போடிநாயக்கனூர் - தேனீ மாவட்டம்

Welcome to Bodinayakanur...
also know as "The South Kashmir". The City of Bodinayakanur is beautifully located in the foot hills of Western Ghats, Tamilnadu. It is a market place for cardamom, coffee, tea, pepper, and silkcotton.The city is also called as "Cardamom City" because of the large quantity of cardamom trade in this area.The people in this city speak Tamil language. But of late owing to immigrants from other states, there has been a discernible increase in the number of languages spoken in this city. Today several languages such as Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and other Indian languages are being spoken in the city.Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the majority of the population. The weather is nice and moderate throughout the year. Bodinayakanur is also famous for its sweet and tasty water.
History
Bodinayakanur, also called Bodi is a small town located on the foothills of the Western Ghats, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India. This town is surrounded by the ranges of Western Ghats on three sides, offering spectacular views of the Ghats. Theni, the nearest market town is 16 kms from Bodi.
During the nineteenth century, Bodinayakanur was an important place in the Travancore province. There is a small palace built by the Rajah of Travancore. This palace has been built with the Jaipur Palace in mind.
Origin of the name
The history behind the name of the place is interesting. Once a wild boar roamed the nearby lowland forest. It often intruded into the town and ruined the farms. So the Rajah of Travancore had announced that the town will be named after the person, who kills the wild boar. So the town has been named as Bodayanayakkanur, after the person Bodayanayakkar, who killed the wild boar. Later it got transformed to Bodinayakanur.
Travel
This town serves as a best vantage point for the nearby tourist places. Munnar is four hours away. Bodi Mettu, is an hours journey. Cumbum Mettu is four hours journey. Kurankani is 6 kms from here. The best time to visit Kurankani is during October, wherein the ground is fresh by the monsoon rain and the mountain is filled with butterflies. Thekkady, Kodaikanal, Suruli waterfalls, Veerabandi temple are the other places nearby. The Paramasivan Temple on the top of the small hill, brings people together, during festival season. Anappillaiyar temple, on the banks of the Rettaiyaru stream and Theerthathoti, a famous Murugan Temple are the must see places near by.
Munnar
Munnar is a town located in the southern state of Kerala in India. The name is most often used to refer to the whole tourist area, of which the town forms a part. The name Munnar is believed to be derived from the Malayalam words Muunu (three) and aaru (river), referring to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the mountain streams of Muthirappuzha, Chanduvarai and Kundala. Situated at nearly 1,600 to 1,800 meters above sea level, the region is surrounded by vast jungles and remains wet and cold during most of the year. Mattupetty Dam is a must see place and is very nearby.
Thekkady
Thekkady is the location of the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is an important tourist attraction in this area, located about 50 km from Bodi. The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savannah grass lands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs.The Periyar Widlife sanctuary is spread across 777 km², of which 360 km² is thick evergreen forest. The Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaiperiyar Dam across the Periyar river adds to the charm of the park. The greatest attraction of Periyar are the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake. Thekkady has immense possibilities for Adventure Tourism. The Forest Department offers many programs including Periyar Tiger trail, Nature walk, Bamboo rafting etc.
Suruli Falls
Suruli Falls that drops from a height of 150 feet gathers into a pool, flows for a short distance and again plummets to a depth of 40 feet, offering a spectacular sight of nature’s raw and wild beauty. Suruli is 30 minutes drive (approx. 25km) from Bodi. The dense forests that surround it provide an awesome backdrop. The special feature of the fall is that it is “a round the year” fall. However, the best season to visit is June–October, when the water column is heaviest. The beauty of this fall finds mention in Tamil epic, Silappathikaram written by poet Ilango.