There are few more refreshing Tamil Nadu moments than leaving the heat-soaked plains for the sharp pinch of a Kodaikanal night or morning. This misty hill station, 120km northwest of Madurai in the protected Palani Hills, is more relaxed and intimate than its big sister Ooty (Kodai is the ‘Princess of Hill Stations’, Ooty the Queen). It’s not all cold either; days feel more like deep spring than early winter.

Centred on a beautiful star-shaped lake, Kodai rambles up and down hillsides with patches of shola forest, unique to South India's Western Ghats, and evergreen broadleaf trees like magnolia, mahogany, myrtle and rhododendron. Another plant speciality is the kurinji shrub, whose lilac-blue blossoms appear every 12 years (next due 2018).

This month we bring to you Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu), as the destination of the month.
 

Lemon Tree Hotels launches fourth hotel in Hyderabad
Lemon Tree Hotels has recently announced the formal opening of Lemon Tree Hotel, Banjara Hills, its fourth hotel in Hyderabad. The hotel is strategically located adjacent to CARE hospital, in close proximity to major commercial hubs and popular malls. It is easily accessible from RGIA Airport, and is only a 45 minutes drive from Hyderabad Railway station. The hotel is conveniently located near popular tourist places like Birla Mandir, the Necklace Road and a short drive from the Secretariat, the Assembly and various heritage sites like Charminar, Mecca Masjid and Golconda Fort.
Lemon Tree Hotels, Banjara Hills will have 85 rooms and will cater to travellers looking for value-for-money accommodations in Hyderabad. Each room has been tastefully decorated and suited to meet the specific needs of a business traveller with a full sized working desk and an ergonomic executive chair, to make business-on-the-go productive. With this new opening, Lemon Tree now holds a cumulative inventory of 663 rooms in the city.

The Tamara opens 53-suite property in Kodai
The Tamara Kodai is the newest addition to The Tamara brand of luxury resorts. It is located in the historical La Providence in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and offers 53 suites of French Provincial design, each boasting of a bedroom with large balcony, living room, and an attached bathroom. Each suite features wooden floors, room heaters, contemporary in-room amenities, complimentary high-speed internet, LED TV with satellite channels and 24/7 room service facility. It also has a Ball Room that can accommodate more than 100 guests with a spacious pre-function area. Wellness facilities will include The Elevation Spa, Yoga Lounge and a fitness centre. La Providence is a historical structure dating back to the 1840s that was known to be one of the first structures to come up in the region. An expansion took place staying as close to the old colonial style of architecture as possible.

The Fern Hotels & Resorts opens an Ecotel Hotel in Bengaluru
The Fern Hotels & Resorts has opened UK 27 The Fern – An Ecotel Hotel at Belagavi (Belgaum), Karnataka. With this, the tally of the hotels managed by The Fern Hotels & Resorts goes up to 53 hotels. UK 27 The Fern is an upscale 90 room hotel which is situated in the heart of the city. It offers rooms in different categories such as Winter Green, Winter Green Premium, Fern Club Studio, Fern Club Premium Studio, Hazel Suite and Fern Club Suite. All the rooms are equipped with modern amenities suiting the requirements of a business traveller. Some of the comforts which the guests can enjoy in the room include LED television, eco friendly bathroom amenities and lighting arrangements, in-room dining, digital safe, in-room tea & coffee facility. Various other facilities available to the discerning guests are express check-in & check-out, car parking, 24-hour front desk, banquet and meeting rooms, health club, swimming pool and many more. The hotel offers many dining and entertaining options. Mélange, the world-cuisine restaurant offers a culinary voyage spanning the length of Indian, Chinese, Mediterranean and Continental. The UK 27 Lounge at the rooftop is a chic haven based in the heart of Belagavi where cocktails and cuisines strike the perfect balance. Spices, the authentic Indian vegetarian restaurant showcases the best of Indian cuisine with exotic flavors and ingredients. The Deli @ lobby level serves hot & cold beverages along with a variety of light snacks.

4.4% growth in foreign tourist arrivals in April YOY

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) this April were 7,49,477 as compared to 7,17,899 in April 2017, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Tourism. The growth rate in FTAs in April 2018 over April 2017 was 4.4 per cent. FTAs during the period January-April 2018 were 38,76,021 as compared to 34,98,969 in January-April 2017 registering a growth of 10.8%. The percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India during April 2018 among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh (24.32%) followed by USA (11.21%), UK (9.14%), Sri Lanka (3.48%), Australia (3.33%), Malaysia (3.06%), China (2.62%), Canada (2.53%), Germany (2.48%), France (2.33%), Japan (2.22%), Russian Federation (2.07%), Thailand (1.70%), Afghanistan (1.65%) and Nepal (1.64%).
 

