To the heights of Yercaud, passing through the Hairpins and feeling the cold Breeze...

The place Salem, a city which is having own significance for the geological specialties with a vibrant culture, which is dating back to the ancient Kongu Nadu. The city is packed with different types of industries and co-businesses. Though the city was melting with the hottest weather it got developed through the continuous hard work.

 When the people of Salem get disgust with the hot weather, about 30km apart they have a place named “Yercaud”  to relax their mind body and soul, the cool and mild climate prevailing here makes it an ideal summer retreat. It can be called as the summer resort of Selam, now it got space in India’s tourist map like Ooty and Kodaikanal.

• The Shevaroys Range

  Yercaud is the part “Shevaroys Range” of hills in Eastern Ghats; it got descriptions in Tamil language like “eezhazhakin Ooty, mamaliakalin yuvaraja”. The Hills of Yercaud will welcome us by driving through the beautiful and curvy forest roads and it got a height of 4700ft from the sea level. The downhill view from the top will give us the scenic beauty of Salem town and typical Tamil villages, the night view from this point will catch each ones mind and camera. Salem railway station and bus stand are about 3km apart, from there to Yercaud busses are there in every half an hour. The main tourist spots are with in 4 km around Yercaud town.

  Driving 20 hairpins one by one, we will reach the place which became the cause for this hill station’s name as Yercaud, Emerald Lake (Marataka Tadakam). The Tamil word “Yeri’ means lake and the forest means “Kaadu” formed this place name “Yercaud”. We can feel the lake by the boating, after that we can halve a walk at Anna Park which is filled with rare plant species. In the month of May we can enjoy the exhibition of fruits and flowers here because it’s a horticultural Farm. Some of the other attractions in this area are the “Rose garden” which is having an entry fee of Rs.2 and the deer park near by the emerald lake, which closes by 5.PM.

  When we visit Yercaud, we cannot miss “Killiyoor Water Falls”. The best time to visit this place is after November, which is situated 3KM apart from Yercaud town. The way out to this place is quite nice experience, which is having half way of vehicle drive and 1km trekking through a very hard road which will give us a scenic shock. We will be wondered when we see the clear water pearls falling from 300m height that will make us play and catch the scenic beauty on the Camera, but on winter it may disappoint us.

• The story of Shevaroys 

Shevarayan is considered as the shielding God of Yercaud hill ranges; his temple is situated at the highest peak of Yercaud Hill Range, which is having 5326 feet height. The presiding deity’s of this temple are Shevarayan and Kaveriyamma, the people of this area where believing that there is a way out to reach till the starting edge of river Kaveri through this Shevarayan cave temple. The feast of this temple is considered as the feast of Yercaud which will happen on the month of May in every year. We can see the place Nagaloor and Yercaud town from this temple and don’t forget to visit the temple of Muruga and Sreerajarajeshwari which is near by this. There is one old Bears cave which is a real place where the bears lives in once, and it is on the way to Shevarayan temple situated near to the Norton bungalow, which is belongs to private parties, but it’s open for all.

 We can enjoy the beauty of orchids at Yercaud Orchid garden which came under Botanical survey if India. It is closed on Saturday, Sunday and all other public holidays, the ticket charge is Rs.3/- per person and Rs.10/- for the camera.

The name “Ladies seat” which seems to be funny and interesting for me, but it is a group of rock which is situated in the southwest of Yercaud hills and there is a telescope house which will give us the view of Salem hairpin road, Mettur Dam (only in the clear climate). There is a sericulture centre and mulberry estate and on the right side, we can find Gents seat which gives another experience with the array of Shevarayan hills and chilling breeze.

 Next we move towards another view point which is called as pagoda point (also known as Pyramid point). This will give us the view of eastern array of Yercaud hills, the places like Aattor and Ayodhyapattinam which is 5km away from Yercaud. They have the facility for quad biking on this route, which got an amazing beauty of coffee plantations with the rough road, we have to spend Rs.100/- for this. Yercaud market which is for fresh fruits, vegetables and all Yercaud products will be opened on all Sundays and Wednesdays for all.

 Like this, Yercaud has preserved a lot of wonders for us. It has got different species, plants, flowers, birds, the coffee plantations and different kind of orange trees altogether makes a silent world which gives us a peaceful journey through the forest ways. When we plan to visit Yercaud, should plan for a day and night stay, accommodation facilities are available at the estate bungalows, resorts and normal and local hotels. At the end of our visit with the scenic beauties of Yercaud hills, on the way back to Selam all the way throughout the downhill hairpins by enjoying the cold breeze from the shades of trees, just stop the vehicle at 16^th and 17^th hairpins; from there when we see the Hot Selam city, then involuntarily we will turn back to see the Shevaroy hills once, unconsciously we will say “will be back again to Yercaud.”