Room on the roof

India is a land of serenity, culture and mesmerising scenic beauty. Located in the emerald southern fringes of India, amidst blue hills blanketed by clouds, is the magical town of Ooty. Casting my sight upon this town sparkling with vegetation, I instantly fell in love with this pine clad retreat.

Several areas are preserved like that of sanctuary so as to conserve the beauty of the nature and avoid extinction of life. The romantic weather, the verdant landscapes and charming cottages built in the colonial style, are some of the many endearing features here. This enchanting hillside is rightly called ‘Queen of all hill stations’  for its quiet and secluded sojourn.

Kissed by wildflower-shaded boulevards, Ooty breathes and talks of timeless romance. The tranquil silence interrupted by the rustling trees enveloped in swirling mists transported me to divine ecstasy for a few fleeting  seconds. Apart from the captivating beauty, Ooty boasts of an array of tourist destinations. The world famous flower show at Ooty Botanical Garden is usually conducted in May. The major attraction at Ooty Flower Show-2010 was a 60-feet-long aeroplane beautifully decorated with 8,000 different coloured roses.

Established in 1848, this garden is a conglomeration of vibrant colours. With flourishing green well maintained lawns and an Italian style garden bordering an immense variety of flowers and plants, the garden boasts of timeless elegance. You can wander along the wisps of clouds that drift across the path with your beloved in arms, breathe in the fresh mountain air and capture the sights and smells, as you walk through the meadows of flowers.

One of the prime tourist attractions in Ootacamund is the magnificent man-made lake which spreads out amidst foggy mist. Nestling beautifully amidst trees, the lake boasts of scenic splendour, thereby attracting honeymooners for romantic ferry rides.  An added attraction is the mountain train journey on a ratchet and pinion track which commences from Kallar, near Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair-raising curves, fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens. A walk into the acres of tea-estates and around the several hilly-hot spot is the only possible way to grab the lure of the place.

Also known as Udhagamandalam, this is the land where trekkers congregate in front of roaring fires before setting out into the surrounding green dream. Offering a picturesque green feast for the eyes, trekking is pretty much de rigueur and the reason most travellers come here.

This aesthetic creation of nature is definitely worth more than a visit. After all, as Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

How to reach

The nearest airport to Ooty is 100 km away in Coimbatore. Visitors can catch a direct flight to Coimbatore from nearby cities like Chennai, Calicut, Bangalore and Mumbai. The broad gauge railway head in Coimbatore connects Ooty with all major cities. A 4-hour journey by Mountain Railway helps visitors link Mettupalayam to Ooty. Ooty, which is 310 km from Bangalore, can be easily assessed via roads. Regular uses ply over the South Indian cities like Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore and Calicut.

akshatha@expressbuzz.com