D.RADHAKRISHNAN | January 16, 2013
With thousands of tourists thronging this holiday destination, thanks to the Pongal holidays, was celebrated with considerable enthusiasm notwithstanding the abnormally warm weather (that is, by local standards) during the day and the bitter chill experienced after dusk.
Tourists including a good number of foreigners flocked to scenic spots while the local people made a beeline to various temples.
Speaking to The Hindu , V.Ramsundar, Assistant Director of Horticulture, said that from Friday itself the number of tourists visiting the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) had been steadily rising.
While it was 3,270 on January 11, it had gone up to 6,800 the following day. On January 13 it was 7,900 and on Pongal day 9,600. On Tuesday the total number of visitors was about 10,000 according to sources here.
The Secretary, Nilgiri Hotels and Restaurants Association (NHRA), N.Chandra- shekar, said that most of the hotels had reported good occupancy during the Pongal weekend.
At the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here many tourists celebrated Elephant Pongal on Tuesday. About 22 camp elephants participated. A few of them performed puja at the local temple.
A special puja was also performed for Ranga, an abandoned elephant calf which has been ailing for the past few weeks.
The Deputy Director, MTR, A.Ameer Haja, served Pongal to the visitors.
Interacting with them, he explained the significance of the occasion.
The tourists were informed that they were lucky to celebrate Pongal at one of the best known wildlife reserves in the country.
Along with their regular food, pongal, jaggery and sugarcane were served by Mr.Haja and some tourists to the pachyderms.
The curtain will be brought down on the Pongal celebrations on Wednesday with a Tourist Pongal Festival at the Boat House here.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/elephant-pongal-at-mudumalai-tiger-reserve-draws-tourists/article4311341.ece
Most of the hotels in the region reported good occupancy during the Pongal holidays this year
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| Festival mood:Elephant Pongal being celebrated at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on Tuesday |
- Tourists, including a good number of foreigners flocked to scenic spots
- Local people made a beeline to various temples in the hill-station
With thousands of tourists thronging this holiday destination, thanks to the Pongal holidays, was celebrated with considerable enthusiasm notwithstanding the abnormally warm weather (that is, by local standards) during the day and the bitter chill experienced after dusk.
Tourists including a good number of foreigners flocked to scenic spots while the local people made a beeline to various temples.
Speaking to The Hindu , V.Ramsundar, Assistant Director of Horticulture, said that from Friday itself the number of tourists visiting the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) had been steadily rising.
Tourists
While it was 3,270 on January 11, it had gone up to 6,800 the following day. On January 13 it was 7,900 and on Pongal day 9,600. On Tuesday the total number of visitors was about 10,000 according to sources here.
The Secretary, Nilgiri Hotels and Restaurants Association (NHRA), N.Chandra- shekar, said that most of the hotels had reported good occupancy during the Pongal weekend.
At the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here many tourists celebrated Elephant Pongal on Tuesday. About 22 camp elephants participated. A few of them performed puja at the local temple.
A special puja was also performed for Ranga, an abandoned elephant calf which has been ailing for the past few weeks.
The Deputy Director, MTR, A.Ameer Haja, served Pongal to the visitors.
Interacting with them, he explained the significance of the occasion.
The tourists were informed that they were lucky to celebrate Pongal at one of the best known wildlife reserves in the country.
Along with their regular food, pongal, jaggery and sugarcane were served by Mr.Haja and some tourists to the pachyderms.
The curtain will be brought down on the Pongal celebrations on Wednesday with a Tourist Pongal Festival at the Boat House here.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/elephant-pongal-at-mudumalai-tiger-reserve-draws-tourists/article4311341.ece
hi.... nice post and amazing information about Elephant Pongal at Mudumalai .
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