93-471: Ooty Racecourse is a highland race course in Ooty , Nilgiris district , Tamil Nadu . Built for summer racing in the hills, the course stands at an altitude of 2,268 m (7,441 ft) above sea level . The race course is adjacent to the railway station in the heart of town. Horse races are conducted in the summer season, from April to June, when it has been traditional to come to the hill station to escape
186-475: A 20-million-year-old fossilized tree. The Government Rose Garden , situated on the slopes of Elk Hill at an altitude of 2,200 m (7,200 ft), has more than 20,000 varieties of roses from 2,800 cultivars and is the largest rose garden in India. A deer park was established along the edges of the lake in 1986 and is the second-highest altitude zoo in India. There are a few traditional Toda dogles (huts) on
279-525: A Vaishnava temple with an image of Ramanuja exists in the Vitthalapura area of Vijayanagara. Scholars in the later Kingdom of Mysore wrote Vaishnavite works upholding the teachings of Ramanuja. King Vishnuvardhana built many temples after his conversion from Jainism to Vaishnavism. The later saints of Madhvacharya's order, Jayatirtha , Vyasatirtha , Sripadaraja , Vadiraja Tirtha and devotees ( dasa ) such as Vijaya Dasa , Gopaladasa and others from
372-493: A capital: first, its location on the Yagachi River provided a good supply of water year-round. Second, its location in hilly terrain made it easily defended. Third, it lay on an important trade route, helping both commerce and communications. However, Belur was barely capital for a decade before it was moved again. The third and longest-lasting Hoysala capital was Dwarasamudra (also called Dorasamudra or Dvaravatipur), at
465-520: A cigarette butt, but was put out without harm to the horses. 11°24′10″N 76°42′01″E / 11.4028°N 76.7004°E / 11.4028; 76.7004 Ooty Ooty ( listen ; officially Udagamandalam , anglicized : Ootacamund ( listen ), abbreviated as Udagai ) is a town and municipality in the Nilgiris district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu . It
558-546: A family of accountants ( Karanikas ) from Halebidu and spent many years in Hampi writing more than one hundred ragales (poems in blank verse) in praise of Virupaksha (a form of Shiva). Raghavanka was the first to introduce the Shatpadi metre into Kannada literature in his Harishchandra kavya which is considered a classic even though it occasionally violates strict rules of Kannada grammar. In Sanskrit, Madhvacharya wrote
651-780: A feature of Ooty since the British Raj and continue to operate currently, including some of the most expensive schools in India. A boat house located alongside the Ooty Lake offers boating facilities to tourists and is a major tourist attraction in Ooty. Similar boating facilities are also available at the Pykara falls and dam. The Government Botanical Garden, laid out in 1842, has several species indigenous and exotic plants , and hosts an annual flower show in May. The garden also hosts
744-580: A forest, near the temple of the goddess Vasantika at Angadi, now called Sosevuru. The word strike translates to "hoy" in Old Kannada , hence the name 'Hoy-sala'. The legend purporting to show how Sala became the founder of the Hoysala dynasty is shown in the Belur inscription of the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana , dated c. 1117 , but owing to several inconsistencies in the story it remains in
837-622: A municipality in 1866, and civic improvements including roads, drainage, and water supply from the Marlimund and Tiger Hill reservoirs were added through Government loans. In August 1868, the Nilgiris was separated from the Coimbatore district , and James Wilkinson Breeks was appointed its first commissioner. On 1 February 1882, Nilgiris was made a district, and Richard Wellesley Barlow, the then commissioner, became its first collector. By
930-648: A period when large areas of northern India were under Muslim rule. Alauddin Khalji , the Sultan of Delhi, was determined to control southern India. In 1311 he sent his commander Malik Kafur on an expedition to plunder Devagiri , the capital city of the Seuna Kingdom By 1318 the Seuna Kingdom had been subjugated. The Hoysala capital Halebidu was besieged and sacked twice, in 1311 and 1327. By 1336,
1023-473: A road from Sirumugai which was completed in May 1823 and extended up to Coonoor between 1830–32. By 1827, it was established as a sanatorium of the Madras Presidency and developed further at the behest of then Governor of Madras Stephen Lushington . The Government Botanical Garden , covering 51 acres (21 ha), was established in 1842 and a library was established in 1959. Ooty was made
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#17327800253601116-760: A tea factory and museum displays the process of tea processing and the machines used. The Ooty Radio Telescope was completed in 1970 and is part of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), funded by the Government of India through the Department of Atomic Energy . Snooker originated on the billiard tables of the Ootacamund Club, invented by Neville Chamberlain . There
