Wellington, Tamil Nadu

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Wellington Jakkatalla Badaga:ಜಗತಲ ஜகதலா
Town
Mettupalayam-Ooty Mountain Train Hauled By Diesel Locomotive approaching Wellington Station
Nickname:  Jacketallah
Wellington Wellington, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 11°21′49″N76°47′19″E / 11.3636°N 76.7885°E / 11.3636; 76.7885
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Nilgiris
Elevation	1,855 m (6,086 ft)
Population  (2001)
• Total	20,220
Language
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	643231
Vehicle registration	TN43

Wellington (Native name: Jakkatalla (Badaga)) is a town in the Nilgiris District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located at three kilometres to the north of Coonoor on the NH-181. The town includes a Wellington Bazaar, and the Wellington Cantonment. The Wellington Cantonment is home to The Madras Regimental Centre (MRC) and The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC). The Nilgiri passenger train passes through Wellington, which also has a railway station.

Contents

• Geography
• Demographics
• Weather
• Reaching Wellington
• Schools
• Eighth Market
• References
• External links

The settlement of Wellington lies immediately outside of Wellington Cantonment, which was earlier known as Jakkatalla (or Jacketallah) from the Badaga Village of that name to the north of it. In 1852, Sir Richard Armstrong, the then Commander-in-Chief, recommended that the name should be changed to Wellington in honour of the Iron Duke, who had previously evinced an interest in the establishment of a sanatorium in the Nilgiris. In 1860, Sir, Charles Trevelyan held that this interesting Military Establishment could not be connected with a more appropriate name than Wellington. He, therefore, ordered that Jakkatalla Station be called henceforth Wellington.

The construction of the barracks began in 1852 and was completed in 1860, popularly known as Wellington Barracks. It assumed importance in the Station, and since February 1942 is occupied by the Madras Regimental Centre. The Wellington Barracks is now named as Srinagesh Barracks in memory of the First Indian Colonel of the Madras Regiment Gen. S.M.Srinagesh.

The native Bazaar, now known as the Cantonment Market, is away from the Barracks and is on the other side of the stream after crossing the Waterloo Bridge (commonly known as Black Bridge, a tarred wooden construction, reconstructed in March 2009, and renamed as Manekshaw Bridge in memory of Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw) onto NH 181.

Geography

The district is tucked away in a north-west corner of the State of Tamil Nadu, and directly shares borders with the states of Karnataka in the North, and Kerala in the south. Perched atop a plateau of the southern reaches of the Western Ghats, the district shares a common liking among tourists with Kodaikanal, Munnar, Wayanad, and Palakkad. The topography of the district is hilly and abounds in lush evergreen forests, glens, meadows, downs and tea estates. With an endless variety of exotic flora and fauna, the district boasts of a 5520 sq km protected biosphere (established in 1986) and prides itself in being the most environment-friendly district in the country. Some major streams originate in this district; the Bhawani River of Tamil Nadu is one of them. Coonoor River (it joins the Bhawani near Metupalayam) originates close to Wellington. Wellington is located at 11°22′N76°48′E / 11.37°N 76.8°E / 11.37; 76.8 . ^[1] It has an average elevation of 1855 metres (6085 feet). The Wellington Railway Station lies at 1758 m above sea level. Wellington has a marsh located inside the cantonment land, whose run-off feeds the Mynala stream.

Demographics

As of 2001 ^[update] India census, ^[2] Wellington had a population of 20,220. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Wellington has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 87%, and female literacy is 76%. In Wellington, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Weather

The one word that best describes the weather in Coonoor/Wellington is salubrious, a term made famous by the Defence Services Staff College! The climate is moderate and gains the advantage of latitude in winter and altitude in summer. The weather is neither tropical (given the latitude) nor humid (despite the lush greenery), but generally pleasant throughout the year. The temperature in summer (the dry months of Apr-May) swings between 27 °C by day, and can be a nippy 14 °C at night in the valley bowls; the slopes record around 17–18 °C at night/early mornings. Winter temperature goes down to about 18 °C in the day and a nippy 11 °C by night; valley bowls record a sub-zero temperature during Dec-Jan, with hoar frost before sunrise.

The atmosphere is clear in comparison to most cities; consequently, the UV index is high throughout the year, and the direct sun can scorch even when the temperature is not so high.

The rainy season is technically during the receding monsoon in Oct-Nov, but the district sees spillover rain (the location is not exactly leeward for the monsoon current hitting Kerala) during the south-west monsoon as well. Humidity ranges between 70% and 90% with a gentle breeze blowing at most times during the rainy season. During the dry spells, it can dip to 40%. It is never stuffy.

