History of Kodaikanal
Encyclopedia
Kodaikanal is a city
and a Taluk division of Dindigul district
in the state
of Tamil Nadu
, India.
The earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Paliyan
tribal people. The earliest specific references to Kodaikanal and the Palani Hills are found in Tamil Sangam literature
of the early Christian era.
Modern Kodaikanal was established as a hill station
by American missionaries
in 1845, as a refuge from the high temperatures and tropical disease
s of the plains
.
In the 20th century a few elite Indians came to realize the value of this enchanting place and started relocating here. Kodaikanal is sometimes referred to as the "Princess of Hill station
s". Much of the local economy is now based on the Hospitality industry
, serving national and international tourists
.
word
கோடைக்கானல், refers to "a sanatorium at the top of Kodaikanal, the southern ridge of the Palani hills more than 7,000 ft. high".
It is not known who first used this name or what they intended it to mean, however, in the Tamil language there are at least five meanings. The word is formed from the two separate Tamil words Kodai and kāṉal (கானல்). kāṉal means a wood on a hill-slope, a dense forest or a closed forest.
Another Tamil meaning for வல்லி (Kodi) is Valli
, the honey collecting daughter of the chief of the Veddas mountain tribe
. In ancient times the chief and his wife prayed to the Mountain God for a girl-child. Their prayers were answered when the chief found a new-born girl child during a hunting expedition. As she was found among creeper plants, they named the child Valli and she grew up as princess of the tribe Kurinji and became the consort of lord Murugan
The romantic traditions of Murugan in Sangam literature are thus claimed to be associated with the name Kodaikanal. By integrating these meanings, Kodaikanal is that place at the end of Valli's forest which is a gift in the summer.
Recently, tourists and locals have labeled Kodaikanal "Switzerland of the East", "Set of Southern Emeralds", "Chilled paradise among the Hills" and "Summer Heaven".
(BCE). Megalith
ic dolmens dating from early Chera Dynasty
times, earthen pots and other artifacts which have been found here prove that the earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Palaiyar
(Pazhaiyar, "old ones") tribal
people. Some local relics and artifacts of the Palaiyar can be seen in the Shenbaganur Museum.
The earliest written references to Kodaikanal and the Palani Hills are found in Tamil Sangam literature
of the early Christian era. The classical Tamil poetic work Kuṟuntokai
, the second book of the anthology Ettuthokai
, contains poems dealing with matters of love and separation. It evokes the geographic thinai
of the mountainous region of Kurinji. It is the scene of lovers' union at midnight, a forest rich with lakes, waterfalls, teak, bamboo and sandalwood. In this region millet grows and wild bees are a source of honey.
Love in this setting is exemplified by Murugan
, and his consort, Valli
, the honey collecting daughter of a Kurinji mountain dweller. He rides a Peacock
, the bird of the mountains. The name of the region, Kurinji, derives from the name of the famous flower Kurinji
found only in the lofty hills of Tamil country.
The once in ten or twelve years blossom of the Kurinji is an event of jubilation and purity symbolizing the frenzy of a sudden love shared, in concert with the unleashed forces of nature: the amorous dance of peacocks, their echoing cries, the splash of waterfalls, the roar of savage beasts. The lovers hold each other tighter still and forget the dangers of the mountain path.
One of the Kuṟuntokai poems:
The legacy of this epic Sangam love poetry is maintained by Arulmighu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thiru Kovil, Palani at The Kurinji Andavar Temple in Kodaikanal. This holy place is famous for the Kurinji flower
s which blossom nearby only once every 12 years.
The deity here is called Sri Kurinji Easware. He is in fact Lord Murugan.
Agricultural settlers of the Palani Hills, mainly Mannadiyar ("king's servants") caste, were allotted these hill lands about the 14th century by the Madurai Nayak Dynasty
, according to some local people , though others claim that their ancestors came later as refugees from the Palani foothills who escaped from the invasions of Tippu Sultan.
encouraged the early settlers.
In 1834, Mr. J.C Wroughten, then Sub-Collector
of Madura
and Mr. C. R. Cotton, a member of the Madras Presidency
— Board of Revenue, climbed up the hills from Devadanapatti
and built a small bungalow at the head of Adukkam pass near Shenbaganur.
In 1836, the noted botanist Dr. Robert Wight
, a Fellow
of the Linnean Society of London
, visited Kodaikanal and recorded his observations in the 1937 Madras Journal of Literature and Science. He collected over 100 plant specimens in 15 days, which were useful to later botanists.
