Ketti
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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. Upper Ketti is strictly another village called Yellanahalli, and is located on the main Coonoor to Ooty road.
This is the location of Needle Industries India the manufacturers of the internationally branded 'Pony Needles'.
The Ketti Valley is sometimes referred to as the 'Switzerland of Southern India' due to the year-round climatic conditions which do not fall into any extremes, during summer and winter.
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[edit] The town
The town itself is not much more than a village. It has a rough estimated population of a few thousand. the people here are extremely friendly and welcoming, like elsewhere in the rural areas of the Nilgiris. They take such interest in their neighbours and visitors that most people would find it too nosey and inquisitive. However, it is pleasant and relaxing when one is on a lonely journey to be welcomed into a warm home for a cup of tea or a home cooked meal. It is such things which build up the fundamental framework of a society. Most of the people living here are manual labourers. Agriculture, rearing livestock, masonry constitute the majority of the work done by the individuals in this place. In addition to this, they also take up jobs in the surrounding industrial establishments, such as the Needle Industries, the mushroom factory and the various educational institutions (these include the CSI College of Engineering, the Laid Law Memorial School and the CSI Middle School).
[edit] The valley
The valley is the last major valley en route to Ooty along the Ooty-Coonoor highway. It is very scenic and sports a variety of flora. However, due to the extensive development of the valley in the recent years, the fauna present here has dwindled to a select few. There have been sightings of boars, highly rare instances of tigers and elephants, though.
[edit] Culture
The people present here are mostly Badaga with certain immigrants from other parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The chief language spoken here is Badaga, although many people understand Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada. Religion practised here is mostly hinduism. However, strong influences remain of the christian missionaries who lived here during the early 1900s. Religious influences though, however strong, do not hinder the relationships fostered between the members of different backgrounds. People generally get along well with one another. To put it simply, it is a rustic society, steeped in tradition and ancient times. Development and modernization is a far cry for this valley, much like most of rural India.
[edit] Accessibility
Ketti is accessible by rail or road. The toy train (an extension of the Chennai-Coimbatore Nilagiri Express, recently declared as a national heritage) can be taken from the Mettupalayam station (at the foothills of the Nilgiris) to the Ketti railway station. This is a long, yet scenic journey. To reach Ketti by bus, one just has to board a bus from Mettupalayam to Ooty and alight at the 'Ketti' stop past Coonoor. Not all buses stop at Ketti, it being a very small establishment. An alternative to this is to alight from the bus at 'Yellanahalli' on the Coonoor-Ooty highway and then to catch one of the local mini-buses which ply down into the valley. Incidentally, the train journey from Mettupalayam takes about four hours, while the bus journey takes just three hours. However, people on vacation generally prefer to take the train for the experience alone. During season time (late March to early July) it is almost impossible to find a seat on the train or a bus. Long waiting queues and crowded buses are an experience that any person has to go through to get to Ketti.
[edit] Recent development
Ketti has been nothing more than a small village-town for a number of years. However, in the past decade, it has seen a noticeable spurt of development. Most of these developments are due to the establishment of the CSI College of Engineering, an engineering institution falling under the auspices of the Anna University, Chennai. Tarred roads, improved employment opportunities, increase in demand for consumer goods, increase in demand for accommodation are just a few of the developments seen in the past decade.
[edit] Facilities
Ketti has its own police station, probably the only one in the entire Ketti valley. It services all the towns, villages and hattis in the entire valley. The nearby town of Santhoor(located at the lowest point in the valley) has a post office. The State Bank of India operates a Ketti valley branch, which is situated near the CSI College of Engineering. Public pay phones abound in this region, due to the requirement of the students of the neighbouring institutions, most of whom are hostellers. A number of private mini-bus services ply through the various settlements in the valley, giving access to otherwise inaccessible regions. The entire region is almost completely devoid of internet connectivity, save the institutions and few home connections.
[edit] Entertainment
It could be said that the people here live for three things mainly - wine, women and brawls. This statement is not very true, though it reveals much truth with regard to the nature of the locals. Drinking is a favourite habit of many men here. People drink when it rains "because it is raining" and they drink when it doesn't "because life's boring". Something else which helps the men here to pass the time is women. Time is spent on pondering about them, thinking of talking to them, talkin to them and reliving their moments spent with them. However, most of this borders along the lines of flirting and does not lead to much in the way of serious relationships, due to the cultural nature prevalent here. Feasts and festivities in this region are conducted in a grand manner. Any festival is used as an excuse to party and have a gala time. Temple festivals are celebrated by one and all, regardless of the religious background of the individuals. Events and functions are celebrated with much pomp and gaiety. For example, if someone is to be wedded in the following couple of days, then the previous days would be filled with loud music (mostly Tamil film soundtracks) played for the hearing of the entire valley.
[edit] Educational institutions
- Laidlaw Memorial School, Ketti
- The CSI College of Engineering
- CSI High School