1209-622: A voluntary form was prevalent and prostitution was socially acceptable. As in most of India, a caste system was conspicuously present. Trade on the west coast brought many foreigners to India including Arabs , Jews , Persians , Europeans , Chinese and people from the Malay Peninsula . Migration of people within Southern India as a result of the expansion of the empire produced an influx of new cultures and skills. In South India, towns were called Pattana or Pattanam and
1302-467: Is a crispy and crusty cookie snack popular in Ooty. A number of films have been shot in Ooty. The town was used as a setting in David Lean 's 1984 movie, A Passage to India , which was based on E. M. Forster 's novel of the same name . Hoysalas The Hoysala kingdom was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between
1395-576: Is based on the hospitality industry serving tourism and agriculture. The town is connected to the plains by the Nilgiri ghat roads and Nilgiri Mountain Railway . The region was earlier known as Ottakal Mandu , with Otha-Cal meaning "single stone" in Tamil , a reference to a sacred stone revered by the local Toda people and Mandu , a Toda word for "village". This later became Udagamandalam which
1488-521: Is in the Nilgiri hills , meaning the "blue mountains", so named due to the Kurunji flower, which used to give the slopes a bluish tinge. The earliest reference to Nilgiri hills is found in the Tamil Sangam epic Silappathikaram from the 5th or 6th century CE. The region was a land occupied by various tribes such as Badagas , Todas , Kotas , Irulas and Kurumbas . The region was ruled by
1581-602: Is its attention to exquisite detail and skilled craftsmanship. The tower over the temple shrine ( vimana ) is delicately finished with intricate carvings, showing attention to the ornate and elaborately detailed rather than to a tower form and height. The stellate design of the base of the shrine with its rhythmic projections and recesses is carried through the tower in an orderly succession of decorated tiers. Hoysala temple sculpture replicates this emphasis on delicacy and craftsmanship in its focus on depicting feminine beauty, grace and physique. The Hoysala artists achieved this with
1674-484: Is located 10 km (6.2 mi) from the Ooty. Emerald Lake , Avalanche Lake and Porthimund Lake are other lakes in the region. Ooty features a subtropical highland climate ( Cwb ) under Köppen climate classification . Because of its high altitude, the temperatures are generally lower than the surrounding plains with the average between 10–25 °C (50–77 °F) during summer and 0–21 °C (32–70 °F) during winter. The highest temperature ever recorded
1767-549: Is located 86 km (53 mi) northwest of Coimbatore , and is the headquarters of Nilgiris district. Situated in the Nilgiri hills , it is known by the epithet "Queen of Hill Stations ", and is a popular tourist destination. Originally occupied by the Toda people , the area came under the rule of the East India Company in the 18th century. It later served as the summer capital of Madras Presidency . The economy
1860-773: Is part of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme . Mudumalai National Park and tiger reserve lies on the north-western side, about 31 km (19 mi) from Ooty and was established in 1940 as the first wildlife sanctuary in India. The region is part of the South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion. Nilgiris harbours thousands of plant species including medicinal plants and endemic flowering plants . Stunted evergreen trees grow in shola forest patches above 1,800 m (5,900 ft) and are festooned with epiphytes . The native vegetation consisted of Meadows and grasslands on
1953-547: Is part of the Udagamandalam Assembly constituency which forms part of the Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency . The town is administered by Udagamanadalam municipality which was established in 1866 and the town is divided into 36 wards. The municipality is responsible for water services, sewage disposal and maintenance of public infrastructure. Ooty is a market town for the surrounding area, which
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#17327800253602046-533: Is still largely dependent on agriculture . Vegetables cultivated include potato , carrot , cabbage and cauliflower and fruits include peach , plum , pear and strawberry . There is a daily wholesale auction of these products at the Ooty Municipal Market . Dairy farming has long been present in the area, and there is a cooperative dairy manufacturing cheese and skimmed milk powder . Floriculture and sericulture are also practised, as
2139-422: Is the cultivation of mushrooms . The local area is known for tea cultivation. Nilgiri tea is a black tea variety unique to the region. The Human Biologicals Institute , established in 1999, is involved in vaccine manufacturing. Other manufacturing industries located on the outskirts include Ketti (manufacture of needles) and Aruvankadu (manufacture of cordite ). Ooty is connected by roads known as
