Kotagiri is an ancient hill station situated at an elevation of 1793 metres above sea level in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kotagiri is famous for its lush green vegetation and calm atmosphere with a lot of trekking trails dotted along its landscape. The trekking trails of Kotagiri traverse through picturesque settings full of teagardens, green meadows and gleaming rivers. The most popular of all the trails of Kotagiri is the famous Kotagiri-Kodanad Trail.
The word Kotagiri can be literally translated to 'the home of Kota', wherein Kota is the name of the aboriginal tribe who lived in the place during the olden days. Currently, the Kota tribe is in the brink of extinction as their population has been limited to a few thousands.
No written proof is available on the ancient history of Kotagiri. But the place came into limelight during the British reign of India. Kotagiri proved to be the idyllic getaway destination for the British who wanted to escape the hot humid climate of the plains. As such, Kotagiri was one of the most important summer homes of the British in the South India.
Though not as famous as the other hill stations of the area like Ooty, Kotagiri still has its own charms. The first hill station of the Nilgiri Hills to be discovered by the British, Kotagiri was popular till an alternate path was found to reach Ooty. Prior to that, the Horse Trail led to Ooty through Kotagiri. With the advent of the new path, Kotagiri soon faded into obscurity. Nevertheless, tourism is slowly picking up in Kotagiri in the present days as a result of the concentrated efforts of the government.
Kotagiri has many places of tourist interest apart from its trekking and mountaineering opportunities. The Elk Falls is a popular tourist destination visited by tourists especially during the monsoon season. The Longwood Shola, which is a tropical evergreen forest, is also a popular spot.
Originally a coffee plantation, Kotagiri was one of the first coffee plantations in the area which was started in the year 1843. But, with tea plantation being introduced in the late 19th century by the daughter of MD Cockburn, Kotagiri was slowly transformed into a tea plantation covering a total area of 30,000 acres.
Kodanad Viewing Point, John Sullivan's Bungalow, Rangasamy Peak, St. Catherine Waterfalls (also called as the Geddhehaada Halla) and the Gandhi Maidanam are the major tourist attractions of Kotagiri. The Kodanad View Point is one of the important attractions of Kotagiri from where panoramic views of the Deccan Plateau, Bhavanisagar Reservoir and Dolphin's Nose can be enjoyed.
Kotagiri is well connected and easily accessible from important cities of Tamil Nadu like Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, Trichy, Thirupur and Erode among others.
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