Thengumarahada

If you love nature and travel, get ready to go to Thengumarahada. A sleepy village with bountiful species of flora and fauna, a beautiful river, a possible sighting of tiger, bison, elephant and deer at close proximity - all in Thengumarahada. It's an ideal weekend destination for those seeking a short break.

Thengumarahada

Thengumarahada is a village in Kotagiri Taluk, Nilgris District, Tamilnadu. It is the largest among the seven tribal villages found in the Moyar valley belonging to Nilgris District. The village is surrounded on three sides by mountains and one side by the Moyar River.

It is situated at the foothills of Nilgris mountains and Dhimbam Ghats in the Eastern Ghats and this particular section connects the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats in Nilgris. Thengumarahada is referred to as the 'the paddy bowl of Nilgris', the extensive cultivation of paddy in the plains justifying the name. River Moyar is the lifeline of the jungle, the flora and fauna and the Irula tribe.

Villages that are nearby are Denad (7 km), Kengarai (4 km), Nedugula (7 Km), Kodanad (8.9 km), Jackanarai (9.9 km) and towns near Thengumarahada Kotagari (9.4 km), Coonoor (19.4 km), Ooty (27.2 km) and Gudalur (53.2 Km).

Reaching Thengumarahada

Easily accessible by road, Thengumarahada is 35 kms from Bhavani Sagar Reservoir, 40 kms from Bannari in Erode district and 401 kms from Chennai. The ideal way would be to drive down in a SUV, jeep, land rover or an all-terrain vehicle till Bhavani Sagar. Traveling an additional 5 km, its destination Kaarachikarai. Thengumarahada is 30 kms from here.

Best time to go to Thengumarahada

November and December are the best months of the year to visit.

Accommodation in Thengumarahada

Contact District Forest Officer, Nilgiris North Division, Udhagamandalam and seek accommodation at the Forest Department trekking camp in the village.

Holidaying at Thengumarahada

Top attractions are camping, trekking and bird-watching. The green paddy fields offer a visual treat to the visitors and attract birds of different species. Babblers, Larks, Robins are native to the region. The village surrounded by blue-grey mountains is undoubtedly a trekker's paradise. Jungle trekking is the best thing to do, if you love wildlife, or are fascinated by sighting animals in their natural surroundings. The area is blessed with abundance of wildlife. A pug mark of a tiger, black bucks, deer, sightings of guar and sambar can be equally rewarding.

The most common trekking trails include up to Kodanad, a three and a half hours trekking or the Sirur-Aanaikatti- Masinagudi route. From Kodanadu viewpoint, the descent starts from an altitude of 2000 meters to 350 meters stretching across 16-17 kms. Prior permission from forest officials is required for a night safari in the jungle. Walking down the dusty road to Halimoyar village, home to Irula tribe adds a different interesting dimension to the trekking experience.

Return rejuvenated

Weekend gateway to Thengumarahada can be casual and relaxing or adventurous and exciting.