Nilgiri Mountains
The Nilgiri Mountains form a part of the Western Ghats in northwestern Tamil Nadu, southern Karnataka and eastern Kerala in South India.Mudumalai National Park lies in the northern part of the range where Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu meet, covering an area of 321 km2 (124 sq mi).Mukurthi National Park lies in the southwest part of the range, in Kerala, covering an area of 78.5 km2 (30.3 sq mi), which includes intact shola-grassland mosaic, habitat for the Nilgiri tahr.[citation needed] The high steppes of the Nilgiri Hills have been inhabited since prehistoric times, demonstrated by a large number of artifacts unearthed by excavators.A particularly important collection from the region can be seen in the British Museum, including those assembled by colonial officers James Wilkinson Breeks, Major M. J. Walhouse and Sir Walter Elliot.In the report of a general of Vishnuvardhana, King of Hoysalas, who in reference to his enemies, claimed to have "frightened the Thodas, driven the Kongas underground, slaughtered the Poluvas, put to death the Maleyalas, terrified Chieftain Kala Nirpala and then proceeded to offer the peak of Nila Mountain."[7] A hero stone (Veeragallu) with a Kannada inscription at Vazhaithottam (Bale thota) in the Nilgiri District, dated to 10th century CE, has been discovered.[8] A Kannada inscription of Hoysala king Ballala III (or his subordinate Madhava Dannayaka's son) from the 14th century CE has been discovered at the Siva (or Vishnu) temple at Nilagiri Sadarana Kote (present-day Dannayakana Kote), near the junction of Moyar and Bhavani rivers, but the temple has since been submerged by the Bhavani Sagar dam.As a result of these accounts, Messrs. Whish and Kindersley, two young Madras civilians, ventured up in pursuit of some criminals taking refuge in the mountains, and proceeded to observe the interior.
NilgiriDoddabettaTamil NaduElevationListingList of Indian states and territories by highest pointCoordinatesKeralaKarnatakaParent rangeWestern GhatsEastern GhatsRock age(s)Archean EonMountain typeEasiest routeNilgiri Mountain RailwaySouth Indiakurinjietched carnelian beadsKarnataka PlateauMoyar RiverMudumalai National ParkMukurthi National ParkSilent Valley National ParkprehistoricBritish MuseumcolonialJames Wilkinson BreeksSir Walter ElliotVishnuvardhanaHoysalasLakshmihero stoneBallala IIIBhavani Sagar damGreat Trigonometrical SurveyStonehouseBritish RajsanatoriumMadras PresidencyStraits SettlementNaduvattamParaiyanEdgar ThurstonUdhagamandalamKolaribettablue gumCoimbatore districtCatherine FallsKotagiriM.D. CockburnKalhatti FallsAruvankaduCoonoorhill stationBengal tigerIndian elephantIndian leopardchital deersambar deergolden jackalIndian boarNilgiri tahrIndian spotted chevrotainblack buckAsian palm civetsloth bearfour-horned antelopeNilgiri martenIndian crested porcupineMalabar giant squirrelhoney badgerIndian grey mongooseIndian pangolinIndian foxsmooth coated otterpainted batIndian pythonking cobracommon kraitIndian cobraMalabar pit viperNilgiri keelbackOriental garden lizardEryx whitakerimugger crocodilelion tailed macaqueNilgiri langurgray langurbonnet macaqueIndian peacockNilgiri laughing thrushNilgiri flycatchergrey junglefowlMalabar pied hornbillMalabar parakeetgreat hornbillNilgiri wood pigeonIndian vultureblack-hooded oriolegrey-headed bulbulMalabar grey hornbillpurple frog Silent valley brush frogMalabar gliding frogBeddomixaluswhite tigertropical rainforestMontane foreststropical moist forestseucalyptuswattleAcacia dealbataAcacia mearnsiihydro-electricScotch broominvasive speciesVulnerable speciesMiliusa nilagiricaCommelina wightiiRare speciesEndangered speciesYoungia nilgiriensisEuonymus angulatusEuonymus serratifolius