2232-602: The Sribhashya , a critique on Adi Shankara's Advaita. The effect of these religious developments on culture, literature, poetry and architecture in South India was profound. Important works of literature and poetry based on the teachings of these philosophers were written during the coming centuries. The Saluva , Tuluva and Aravidu dynasties of the Vijayanagara Empire were followers of Vaishnavism and
2325-551: The Champu style relating the life of Krishna leading up to his fight with the demon Banasura . Harihara , (also known as Harisvara) a Lingayati writer and the patron of King Narasimha I, wrote the Girijakalyana in the old Jain Champu style which describes the marriage of Shiva and Parvati in ten sections. He was one of the earliest Virashaiva writers who was not part of the vachana literary tradition. He came from
2418-945: The Defence Services Staff College of the Indian Army . Ooty is located in the Nilgiri hills, which are part of the Western Ghats in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve . It is separated from the neighboring state of Karnataka by the Moyar river in the north and from the Anaimalai and Palani hills in the south by the Palghat Gap . It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level. The total area of
2511-464: The Kaveri , whose systems facilitated the growth of crops and generated an agricultural output that was immense. The highlands ( malnad regions) with its temperate climate was suitable for raising cattle and the planting of orchards and spices. Paddy and corn were staple crops in the tropical plains ( Bailnad ). As agricultural land was scarce, forests, waste land and previously unfarmed land
2604-692: The Nilgiri Ghat Roads . It is situated on NH 181 . The municipality maintains roads in the town. Public bus services are operated by the Coimbatore division of TNSTC . SETC , KSRTC (Karnataka) and KSRTC (Kerala) connect to distant towns in Tamil Nadu and neighboring states. Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) metre gauge railway in Nilgiris district , connecting Udagamandalam and Mettupalayam . The Nilgiri Railway Company
2697-812: The Rigbhshya on the Brahma Sutras (a logical explanation of Hindu scriptures, the Vedas) as well as many polemical works rebutting the doctrines of other schools. He relied more on the Puranas than the Vedas for logical proof of his philosophy. Another famous writing was Rudraprshnabhashya by Vidyatirtha. The modern interest in the Hoysalas is due to their patronage of art and architecture rather than their military conquests. The brisk temple building throughout
2790-483: The three tamil kingdoms of Cheras , Cholas and Pandyas during various times. The Todas are referenced in a record belonging to Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana and his general Punisa, dated 1117 CE. It was also ruled by various dynasties like Pallavas , Satavahanas , Gangas , Kadambas , Rashtrakutas , Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara empire . Tipu Sultan captured Nilgiris in the eighteenth century and
2883-489: The 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur , but was later moved to Halebidu . The Hoysala rulers were originally from Malenadu , an elevated region in the Western Ghats . In the 12th century, taking advantage of the internecine warfare between the Western Chalukya Empire and Kalachuris of Kalyani , the Hoysalas annexed areas of present-day Karnataka and
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2976-655: The 14th century. The defeat of the Jain Western Gangas by the Cholas in the early 11th century and the rising numbers of followers of Vaishnavism and Lingayatism in the 12th century was mirrored by a decreased interest in Jainism. Two notable locations of Jain worship in the Hoysala territory were Shravanabelagola and Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli . The decline of Buddhism in South India began in
3069-599: The Hoysala Empire followed some of the well-established and proven methods of its predecessors covering administrative functions such as cabinet organisation and command, the structure of local governing bodies and the division of territory. Several of their major feudatories were Gavundas of the peasant extraction. Records show the names of many high-ranking positions reporting directly to the king. Senior ministers were called Pancha Pradhanas , ministers responsible for foreign affairs were designated Sandhivigrahi and
3162-498: The Hoysala dynasty is dated 950 and names Arekalla as the chieftain. Arekalla was succeeded in turn by Maruga and Nripa Kama I (976), and Munda (1006–1026). The next king, Nripa Kama I, had the title Permanadi , showing that an early alliance with the Western Ganga dynasty existed at the time of his reign. Vishnuvardhana's ambition of creating an independent Kingdom was fulfilled by his grandson Veera Ballala II , who freed
3255-889: The Hoysalas from domination by the Chalukya Empire during the first 20 years of his reign. He declared war against the Yadavas and defeated the Kadambas . He declared independence in 1193. During the establishment of the Hoysala Kingdom, the Deccan Plateau saw a four-way struggle for hegemony between four dynasties: the Hoysalas, the Pandyans , the Kakatiyas , and the Seunas. In 1217, Veera Ballala II defeated
