KOTTARAKARA COLLEGE ALUMNI FAMILY ASSOCIATION VISITED OOTY BOTANICAL GARDEN

KOTTARAKARA COLLEGE ALUMNI FAMILY ASSOCIATION VISITED OOTY BOTANICAL GARDEN

Kottarkara Colege Alumni Family Association visited  Ootty Botanical garden on 25^th May, 2014. The team includes 50 members. The annual Alumni Family meet was held at Vayanadu Kuruva Island at 4 P.M. Prof. John Kurakar,Founder secretary of the Alumni Association presided. Mr. Sarasan Kottarakara welcomed the members. The Government Botanical in Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Tamil Nadu state, India laid out in 1848.The Gardens, divided into several sections, cover an area of around 22 hectares, and lie on the lower slopes of Doddabetta peak.The garden has a terraced layout. It is maintained by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department.

It ascends the slopes of the hill at an elevation of 2250–2500 metres above Mean Sea Level.The garden enjoys a temperate climate, with an average rainfall of 140 cms, the most of which is received during south-west monsoon, with frosty nights from November to February. The maximum and minimum temperatures are 28 °C and 0 °C respectively.

This garden was laid out in 1847 by the Marquis of Tweedale and is spread over 55 acres. Lush green well maintained lawns, rare tree species (like the cork tree which is probably the only such tree in India, the paper bark tree and the monkey puzzle tree - monkeys cannot climb this tree), a 20 million year old fossilized tree, an Italian-style garden bordering a clear pool, a vast variety of flowering bushes and plants in myriad hues (exotic and ornamental), fern house with a vast range of ferns and orchids, are some of the many highlights of this garden. A flower show along with an exhibition of rare plant species is held every year in the month of May at this garden. The Garden is maintained by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu and has a very wide variety of plants that include different types of roses, imported shrubs, rare flowering plants etc. The "Summer Festivals" is held each year during the month of May in the Botanical Garden and is an added attraction for tourists. The Flower Show is the pride of the festival. To the east of the garden is the Toda mund (hill). The Todas are the native tribe. At the mund is a display highlighting the different aspects of their traditional culture.

Ooty Botanical Gardens should be at the top of every tourist’s list. Visitors are greeted with astounding colorful natural beauty from the moment they pass through the gates. For more than 160 years, foreign and local travelers have strolled the lush green lawns of the garden, admiring the stunning variety of flowers, ferns and orchids.

The botanical gardens in Ooty is home to many rare species of trees. Chief among them are the cork tree, the only one of its kind in India. The paper bark tree, the monkey puzzle tree and an old fossilized tree  (estimated to be 20 million years old) round out the other rare species. The monkey puzzle tree has been named so because even monkeys fail to climb it.

Newlyweds, on a honeymoon in Ooty, will fit right in with the scores of other Indian couples of all ages who seek privacy under shade, as nature lovers enjoy leisurely strolls throughout the gardens. The garden, begun in 1847 and located on the highest peak of Ooty, is divided into six different sections: Lower Garden, New Garden, Italian Garden (Not to be missed), Conservatory, Fountain Terrace, Nurseries. Maintenance workers from the Horticulture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu are seen in a multitude of daily chores to keep all parts of the gardens appearing their best.

                       Prof. John Kurakar