Yercaud Hill station

Yercaud Hill Station is a fascinating hill station of Tamil Nadu, situated about 8 kms from the district of Salem. It is situated at an altitude of 5000 ft above sea level, and the highest point in Yercaud is the Servarayan Temple, at 5,326 feet (1,623 m). As a popular tourist destination, Yercaud is also called as Jewel of the South. It falls on the Shevaroy Range of Hills in the Eastern Ghats. Thus the Yercaud hill area is also called the "Shevaroy Hills". Sir Thomas Munroe, the then Governor of Madras exposed this beautiful hill station of Tamil Nadu in 1824.

Scenically, Yercaud is as enchanting and picturesque as the hill stations on the Eastern Ghats. There are a number of lakes big and small and waterfalls on this hill. The beautiful lake here has boating facilities. Yercaud is also ideal for trekking. Its low profile makes it a less expensive destination in South India. Yercaud"s pretty landscape mostly comprises coffee plantations and thickly forested slopes. It offers good trekking and boating opportunities. Yercaud has neither a biting winter nor a scorching summer. So, it is an ideal place to go around throughout the year.

The term "Yer" means beauty in Tamil, "Kadu" means forest as this is flourished with fruit plantations like apple, cherry and orange. Hence, Yercaud in Tamil means "beautiful forest". It is also explained as Seven Forest.

The National Orchidarium and Botanical garden is situated in Yercaud, it is maintained by southern circle of Botanical Survey of India. The total area of Orchidarium is 18.4 hectares. There are 3000 trees and 1800 shrubs grown in Orchidarium. Insectivorous pitcher plant is among the interesting plants grown in the Botanical garden. Some of the original forests still exist in the Yercaud hills and contain several endemic species of plants and fauna. Coffee and citrus fruits, most notably oranges, are grown in abundance, as well as bananas, pears and jackfruit.

The local wildlife includes bison, deer, ant-eater, rabbits, hares, foxes, mongoose, squirrels, partridges, snakes, bulbuls, kites, sparrows, swallows and paradise flycatchers.

Temples of Yercaud are situated in the in the beautiful valleys and peaks of the region and are of utmost religious significance. Yercaud, a small hill station in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, has two major temples, Servaroyan Temple and Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple; other than these temples there are also few temples and mosques in this region. Devotees and worshippers come to see these temples from various regions of the state of Tamil Nadu. Yercaud, a stunning and picturesque hill station is a popular religious destination and pilgrimage site.

The most popular and important temples of Yercaud are-
Servaroyan Temple
The Servarayan temple in Yercaud is located on the top of Servarayan Hills, also known as Shervaroy Hills, at the height of 5326 feet. The Servarayan temple is basically a narrow, slender, long and dark cave that houses the God Servarayan, who is the god of the Servarayan hill and is believed to protect all the nearby villages and areas. Lord Servarayan is considered as a guardian angel by the locals of Yercaud. The temple also has Goddess Kaveri inside the cave, who is believed to be the goddess of the nearby Kaveri River. The local people in the nearby villages believe that the cave of the temple is vary long and deep and runs upto the Kaveri River. The Servarayan temple is considered as sacred and holy place and the population of Yercaud worship the temple with utmost devotion. Every year, in the month of May, the local tribal people, who live mostly in the hills, celebrate an annual festival conducted in the premises of the Servarayan temple.

The Servarayan Hills, the 3rd highest peak in the range, is actually a flat-topped plateau. The hills offer a majestic view of the nearby mountain range. The entire town of Yercaud, as well as Nagalur, is visible from the Servarayan Hills. Due to lack of availability of proper transport system, special arrangements need to be made in order to reach the temple.

Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple
Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple in Yercaud is devoted to the Hindu Goddess Sri Raja Rajeswari. This temple was established in the year 1983, by Tirukovilur Thapovanam Srila Sri Gnananada Giri Swamigal Parampara Disciple, Swami Poornanda Giri. The temple is currently managed by V Sri, son of the founder. Sri Raja Rajeswari is considered as the goddess amongst all other gods that appear in the Hindu Pantheon. Inside the temple, the idol of goddess Sri Raja Rajeswari is placed on top of Sada Shiva and is encircled and surrounded by various gods of the Hindu religion like Vishnu, Ishwar, Brahma, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Rudra etc. The people of that region believe that by worshipping to the goddess a person can gain spiritual enhancement and bliss along with prosperity and success.