3348-566: The Hoysalas were descendants of the Yadu by referring to the Yadava vamsa (or clan) as the "Hoysala vamsa ". But there are no early records directly linking the Hoysalas to the Yadavas of North India . Kannada folklore tells a legend of a young man, Sala (also known as Poysala), who saved his Jain guru Sudatta by killing a tiger (sometimes described as a lion) that they encountered whilst in
3441-572: The Karnataka region spread his teachings far and wide. His teachings inspired later philosophers like Vallabha in Gujarat and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengal . Another wave of devotion ( bhakti ) in the 17th and 18th centuries found inspiration in his teachings. Hoysala society in many ways reflected the emerging religious, political and cultural developments of those times. During this period,
3534-498: The Kesava temple at Somanathapura being an exception with strictly Vaishnava sculptural depictions. Temples built by rich landlords in rural areas fulfilled fiscal, political, cultural and religious needs of the agrarian communities. Irrespective of patronage, large temples served as establishments that provided employment to hundreds of people of various guilds and professions sustaining local communities as Hindu temples began to take on
3627-716: The Kingdom was accomplished despite constant threats from the Pandyas to the south and the Seunas Yadavas to the north. Their architectural style, an offshoot of the Western Chalukya style, shows distinct Dravidian influences. The Hoysala architecture style is described as Karnata Dravida as distinguished from the traditional Dravida , and is considered an independent architectural tradition with many unique features. A feature of Hoysala temple architecture
3720-478: The Moyar River. Deer include sambar deer , chital , Indian spotted chevrotain , Indian muntjac , four-horned antelope and blackbuck . Monkeys , including the endangered Nilgiri langur , bonnet macaque and gray langur are also found in the region. Nilgiri tahr is an endangered ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiris and is the state animal of Tamil Nadu. Bats are found in darker caves in
3813-632: The Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Mountain Railways of India . The nearest airport is Coimbatore International Airport , located 96 km (60 mi) from the town. The airport has regular flights from and to major domestic destinations and international destinations like Sharjah , Colombo and Singapore . Ooty has three helipads, one at Theettukal and two at Kodanad with
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3906-541: The Sultan had conquered the Pandyas of Madurai, the Kakatiyas of Warangal and the tiny Kingdom of Kampili. The Hoysalas were the only remaining Hindu Kingdom who resisted the invading armies. Veera Ballala III stationed himself at Tiruvannamalai and offered stiff resistance to invasions from the north and the Madurai Sultanate to the south. Then, after nearly three decades of resistance, Veera Ballala III
3999-411: The Theettukal helipad, approved by the Airports Authority of India for defence and VIP services. Pawan Hans planned to start commercial services with Bell 407 , but the plan has been shelved. Government Arts College , established in 1955, is one of the oldest institutions in Ooty and is affiliated with Bharathiar University . There are a few other colleges in the town. Boarding schools have been
4092-437: The aggressive Pandya after they invaded the Chola Kingdom, and helped to restore the Chola king. The Hoysalas extended their foothold in modern-day Tamil Nadu around 1225, making the city of Kannanur Kuppam near Srirangam a provincial capital and taking control over the southern Deccan region. Vira Narasimha II 's son Vira Someshwara earned the honorific "uncle" ( Mamadi ) from the Pandyas and Cholas. From 1220 to 1245
4185-410: The capital from Belur to Dorasamudra (modern Halebidu), After taking Talakadu and Kolar in 1116, Vishnuvardhana assumed the title Talakadugonda in memory of his victory. Historians refer to the founders of the Hoysala dynasty as Maleparolganda ('Lord of the hills'), basing their evidence on inscriptions that describes them as being originally from Malenadu . The earliest record of a member of
4278-439: The chief treasurer was Mahabhandari or Hiranyabhandari . Dandanayakas were in charge of armies and the chief justice of the Hoysala court was the Dharmadhikari . The Kingdom was divided into provinces named Nadu , Vishaya , Kampana and Desha , listed in descending order of geographical size. Each province had a local governing body consisting of a minister ( Mahapradhana ) and a treasurer ( Bhandari ) that reported to
4371-400: The conflict between the Western Chalukya Empire and the Cholas, gaining power as they sided with the Chalukyas and were made provincial governors. After the authority of the Chalukyas declined, the Hoysalas managed to gain their independence. Under Vishnuvardhana, the Hoysalas achieved the status of a real Kingdom. He annexed Gangavadi and parts of Nolambavadi from the Cholas in 1116 and moved
