THE HINDU-Rise in tourist arrivals at Yelagiri Hills - Serena Josephine. M

Rise in tourist arrivals at Yelagiri Hills - Serena Josephine. M TIRUPATTUR: Yelagiri Hills witnessed a substantial rise in tourist arrivals this May. Other than tourists from surrounding areas, Chennai and Bangalore, adventure enthusiasts poured into Yelagiri during the summer vacation for trekking and paragliding.
According to the Tourist Information Centre at Yelagiri, around 1.5 lakh tourists visited Yelagiri in May alone. This was an increase from one lakh tourists in May 2010. On the last Sunday of the month – May 29 – the hills received nearly 10,000 tourists.
“There were about 5,000 tourists in April. But May was the peak season with huge inflow of tourists due to the school holidays. At least 75 per cent of the tourists came to Yelagiri during the weekends. There was heavy crowd on May 29,” said Tourist Information Officer G. Sudhagar.
Persons from local areas including Tirupattur, Vaniyambadi and Ambur thronged Yelagiri for the summer vacation. Tourists from Chennai and Bangalore were also found in large number and the hotels were full for nearly two months, he added.
The boat house, Murugan temple, Nature park and musical fountain turned to be a huge hit among the tourists. In fact, many adventure lovers turned up for the vacation to go on trekking here, he said, adding, “We received at least 600 persons including from Chennai for trekking trips during April and May. Many of them trekked to Swamimalai and Sunset point.”
With Yelagiri turning into a hotspot for adventure sports activities, particularly paragliding, year after year, the summer vacation also saw a number of paragliding pilots visiting the hills. “There are three take-off sites for paragliding at Yelagiri. Pilots register at the tourism office for a year and receive passes, ” he said.

VILLAGES AT YELAGIRI-sudhagar

There are 14 villages and the names of them are as follow:

1.Muthanoor

2.Kottaiyur

3.Punganoor

4.Athannavoor

5.Kottur

6.Pallakkaniyur

7.Mettukkaniyur

8.Nilavoor

9.Royaneri.

10.Paduvanoor.

11.Puthoor

12.Thayaloor.

13.Mangalam

14.Manchangkolli pudoor.

HAIR PIN BENDS

Among the creations of nature, The Princess of Hills – Yelagiri stands as an unique range of hills full of greenery.There is a marvelous pillar standing at ponnery Cross Road, giving a brief on Yelagiri.

To reach the Hill, we need to travel through 14 Hairpin Bends. When we pass through these bends,the names that are engraved in the curves are of renowned great seven personalities and the seven great Tamil Poets. The names are as follows………..

1.Pavender………   Hairpin Bend………428 mtrs

2.Barathiyar……..   Hairpin Bend………485 mtrs

3.Thiruvalluvar…..   Hairpin Bend………524 mtrs

4.Illango…………… Hairpin Bend………574 mtrs

5.kambar…………. Hairpin Bend………624 mtrs

6.Kabilar…………. Hairpin Bend………664 mtrs

7.Avvaiyar……… ..Hairpin Bend……….683 mtrs

8.Paari……………. Hairpin Bend…….. 724 mtrs

9.Kaari…………… Hairpin Bend………760 mtrs

10.Orri…………….Hairpin Bend……….888 mtrs

11.Aaaye………….Hairpin Bend……..  907 mtrs

12.Adhiyaman……Hairpin Bend…….   913 mtrs

13.Nalli……………Hairpin Bend……  1002 mtrs

14.Baegan………  Hairpin Bend……. 1017 mtrs

   The 7^th bend has a unique of its own.It has such a viewpoint to view the full greenery and the slopes of hills. The Yelagiri is also known as “the Ooty of the poor people.” It is the hill of those who cannot afford to go to Ooty or kodaikanal.

