Coimbatore

City Central - Coimbatore

Kochi, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Chennai, and Madurai are few of the biggest cities in southern India. And believe it or not, Coimbatore is at the epicentre of these cities. However, Coimbatore is not just the heart of the South, it is also the centre of learning.  Unofficially, it could well be called a student town. It has an abundance of engineering colleges, educational institutes, and universities. This tryst with learning has transformed Coimbatore from a small city to a land of the future – ushering wave after wave of start-ups.

Highlights: Verdant Escapes

Treks and Trails: After days of hard work, tap into your hobbies of photography and trekking. At Coimbatore, the best paths to hike are at Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Trail through the forest and capture candid shots of nature at its best. For an easy-going journey, take an elephant ride or slide into a van and plunge into the jungle’s leafy embrace. The Tiger Reserve is home to winged creatures too. So, grab your binoculars and hit the muddy road to explore the majestic birds. One of the charms of India is the elephant. The reserve has an elephant camp that takes you behind the scenes. See first-hand the daily life of the pachyderms.

Theme Parks: When the weather is hot, a theme park always seems like the best option. Let loose at either of these theme parks in Coimbatore - Kovai Kondattam Amusement Park, Black Thunder, and Maharaja Theme Park. From splashing around to uncovering your wild side – these parks have it all. Water rides that end with a big splash and fun-filled activities such as dashing car, dragon coaster, giant wheel, and many more. The theme parks are a great way to celebrate birthdays, weddings anniversaries, and special occasions.

Places of Worship: Southern India sparkles with a variety of temples. The ornate places of worship spark wonder and reverence at the same time. Likewise, the temples in Coimbatore are designed intricately and planned thoughtfully. This city has a temple at every corner that evokes devotion as well as admiration. Go temple hopping starting with Marudhamalai, Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Arulmigu Eachanari Vinayagar Temple, Masaniamman Temple, Koniamman Temple, Sri Naga Sai Temple, ISKCON Coimbatore, Thirumoorthy Temple, Thandu Mariamman Temple, and Karivaradharaja Perumal Temple.

Gardens: Special moments are formed when families come together to share laughter and joy. One of the best places to do so is at the TNAU Botanical Garden - a slice of greenery in Coimbatore. It is a safe place for children to run around among different types of trees and bushes. If you fall in love with a plant, you can make it your own. Pick up the plant at the botanical’s nursery. This environment also is a quiet and cheerful place for friends to hang out and talk at length.

Nearby Hill Stations: Some of the best ways to forget your worries and enjoy life, is to visit a hill station. People of Coimbatore are blessed with a number of hill stations. The best ones within 200 km are Ooty, Coonoor, Topslip, Valparai, Munnar, Devikulam, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, and Sulthan Bathery.

Interesting Facts

• Drinking water is sweet. Yes, in Coimbatore, the taste of drinking water is unlike any other. The city gets its aqua from Ukkadam Lake. It is replenished with flowing water from the sweet Siruvani River.
• For the sake of sambar, get to Coimbatore. The best sambars are served at Annapoorna Gowrishankar Hotels.
• This city is called the Manchester of South India. It gets its name because the city has an extensive textile industry just like in Manchester.
• Coimbatore has a lot of engineering institutes. This has given rise to plenty of start-ups.
• It is one the safest place in India. It is not been affected by natural disasters so far and is by and large a safe haven for women.
• It is home to finest health care centres in the field of Ayurveda, allopathy, siddha and traditional medicine.
• Narain Karthikeyan, ace racing driver is from Coimbatore.

Location: Cradled in Nature's Arms

Rarely do we consider a city to be a thriving place for plants, birds, and animals. Furthermore, most cities crave clean air. In Coimbatore, you have both in abundance. Its proximity to the Western Ghats, the gushing Noyyal River and its nine lakes create a life-supporting environment for people, flora, and fauna.

Topographically, to the north of Coimbatore is the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and to the west lies a shield of mountains. The taluka of Sulur lies to the east and the Mettupalayam taluka embraces Coimbatore in the south.

Click here to view Coimbatore on Google Map

Timings: Winter is the best month

Like most South Indian states, Coimbatore sizzles in summer. The temperature races to 40 degrees Celsius. However, the winds of change blow strong here. Cool breeze rolls through the city from the high mountain sides, blunting the edge of the sun’s sharp rays.

Thanks to the hilly environs, it attracts thick rain clouds from June to November. However, the best time to visit the city is in winter. The weather is at a pleasant 15 degrees Celsius. This amazingly refreshing weather lasts until March.

How to reach Coimbatore: A well connected network

By Air: The Peelamedu Airport is your ticket to Coimbatore. The airport is not too far from the city - around 25 minutes from the city centre. The airport serves all domestic airlines, which makes it an easily accessible city. As it is an international airport, it also caters to flights from UAE, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and other countries.

By Rail: As it is the nucleus of the south, Coimbatore serves several trains coming from different major cities. The main station is Coimbatore Main Junction, but trains also halt at Coimbatore North Junction, Podanur Junction, and Pilamedu.

By Bus: Coimbatore is well connected to other cities in South India and the neighbouring hill stations. Within few hours your feet are grounded at Coimbatore.

History: Tough fight

Wondering how the city has a peculiar dialect called Kongu Tamil? Well, it can be traced to the time when this area was part of the Kongu country. Back in the days, Coimbatore was inhabited predominately by tribes. One of the most powerful tribes was Kosars, but they did not stand tall for long. First the Rashtrakutas, then Cholas, the Chalukyas, the Pandyas, the Madurai Sultanate, Vijayanagar, the Madurai Nayaks, Tippu Sultan of Mysore, and finally, the British colonists vanquished the Kosars.