Recharge your batteries !. Review on Yelagiri

The first thing that I did on reaching home the Friday night was to do a net search for a hill station near Chennai. Yelagiri was the first name to pop out. So having convinced my wife and kids , started early on 24th Oct’09 from Chennai.

Take the Ponnamalle high road and keep going straight – cross Kancheepuram, Vellore and reach Vaniyambadi. Don’t go beneath the bypass – you would enter the town and waste nearly half an hour, as I did. From Vanniyambadi take left for Yelagiri. The road is fantastic and drive of 227 kms was a smooth one for the toll of around Rs 150 that you pay. [180 kms from Bangalore]

There are 14 hair pin bends and as you climb up the weather becomes cooler – a refreshing change from the hot Chennai weather.

The previous night I had called up Salman [+919840029445] of Taj Zeenath Resorts[https://zeenathtaj.com/] for two double bedded cottages. Take my word – there are not many good resorts in Yelagiri – so would recommend this resort for families.

The resort has around 10 cottages and the ones that I had [ cottage 14/15- each Rs 1500/night ] over looked a orchard and a open area.

Since I reached around 11 am – the staff told me that they wouldn’t be serving lunch for me – so had to do with bread / eggs.

There are a few places to see nearby : Lake [ Rs 15 for a boat ride ]/ Nature Park [ Rs 10 for adults / Rs 25 for musical fountain in the evening 7.30 – 8.30 p.m ] / lake at Navloor. It’s a straight road once you come out from this resort – all within a drive of 5 kms one way. I think most of us would enjoy the silk worm farm at Mangalam. Ask any one for the silk worm farm – and directions would point for a straight 3 km drive.

Mr. Chinnadurai is the scientist currently in charge of the facility and has created a demonstration centre for ignorant city folks like us. He had specimens for larvae , pupae and silk worm cocoons and patiently explained that there are four types of silk – the kids enjoyed and so did I. He took us to the mulberry garden which acts as a feed for the larvae. A cocoon gives silk for 120 mts !

Back to the hotel – freshened up – couple of rides in the swing and Perumal [ the resort manager ] arranges for a walk in the forest to the sunset point. This is the other highlight of this resort. A jungle path next to the resort meanders through a vast eucalyptus jungle to a mountain top which over looks the value.

For a city kid to walk in a desolate jungle path with birds for company – is exciting. The guide was using a stick which hit the bushes on both side for keeping snakes [?] at bay. The road is pretty flat and only at the end do you use your hands to crawl up the boulders. The view from the top is awesome. In front of you the roads snaking upwards far above the plains, and on both your sides are the tall eucalyptus trees giving you company.

I saw the sun change from a yellow ball to a glowing red flaming ball – took lot of photos – and started climbing back. One suggestion – while the road is a straight one, would prefer that you take a guide , especially if you have kids with you. Once back to the resort a steaming cup of tea was definitely a welcome break.

I drove down to the musical fountain nearby and was back by 8.30 p.m. The dinner [ and the lunch- both Rs 150 / head ] is served under the big trees – it’s a open air buffet – very interesting ambience and excellent food ! The night was chilly – a stroll in the orchards fills your lungs with cold chilly air! Next day was a Sunday – didn’t feel like getting up but had too! You can’t run away from karma – can you?

The kids spent time on the playground, I looked around for different types of spiders in the jungle , my wife and mother were lazing the garden. A filling breakfast [ Rs 100 / head ] and a fantastic biriyani in lunch – was forcing me to reconsider my departure time, but ultimately started from the place around 2.30 p.m and was back to Chennai by 7 p.m.

And yes – you do get mobile connection at the top of the hill. If you want to recharge your batteries – by doing nothing and enjoying good living with no shopping to do – go to Yelagiri and would recommend Taj Zeenath for staying.