No charges on air ticket cancellation within 24 hours of booking
Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced the Draft Passenger Charter, which defines the rights of the passengers, under which Jayant Sinha, Minister of State, Civil Aviation, informed that there will be a lock-in period of 24 hours post booking for passenger, allowing them to cancel or amend the ticket without any charges. However, he said that this waiver will not be eligible for a ticket booked 96 hours (4 days) before the departure of the flight. It was also revealed that if the airline is at fault for any delays or cancellation, then under no circumstance the airline, or the OTA or agents who has booked the ticket, can levy cancellation charges which are more than the total of basic fare and fuel surcharge.

Jet Airways to start fifth direct service between India and UK
Jet Airways has announced that it will launch its first non-stop service between Mumbai and Manchester, beginning November 5, 2018, thus further strengthening its connect to the United Kingdom (UK). This new service is the first non-stop service connecting India, via its economic capital with Manchester. Jet Airways will deploy its wide body A330-200 with 254 seating for the service, which will operate for four days every week including Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Manchester will become the 21st international addition to the Jet Airways network and with the introduction of this new flight – the carrier’s 5th non-stop service to/from the UK. The launch of this new service will provide seamless connectivity to several domestic destinations to and from India via Mumbai. The new service will complement the carrier’s existing thrice daily, non-stop services between Mumbai – London Heathrow and a daily service between Delhi – London Heathrow.

WOW air launches flights from Delhi to Europe & North America at Rs 13,499
WOW air, Iceland’s low fare transatlantic airline, has launched its operations in India with flights from December 7, 2018 at an introductory fare of Rs 13,499 one way. The airline will fly direct, five times a week between New Delhi and Keflavik airport in Iceland and would further connect to multiple destinations in North America and Europe. The price varies in different configuration of seat options, ranging from WOW basic, WOW plus, WOW comfy and WOW premium. A one-way ticket to Iceland, US, Canada and London in economy category called WOW basic will start from Rs 13,499 (including taxes) while the business class fares termed as WOW premium will be priced from Rs 46,599 onwards (including taxes). The airline will deploy the most modern long-haul aircraft, Airbus A330neo for the route from New Delhi.

IndiGo adds two new flights on Tiruchirappalli-Chennai route
IndiGo is all set to add two more sectors connecting Tiruchirappalli by operating a direct flight between Tiruchirappalli and Bengaluru and Tiruchirappalli and Kochi. IndiGo with its seventh ATR will operate four direct flights from Chennai to Tiruchirappalli from June 1. Chief Commercial Officer Sanjay Kumar presented the airline’s expansion plan during a travel agent meet held in Tiruchirappalli. The new flights are designed to cater to business and leisure travellers who are constantly on the lookout for new and affordable flying options.
IndiGo to connect Hubli to Goa and Kochi from June
According to a report by Associated Press, budget carrier IndiGo said it will commence flight services from next month to Hubli from Goa and Kochi, using an ATR plane. The launch of these services to Hubli from June 28, which will be the airline's 52nd destination, is aimed at consolidating IndiGo's position further in the southern India market, a release said. The low cost carrier will also operate additional flights between Hubli-Chennai, Hubli- Bengaluru and Hubli- Ahmedabad with Airbus A320, starting July 1, it added.  

Air Italy to start flights to Mumbai from October 2018
As its first route to India, Air Italy is set to begin operations to Mumbai from October 31, 2018. The new service will operate between Mumbai and Milan with an Airbus A330-200, offering 24 flatbed seats in Business Class and 228 seats in Economy Class. This will be the Italy-based airlines’ fourth new international destination to be served from its Milan Malpensa hub. Air Italy will offer five weekly flights between Milan Malpensa and Mumbai and will be the only non-stop flight between Italy and Mumbai. This new route between Milan and Mumbai comes after the earlier announcements of new routes from Milan Malpensa to New York and Miami starting in June 2018 and to Bangkok starting from September 2018. The new service to Mumbai will operate the following schedule and is open for sale. Flight schedules are effective from October 31, 2018.
 