In 1845, the first two bungalows, Sunny Side and Shelton were built by six families of American missionaries from Madurai with the help of an Englishman, Mr. Fane. In 1852, Father Louis Saint Cyr visited Kodaikanal and returned to the plains after finding only four bungalows; Baynes, Parker, Clark and Parday.
In 1852, Major J. M. Partridge of the Bombay Army built himself a house in Kodai and became the first person to actually settle there. Others soon followed like Fonclair and the coffee planter, Judge Elliot. It was not until Blackburne, the Collector of Madurai, built a home there that the development of Kodai gathered pace.
In 1853, a group of American and British built Kodai's first church building, the Anglican Church of St. Peter.
In 1853 only seven houses were there and the number rose to a dozen in 1861.
In 1860, The Governor of Madras Presidency, Sir Charles Trevelyan
visited Kodaikanal and stayed in Roseneath Cottage, which is still occupied. In May 1860, Father Louis Saint Cyr returned with father Rettary and several Frenchmen, Belgians and Europeans, stayed in Baynes bungalow and by September 29 had bought that place to use as a rest house for the members of Christ Church. The bungalow was renamed La-providence in honor a lady with that name who gave Rs. 20,000 for reconstruction of the bungalow. La Salette Church was finished and dedicated in 1866.
In 1861, Major Douglas Hamilton
recorded 114 species of birds in Kodaikanal and discovered two new ones-the Laughing Thrush and the Kodaikanal White-bellied Shortwing
.
In 1862, David Coit Scudder arrived in Kodaikanal. He was an American missionary who had been influenced in boyhood to come to India by Rev. Dr. John Scudder, Sr. and was in charge of the large and important station of Periyakulam
. He had endeared himself to the Christians of the large village congregations of that station. An enthusiastic young American, upon arrival at Kodai, his emotions overcame him when, as he recalled:
On November, 19, 1862, David Scudder drowned in the Vaigai River
between Andipatti
& Periyakulam, 20 months after arriving in Tamil Nadu., Interment was in the old Anglican Churchyard, at Kodaikanal. The inscription on his headstone is still clearly legible. It reads:
In 1863, acting on a suggestion of Sir Vere Levinge, then Collector of Madurai, a lake was formed by blocking a stream. From then on, Kodaikanal has been developing.
In 1867, Major J. M. Partridge of Bombay Army imported Australian Eucalyptus
and Wattle
trees to Kodaikanal.
In 1871, the new Governor of Madras, Lord Napier
visited. His bungalow was named Napier Villa. These early settlements and visits by important people established Kodai's legitimacy among the Western residents of Tamil Nadu as an accepted alternative to Ootacamund
as a summer retreat.
In 1872, Lt. Coaker cut a path along the steep south east facing ridge which commends a magnificent view of the plains below. The 1 km (.6 mi) path was named after him as Coaker's Walk. He is often remembered as "the man who prepared the most exceptional, the most descriptive map of Kodai".
In 1879, seventy-five Europeans came to Kodai for the season. That year Murrays Guide described Kodaikanal as a settlement "of only 10 – 15 small ugly houses". Later many American and British families visited and decided to remain in the temperate hill station.
In 1883, Kodaikanal had 615 permanent residents. It also became a regular summer retreat for many American Missionaries and European diplomats who came here primarily to escape the sweltering summer of the plains. Among them, William Waterbury Scudder D.D. was a missionary who joined the Arcott Mission in 1852, retired in 1894, and was buried at Kodaikanal in 1900.
In 1895, the American Madurai Mission built the Union Church building.
In 1901, The first observations were commenced at the Kodaikanal Observatory .
In 1909, when the Guide to Kodaikanal was published by E.M.M.L., there were 151 houses, "most of them anything but small and ugly" and a post office, churches, clubs, schools and shops.
In 1914, the present ghat road was compeleted and was subsequently improved. In 1989, the total length of the roads on the hills was more than 45km.
In April 1915, Dr. Van Allen raised funds to construct the first unit of the hospital at the entrance of Coaker's walk. It was named after him. Facilities got updated from time to time and now it has an X-ray machine, well equipped pathological lab, and an operation theatre with blood transfusion facilities.
Government Hospital was a small municipal hospital until 1927. Now it has X-ray, Dental, Maternity ward and other facilities.