THE ARCHITECTS OF YELAGIRI ROAD-sudhagar

01.Shri.V.Chinnanasi Gounder

02.shri.C.G.Jagannathan

Shri.Venkatesan and shri.Nachi are those who passed away during the construction of this road-Year 1960 to 1964

A BIRD- EYE VIEW OF THE HILLS-sudhagar

ü Country  India

ü State   TamilNadu

ü District   Vellore

ü Division  Tirupattur Taluk

ü Panchayat Union-Jolarpet

ü Union’s Name – Tirupattur Union

ü Population – 7992

ü Male – 4218

ü Fe Male – 3774

ü Hill Domiciles – 6957

ü Adi Dravidars – 210

ü Other sects of people – 825

ü Number of people having franchise to vote-3736

ü No.of wards-09

ü Voting Centres – 05

ü Spread Area- 29.2 square km.

ü No of total villages -14

ü Weather forecast –summer :29c  winter :9 c

ü Appropriate time to visit Hill – Throughout the year

ü The rate of rainfall-34-35 dept.m.m

ü Religion-Hinuism

ü Other religion-Christianity&Islam

ü Languages spoken-tamil

ü Occupation-Agriculture, Dailywages, Mason works, Carpenters, Painters &quarry works.

ü Cash Crops –Coffee,Sugarcane,Gingerly(Indian sesame) Coriander,Banana,Pepper,Gallnut,Mustard and etc……………

ü Food grains-Paddy,Samai,Raghi and etc…..

ü Grams – Red-gram,Beans,Black –gram, Horse-gram

ü Type of houses/residence- Thatched house/RC House.

ITS GEOGRAPHICAL DETAILS-sudhagar

 Cultivatable lands–Being used -3556 acres/20 cents
 2.Eligible to cultivation -338 acres/80 cents
 Barren lands -27 acres/39 cents
 Public lands(unoccupied)-615 acres/52 cents
 Unusable lands -151 acres/95 cents
 Registered areas/plain lands-4689 acres/86 cents
 Forest area -3500 acres and above

ORIGIN OF THE NAME – YELAGIRI

Yelagiri stands as an unique and splendorous creation of nature. The name-“Yelagiri” takes its dimension from various aspects. In olden days, it could not be definitely said that this name to the hills had been due to the growth of cardamom. The cardamom was produced much here. Is it the reason for the name “Yelagiri” No, we couldn’t say it definitely.

The ancestors who lived in this hill used to narrate a traditional story for the name- “ Yelagiri”. It is believed that the Lord Venkatasa perumal, while visiting the world, HE stepped with one of his feet on the rock here, suddenly the mountain lost its stability to bear the Lord’s weight. The people in the hill were frightened and taken aback and looking at each other, they shouted “yelo” and “kili”. Later the word “Yelokili”had changed into “yelagiri”.The sign of footprints of the Lord is still visible on the rock of Iyyappan neat Nilavur Village.
The annual rainfall of this hill is about 35 inches. It is also an important picnic spot during the summer vacation. The tourists visit this place mostly from march to June. The people come here in other seasons too. The important occupation of the people of this hill is agriculture. Bothe men and women participate equally in their work. Cutting the woodsforms the basic occupation. There are bus facilities to Yelagiri via Tirupattur and vellore. The distance from the foot hill to the top of Yelagiri is 14 km There are 14 hair pin bends.

A BRIEF ON Yelagiri Hills

                  The Yelagiri Panchayat comes under Solaiyar pettai Panchayat Union. It is situated in vellore District. It is located about 15 km away from Vaniyambadi – Tirupattur Road from Ponneri Split Road….

                 The total area of Yelagiri Hills is about 29.2 sq.km. The base of this hill is circular in shape, and it has steep rocks on its sides. This hill resembles a plateau. It has evergreen trees in the north and north-east slopes. On the top of the hill, it has an evergreen forest.

               The height of this hill in terms of feet is approximately 3500 and 1048.5 m high in meter from sea level. The highest peak in this hill is Swamimalai peak and its height is 4338 feet. The climate of the hill is moderate and pleasant. The temperature of the hill in summer is 29 C and in winter season it is 9c.

                   The people of the hill are normally called hilly vasis. Cultivation is their main occupation. They practice Hinduism and speak Tamil. They have a very special structure of living style in home cottages and typical social customs and culture.