Coimbatore City Travel Guide
- Tamil Nadu
General Information Of
Coimbatore
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Area 105.60 sq. km
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Population 8,16,321
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Altitude 43.2 m above sea
level
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Languages Tamil, English
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STD Code 0422
Best time to visit December and March
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Introduction to city Coimbatore -
In Tamil Nadu
Located in the foothills of the Nilgiri Hills, Coimbatore is an
industrial city of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The
city is an important textile-manufacturing centre in India and
as such it is sometimes also called as /’Manchester of South
India/’. There are more than a hundred textile mills in and
around Coimbatore apart from a number of other manufacturing
units, which produce engineering equipment and electronic items.
Coimbatore existed even prior to the 2nd century AD as a small
tribal village called Kongunad. It was Karikalan, the first of
the early Cholas, who brought Kongunad under Chola control in
the second or third century AD. Some of the great rulers who
ruled over the city were the Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Pandyas,
Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara kings. It was only when Kongunad
fell to the British along with the rest of the state, its name
was changed to Coimbatore.
The city/’s nearness to the Nilgiri hills gives it a pleasant
climate that is much cooler than the coastal regions of Tamil
Nadu. Summers are hot with the maximum temperature reaching 39°C
and the minimum temperature going down to 21°C. Winters are mild
with the maximum temperature hovering around 30°C and the
minimum temperature rarely going below 15°C. Coimbatore
experiences rains in October-November, brought about by the
retreating monsoons (north-eastern monsoon).
Sightseeing : Places to visit in
destination - Coimbatore
Nestled in the shadows of the Western Ghats and blessed with a
pleasant climate throughout the year, Coimbatore is one of the
interesting tourist spots of South India. The city has a diverse
flora and fauna and its landscape is dotted with magnificent
temples. The city also is a centre of a rich agricultural area
and home to one of the major agricultural universities in the
country. Some other attractions of the city are
VOC Park, Perur Temple, Marudhamalai Temple and Forest College.
Coimbatore Sightseeing : Places to visit in destination
Coimbatore
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Places to visit in the city Coimbatore |
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VOC PARK AND ZOO (AMUSEMENT PARK)
- Coimbatore
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Named after the famous freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram,
the VOC Park is an interesting place to visit in
Coimbatore, especially if you are accompanied by kids. For
the young ones, the main attractions within the park
include the aquarium, which has a good collection of
different species of fish, a mini zoo, and a toy train for
joyrides. |
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AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY -
Coimbatore
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The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University is one of the
interesting places to visit in Coimbatore. Five kilometres
away from the railway station, the university is one of
the best institutions of its kind in South Asia. The
university also houses a botanical garden which is the
main source of attraction here. It is located towards the
west of the city centre and is spread over an area of 300
hectares. The garden has a good collection of different
species of flowering plants and trees. |
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PERUR TEMPLE - Coimbatore
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Perur is a small town situated about 6 km from Coimbatore.
Its main claim to fame is the holy Perur Temple, one of
the seven Kongu Sivalayams. The outer buildings of the
temple were built by rulers of Madurai in the 17th century
but the inner shrine is much older. The temple is
dedicated to Lord Shiva. One of the remarkable features
here is the figure of a sepoy (Indian soldier) loading a
musket carved on the base of the pillar near the entrance,
wearing identical dress to that of the Aurangzeb/’s
soldiers. |
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MARUDHAMALAI TEMPLE -
Coimbatore
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Located on a hillock about 12 km from Coimbatore Railway
Station, the temple of Marudhamalai, dedicated to Lord
Subramanya, is one of the most visited temples in the
region. One of the reasons of the large number of devotees
flocking the temple is that the residing deity
Dandayuthapani is believed to have performed several
miracles here. Thai Poosam and Tirukarthigai festivals are
celebrated with great pomp and gaiety at this temple.
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FOREST COLLEGE - Coimbatore
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Located about 3.5 km north of the Railway Station, the
Forest College is one of the oldest institutions of its
kind in the country. A visit to the College Museum is an
interesting experience. This museum has an interesting
collection of different minerals, rocks, pests, snakes,
insects and fungal diseases that afflict plants and trees.
The college also trains forest rangers.
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Coimbatore Excursion : Places nearby
Coimbatore - Tamil Nadu
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Places to visit nearby destination - Coimbatore |
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Excursions : Places nearby
city - Coimbatore
The places around Coimbatore also make interesting tourist
destinations. The serene natural surroundings, picturesque
locales and the diverse fauna enchant all those who move
out of Coimbatore for excursions. Some of the excursion
spots around Coimbatore are Siruvania Waterfalls,
Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Thirumoorthy temple and
Bhavani. Coimbatore also serves as entry and exit
points to neighbouring Kerala and the ever-popular hill
station of Udhagamandalam (Ooty).
Annamalai Wildlife
Sanctuary
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Situated near Pollachi at a distance of around 90 km, the
Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary forms an interesting
excursion from Coimbatore. The sanctuary, situated at an
altitude of 1,400 metres in the Western Ghats, is home to
different kind of animals and birds like elephant, gaur,
tiger, panther, sloth bear, deer, wild bear, wild dog,
porcupine, flying squirrel, jackal, pangolin, civet cat
and birds like rocket-tailed drongo, re-whiskered bulbul,
black-headed oriole, tree pie, spotted dove, and green
pigeon. The Amaravathy reservoir in the Annamalai has a
large number of crocodiles. Annamalai also has many places
of scenic beauty such as Karainshola, Anaikunthi shola,
grass hills, waterfalls, dams and reservoirs. |
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Bhavani
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Called as Tiruveni of South India, the Sangameshwarar
temple at Bhavani is situated at the confluence of the
rivers Bhavani and Cauvery. The temple is an important
pilgrim centre and has Lord Sangameshwarer with His
consort Vedanayaki as its presiding deity. Legend has it
that during the East India Company regime, William Garrow,
the then Collector of Coimbatore and Salem districts, who
had his headquarters at Bhavani, used to worship Goddess
Vedanayaki. One night he had a dream in which the Goddess
directed him to vacate his bungalow immediately. The
moment he moved out, the entire bungalow collapsed. In
reverence of this miracle, he presented an ivory cradle to
the temple. The cradle is still present in the temple with
his signature. |
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Siruvani Waterfalls
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Thirty-seven kilometres to the west of the city is located
the Siruvani waterfall and dam. One is left enchanted and
spellbound by the panoramic view of the dam and the falls.
And when you are there don/’t forget to taste the water of
Siruvani, for the water of Siruvani is known for its
minerals and taste. |
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Thirumoorthy temple
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About 20 km from Udumalpet on the Palani-Coimbatore
Highway lies the Thirumoorthy Temple. The temple is
situated at the foot of Thirumoorthy Hills adjoining the
Thirumoorthy Dam. A perennial stream flows by the side of
the Sri Amalingeswarar temple. The beauty of the area is
enhanced by the waterfall nearby. One can also visit the
Crocodile Farm at Amaravathi Dam which is just 25 km from
here. The place is also being developed as a District
Excursion Centre |
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