Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The Manchester of India.

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The Manchester of India.

Good morning to all my travel and other friends who love to travel. Welcome once again to Indian Travelogue and another blog on India. This time it is the so called Manchester of India named Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. This large industrial city in southern India is one of the major and largest industrial cities of the Tamil Nadu and is situated on the banks of the River Noyyal.

Brief History of Coimbatore.

The history of this great southern city of India begins in the 1st century CE when it was ruled by the Chera dynasty during the Sangam Period of south Indian history. It was on the main trade route between the West Coast and Tamil Nadu. In the tenth century the Kongu Nadu region which currently comprises areas of western Tamil Nadu, eastern Kerala and South Eastern Karnataka was conquered by the Chola Dynasty. Later on in the 15th century it became a part of the Vijaynagar empire. Still later on in the 18th Century it was conquered by Tipu Sultan and annexed into the British empire in the year 1799 after they defeated him. In the early 19th Century the city saw a major Industrial boom in the textile field due to the decline of the cotton industry in Mumbai. It is currently one of the largest industrial cities of India.

Flora and fauna of Coimbatore area.

The city is located in the western Ghats at a height of approximately 1400 feet. So it is richly endowed with rich forests, hills, rivers and wildlife. The forests in the area are spread out to a total area of around 700 square Kilometers. Mainly the trees found in the area are sandalwood trees and an abundance of Bamboo. Also because of the thick forest cover the state and district of Coimbatore is rich in wild life and has a large population of wild elephants, bison, tiger, leopard and sloth bear and many varieties of deer like the spotted deer and sambhar on which the Tigers feed.

Climate

Being in south India the city has a hot semi arid climate with a long monsoon period lasting from September to November with average temperature in the summer in the low and mid thirty’s and in the winter between 12 and 20 degrees Celsius.

Places of Interest in Coimbatore.

1. Adiyogi Shiva Statue; Located at the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains is the Adiyogi Shiva statue which is the worlds largest bust statue of this deity. It is carved out of 500 tonnes of steel and standing 112 feet in height it is located in the Isha yoga temple complex in Coimbatore.

2. Vydehi Water Falls ; Located 35 kms from the city are the falls known as the Vydehi Water Falls. It is one of the most popular picnic spots in Coimbatore and is generally crowded at weekends.

3. Marudhamalai hill temple ; This temple is one of the best temples in India dedicated to the Lord Murugan the Hindu God of war and victory. The temple sits at the top of a hill which is 600 feet high and is located 20 minute drive outside the city of Coimbatore. It is said to have been constructed in the 12th century.

4. Kodiveri Dam : this dam is located on the River Bhavani in Gobichettipalayam in th Erode district of Tamil Nadu. It was constructed by the Maharaja of Mysore in the 17th century.

5. Perur Patishwara Temple : This Cholan period temple is situated 6 kms west of the city. Dedicated to lord shiva the temple is situated on the banks of the river Noyyal . It was constructed in the 10th century and is dedicated to lord pateeshwara ( another name for lord shiva) and his wife devi Parvati. The temple was constructed by Konkala Chola and later on contributions were also made by the Vijaynagar Kings and the Hoysala Kings from time to time.

6. Besides the above mentioned important sights there are other important temples and touristic sites located in Coimbatore

How to reach :

The city is well connected by air as well as by train from all different parts of the country. IT lies on the main route from Delhi to Kerala (Trivendrum). Coimbatore has an international airport and is well connected not only to India but also to the world. It takes almost 36 hours to reach Coimbatore by train from New Delhi.

Where to stay in Coimbatore :

Coimbatore like all major cities of india is well stocked with some good hotels right from budget properties to five star hotels by the best hotel chains. Some of the hotels to be recommended are the vivanta by taj Coimbatore , Radisson Blu Coimbatore , Ibis Coimbatore, The Orbis and Holiday Residency.

Where to eat :

Coimbatore also has a large number of restaurants serving all sorts of Indian and international cuisine like Chinese, Italian , Mexican and fast food restaurant chains like KFC and Mcdonald. To be recommended are the Peacock and Fabola for fine dining, Shree Anandhas and Annapoorna for local cuisine and fast food restaurants like MacDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Coimbatore is well worth a visit if you are looking to purchase spices, or textiles of cotton and silk.

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