Mid-May to mid-July is a season for thunderstorms, most of which originate in the mouth of the valley leading up from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. Thunder can be scaringly loud; those that have not experienced such thunder must enjoy nature in its wild entirety! The faint-of-heart are advised to get under a mattress during such occurrences. The normal time of occurrence of thunderstorms is during early noon to early evening, or late afternoon to early night. An odd occurrence is also recorded around midnight.

Reaching Wellington

Wellington is connected only by road to Coimbatore, or to Ooty, along NH181. Coimbatore is the air- and railhead (CJB being the airport, and CBE being the railway station). Coimbatore railway station lies at a road distance of 70 km and Coimbatore airport at 80 km from Wellington.

Air connectivity to Coimbatore exists from Hyderabad (HYD), Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), Chennai (MAA), Kochi (COK), and Bangalore (BLR). From other locations, connecting flights will have to be located. Coimbatore is an Air India hub, except for the Bangalore leg.

All long-distance trains originating from, or transiting through, Hyderabad/Vijayawada/ Bangalore, and headed to Trivandrum/Cochin, route via Coimbatore. Intercity trains run from Chennai (MAS) and Bangalore (SBC).

Wellington can also be accessed by road from Bengaluru (Bangalore), via Mysuru (Mysore) and Gudalur-Ooty.

Schools

• Army Public School. A school registered with CBSE, and functioning under the aegis of Army Education Society, the school has classes till XII. The school tailors its curriculum to have all interactions in sync with the college curriculum (school breaks coincide with college breaks).
• Kendriya Vidyalaya, Wellington. The school is located near Circle Quarters, and has classes till XII.
• Holy Innocents Children's School. Located inside the Cantonment area on private land, this school is the one of choice for parents with children between classes III-VI.
• Holy Angels Matriculation School. The school is run by the Tamil Nadu State Board, and offers schooling up to grade X. The school is located on private land inside the cantonment.
• Cantonment School. The School was started in 2010, with 33 students. The school caters to children that reside within the Cantonment, but extends to the neighbouring settlements as well. Today, the school has a student strength of 750, and 38 teachers. The school is till Grade X, and follows the Tamil Nadu State Board. All classrooms are smart-board enabled.

Eighth Market

Traditionally, the second Sunday of the month was organised as a local market, outside the gates of Cordite Factory, located at Aruvankadu/Aravangadu, on the main Coonoor-Ooty road (NH 181). The local story around the choice of date is to do with the availability of salary in cash, and the second Sunday being best suited to make all necessary purchases for the month. With the choking of traffic becoming a nuisance, the local market has shifted to the Wellington Stadium, below the Railway Station, and next to the Cantonment Board Office. Sellers reach as early as 5 am, to choose the spot of their choice. The market sells cotton products from Tiruppur and Palladam, hosiery, woollens, inner-ware and socks, shoes, kitchen-ware, fresh garden produce, greens and fruit, and some enterprising ones set up breakfast stalls for fresh dosai, idli, pongal or upma.

Related Research Articles

Ooty, abbreviated as Udagai) is a town and municipality in the Nilgiris district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 86 km (53 mi) northwest of Coimbatore, and is the headquarters of Nilgiris district. Situated in the Nilgiri hills, it is known by the epithet "Queen of Hill Stations", and is a popular tourist destination.

The Nilgiris district is one of the 38 districts in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri is the name given to a range of mountains spread across the borders among the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The Nilgiri Hills are part of a larger mountain chain known as the Western Ghats. Their highest point is the mountain of Doddabetta, height 2,637 m. The district is contained mainly within the Nilgiri Mountains range. The administrative headquarters is located at Ooty. The district is bounded by Coimbatore to the south, Erode to the east, and Chamarajnagar district of Karnataka and Wayanad district of Kerala to the north. As it is located at the junction of three states, namely, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, significant Malayali and Kannadiga populations reside in the district. Nilgiris district is known for natural mines of Gold, which is also seen in the other parts of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve extended in the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Kerala too.

Coonoor, is a taluk and a municipal town of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 45,494. The town sits at the south-east corner of the Nilgiri plateau, and at the head of the Coonoor Ghat, the principal pass connecting the Nilgiris to the plains. It is 363 miles by rail from Chennai and 12 miles from Ooty. The town is built within the picturesque Jackatalla valley (Jagathala), surrounded by wooded hills.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR), colloquially called the "Toy Train" by locals is a 1,000 mmmetre gauge railway in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu, India, built by the British in 1908. The railway is operated by the Southern Railway and is the only rack railway in India.

Karamadai is a town located near Mettupalayam, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on Coimbatore - Ooty NH 67. Nearby places are Teachers colony, Press Colony, Jodhipuram and Periyanaickenpalayam. The Ranganathaswamy temple and Nanjundeswarar temple are the most prominent landmarks in the town. The place of Karamadai came into limelight due to the presence of ex-steel giant Sri Ramakrishna Steel Industries.