In 1953, at a sprightly 82 years old, Dr. Ida S. Scudder
sat in her bungalow, Hilltop, at Kodaikanal, overlooking the Vellore Christian Medical College and its hospital, which she founded, and opened a stack of letters and telegrams. Her name is a famous one in India. A letter once reached her addressed simply, "Dr. Ida, India." The mail was heavier than usual because friends around the world were congratulating her on winning the Elizabeth Blackwell
Citation of the New York Infirmary
, as one of five outstanding women doctors of 1952. She died on May 24, 1960 at age 90, of a circulatory ailment, in Kodaikanal.,
up to Krishnamma Nayak Thope. From there, the 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) journey to Kodaikanal was undertaken with conveyance by foot, horses, or Palanquins with sufficient hired coolies.
In 1854, an improved 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) bridle path was built from Krishnamma Nayak Thope. In 1875, the Indian railways extended its line from Chennai
to Tirunelveli
and a train station named Kodai Road
was built near Ammaianayakkanur village, to facilitate visits to Kodaikanal.
Many started at Dindigul
and began their climb to Kodai from Periyakulam
. In 1862, Clements Robert Markham described his journey:
By 1878, the path from Tope was extended and later completed up to Kodaikanal.
Engineer Major G. C. Law was deputed to study and submit a plan to build a moterable road to the hills. The road was finally completed in 1914 and opened for public traffic in 1916. Public buses started using the road in 1916. This old horse trail
is now a 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) wide 2 lane asphalt paved roadway rising 1863 metres (6,112.2 ft) with only 2 hairpin turn
s. It is always well maintained.
The State Highway Department has designated this road as SH-156
, Kodai Ghat Road
, with a length of 52.4 kilometres (32.6 mi). It begins at 10°9′10"N 77°41′30"E on the Grand Southern Trunk Road (NH-45), about 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of Batlagundu
.
Also, during World War II, the Kodaikanal–Munnar Road
, an evacuation road from Kodai along the hillcrest to Top Station
and Munnar
, then down to Calicut was built by the British because of fear of the Japanese invading India.
In 1863, Kodaikanal Lake was created by Sir Vere Hendry Levinge, who was then the Collector of Madurai, by damming three streams flowing into a valley. He stocked the lake with local fish and brought Kodai's first boat from Tuticorin. He lived in Pambar House after his retirement. Pictures taken in Kodaikanal during the early years of its foundation show the area around the lake with very few trees and a marshy landscape the manmade lake had no bund
s.
In 1890, the Kodaikanal Boat Club was formed. Today there are three different Boat Clubs with a variety of boats available for hire. There is now an excellent 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) lighted and paved sidewalk and bicycle path around the lake. There are strict municipal laws against construction near the lake.
In the 20th century a few elite Indians came to realize the value of this enchanting hill station and started relocating here. Amongst the current Indian locals, there are often discussions about how their ancestors trekked and climbed the hills, from the villages in the foothills. It sometimes took them up to two full days to scale the steep valleys, braving attacks from wild animals and eventually reaching the summit of what is now Kodaikanal market, to sell their produce from the plains.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
and a Taluk division of Dindigul district
Dindigul District
Dindigul District is an administrative region in the south of Tamil Nadu, India. The district was carved out of Madurai District in the year 1985...
in the state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India.
The earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Paliyan
Paliyan
The Paliyan, or Palaiyar or Pazhaiyarare are Adivasi Dravidian people living in the South Western Ghats montane rain forests in South India, especially in Tamilnadu and Kerala. They are traditional nomadic hunter-gatherers, honey hunters and foragers. Yams are their major food source...
tribal people. The earliest specific references to Kodaikanal and the Palani Hills are found in Tamil Sangam literature
Sangam literature
Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam...
of the early Christian era.
Modern Kodaikanal was established as a hill station
Hill station
A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia , but also in Africa , for towns founded by European colonial rulers as refuges from the summer heat, up where temperatures are cooler...
by American missionaries
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
in 1845, as a refuge from the high temperatures and tropical disease
Tropical disease
Tropical diseases are diseases that are prevalent in or unique to tropical and subtropical regions. The diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, due in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the insect population by forcing hibernation. Insects such as mosquitoes and...
s of the plains
Deccan Plateau
The Deccan Plateau is a large plateau in India, making up the majority of the southern part of the country. It rises a hundred meters high in the north, rising further to more than a kilometers high in the south, forming a raised triangle nested within the familiar downward-pointing triangle of...
.