4464-403: The dynasty's hegemony increased southwards to cover both the Chola and Pandya Kingdoms. Toward the end of the 13th century, Veera Ballala III recaptured territory in the Tamil country which had been lost during a Pandya uprising, thus uniting the northern and southern portions of the Kingdom. In the early part of the 14th century, major political changes took place in the Deccan region during
4557-401: The early 20th century, Ooty was a well-developed hill station, with an artificial lake, various parks, religious structures, and sporting facilities for polo , golf , and cricket . It served as the summer capital of the Madras Presidency and as a retreat for the British officials. Post-independence, the town developed into a popular hill resort and the nearby Wellington became the home of
4650-633: The ecstatic experience of closeness to the deity ( vachanas and devaranama ). Literary works were written in it on palm leaves which were tied together. While in past centuries Jain works had dominated Kannada literature, Shaiva and early Brahminical works became popular during the Hoysala reign. Writings in Sanskrit included poetry, grammar, lexicon, manuals, rhetoric, commentaries on older works, prose fiction and drama. Inscriptions on stone ( Shilashasana ) and copper plates ( Tamarashasana ) were written mostly in Kannada but some were in Sanskrit or were bilingual. The sections of bilingual inscriptions stating
4743-550: The eighth century with the spread of Adi Shankara 's Advaita Vedanta . The only places of Buddhist worship during the Hoysala time were at Dambal and Balligavi . Shantala Devi, queen of Vishnuvardhana, was a Jain but nevertheless commissioned the Hindu Kappe Chennigaraya temple in Belur, evidence that the royal family was tolerant of all religions. During the rule of the Hoysalas, three important religious developments took place in present-day Karnataka inspired by three philosophers, Basava , Madhvacharya and Ramanuja . While
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#17327800253604836-492: The fertile areas north of the Kaveri delta in present-day Tamil Nadu . By the 13th century, they governed most of Karnataka, north-western Tamil Nadu and parts of western Andhra Pradesh in the Deccan Plateau . The Hoysala era was an important period in the development of South Indian art, architecture, and religion. The Kingdom is remembered today primarily for Hoysala architecture ; 100 surviving temples are scattered across Karnataka. Well-known temples which exhibit what
4929-411: The form of cash, from trade and commerce generated considerable wealth for the Hoysala state, and enabled it to buy armaments, elephants, horses and precious goods. The state and the merchant class became interdependent, with some more prosperous merchants being known as Rajasresthigal (royal merchants), officially recognised on account of their wealth. They were seen as puramulasthamba ('the pillars of
5022-414: The hills above the Botanical Garden. A Tribal Museum was opened in 1995 as a part of the Tribal Research Center, located about (10 km (6.2 mi) from the town and hosts rare artifacts and photographs of tribal groups of Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar , and other anthropological and archaeological finds on early human culture and heritage. The Stone House was the first bungalow constructed in
5115-403: The hills. More than 200 species of birds are found in the region. According to the 2011 census , Udagamandalam had a population of 88,430 with a sex-ratio of 1,053 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of 7,781 were under the age of six, constituting 3,915 males and 3,866 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 28.98% and 0.30% of
5208-421: The hillsides with shola forests in the valleys. When the British populated the town, invasive species of pine , wattle and eucalyptus were planted along with tea plantations and they became the dominant species replacing the native vegetation. The region has one of the largest bengal tiger populations. The Indian elephant is the largest mammal in the region. The gaur is the largest ungulate in
5301-468: The historian Sailendra Sen has called "an amazing display of sculptural exuberance" include the Chennakeshava Temple in Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu, and the Chennakesava Temple in Somanathapura. These three temples were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2023. The Hoysala rulers also patronised the fine arts, encouraging literature to flourish in Kannada and Sanskrit . Early inscriptions, dated 1078 and 1090, have implied that
5394-420: The king releases them and gives up the practice of human sacrifice. In honour of this work, Janna received the title "Emperor among poets" ( Kavichakravarthi ) from King Veera Ballala II. Rudrabhatta , a Smarta Brahmin, was the earliest well-known Brahminical writer. His patron was Chandramouli, a minister of King Veera Ballala II. Based on the earlier work Vishnu Purana , he wrote Jagannatha Vijaya in
5487-437: The king to the level of "God on earth". Temple building served a commercial as well as a religious function and was not limited to any particular sect of Hinduism. Shaiva merchants of Halebidu financed the construction of the Hoysaleswara temple to compete with the Chennakesava temple built at Belur, elevating Halebidu to an important city as well. Hoysala temples however were secular and encouraged pilgrims of all Hindu sects,