Wellington is a cantonment town in the Coonoor sub-Division of Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu. One of its most famous residents was Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, who died in the town on June 27, 2008. This town is adjacent to the town of Coonoor. Its Postal Index Number is 643231. Wellington is a Class II Cantonment. The administration and upkeep of the Cantonment is undertaken by the Cantonment Executive Officer of the DGDE, Ministry of Defence.

Ketti also called Ketti Valley is a small town nestled in a large valley of the same name. It is located in The Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu State, South India and is a Revenue Village of Coonoor Taluk. Upper Ketti is another village called Yellanahalli, which is located on the main Coonoor to Ooty road.

Many Ghat Roads can be found in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Nearly all of the district is located in the Nilgiri Hills, part of the Western Ghats mountains. This area borders the states of Karnataka and Kerala. The hills consequently can be reached by road from three states. Most of these Ghat Roads go through heavily forested mountains and contain a number of sharp hair-pin bends.

Vandicholai is a Panchayat village in Coonoor Taluk of The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. The settlement takes its name from a nearby Shola. The Chinna Vandicholai is a settlement adjoining Wellington Cantonment. The village gets its name from the conjunction of two Badaga words [bandu+so:le; 'moth+woods'].

Burliar is a Panchayat village in Coonoor Taluk of The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. Situated on the ghat road from Mettupalayam to Coonoor, Burliar is a popular rest stop with several small shops and restaurants. It has a government horticulture farm that was started in 1871.

St. Joseph's Boys' Higher Secondary School is a residential school in Coonoor in The Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu. St. Joseph’s Boys’ Hr. Sec. School is commonly known as St. Joseph's College. It is a residential-cum-day School.

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St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School is a boys' school located in the scenic hill station town Ooty, which is part of The Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu, India. The school was started by Christian missionaries in 1820.

The Black Bridge is a historic bridge in Wellington, The Nilgiris District, India. At 43.5 metres long, the bridge spans across the Mynala stream, which joins the Coonoor River 2 kilometres downstream. The bridge connects Wellington Cantonment to the Ooty - Coonoor road (NH181). The bridge was constructed in 1858, but it collapsed before its completion. The bridge was constructed again in 1878 using wooden structures. It was christened the Waterloo Bridge, as the beginning of the Waterloo Road, which leads all the up to present-day Madras Regimental Centre. The bridge has locally been known as Black Bridge ever since, as the bridge was built of Burmese teak and was coated with black tar. In 2009, after the most recent reconstruction, the bridge is named "Manekshaw Bridge" in honour of the Late Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw, who had made Coonoor his final resting place. The bridge now sports a statue of the late Field Marshal at the confluence with NH 181.

Mettupalayam railway station is an NSG–4 category Indian railway station in Salem railway division of Southern Railway zone. It is a railway station located in Mettupalayam, a suburb of Coimbatore district in the Indian state Tamil Nadu. It is one of the important railway stations located in the Coimbatore District, because the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to the hill station of Ooty starts from here. It is the connection between the metre-gauge Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the broad-gauge main network of Indian Railways. It recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Salem division is one of the six divisions of Southern Railway zone. Its headquarters is at Salem, Tamil Nadu.

Achanakal is a Badaga village in the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The village is located adjacent to the Coonoor-Ooty highway in the Ketti valley. The name is believed to be derived from asinikol meaning bamboo sticks in Badaga language which formed the place before the village came into existence. Ketti valley is also considered the second steepest valley in the world. Achanakal is the largest village among the other 13 villages which are located in the valley. The village is just 3 Kilometres away from Ketti and the Lovedale railway stations.

Halatty Manthalatty is a village in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, under the Nilgiris District. Halatty Manthalatty is also the name given to a range of mountains spread across the states of Tamil Nadu as well as Karnataka and Kerala. It is one of the small villages in Udhagamandalam Taluk in The Nilgiris District under Kadanad Panchayat. Around 100 families and Around 400 people are living in this village.

Mulligoor is a village in the Kundah taluk of Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu State, India. It is situated 10 kilometers away from sub-district headquarters Kundah and 30 kilometers from district headquarters Ooty. The main cultivation in Mulligoor is tea growing. This area surrounding Mulligoor is also very rich in wildlife.

Mysore-Ooty Road or Mysore-Udhagamandalam Road is a tourist trail of South India starting from Mysore in Karnataka state and ending in Udhagamandalam in Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu state, India. Both routes pass through Bandipur National park in Gundlupet, Karnataka and Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu.

References

External links

• GeoHack - Wellington, Tamil Nadu