In the 20th century a few elite Indians came to realize the value of this enchanting place and started relocating here. Kodaikanal is sometimes referred to as the "Princess of Hill station
Hill station
A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia , but also in Africa , for towns founded by European colonial rulers as refuges from the summer heat, up where temperatures are cooler...
s". Much of the local economy is now based on the Hospitality industry
Hospitality industry
The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry...
, serving national and international tourists
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
Etymology
The Tamil languageTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
word
Tamil script
The Tamil script is a script that is used to write the Tamil language as well as other minority languages such as Badaga, Irulas, and Paniya...
கோடைக்கானல், refers to "a sanatorium at the top of Kodaikanal, the southern ridge of the Palani hills more than 7,000 ft. high".
It is not known who first used this name or what they intended it to mean, however, in the Tamil language there are at least five meanings. The word is formed from the two separate Tamil words Kodai and kāṉal (கானல்). kāṉal means a wood on a hill-slope, a dense forest or a closed forest.
Another Tamil meaning for வல்லி (Kodi) is Valli
Valli
Valli is a Goddess and the divine consort of the prominent Hindu God Murugan, according to Hindu mythology. She represents the "Ichha Shakti" , and Goddess Deivayanai depicts "Kriya Shakthi" , and the Vel embodies "Gnana Shakthi" .Valli in Tamil language means a creeper and is also used as a title...
, the honey collecting daughter of the chief of the Veddas mountain tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
. In ancient times the chief and his wife prayed to the Mountain God for a girl-child. Their prayers were answered when the chief found a new-born girl child during a hunting expedition. As she was found among creeper plants, they named the child Valli and she grew up as princess of the tribe Kurinji and became the consort of lord Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
The romantic traditions of Murugan in Sangam literature are thus claimed to be associated with the name Kodaikanal. By integrating these meanings, Kodaikanal is that place at the end of Valli's forest which is a gift in the summer.
Recently, tourists and locals have labeled Kodaikanal "Switzerland of the East", "Set of Southern Emeralds", "Chilled paradise among the Hills" and "Summer Heaven".
Ancient times
There is archaeological evidence of human habitation in this area before the current eraCommon Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
(BCE). Megalith
Megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
ic dolmens dating from early Chera Dynasty
Chera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
times, earthen pots and other artifacts which have been found here prove that the earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Palaiyar
Paliyan
The Paliyan, or Palaiyar or Pazhaiyarare are Adivasi Dravidian people living in the South Western Ghats montane rain forests in South India, especially in Tamilnadu and Kerala. They are traditional nomadic hunter-gatherers, honey hunters and foragers. Yams are their major food source...
(Pazhaiyar, "old ones") tribal
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
people. Some local relics and artifacts of the Palaiyar can be seen in the Shenbaganur Museum.
The earliest written references to Kodaikanal and the Palani Hills are found in Tamil Sangam literature
Sangam literature
Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam...
of the early Christian era. The classical Tamil poetic work Kuṟuntokai
Kuruntokai
Kuruntokai ,a classical Tamil poetic work, is the second book of Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. Kuruntokai contains poems dealing with matters of love and separation content matter and were written by numerous authors. Nachinarkiniyar, a Tamil scholar living during the sixth or the ...
, the second book of the anthology Ettuthokai
Ettuthokai
Ettuthokai– 'The Eight Anthologies' - Classical Tamil poetic work - form part of the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology series of the Sangam Literature...
, contains poems dealing with matters of love and separation. It evokes the geographic thinai
Sangam landscape
The Sangam landscape is the name given to a poetic device that was characteristic of love poetry in classical Tamil Sangam literature. The core of the device was the categorisation of poems into different tiṇais or modes, depending on the nature, location, mood and type of relationship...
of the mountainous region of Kurinji. It is the scene of lovers' union at midnight, a forest rich with lakes, waterfalls, teak, bamboo and sandalwood. In this region millet grows and wild bees are a source of honey.
Love in this setting is exemplified by Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
, and his consort, Valli
Valli
Valli is a Goddess and the divine consort of the prominent Hindu God Murugan, according to Hindu mythology. She represents the "Ichha Shakti" , and Goddess Deivayanai depicts "Kriya Shakthi" , and the Vel embodies "Gnana Shakthi" .Valli in Tamil language means a creeper and is also used as a title...
, the honey collecting daughter of a Kurinji mountain dweller. He rides a Peacock
Indian Peafowl
The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...
