Tourist Places To Visit In Yelagiri

A little hill station fertile with fruit orchards and spice gardens, but not quite as grand as Ooty, Yelagiri is apt for a day trip. A drive over the 14 hairpin bends, especially the 7th corner, gives a great view of the countryside stretched under your feet. Yelagiri has about 14 quaint villages inhabited by tribals who tend to cattle, orchards and agricultural fields. There are quite some charming locales with temples to village deities almost in all the hamlets, parks and waterfalls you can visit in Yelagiri.

We have a list of some of the tourist places you can visit in Yelagiri and some interesting places in the neighbouring towns.

The small Velavan temple for Shanmuga is one of the most famous pilgrim centres of Yelagiri. The temple sits on a small hillock, with a few dozen steps to be climbed up, and offers a great view of the surrounding landscape. There is a shrine for Hanuman at the bottom and two shrines for Shanmuga and Ganesha at the top. There is a huge statue of Gathotkatcha on a boulder.

It’s a good place to sit in quiet contemplation for a while. Visit early in the morning or at twilight to catch the splendour of the sun. The temple is located close to Sterling Resorts.

Moksha Vimochana Temple for Vishnu is yet another popular temple in Yelagiri. Located near the Nilavoor Lake, it’s renowned for its exquisite architectural styles. The locals believe that people who visit the temple for 42 days at a stretch will get Moksha (redemption) from their sins. The temple is situated in a beautiful locale and fills one with a delightful beatitude.

The most premier optical observatory of Indian Institute of Astrophysics for nighttime astronomy, Vainu Bappu Observatory established in the 1970s has a number of telescopes like the 2.3m Vainu Bappu Telescope and the 1.3m J.C.Bhattacharya telescope for optical astronomy. The Observatory was named after Manali Kallat Vainu Bappu, one of India’s foremost optical astronomers who was also the President of the International Astronomical Union and Director of Kodaikanal Observatory.

Tourists can use the 15cm telescope in the Vainu Bappu Observatory, to view the night sky from 7.00pm-10.00pm on Saturdays, provided the skies are clear. The Vainu Bappu Observatory is in Kavalur in Javadi Hills, about 11 km from Alangayam, 18 km away from Vaniyambadi and 47 km from Yelagiri.

This is a charming temple for Shiva and his consort Kamakshi, on top of a malai (hill). Said to have been built by a trader, the 500 year old temple has wide precincts, with a big temple tank and a newly founded meditation hall. The Shiva linga and the Nandhi are said to be suyambhu. Pilgrims visit the temple to get the darshan of Shiva and Maha Anandha Siddha, who is contributing to the progress of the temple, but lives the life of a recluse and as the locals say, goes without food and water.

There is a welcome arch to the temple on the foothills of the hill and it’s about 11 km on the highway from Gudiyatham to Katpadi. Mahadeva Malai is about 85 km from Yelagiri.

The river Attaru winds its way through the heights and flows down over the bounders from a height of 15m, forming a pool at the bottom. It’s said that bathing in the pool is good for health, as the water flows through wild herbal gardens before it cascades down. The waterfall lies in an isolated place and is ideal for a picnic. There is a motorable road to the falls as well as a trekking trail downhill from Nilavoor.

Jalagamparai is a seasonal waterfall and you can time your visit to the months of November to February, as the falls remain more or less dry during summer.  Keep your camera handy, for in full force the waterfall does look picturesque and beautiful. Jalagamparai Waterfalls are about 39 km from Yelagiri hills.

Do visit the Armamalai natural caves that were a temple and treasure house of Jainism. There are mural paintings, rock art and petroglyphs on the walls of the caves, said to have been created by the Jain monks who lived in the caves in the 8th century. The petroglyphs and paintings are by and large on the lives of Jain monks and about the flora and fauna on the region and the Asthadik Palakas. Most of the paintings have been ravaged due to time and only a few remain, but you'd be interested in visiting the caves for their antiquity.

The Armamalai Caves are in Malayampattu village, about 25 km from Ambur and 40 km from Yelagiri Hills.

The tribes of Yelagiri worship Shiva and Parvathi as Nachi appa and Nachi amma. Pilgrims and tourists visit the temple to get the grace of the Divine as well as to revel in the lush greenery that surrounds the temple. The Nilavoor lake sits close by and the hills rise up most magnificently at the back drop. It’s a very quiet place and you can spend a few minutes in meditation. Nachi Amma Temple is on the Nilavoor Road, close to the Nilavoor Lake and the park.

Now, this is one place that kids will love. The Park is more like a farm with a number of smaller animals like guinea pigs and rabbits along with horses and cattle, clucks of hens and chicken and the most colourful parrots. What’s more, you can step into the enclosures and feed the animals and birds, with the feed provided by the park and have multi-coloured parrots sit on your arm for a photo shoot. There is a fish spa and 7D animated video shows, as well.

The Fundera Park is near the Shiva temple at Mangalam Road and is open from 9.00am-6.00pm.

The Government Herbal Farm that is maintained by the Forest Department grows several species of herbal and medicinal plants and shrubs that are used in the traditions of Ayurveda and Siddha. It’s a well maintained park, and you can spend an hour here, for the place is serene and less crowded. There’s a musical fountain for added effect and a snack shop for bites. The farm is pleasant for a visit in the evenings, when it’s cooler.

The Government Herbal Farm is near Punganur Lake in the heart of Yelagiri.