Other than the above temples, there is also a Rama temple, devoted to Lord Rama, on the eastern side of the hills in Yercaud. This region is known as Pyramid Point due to the presence of Pagoda, created out of piles of stones, set randomly. Moreover there are a number of popular churches like The Retreat church, The Sacred Heart church, Holy Trinity church, Lutheran church, St Joseph`s church and C S G church. There are also popular a mosque in Yercaud, where many devotees come, particularly on festive occasions.

Places to see in Yercaud have lot to offer to people. People from across the country visit the place to get a glimpse of all the tourist spot that Yercaud has on offer. This beautiful hill station of Tamil Nadu has various interesting places for tourism purposes. Some of them are given here:

Yercaud Lake
Yercaud Lake, also known as Emerald Lake, situated in the popular hill station of Yercaud, in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, is the major tourist attraction of the region. Located in the hill station of Yercaud, which has an altitude of 1515 meters, Emerald Lake is the only natural lake amongst all other hill station lakes in southern India. Yercaud is conveniently linked with the city of Salem, in Tamil Nadu and the temperature always remains pleasant and varies between 29 ° C and 13 ° C.

Central Island on Yercaud Lake : Yercaud Lake also contains an island at the centre of the lake. The island is a stunning landscape which is connected through a bridge. The island houses some deers and peacocks to entice the travelers.

Gardens and Parks around Yercaud Lake : Yercaud Lake is encompassed by a number of parks and gardens. On one of the banks of the lake, a beautifully landscaped and maintained garden is situated. The garden on the side of Yercaud Lake is properly groomed and appears finest when visited during the Summer Festival, which is organised in the month of May every year. Furthermore, the surrounding area is adorned with dark woods and lush vegetation. There are some other parks as well like Children Park, Lake Park, Gandhi Park, Leisure Park, Anna Park and Deer Park.

Anna Park of Yercaud
This is a beautifully decorated garden near the Yercaud Lake. It is a dreamland of fragrance and colour with buzzing bees busily seeking honey in the flowers.

Lady`s Seat of Yercaud
This is situated on the winding Ghat road and is a spectacular viewpoint. From here, one can enjoy the panoramic view of the plains down the mountain. One can enjoy a breath taking and dizzy experience by looking down the steep gorge. During the night, Salem city looks like a far-off dream with the twinkling lights, which is an unforgettable spectacle. One can have the picturesque view of the valley below through a telescope from the Lady`s seat.

Kulliar Falls of Yercaud
This is situated at 3000 ft high. This waterfall is situated among the sylvan surroundings. One can spend hours seeing the beautiful sight without any boredom.

Bear Cave of Yercaud
It is built of two huge boulders and is situated near Nation Bungalow, the oldest bungalow here.

Servaroyan Temple of Yercaud
This temple is situated at the top of the Shevaroys. This is said to be the third highest peak in the range. As no regular transport services are available to reach this place, one is needed to arrange special guide and vehicle to go there. The annual festival here is observed in the month of May and the entire hill tribes around come together to celebrate it.

Temples of Yercaud
The two renowned temples of Yercaud are the Servaroyan temple and Sri Rajarajeswari temple. The devotees from different parts of the state come here.

Churches of Yercaud
The Sacred Heart Church, the Retreat Church, St.Joseph`s Church, Holy Trinity Church, C.S.G. Church and Lutheran Church are the important churches of Yercaud. All these are worth visiting.

Mosque of Yercaud
The Yercaud Mosque attracts lots of people, especially on Fridays and during any religious celebration.

Other places of interest in Yercaud
Some other interesting places of Yercaud include the Ornamental Plants and Tree House, Orchard cum nursery of rose plants etc. Silk farm, Horticultural Research Station, Orchidorium, Mettur View, Cauvery Peak and Salem View are among other attractions of Yercaud.

Summer festival during middle of May attracts lots of tourists in Yercaud. The Pagoda Point, Prospect Point and Arthur`s Seat are the other interesting viewpoints to look in Yercaud.