, the bird of the mountains. The name of the region, Kurinji, derives from the name of the famous flower Kurinji
Strobilanthes kunthiana
Neelakurinji , is a shrub that used to grow abundantly in the shola grasslands of the Western Ghats in South India above 1800 metres...
found only in the lofty hills of Tamil country.
The once in ten or twelve years blossom of the Kurinji is an event of jubilation and purity symbolizing the frenzy of a sudden love shared, in concert with the unleashed forces of nature: the amorous dance of peacocks, their echoing cries, the splash of waterfalls, the roar of savage beasts. The lovers hold each other tighter still and forget the dangers of the mountain path.
One of the Kuṟuntokai poems:
குறிஞ்சி – தலைவன் கூற்று கொங்குதேர் வாழ்க்கை அஞ்சிறைத் தும்பி காமம் செப்பாது கண்டது மொழிமோ பயிலியது கெழீஇய நட்பின் மயிலியல் செறியெயிற் றரிவை கூந்தலின் நறியவும் உளவோ நீயறியும் பூவே. -இறையனார். |
Kurinji (Kuruntokai – 2) Beautiful-winged bee whose life is passed in search of honey don't speak to me of desire but tell me what you really saw: Could even the flowers that you know be as full of fragrance as the hair of the woman with the even set of teeth and the peacock nature, to whom long affection binds me? – Iraiyanar  |
The legacy of this epic Sangam love poetry is maintained by Arulmighu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thiru Kovil, Palani at The Kurinji Andavar Temple in Kodaikanal. This holy place is famous for the Kurinji flower
Strobilanthes kunthiana
Neelakurinji , is a shrub that used to grow abundantly in the shola grasslands of the Western Ghats in South India above 1800 metres...
s which blossom nearby only once every 12 years.
The deity here is called Sri Kurinji Easware. He is in fact Lord Murugan.
Agricultural settlers of the Palani Hills, mainly Mannadiyar ("king's servants") caste, were allotted these hill lands about the 14th century by the Madurai Nayak Dynasty
Madurai Nayak Dynasty
The Madurai Nayaks or Nayak Dynasty of Madurai were rulers of a region comprising most of modern-day Tamil Nadu, India, with Madurai as their capital...
, according to some local people , though others claim that their ancestors came later as refugees from the Palani foothills who escaped from the invasions of Tippu Sultan.
Western settlers
In 1821, the first westerner to visit Kodaikanal, a British Lieutenant, B. S. Ward, climbed up from his headquarters in the Kunnavan village of Vellagavi to Kodaikanal to survey the area on the hilly ranges of Palani. His report of a healthy climate in beautiful hills with accessibility from PeriyakulamPeriyakulam
Periyakulam is a town and a Municipality in Theni district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Periyakulam is located at . It has an average elevation of 282 metres . It is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering the neighbouring state of Kerala. It is one of...
encouraged the early settlers.
In 1834, Mr. J.C Wroughten, then Sub-Collector
District collector
The District Collector is the district head of administration of the bureaucracy in a state of India. Though he/she is appointed and is under general supervision of the state government, he/she has to be a member of the elite IAS recruited by the Central Government...
of Madura
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
and Mr. C. R. Cotton, a member of the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
— Board of Revenue, climbed up the hills from Devadanapatti
Devadanapatti
Devadanapatti is a panchayat town in Theni district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.This village is located under the Foot of Kodaikanal Hills.-Demographics:...
and built a small bungalow at the head of Adukkam pass near Shenbaganur.
Robert Wight
Robert Wight was a Scottish surgeon and botanist who spent 30 years in India. He studied botany in Edinburgh under John Hope. He was the director of the Botanic Garden in Madras. He made use of local artists to make illustrations of the plants around him...
, a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Linnean Society of London
Linnean Society of London
The Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
, visited Kodaikanal and recorded his observations in the 1937 Madras Journal of Literature and Science. He collected over 100 plant specimens in 15 days, which were useful to later botanists.
In 1845, the first two bungalows, Sunny Side and Shelton were built by six families of American missionaries from Madurai with the help of an Englishman, Mr. Fane. In 1852, Father Louis Saint Cyr visited Kodaikanal and returned to the plains after finding only four bungalows; Baynes, Parker, Clark and Parday.
In 1852, Major J. M. Partridge of the Bombay Army built himself a house in Kodai and became the first person to actually settle there. Others soon followed like Fonclair and the coffee planter, Judge Elliot. It was not until Blackburne, the Collector of Madurai, built a home there that the development of Kodai gathered pace.
