Kodaikanal, a hill station in India is often refered to as the “Princess of Hills”. Last saturday i understood the wisdom of those words. It is so beautiful and preserved as was 15 years back when i visted the place with my grandpa.
The views were splendid, the sun rays as virgin as ever, the breeze with that romantic aura, the trees flirting with the wind, the birds singing to beat beethoven’s compositions.
Ooty, a sister place of Kodaikanal is a hill station some 4 hours away. But, i couldn’t help thinking about the stark destinies they are in now. Ooty, reachable easily from bangalore and other states such as Kerala have born the brunt of commercialisation. The once prestine green hills now wear a ‘bald man’ look. People from Bangalore often wonder why they travelled to Ooty to see themselves caught up in another traffic jam!.
The Tamil Nadu Tourism development corporation i guess is least bothered. There are no green initiatives such as planting trees or some city-civic initiative such as keeping the town clean or anything. I feel they have taken Ooty for granted for a long time, that they have passed the tipping point of returning back. Kodaikanal may not be far behind from this neglect, beacuse the same body takes care of the tourist places in Kodaikanal.
But for now, Kodaikanal is a beauty and Ooty is dead and gone.
R.I.P Ooty..we will miss you…