5580-486: The legends "victor at Nolambavadi" ( Nolambavadigonda ), "victor at Talakad" ( Talakadugonda ), "chief of the Malepas" ( Maleparolganda ), "Brave of Malepa" ( malapavira ) in Hoysala style Kannada script. Their gold coin was called Honnu or Gadyana and weighed 62 grains of gold. Pana or Hana was a tenth of the Honnu , Haga was a fourth of the Pana and Visa was fourth of Haga . There were other coins called Bele and Kani . The first Hoysala capital
5673-644: The lord") The Hoysala administration supported itself through revenues from an agrarian economy. Land was assessed as being wet land, dry land or garden land for the purposes of taxation, and judged according to the quality of the soil. Taxes on commodities (gold, precious stones, perfumes, sandalwood, ropes, yarn, housing, hearths, shops, cattle pans, sugarcane presses) as well as produce (black pepper, betel leaves, ghee, paddy, spices, palm leaves, coconuts, sugar) are noted in village records. The Hoysalas encouraged people to move to newly-built villages by means of land grants and tax concessions. Taxes, collected in
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#17327800253605766-448: The margins. According to historian Sheldon Pollock, the Hoysala era saw the complete displacement of Sanskrit, with Kannada dominating as the courtly language. Temples served as local schools where learned Brahmins taught in Sanskrit, while Jain and Buddhist monasteries educated novice monks. Schools of higher learning were called Ghatikas . The local Kannada language was widely used in the rising number of devotional movements to express
5859-494: The marketplace, Nagara or Nagaram , the marketplace serving as the nuclei of a city. Some towns such as Shravanabelagola developed from a religious settlement in the 7th century to an important trading centre by the 12th century with the arrival of rich traders, while towns like Belur attained the atmosphere of a regal city when King Vishnuvardhana built the Chennakesava Temple there. Large temples supported by royal patronage served religious, social, and judiciary purposes, elevating
5952-475: The members of the royal family at all times. These servants moved closely yet inconspicuously by the side of their master, their loyalty being so complete that they committed suicide after his death. Hero stones ( virgal ) erected in memory of these bodyguards are called Garuda pillars. The Garuda pillar at the Hoysaleswara temple in Halebidu was erected in honor of Kuvara Lakshma, a minister and bodyguard of King Veera Ballala II. King Vishnuvardhana's coins had
6045-413: The neighboring states of Kerala and Karnataka and being a tourist destination, Malayalam , Kannada and English are also spoken and understood to an extent. According to the 2011 census, the most widely spoken languages in Udagamandalam taluk were Tamil, spoken by 88,896, followed by Badaga with 41,213 and Kannada with 27,070 speakers. Ooty is the headquarters of the Nilgiris district. The town
6138-430: The notable examples of Hoysala art. While the temples at Belur and Halebidu are the best known because of the beauty of their sculptures, the Hoysala art finds more complete expression in the smaller and lesser known temples. The outer walls of all these temples contain an intricate array of stone sculptures and horizontal friezes (decorative mouldings) that depict the Hindu epics. These depictions are generally clockwise in
6231-430: The origin of Lingayatism is debated, the movement grew through its association with Basava in the 12th century. Madhvacharya was critical of the teachings of Adi Shankara and argued the world is real and not an illusion. His Dvaita Vedanta gained popularity, enabling him to establish eight mathas in Udupi . Ramanuja, head of the Vaishnava monastery in Srirangam, preached the way of devotion ( bhakti marga ) and wrote
6324-482: The participation of women in the fine arts, such as Queen Shantala Devi's skill in dance and music, and the 12th-century vachana sahitya poet and Lingayati mystic Akka Mahadevi 's devotion to the bhakti movement is well known. Temple dancers ( Devadasi ) were common and some were well educated and accomplished in the arts. These qualifications gave them more freedom than other urban and rural women who were restricted to daily mundane tasks. The practice of sati in
6417-488: The population respectively. The average literacy of the city in 2011 was 90.2%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. The city had a total of 23,235 households. There were a total of 35,981 workers, comprising 636 cultivators, 5,194 agricultural labourers, 292 in household industries, 26,411 other workers, 3,448 marginal workers, 65 marginal cultivators, 828 marginal agricultural labourers, 56 marginal workers in household industries and 2,499 other marginal workers. As per
6510-403: The present-day site of Halebid . It became capital in 1062 and remained capital until the dynasty's end. The reason for the shift is unknown, but it may have been for administrative convenience. Canals were dug connecting Dwarasamudra with Belur and bringing water from the Yagachi to Dwarasamudra. Two trade routes passed through the city, and scores of temples were built in it. The city declined in