In 1853, a group of American and British built Kodai's first church building, the Anglican Church of St. Peter.
In 1860, The Governor of Madras Presidency, Sir Charles Trevelyan
Sir Charles Trevelyan, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Edward Trevelyan, 1st Baronet, KCB was a British civil servant and colonial administrator. As a young man, he worked with the colonial government in Calcutta, India; in the late 1850s and 1860s he served there in senior-level appointments...
visited Kodaikanal and stayed in Roseneath Cottage, which is still occupied. In May 1860, Father Louis Saint Cyr returned with father Rettary and several Frenchmen, Belgians and Europeans, stayed in Baynes bungalow and by September 29 had bought that place to use as a rest house for the members of Christ Church. The bungalow was renamed La-providence in honor a lady with that name who gave Rs. 20,000 for reconstruction of the bungalow. La Salette Church was finished and dedicated in 1866.
In 1861, Major Douglas Hamilton
Douglas Hamilton
General Douglas Hamilton was a British Indian Army officer, gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry from 1837 to 1871. He was a well known surveyor of the early British hill stations in South India and a famous sportsman, shikari, big-game hunter and trophy collector. He was an...
recorded 114 species of birds in Kodaikanal and discovered two new ones-the Laughing Thrush and the Kodaikanal White-bellied Shortwing
White-bellied Shortwing
The Nilgiri Blue Robin refers to a kind of bird in the Muscicapidae family endemic to the Shola forests of the higher hills of southern India, mainly north of the Palghat Gap. Both the White-bellied Blue Robin and this species were once treated as sub-species of a single species and in 2005 were...
.
In 1862, David Coit Scudder arrived in Kodaikanal. He was an American missionary who had been influenced in boyhood to come to India by Rev. Dr. John Scudder, Sr. and was in charge of the large and important station of Periyakulam
Periyakulam
Periyakulam is a town and a Municipality in Theni district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Periyakulam is located at . It has an average elevation of 282 metres . It is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering the neighbouring state of Kerala. It is one of...
. He had endeared himself to the Christians of the large village congregations of that station. An enthusiastic young American, upon arrival at Kodai, his emotions overcame him when, as he recalled:
"I . . . seized our United States flag, shouted out 'Long may it wave!' . . . at the English collector . . . and did other uncouth things".
On November, 19, 1862, David Scudder drowned in the Vaigai River
Vaigai River
The Vaigai is a river in Madurai, Tamil Nadu state of southern India. It originates in the Periyar Plateau of the Western Ghats range, and flows northeast through the Kambam Valley, which lies between the Palni Hills to the north and the Varushanad Hills to the south. The Vattaparai Falls are...
between Andipatti
Andipatti
Andipatti is a town in Theni district in Tamil Nadu state in southern India. It is on the bank of vaigai river with rich flora and fauna species. Its a valley surrounded by mountains and there is a theory saying Western Ghats starts from this place. Agriculture is the main economy of the town with...
& Periyakulam, 20 months after arriving in Tamil Nadu., Interment was in the old Anglican Churchyard, at Kodaikanal. The inscription on his headstone is still clearly legible. It reads:
"D.C.S. Missionary of the A.B.C.F.M.American Board of Commissioners for Foreign MissionsThe American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
In Southern India. Born in Boston, U.S.A. Oct. 27, 1835 Landed at Madras June 26, 1861 Drowned in the Vaigai River Nov. 19, 1862"
In 1863, acting on a suggestion of Sir Vere Levinge, then Collector of Madurai, a lake was formed by blocking a stream. From then on, Kodaikanal has been developing.
In 1867, Major J. M. Partridge of Bombay Army imported Australian Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
and Wattle
Wattle
Wattle may refer to:*Wattle , a fleshy growth hanging from the head or neck of certain animals.*Wattle is another term for Congenital cartilaginous rest of the neck...
trees to Kodaikanal.
In 1871, the new Governor of Madras, Lord Napier
Lord Napier
Lord Napier, of Merchistoun, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1627 for Sir Archibald Napier, 1st Baronet. Earlier that year, he already held the Napier Baronetcy, of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian, created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The titles remained united...
visited. His bungalow was named Napier Villa. These early settlements and visits by important people established Kodai's legitimacy among the Western residents of Tamil Nadu as an accepted alternative to Ootacamund
Ootacamund
Ootacamund , is a town, a municipality and the district capital of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Ootacamund is a popular hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills...
as a summer retreat.
