annual flower show organized by the Government of Tamil Nadu
Government of Tamil Nadu
The Government of Tamil Nadu, headquartered at Chennai is the governing authority for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at the Fort St. George...
at the Botanical Garden in Ooty is a much awaited event every year, known for its grand display of roses. Nilgiris is renowned for its Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
oil and Tea. Tourists are also attracted to study the lifestyles of the various tribes living here and to visit the sprawling tea and vegetable plantations along the hill slopes. Other popular tourist destinations in the district are Pykara Waterfalls and Lake, Avalanche and Doddabetta peak.