6603-406: The realm of folklore. Vishnuvardhana achieved a victory over the Cholas at Talakadu in 1116, and the legend may have arisen or gained popularity after this event, as the Hoysala emblem depicts Sala fighting a tiger, the tiger being the emblem of the Cholas. The Hoysalas originated from the Western Ghats , mountains north-west of Gangavadi in Mysore . They emerged as borderland chiefs during
6696-572: The region came into possession of British in 1799. It became part of Coimbatore district of the Madras Presidency . In 1818, J. C. Whish and N. W. Kindersley, assistants to John Sullivan , then collector of Coimbatore district, visited Kotagiri nearby and reported on the region's potential to serve as a summer retreat. Sullivan established his residence there and reported to the Board of Revenue on 31 July 1819. He also started work on
6789-501: The region that frequent grasslands in the vicinity of water sources. Other mega-fauna include Indian leopard and sloth bear . Smaller fauna include Jungle cat , rusty-spotted cat , leopard cat , dhole , Golden jackal , Nilgiri marten , Small Indian civet , Asian palm civet , brown palm civet , ruddy mongoose , wild boar , Indian pangolin , Indian crested porcupine and Indian giant squirrel . Indian giant flying squirrel , Smooth-coated otter groups are observed along
6882-423: The religious census of 2011, Udagamandalam had 64.36% Hindus , 21.25% Christians , 13.37% Muslims , 0.03% Sikhs , 0.3% Buddhists , 0.4% Jains , 0.28% following other religions and 0.02% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference. Tamil is the official language of Udagamandalam. Languages native to the Nilgiris including Badaga, Paniya , Irula and Kurumba . Due to its proximity to
6975-417: The ruler of that province ( Dandanayaka ). Under this local ruler were officials called Heggaddes and Gavundas who hired and supervised the local farmers and labourers recruited to till the land. Subordinate ruling clans such as Alupas continued to govern their respective territories while following the policies set by the empire. An elite and well-trained force of bodyguards known as Garudas protected
7068-489: The shape of wealthy Buddhist monasteries . Although Sanskrit literature remained popular during the Hoysala rule, royal patronage of local Kannada scholars increased. In the 12th century some works were written in the Champu style, but distinctive Kannada metres became more widely accepted. The Sangatya metre used in compositions, Shatpadi (six line), tripadi (three line) metres in verses and ragale (lyrical poems) became fashionable. Jain works continued to extol
7161-399: The society became increasingly sophisticated. The status of women was varied. Some royal women were involved in administrative matters as shown in contemporary records describing Queen Umadevi's administration of Halebidu in the absence of Veera Ballala II during his long military campaigns in northern territories. She also fought and defeated some antagonistic feudal rebels . Records describe
7254-483: The state. The Hoysalas put resources into repairing breached tanks and broken sluices , easily damaged by heavy rainfall. They collected taxes on irrigation systems, canals and wells, all of which were built and maintained at the expense of local villagers. Repairs were undertaken by the landlords as well as their workers; such repairs were considered to be a duty and a pious act. Importing horses for use as general transportation and in army cavalries of Indian Kingdoms
7347-493: The summer heat. The course occupies over 55 acres in the centre of Ooty. The course is about 2.4 km long. The main event of the racing season is "The Nilgiri Gold Cup Race". To commemorate 125 years of racing in this hill station, a special race for "The Post Centenary Silver Jubilee Cup" was run in 2011, and creating a garden is under discussion. A fire occurred at the race course in March 2011, believed to have been started by
7440-511: The town is 30.36 km (11.72 sq mi). Doddabetta is the highest peak (2,623 m or 8,606 ft) in the Nilgiris, about 10 km (6.2 mi) from Ooty. Ooty Lake is an artificial lake covering 65 acres (26 ha) created in 1824. The Pykara , a river located 19 km (12 mi) from Ooty, rises at Mukurthi peak and flows through a series of cascades with the last two falls of 55 metres (180 ft) and 61 metres (200 ft) known as Pykara falls. Kamaraj Sagar Dam
7533-405: The town. St Stephen's Church , built in 1829, is one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiris district. St. Thomas Church, opened in 1871, hosts many famous graves in the churchyard including those of Josiah John Goodwin , William Patrick Adam , whose grave is topped by a pillar monument dedicated to St. Thomas , the tallest structure in Ooty. Spread over an area of nearly 1 acre (0.40 ha),