Kodaikanal

Perched on top of the Palani range, around 120km northwest of Madurai, KODAIKANAL, also known as Kodai, owes its perennial popularity to its hilltop position which, at an altitude of 2133m, affords breathtaking views over the blue-green reaches of the Vaigai plain. Raj-era bungalows and flower-filled gardens add atmosphere, while short walks out of the centre lead to rocky outcrops, waterfalls and dense shola forest.

History

Legend starts with Lieutenant Ward, an Englishman, who climbed up from the Kunnavan village of Vellagavi to Kodaikanal in 1821 for a survey of Mountain Ranges of Palani. In 1834, J.C Wroughten, the then Sub-Collector of Madras and C. R. Cotton, Member - Board of Revenue - Madras Presidency went up the hills from Devadanapatti and built a small bungalow at the head of Adukkam pass near Shenbaganur. The visit of Dr.Wite in 1836 and his observation about the Hill Station attracted Botanists to Kodaikanal. First two houses named Sunnyside and Shelton, on the South Lake Road, were built between 1844-1845 by American Missionaries. Six more such American families migrated to Kodaikanal. Exotic location at 7000 feet above the Plains brought them up here.

Sights

The Lake : The 24 –hectare lake skirted by a 5 Km long black tar road, is the focal point in Kodai. This lake was created in 1863 by Sir Vere Hendry Levinge[1818-1885] the then collector of Madurai, retired and settled in Kodaikanal. He constructed the bund to form a lake and stocked the lake with fish. He brought the first boat from Tuticorin. In, 1890 a Boat Club was formed and boating was opened to public and tourists in 1932 only.

Bryant's park : Conceived and landscaped in 1980 by a British Army Officer, Glenn Bryant. This park is situated on the eastern side of the lake. It is noted for its flowers, both hybrids and grafts. Cut flowers are exported from here. A glass house which displays fine varieties of flowers can be seen here. The Flower Show conducted every year during May, as part of the Summer Festivals, should be visited by everyone.
Solar Physical Observatory : It is located at 3.2 Kms from the lake at an elevation of 2343 meters. This observatory set up in 1899, is owned and operated by Indian Institute of Astrophysics. This is the highest point at Kodiakanal. There is a popular Astronomy museum on campus for the visitors.

Coakers Walk : Er.Coaker identified this hill-edged pathway in 1872. About a kilometer from the lake. Coaker’s walk runs along a steep slope on the southern side of Kodaikanal. It offers some of the best views of plains. Entry fee is collected here.

Kurinji Andavar Temple : The temple is situated 3 Kms from the lake. It is a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Murugan. The temple is associated with the Kurunji flowers that bloom once in 12 years. Kurunji means the hill region in Tamil Literature and andavar means God . Hence Lord Murugan is worshipped as the God of the Hill. From this temple one can have a view of Palani and Vaigi Dam.

Telescope House : Old fashioned Telescope house at Coakers Walk was constructed to enable visitors to have a panoramic view of the valley and nearby towns. Sothupparai Dam, Vaigai Dam, Periyakulam and more areas can be viewed from this point. A nominal fee is collected to use the telescope.

The Pillar Rocks : These stand at 122 meters high and are located at 7 Kms from Kodai lake.

Moier Point : Moir Point provides a lovely view of the valley. It is just 3 Kms from the Pillar Rocks / Berijam Lake Road.

Silent Valley View : It is a very silent zone, Just a little away from the pillar rocks and the Berijam Lake Road, which provides a breathtaking view of Silent Valley. It suits its name because it is a very silent zone. Children should be accompanied by elders only.

Shenbaganur Museum : It was established In 1895, also known as Fauna Flora Museum, is 5 Kms from the Lake. The Sacred Heart College maintains this museum. It was established to preserve certain archaeological remains and the flora and fauna of the hills. It houses one of the best Orchiadrium in the country having over 300 species of exotic orchids in display. A Spaniard contributed many of his private collections to this museum.

Silver Cascade Falls : It is on the Madurai Kodaikanall Road at the 8th Km from Kodai lake. It is the overflow from the Kodaikanal lake, that drops down as a 180 foot high water fall. church. Those interested can have a bath here.

La Saleth [sallette] Church : This is a 150 years old heritage Church , Kodaikanal. Thanks offering was fulfilled in the year 1866. This is one of the Two Shrines,[the other one being in France] dedicated to our lady of La Saleth. Annual festival’s extraordinary celebration take place at La Saleth church every year on the 14th and 15th of August as the conclusion of a Nine Day festival, which attracts worshippers from entire South India irrespective of caste, colour, creed or faith. It is located near Coaker’s walk.