We all know Ooty as the most visited hill station in the south, and probably in the country as well. It was first commercially developed by the British, with the sole aim of their own relaxation and comfort. It's toy train also dates back to the British era.
Ooty has come up a lot since then. It is a fully grown hustling bustling town. The magnificent Dodda Betta peak to the beautiful rose gardens, almost every place is worth visiting. However, the recent surge of tourists have not only made it less attractive but also stole the title of the city that boasted of many movie shootings.
Nevertheless, many roads lead to the top of the hill and there is one that will show you the calm and beautiful side of the hill town. It is the Kotagiri route.
On our way back to Coiambatore, the driver, who was a local, suggested us to take the Kotagiri route instead of the usual Coonoor route. The route was a little longer but worth the experience. This is a pure hill town where you dont have sightseeing spots or branded hotel chains, but pretty houses, less people, temples, local kiranas and AirBnB homes! It is that part of the city where people like me who just want to gaze at the might hill and breathe in the pure chilly winds, instead of the honks and polluted air in the mainstream city. Though we did not plan to stay there, as we had our flights back, I managed to record the route on my GoPro. Here is a glimpse of the same:
While we were on the way to Coiambatore, the diver drove past his village mentioning that he lives there and travels to Ooty daily for work. The mere sight of the village seemed so soothing. At that blink of a moment, I imagined what life would be if I come here and stay for a month! This is definitely a fact that if you go from a city to a village, be it hill or rural, it seems as if 24 hours here is more than what we have back in the city. You seem to have more time and can do so much productive work. Such thoughts do refresh our thoughts that has the potential to transform our lives.
I wished to take more photos of by getting down but my next trip schedule was coming in the way. So, if you plan to travel to Ooty, do take the Kotagiri route and make sure to stay at least a day to experience the calmness of the hills.