In 1879, seventy-five Europeans came to Kodai for the season. That year Murrays Guide described Kodaikanal as a settlement "of only 10 – 15 small ugly houses". Later many American and British families visited and decided to remain in the temperate hill station.
In 1883, Kodaikanal had 615 permanent residents. It also became a regular summer retreat for many American Missionaries and European diplomats who came here primarily to escape the sweltering summer of the plains. Among them, William Waterbury Scudder D.D. was a missionary who joined the Arcott Mission in 1852, retired in 1894, and was buried at Kodaikanal in 1900.
In 1895, the American Madurai Mission built the Union Church building.
In 1901, The first observations were commenced at the Kodaikanal Observatory .
In 1909, when the Guide to Kodaikanal was published by E.M.M.L., there were 151 houses, "most of them anything but small and ugly" and a post office, churches, clubs, schools and shops.
In 1914, the present ghat road was compeleted and was subsequently improved. In 1989, the total length of the roads on the hills was more than 45km.
In April 1915, Dr. Van Allen raised funds to construct the first unit of the hospital at the entrance of Coaker's walk. It was named after him. Facilities got updated from time to time and now it has an X-ray machine, well equipped pathological lab, and an operation theatre with blood transfusion facilities.
In 1953, at a sprightly 82 years old, Dr. Ida S. Scudder
Ida S. Scudder
Dr. Ida Sophia Scudder was a third-generation American medical missionary in India of the Reformed Church in America. She dedicated her life to the plight of Indian women and the fight against bubonic plague, cholera and leprosy., In 1918 she started one of Asia's foremost Teaching hospitals,...
sat in her bungalow, Hilltop, at Kodaikanal, overlooking the Vellore Christian Medical College and its hospital, which she founded, and opened a stack of letters and telegrams. Her name is a famous one in India. A letter once reached her addressed simply, "Dr. Ida, India." The mail was heavier than usual because friends around the world were congratulating her on winning the Elizabeth Blackwell
Elizabeth Blackwell
Elizabeth Blackwell was the first female doctor in the United States and the first on the UK Medical Register...
Citation of the New York Infirmary
New York Downtown Hospital
New York Downtown Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute care, teaching hospital in New York City and is the only hospital in Lower Manhattan...
, as one of five outstanding women doctors of 1952. She died on May 24, 1960 at age 90, of a circulatory ailment, in Kodaikanal.,
Ghat road
Travelers going to Kodaikanal starting their journey at Ammaianayakkanur village traveled 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) in 12 to 14 hours by bullock cartBullock cart
A bullock cart or ox cart is a two-wheeled vehicle pulled by oxen . It is a means of transportation used since ancient times in many parts of the world. They are still used today where modern vehicles are too expensive or the infrastructure does not favor them.Used especially for carrying goods,...
up to Krishnamma Nayak Thope. From there, the 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) journey to Kodaikanal was undertaken with conveyance by foot, horses, or Palanquins with sufficient hired coolies.
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
to Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
and a train station named Kodai Road
Kodai road
Kodai road is a railway station in Tamil Nadu state, India, lying between Dindigul and Madurai at . It is formally listed as Kodaikanal Road .-History:In 1875, the Great Southern India Railway Co...
was built near Ammaianayakkanur village, to facilitate visits to Kodaikanal.
Many started at Dindigul
Dindigul
Dindigul is a town and municipality in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. The name Dindigul comes from the Portmanteau of “Thindu” meaning pillow and “kal” meaning Rock and refers to the bare hill dominating the city’s both land and skyscape...
and began their climb to Kodai from Periyakulam
Periyakulam
Periyakulam is a town and a Municipality in Theni district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Periyakulam is located at . It has an average elevation of 282 metres . It is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering the neighbouring state of Kerala. It is one of...
. In 1862, Clements Robert Markham described his journey:
(p. 400) Dindigul is about forty miles from the foot of the ghaut
leading up to the Pulney hills, and relays of bullocks were
posted for me every seven miles, with a man running in
front of the cart with a blazing torch.
Passing through the
village of Periacolum, round which there are many large
tanks and extensive rice cultivation, we reached the jungle at
the foot of the Pulney hills at early dawn. The path, which
is only practicable for ponies and pack-bullocks, leads up a
ravine for half the distance, and then corkscrews up the steep
sides of the mountain. The range looks very imposing from
the plain...
