"Yercaud" Yercaud by DeepaViswanathan

Yercaud got its name from the Tamil words, yeri and kaadu, meaning lake and
forest respectively. It is situated at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,920
feet), on the Shevaroy hills of the Eastern Ghats.

Yercaud is also called "Ooty of the Poor" and is known for Coffee
Plantations and Orange Groves. It is still comparatively more peaceful and
cheaper in comparison with the other southern resorts. The highest point in
Yercaud is Servaroyan Temple, which is situated at a height of 5,326.

Prime Attractions
Yercaud Lake
The Yercaud Lake with a picturesque pool surrounded by gardens and
well-wooded trees are the first things that attract a visitor. The garden
surrounding the lake is well groomed and best seen during the month of May
when the Summer Festival is organized.Trees surround the 1Km lake all
round. It is a pleasurable experience to go boating in this lake. Depending
on one's budget one can take a two-seater or a six-seater boat.

One can avail the boating facilities available here. Boats come in two
options. Paddling ones for a couple or four and the other type where there
is a guy rowing it for you as you relax. Boating in the cold water of the
lake is enhancing as well as refreshing.

Anna Park
Anna Park is situated near the Yercaud Lake is very beautiful. Nearby,
there are few other parks like Lake Park, Gandhi Park, and Children Park,
which are worth visiting.

Lady's Seat
Lady's seat is one of the best views that Yercaud promises. Tourists can
get a panoramic view of the ghats and all the distant vehicles dwindling
their way in and out of trees along the winding ghat road. It surely is a
breath-taking view. The view is spectacular particularly in the night with
the twinkling lights of Salem town in sight. Tourists can have a panoramic
view of the plains below, a full view of Namakkal and Salem with the help
of the telescope mounted at the Lady's Seat.The Mettur Dam across River
Kaveri can be seen towards the extreme right, and can be best spotted in
the afternoon when the sunrays reflect off the river waters.

Pagoda Point
Pagoda Point is also another viewpoint, which is worth visiting. It is so
known because a number of pyramid-like structures abound here. The Anjaneya
temple here is believed, by the locals to be very powerful. One can get a
full view of Salem from here.

Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church is a century old and is beautifully maintained. Other
churches include the 100-year-old Trinity Church, the Sacred Heart,
Lutheran, St Joseph's and The Retreat.

National Orchidarium
National Orchidarium is located 2-km away from the lake, with India's third
largest orchid house (after the ones in Calcutta and Shillong). It has over
a hundred species of orchids, including nearly 30 very rare ones. These
include Vernonia Shevarayensis, Paphiopedilum Deuryi (lady's slipper
orchid), the intriguing insect-eating pitcher plant (Nepenthes Khasiana),
etc.

Killiyur Falls
Killiyur falls, 300 feet high waterfalls are situated amidst picturesque
surroundings. The water comes via a stream all the way from the Big Lake.
It is quite distant and worth the walk through the woods. If one walks down
from the Servaroyan Temple, one reaches the falls.

The Servaroyan Temple
The Servaroyan temple is situated atop Servaroyan hill. This temple is of
great prominence in which Lord Servarayan is offered prayers and the
tribes living in these hills celebrate their annual festival in May every
year. This deity, the local people believe, is theguardian angel for the 67
villages in and around Yercaud. This temple is inside a cave and one has to
bend to go in with people let inside in batches.
As the locals say, the cave extends beyond the temple all the way to the
Kaveri in Karnataka, a distance of 480 km. Very few have explored the full
cave. It is believed some saints, in the days gone by, had traveled the
full length. Tipu Sultan was supposed to have hidden in this cave during a
war.
The Raja Rajeswari Amman temple is next to it along with the Jothi Samadhi
ashram. The massive Rajarajeswari idol is installed in a sitting posture,
and 4.5 feet tall.