Coimbatore is the second largest city after Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the fastest developing cities in India and is a major educational, commercial, textile, healthcare, and information technology hub of Tamil Nadu. The city lies nestled amidst the beautiful Western Ghats, on the banks of Noyyal River.
Coimbatore offers a cool and refreshing climate as it is surrounded by thick forests. Moreover, cool winds provide the perfect cover even during summer. Coimbatore witnesses good rainfall during Southwest Monsoon between the months of June and September. But extremely good rainfall is observed during the months of October and November on account of the retreating Monsoon.
Despite being the ‘Manchester of the South’ on account of a booming textile industry, Coimbatore packs a lot of fun for the average visitor. The city was also ranked as the best emerging city in India by India Today in 2014. But don’t let the well-paced urban advancement of this city fool you. Coimbatore is also a bio-diversity hub which houses several species of flora and fauna. Some 116 species of birds can be found here with 17 being migrant. Also, several threatened as well as endangered species like Bengal tigers, black-headed oriole, Nilgiri tahr, Indian elephants, are also found in Coimbatore.
Owing to the largely predominant Hindu population in the city, visitors often flock up at the many beautiful temples located in and around Coimbatore. Some of the most popular temples include Perur Pateeswarar, Naga Sai Mandir, Marudamalai Murugan Temple, ISKCON Temple, and others. Other historically significant religious structures can also be found here.
When it comes to cuisine, most kitchens in Coimbatore serve multi-cultural cuisine. But South Indian cuisine still dominates the menu of most restaurants. The traditional way of having a meal over a large banana leaf is very original to Coimbatore. The street food culture blossoms in the city thanks to the relatively large migratory North Indian population here. A very unique item which one must taste while in Coimbatore is the Kaalaan which is prepared using deep fried mushrooms. It looks like a porridge and is usually seasoned with chopped onions and coriander leaves.
Coimbatore is basically an urban set-up which offers different experiences at once. You also have the option of visiting the Siruvani Waterfalls (about 50 km from the city) or the Monkey Falls (some 60 km away from Coimbatore). In addition to this, the city is also home to the Gass Forest Museum and the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. If you’re running out of options and are looking for a safe tourist spot, then you can trust Coimbatore for its amalgamation of times and cultures. It is said that the air in Coimbatore has a healing effect on every traveller. You don’t believe it? Go ahead then, give it a try!
Main Image Credit: yatrastolemples.com
Featured Image Credit: indiarailinfo.com
