Nilgiris is known to all for its climate

Nilgiris is known to all for its climate indigenous tribal pupil, dances, musical instruments  and festivals, tribal foods

This area was long occupied by the indigenous tribal peoples of the Toda, Kota, Kurumba, Irula and Badagas.

It seems nilgiris always to have been a tribal land. The Toda had small hamlets ("mund") across most of the plateau. The Kota lived in seven dispersed villages ("kokal"). The Toda had only a few hamlets on the lower Wynaad plateau and in the nearby Biligiriranga hills.

Traditional food

Ragi hittu , beans curry, sandege (chutney like curry made with pepper, spices, cumin)

Ottakudi udhak (bamboo shoots curry) with Ottakudi gaasu poriyal

Kappu koi udhaka (chicken) with koi udhaka mass

Aadhu baadu udhaka (mutton)

Thuppadhittu with hutti kappi  (pan cake)

Pothittu payasam

The lower Wayanad plateau in the west of the district had a different tribal population namely Kattunaika and Paniya. The Todas and Kota, who are similar in culture, language and genetic ancestry, were settled across the fringes of the Nilgiri plateau. 

Mountain train

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam via Coonoor, is a great tourist attraction. The railway is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It serves many of the more heavily populated areas of the district, including Coonoor,  Wellington, Aruvankadu, Ketti, Lovedale and Ooty.

Hydel power stations and Dams

There are 10 Hydel Power Houses (hydroelectric) in this district.

·         Pykara Power House – Pykara

·         Pykara Micro Power House – Pykara

·         Moyar Power House – Moyar River

·         Kundah Power House I – Kundah

·         Kundah Power House II – Geddai

·         Kundah Power House III – Pillur

·         Kundah Power House IV – Paralli

·         Kundah Power House V – Avalanche

·         Kundah Power House VI – Kattukuppai (Emerald)

·         Katteri hydro-electric system – Kateri

Natural growing animals  and to mention a few

These forests are home to the largest herd of Asian elephants in India, who range from the Nilgiris across towards the Eastern Ghats. The Nilgiris and the Southwestern Ghats are also one of the most important tiger habitats left in India.

Above 1500 metres' elevation, the evergreen forests begin to give way to stunted forests, locally called sholas, which are interspersed with open grassland. The high grasslands are home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr, which resembles a stocky goat with curved horns. The Nilgiri tahrs are found only in the montane grasslands of the Southwestern Ghats, and number barely 2000 individuals.

Nilgiri tahr in the Nilgiris

The region has also given its name to a number of bird species, including the Nilgiri pipit, Nilgiri woodpigeon and Nilgiri blackbird.

Tea estate and factories, chocolates , vegetables , Sigur ghat

Vegeatable of nilgiris

The Nilgiris district is basically a horticulture district. Its economy is based on commodity crops of tea, coffee, and spices, followed in importance by potato, cabbage, carrot, and fruit. The main cultivation is plantation crops such as tea and coffee, but with some cardamom, pepper and rubber too. Tea grows at elevations of 1,000 to over 2,500 metres.[34]

The area also produces eucalyptus oil and temperate-zone vegetables. Potato and other vegetables are raised throughout Udhagamandalam and Coonoor Taluks. Paddy (rice), ginger, pepper and rubber are grown in Gudalur and Pandalur Taluks. Paddy is also grown in the Thengumarahada area in Kotagiri Taluk. Besides these crops, millet, wheat, fruit and vegetables, etc., are also cultivated throughout the district.

Tourism places

Government Labs and Research Institutions

The Nilgiris is the headquarters of various government and semi-private organizations engaged in research into horticulture, forestry, botanical sciences and physics. Listed below are a few of the most important ones:

• Horticultural Research Station, Ooty

• Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, Theetukal

• Central Potato Research Centre, Muthorai, Ooty

• United Planters Association of South India (UPASI), Coonoor

• Tea Board of India (Zonal Office), Coonoor

• Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor

• Hybrid Paddy Research Centre, Gudalur

• Sheep Breeding Research Station, Ooty

• Wheat Research Station, Wellington, Coonoor

• Radio Astronomy Tower, Ooty

• Tribal Research Center, Ooty