7626-413: The towns'). The increased prosperity and prestige of some merchants encouraged them to open markets and weekly fairs, with some becoming Pattanaswami (town administrators), who had the authority to collect tolls on goods that entered the town. Merchants engaged in minting activities, sometimes producing the coins and supplying them to the state. Tanks (large reservoirs) were created at the expense of
7719-621: The traditional direction of circumambulation ( pradakshina ). The temple of Halebidu has been described as an outstanding example of Hindu architecture and an important milestone in Indian architecture. The temples of Belur and Halebidu are a proposed UNESCO world heritage sites . The support of the Hoysala rulers for the Kannada language was strong, and this is seen even in their epigraphs , often written in polished and poetic language, rather than prose, with illustrations of floral designs in
7812-629: The use of Soapstone (Chloritic schist), a soft stone as basic building and sculptural material. The Chennakesava Temple at Belur (1117), the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu (1121), the Chennakesava Temple at Somanathapura (1279), the temples at Arasikere (1220), Amruthapura (1196), Belavadi (1200), Nuggehalli (1246), Hosaholalu (1250), Aralaguppe (1250), Korvangla (1173), Haranhalli (1235), Mosale and Basaralu (1234) are some of
7905-457: The virtues of Tirthankaras (Jain saviour figures). The Hoysala court supported such notable poets as Janna , Rudrabhatta, Harihara and his nephew Raghavanka, whose works are enduring masterpieces in Kannada. In 1209, the Jain scholar Janna wrote Yashodharacharite , the story of a king who intends to perform a ritual sacrifice of two young boys to a local deity, Mariamma. Taking pity on the boys,
7998-490: Was 28.5 °C (83.3 °F) and the lowest temperature was −5.1 °C (22.8 °F). The town gets heavy rainfall during both South-West and North-East monsoons and the average rainfall is about 1,100 millimetres (43 in) of precipitation annually. Ooty forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the largest protected forest area in India. It was declared as a protected reserve in 1986 and
8091-475: Was Sosavur (also called Sasakapura, Sosevuru, or Sosavurpattana), at present-day Angadi in Chikmagalur district . Sosavur was the Hoysala capital from 1026 to 1048. Even after the capital was moved, though, Sosavur remained an important commercial and administrative centre, as well as a Jain religious centre. In 1048, the Hoysala capital was moved to Belur . Several factors made Belur an attractive site as
8184-539: Was a flourishing business on the western seaboard. Song dynasty records from China mention the presence of Indian merchants in ports of South China, indicating active trade with overseas Kingdoms. South India exported textiles, spices, medicinal plants, precious stones, pottery, salt made from salt pans, jewels, gold, ivory, rhino horn, ebony , aloe wood , perfumes, sandalwood , camphor and condiments to China, Dhofar , Aden , and Siraf (the entryport to Egypt, Arabia and Persia ). In its administrative practices,
8277-611: Was also a cricket ground with regular matches played between teams from the Army and Indian Civil Service . There were riding stables and kennels at Ooty and the hounds hunted across the surrounding countryside and the open grasslands of the Wenlock downs . Horse racing is held at the Ooty Racecourse . Ooty Golf Course is at an altitude of 7,600 feet (2,300 m) and extends over 193.56 acres (78.33 ha). Ooty varkey
8370-543: Was anglicised to Ootacamund by the British , with the first part of the name ( Ootaca ), a corruption of the local name for the region and the second part ( Mand ), a shortening of the local Toda word Mandu . The first known written mention of the place is given as Wotokymund in a letter dated March 1821, written to the Madras Gazette by an unknown correspondent. Ootacamund was later shortened to Ooty . Ooty
8463-795: Was formed in 1885, and the Mettupalayam-Coonoor section of the track was opened for traffic on 15 June 1899. The railway was operated by the Madras Railway until 31 December 1907, when it was handed over to the South Indian Railway . The line from Coonoor to Ooty was completed in 1908. Operated currently by the Southern Railway zone of Indian Railways , it is the only rack railway in India and operates on its own fleet of steam locomotives between Coonoor and Udagamandalam. In July 2005, UNESCO added
8556-669: Was killed at the battle of Madurai in 1343, and the sovereign territories of the Hoysala Kingdom were merged with the areas administered by Harihara I in the Tungabhadra River region. This new Hindu Kingdom resisted the northern invasions and would later prosper and come to be known as the Vijayanagara Empire . The empire consisted of the valleys of three main rivers, the Krishna , the Tungabhadra, and
8649-432: Was reclaimed, and new settlements were established. Large areas of forest were cleared to bring lands under cultivation and build villages. The Hoysala kings gave grants of land as rewards for service to the heads of families, who then became landlords ( gavunda ) to tenants who worked on the land and in the forests. The praja gavunda ("the gavunda of the people") had a lower status than the wealthier prabhu gavunda ("of
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