Yercaud
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Yercaud is a hill station near Salem, Tamil Nadu, India in the Servarayan range (anglicized as Shevaroys) of hills in the Eastern Ghats. It is at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,920 feet) from mean sea level. The town gets its name from the lake located at its center - in Tamil "Yeri" means "lake" and "Kaadu" means "forest". Yercaud is known for coffee plantations and orange groves. It also has an orchidarium run by the Botanical Survey of India.
The highest point in Yercaud is the Servarayan temple, which is situated at a height of 5326 feet. Hence the Yercaud hill area is called Shevaroy Hills.
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[edit] Flora and Fauna
Some of the original forests continue to exist in the Yercaud hills and contain several endemic species of plants and fauna. The Yercaud hills have many faunal and floral similarities to the Western Ghats.
Wild life includes bison, deer, rabbits, hares, foxes, mongoose, squirrels, partridges, snakes, bulbuls, kites, sparrows, swallows and the bird of paradise.
[edit] Agriculture
The main crop of Yercaud is coffee. Coffee was first cultivated on the "Grange Estate" in the year 1820, the year in which coffee plants were brought from Africa to Yercaud by Mr. M.D. Cockburn.
Jack fruit, orange, guava and spices such as black pepper and cardamom are the other crops raised on the coffee estate.
Sandalwood, teak and silver oak are abundant too.
[edit] Tourism
The best time to visit Yercaud is the warmer months between May and October. May and June are the months when tourist activity is high.
[edit] Places of interest
- Arthur's Seat: This is a vantage point, which can be reached by taking a steep road going north from the center of the town. It gives a bird’s eye view of the Big Lake, Yercaud Town and the Shevaroyan Peak.
- Grange: This is one of the oldest buildings in Yercaud, built in the 1820's by M.D. Cockburn, who was the District Collector of Salem District at that time.
- Kiliyur Waterfall: This is 3 km from the Yercaud Lake. The best time to visit this place is immediately after the monsoons. The surplus water from the Yercaud Lake and the other reaches of the Shevaroys Hills fall deep into the Kiliyur Valley in the form of a 300 feet waterfall.
- Lady's Seat: This is a cluster of rocks on the south west of the Yercaud hills overlooking the ghat road and the city of Salem to the south. There is a sheer drop of about 200 feet at this point into a private estate in the valley below. It has a telescope house with a panoramic view of distant Salem and the winding road up. On the right of Lady's Seat are Sterling Resorts, Gents Seat and Children's Seat. The spectacular view from Lady's Seat offers a complete panorama over the city of Salem with its twinkling lights.
- Pagoda Point, also known as Pyramid Point: This is on the eastern side of the Yercaud hills. The name comes from four piles of random stones in a pagoda or pyramid formation, made by the hill tribes. Today there is a Rama temple situated between these pagodas.
- The Servarayan Temple: This temple is situated on top of Servarayan hill. The temple itself is a narrow and dark cave and seated inside are the God Servarayan and the Goddess Kaveri representing the Shervaroy Hills and the Cauvery river. The local people believe that the God Servarayan is the guardian angel for the 67 villages in and around Yercaud. It is believed that the temple's cave is so deep it touches the Cauvery river. The local tribes celebrate their annual festival in this temple during May.
- Yercaud Lake: The main attraction of Yercaud is the big lake. In the centre of the lake is an island that is covered by an overbridge to the mainland.
- Anna Park
- Bear's Cave: This is situated within a private coffee estate owned by a Mettur based business man. The main part of the cave is situated about 7 feet below the ground level and contains a deeper gorge which is believed by the local people to lead up to the cave situated in the Shervaroyan Temple.
- Mettur View
[edit] Festivals
- Summer Festival: This is held during the middle of May. It has a 7 day exhibition of flower shows, dog shows, boating races and a fair.
[edit] Schools
- Montfort School, run by the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel, is one of the Christian-run schools in the Yercaud hill town for boys. www.montfortyercaud.com
- Sacred Heart School run by the Cluny Sisters is a school for girls.
[edit] External Links
