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The highest railway station in the country in situated at 7,000 ft. in the Nilgiri mountains of South India. This is
Lovedale, on the edge of Ootacamund, where the view down the track is dotted with the quaint haunts of Ketti village. Home to
the Badugas and tribes such as the Todas, Ketti represents a way of life that revolves around caring for livestock and cultivation of vegetables and potatoes. The setting is idyllic in the Ketti valley and the weather salubrious.
On a clear day it is possible to discern the farthest outline of the western ghats, not far from their junction with the eastern ghats. The other prominent features of the region are endless carpets of tea gardens whose produce is world famous. Ketti is easily reached by road. Good roads from Ootacamund link it to Coimbatore within Tamil Nadu in the south and via the Mudumalai Bandipur Game Sanctuary and Mysore, with Bangalore in Karnataka to the north.
Also for the visitor to Ketti is a wealth of natural beauty reposing in the Wenlock Downs, the Municipal Gardens and Dodabetta Peak, at 2,623 m - the highest in the Nilgiris. In the village, one soon adapts to the "early to bed, early to rise" mode.
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Even before the sun has risen, the village wakes up. Cow bells resonate musically across the valley while smoke spirals skywards from the tiled houses below. The aroma of eucalyptus is pervasive as Ketti seems to blend with the distant view. The tranquil air is punctured only by the shrill whistle of the Blue Mountain or Nilgiri Express, as it heaves up the final slope.
Walks around the village can be an invigorating afternoon experience, winding
up above stately homes such as "Sunny Bank" within the boundary of Ootacamund
town. When night falls, one will delight in the unbelievable clusters of stars that seem to be just an arm's length away.
Location:
100 km from Coimbatore
Getting there:
By Air: The nearest airport is Coimbatore (100 km away).
By Rail: Nearest rail station is Ootacamund.
Where to stay:
A variety of deluxe and standard accommodation is available in Ootacamund.
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