After resting under a clump of trees I
commenced the ascent on foot, driving an unhappy sheep
before me, which was to be sacrificed on the summit, where,
at this time of the year (end of November and beginning of December), there are no residents, no market,
and no means of procuring any supplies.
The ascent is exceedingly beautiful, ... (p.401) At 6000 feet the steep ascent is
covered with long grass, and trees are confined to sheltered
hollows and ravines. After reaching the plateau it is
necessary to scale a second steep grassy slope before arriving
at the settlement of Kodakarnal, which is 7230 feet above
the level of the sea.
Kodakarnal consists of eight houses,
built along the crests of undulating hills, and one of the
inner slopes is clothed with a wood of fine trees and tree-
ferns, from which the Tamil people have named the settlement.
By 1878, the path from Tope was extended and later completed up to Kodaikanal.
Engineer Major G. C. Law was deputed to study and submit a plan to build a moterable road to the hills. The road was finally completed in 1914 and opened for public traffic in 1916. Public buses started using the road in 1916. This old horse trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
is now a 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) wide 2 lane asphalt paved roadway rising 1863 metres (6,112.2 ft) with only 2 hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
s. It is always well maintained.
The State Highway Department has designated this road as SH-156
SH-156 (Tamil Nadu, India)
The Kodaikanal Ghat Road has been designated by the Tamil Nadu State Highway Department as SH-156. It begins at on the Grand Southern Trunk Road , about west of Batlagundu and ends at Kodaikanal with a length of ....
, Kodai Ghat Road
Ghat Roads
Ghat Roads are the name of the access routes into the mountainous Western and Eastern Ghats mountain ranges of the Indian Subcontinent. These roads are remarkable feats of engineering and most date back to British times. Ghat roads were built to connect to the famous Hill Stations of the Indian...
, with a length of 52.4 kilometres (32.6 mi). It begins at 10°9′10"N 77°41′30"E on the Grand Southern Trunk Road (NH-45), about 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of Batlagundu
Batlagundu
Batlagundu [pronounced Vathalakkundu] is a panchayat town in Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The town is about an hour and a half from Kodaikanal....
.
Also, during World War II, the Kodaikanal–Munnar Road
Kodaikanal–Munnar Road
The Kodaikanal–Munnar Road was located in Dindigul District and Theni District of Tamil Nadu and Idukki district of Kerala in South India....
, an evacuation road from Kodai along the hillcrest to Top Station
Top Station
Top Station is tourist destination which falls along the border of the state of Tamil Nadu. The region is part of constituency of bodi Theni district in Tamil Nadu....
and Munnar
Munnar
Munnar is one of the most popular hill station in Kerala and in southern India. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats, situated in the Idukki district....
, then down to Calicut was built by the British because of fear of the Japanese invading India.
Kodaikanal lake
Bund
- Organizations :* German American Bund, a pro-Nazi pre-World War II organisation* General Jewish Labour Bund in Lithuania, Poland and Russia, a political party founded in the Russian Empire* General Jewish Labour Bund in Poland, a political party founded in Poland...
s.
In 1890, the Kodaikanal Boat Club was formed. Today there are three different Boat Clubs with a variety of boats available for hire. There is now an excellent 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) lighted and paved sidewalk and bicycle path around the lake. There are strict municipal laws against construction near the lake.
Twentieth century
In 1901 Kodaikanal had a population of 1,912.In the 20th century a few elite Indians came to realize the value of this enchanting hill station and started relocating here. Amongst the current Indian locals, there are often discussions about how their ancestors trekked and climbed the hills, from the villages in the foothills. It sometimes took them up to two full days to scale the steep valleys, braving attacks from wild animals and eventually reaching the summit of what is now Kodaikanal market, to sell their produce from the plains.
External sources
- Crossette, Barbara. Basic Books, searchable preview The Great Hill Stations of Asia, (1999) ISBN 0-465-01488-7, 9780465014880, 268 pages*kodaikanal.org, Kodaikanal History Goes back to 5,000 BCE, interesting but unreferenced.
- Maloney Clarence, The Beginnings of Civilization in South India, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 29, No. 3 (May 1970), pp. 603–616 (article consists of 14 pages), Published by: Association for Asian StudiesAssociation for Asian StudiesThe Association for Asian Studies is a U.S. society focused on facilitating contact and information exchange among scholars of Asian fields. It is the self-proclaimed largest society of its kind. The Association consists of eminent Asianists, and is a non-profit organization...
.