Yelagiri Hills

India, the heaven for travellers, has a lot of tourist sites, including many hill stations. Manali, Shimla, Kufri, Nainital, Darjeeling, Ooty, Munnar, Gulmarg and Kodaikanal are some of the most famous hill stations of India. The list is actually endless. Tamil Nadu, the southern state of India, has a lot of tourist sites. However, most of them are religious sites. Only few hill stations are located in Tamil Nadu; Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercaud are the well known hill stations of Tamil Nadu. There is one more hill station located within Tamil Nadu state; that too this hill station is located very near to Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu state of India. Let us explore this not so popular hill station of Tamil Nadu. The name of that hill station is Yelagiri.

Yelagiri is perhaps one of few hill stations in India which is very cheap. This is a perfect weekend getaway. There are not many places to visit in and around Yelagiri. If you want to spend your weekend peacefully, Yelagiri is one of the best places for relaxation in South India. Yelagiri is a perfect weekend getaway for the citizens of two main South Indian cities - Bangalore (Bengaluru) and Chennai, as this is located on the route of Chennai - Bangalore. It is located at a distance of around 240 kms from Chennai and 160 kms from Bangalore. The nearest town is Jolarpettai which is hardly 20 kms from Yelagiri. The nearest popular town is Vellore. You can reach Yelagiri easily on roads. Otherwise, there is train facility till Jolapettai. From there, you can take a cab till Yelagiri.

As mentioned above, Yelagiri is a site for relaxation. Hence, the number of tourist spots in Yelagiri is very lesst. Even the lodges/hotels and resorts are also very less in Yelagiri. It's very difficult to find restaurants or ATMs. Still, Yelagiri is a site which every traveller must visit.

Punganoor Lake:

Punganoor Lake is the most popular tourist site of Yelagiri. It is located at the center of Yelagiri. The lake is surrounded by hills in all sides and it is an ideal place for boating. This lake has its own unique charm. There is an adjoining park near the lake.

Murugan Temple aka Velavan Temple:

There is a temple dedicated to Lord Murugan in Yelagiri which is a popular tourist spot. The temple, which is also called as Velavan temple can be reached by climbing up few steps. At the entrance, there is a rare statue of Gadotgajan (the son of Mahabharat Bheema). The temple has two shirnes; the first shrine is for Lord Ganesha and the next shrine is for Lord Murugan with Valli and Devasena. The temple also has the statue of Lord Murugan and Valli in the form of Kuravan and Kurathi which cannot be seen in any other temple.

Nilavur Tribal Village:

Nilavur is a tribal village located at a distance of around 3 kms from Yelagiri. There is a small lake and park as tourist attraction in this village.

Park:

An excellent park is being maintained near Kodai Vizha Thidal, which is one of the main attractions of tourists in Yelagiri.

Telescope:

You need to pass through 14 hair pin bends to reach up the Yelagiri hills. There are three view points from where you can have a look at the adjoining villages and towns of Yelagiri. One of the viewpoints is called as Telescope viewpoint. Although you cannot fine Telescope here, there used to be one in those days.

Jalagamparai waterfalls:

Jalagamparai waterfalls can be reached either by trekking from Nilavur or getting down to Jolapet and taking Tirupattur route on the road. Jalagamparai waterfalls is located near Tirupattur town. This is a picturesque waterfalls where tourists enjoy by taking bath. The river Attaru falls in the form of waterfalls here. There is an attractive temple for Lord Murugan near the waterfalls. The temple is in the shape of Shiv Linga.

When you happen to go to Bangalore or Chennai, take some time to visit this small but beautiful hill station.

Happy travelling.

Fast Facts:
Site Name: Yelagiri
Site Type: Hill station
Location: Near Vellore, Tamil Nadu state, India
Highlights: One of the very few hill stations of Tamil Nadu; a perfect weekend getaway from Bangalore and Chennai

Nearest Railway Station: Jalarpet

Nearest Airport: Chennai has both national and international airports
How to reach: Easily reachable by road from Jolapet, Vellore, Chennai and Bangalore
Hotel: Very few hotels are available
Restaurants: Difficult to find good restaurants in Yelagiri

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