Accommadation at Kodai (How to get to Kodaikanal....the heaven on earth...! !)

April 26, 2007

Sairam Here i am forwading one mail which was sent by our preitam brother last year to group. > wrote: sai baba < How to get to Kodaikanal....the heaven on earth...! ! How to get to Kodaikanal....the heaven on earth...Our Lord's play ground ! ! Kodaikanal is a famous hilltop resort that usually has rain ten months of

the year. This is called off-season. Season is generally April-June, and that's when most tourists visit. Kodaikanal is a lovely place, free of dust and mosquito's, and has plenty of tourists attractions, like the resturant called Buddha's Belly! By Road... Kodaikanal is connected by road with Chennai (520-km), Ooty (264-km), Trichy (197-km), Coimbatore (175-km), Kumili (160-km), and Madurai(120-km). Additional buses ply during the season. Taxis and vans are available for local transportation.

There are no auto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal. It is a hilltop town, and the roads narrow and winding. Those travelling for the first time, best not look down when looking out the window!!! Darshan at Kodai... ....umbrella, thin light jumper, thin winter clothes as you would wear in a sub-tropical winter, thin plastic macintosh like that you can get in Woolworths or Kmart for $5 to have in case of rain. Kodaikanal is flat where Swami's house is, there is one driveway to walk up (steep), then flat sitting area for darshan. If you were to stay in town at the Hilltop Hotel, Carlton Hotel or around the corner from Swami's place at the Sterling Hotel, then it is largely flat walking to Swami's darshan. The remainder of Kodaikanal is hills, hills, hills and incredibly narrow roads. A taxi to darshan is the usual practice if staying in one of these other Hotels. There are Western Hotels at Kodaikanal with charges

somewhat similar to Hotels here in Australia. The top two are the Carleton and Sterling, standard Hilton Hotel type accommodation. Hilltop is very good and somewhat less, approx 750-1000 rupees per night. There are many other hotels and guesthouses available in Kodaikanal. Here is one suggestion: Lilly's Valley Resort on Sivanadi Road (ph. 04542-240558). Lilys Valley Website http://www.lillysvalley.com/ There's a wonderful kitchen that can cater to Western taste buds. We have our own water source (spring) that trickles (or flows depending on the season) into a holding tank and that's the water that's pumped to the kitchen and rooms. We drink that water boiled.

Darshan is in the mornings; you can walk from the township, around the lake to the darshan queue, which is on Lake Road itself. Men line up on the footpath adjacent to the lake, Ladies line up on the other side of the gate, on the grassy side of the road. Ladies often sit in chairs byt the roadside. Of late, seva dal have stalls either side of the gate, and as you pass, you put your shoes in and receive a chit. There are only 4 lines each side at Kodai, and numbers are in fact given out. Men on cycles or young boys with Canteens walk up and down the lines selling small plastic cups of tea. You can expect to stand in line upto about 8AM or thereabouts when the gates are opened and the lines called in. Lines generally begin to be formed around 6AM, and there is either silence of

jollity in the lines... Like Puttaparthi and Brindavan, there is a small security check as you pass the gate; therafter, it is a dash aor a sedate walk up the STEEP driveway, to the lines. Men to the left of the front of the house, ladies to the right, guests along the far right wall. There are chairs for those who need. Darahan is a small affair under a simple canopy, and ladies also sit in an island in front of the garden. Unlike Puttaparthi or Whitefield, all remain inside and seated for darshan until its full completion. If groups go for interview, all remain seated. By this time, pullovers, shawls and all the extra coverings are removed as the sun is out and quite warm. When Interviews are complete, Baba emerges, and goes inside the main building; thereafter, darshan is over.

After Dashan, Swami often goes for a drive around Kodaikanal; perhaps a leisurely drive, perhaps a visit to an orphange, or to a home, or to another venerable place. One can often see a procession of cars leaving Sai Sruthi perhaps half an hour or so after darshan, with Swami's car in the midst. So if you wish, it is useful to come back after some time and walk down Lake Road, and wait for Swami. By Air... The nearest airport is at Madurai (120 km from Kodaikanal). By Rail... The nearest railway stations are the Kodai Road Railway Station (80-km) and the Palani Railway Station (64-km). Prime Attractions of Kodaikanal Berijam LakeBerijam Lake located at a distance of 21-km from Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu is one among the beautiful lakes of South India. Spread over an area of 24 hectares, the lake is star shaped and is known for its pure water. Kodaikanal TrekkingHead for Kodaikanal in the Palani Hills for small-time trekking. You can take short treks and hikes to tourist spots close by as well to local viewpoints. Overnight treks are also possible here where one can spend a night at a local village. Fairs & Festivals - KodaikanalThere are several beautiful hill stations in Tamil Nadu. With the Summer Festivals, the hills are even hospitable to welcome the visitors. The summer festival is held in the 'Queen of Hill Stations', the evergreen Ooty; the exquisite Kodaikanal or the salubrious heights of Yercaud. Cultural programs,

adventure sports, boat races, flower and fruit shows add to the splendour of the festival. Leisure - Kodaikanal ShoppingThe famous places to shop in Kodaikanal are the Khadi Emporium, Handloom Co-operative Stores and Travancore Crafts Work, Government Sales Emporium, Kurinji Mini Supermarket, Spencer and Company. Entertainment The Golf Club is located 5-km from the Kodaikanal Lake. Boating and Angling facilities are

available at the Kodaikanal Lake. Picturesque trek routes are available in and around Kodaikanal. For details, contact: The Trek Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai. General Information - KodaikanalSTD Code : 04542 Population2,133 metres. ClothingLight woollen in the evening during summer and heavy woollen during winter. Altitude2,133 metres. Location120 Km From Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Best TimeApril To June And September To October. LanguagesTamil

and English. For hotels in Kodaikanal...Please visit.... http://www.hotelstamilnadu.com/kodaikanal.htm With Love for Swami and this beautiful paradise called Kodaikanal...! ! Preetham Sai P.V.

Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out

new cars at Autos.