CITY GUIDE

COIMBATORE CITY GUIDE

– Provided by Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu

GENERAL STATISTICS :

PLACES OF INTEREST :

Perur Temple

The temple, built by the King Karikala Cholan, is situated 7 km west of Coimbatore near river Noyyal. It is dedicated to Lord Siva. The presiding deity of the temple is known as Patteeswarar, and His consort, Pachainayaki. The exquisite sculptures in the hall and Kanagasabai attract one and all. The temple is also known as Mel Chidambaram.

Maruthamalai Temple

The temple, located on a hillock, is 15 km from Coimbatore. The presiding deity is Lord Subramanyaswamy.

V.O.C Park

Named after freedom fighter V.O Chidambaram, the park is maintained by the Corporation. There is a mini Zoo and recreational train in the park.

Forest College

One of the oldest institutions of its kind in the country, the Forest College is situated 3.5 km north of the railway station. The college museum is worth a visit.

Agricultural University:

This is the sixteenth farm university in independent India. Though it came into existence on June 1st 1971, its history dates far back to that of the earliest started agricultural universities in the country. The root was an Agricultural Demonstration Farm started in 1868 in Saidapet, Madras, which was later shifted to Coimbatore in 1907. It became one of the world renowned agricultural colleges, and has been renamed as Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. It is located 5 km from Coimbatore.

G.D Naidu Industrial Museum

The legendary G.D Naidu was a born technocrat. He had made invaluable contributions to the technical, electronics, mechanical and agricultural sectors of India. He had also established an industrial museum, which is worth visiting.

Government Museum

It is located 1 km from the central bus stand, opposite to the V.O.C Park and has collections of sculptures, tribal artifacts and coins. It is open for visitors from 9.30 AM to 5 PM, except Fridays, second Saturdays, and national holidays.

Kasthuri Srinivasan Art Gallery

The art gallery was established in 1988. It is located on Avinashi Road, about 9 km from the central bus stand. It is less than a km from the Coimbatore International Airport. The cultural centre consists of an art gallery, a textile museum, an auditorium and a library.

Khadi Gandhi Gallery

The government set up the Khadi Gandhi Gallery in Coimbatore on July 15, 1970. The gallery displays photogrpahs of Gandhi, from his birth till his death. It is located one km from central bus stand.

Thandu Mariamman Temple

The temple is located on the nerve centre of Coimbatore, on Avinashi road. The temple lore says that a soldier of Tippu Sultan’s army had a dream, in which the Goddess appeared and said that She was living in the nearby forest. The soldier went in search of the goddess in the nearby jungle and was thrilled when he found Her under a neem tree. With the help of friends, he immediately constructed a small temple in the spot where he found the deity. It is located one km from Coimbatore central bus stand.

Sharadambal Temple:

The temple is run by the Sri Sarada Sringeri Mutt. Here, the sannathi of Goddess Sharadambal has Vinayaga and Murugan sannithis on either side. This temple is located 3 km from Coimbatore central bus stand.

Eachanari Temple

This temple is situated 13 km away from Coimbatore, towards Pollachi. The Vinayagar in this place is called as ‘Echanari Vinayagar,’ one of the famous Vinayagas in Tamil Nadu. The Lord here is huge and stands 6 feet tall and 3 feet broad, and is believed to be one of the biggest idols in South India. This temple dates back to 1500 AD.

Kottai Mosque

This mosque is located between Town Hall and Ukkadam. It has a marvelous architecture and is believed to be the first mosque that was built in Coimbatore. It is located 3 km from the Coimbatore central bus stand.

Koniamman Temple

The temple is in Coimbatore and has Devi as its deity. The temple was built in the 13th century AD and was patronized by the Mysore dynasty kings. It is located 2 km from Coimbatore central bus stand.

TREKKING SITES:

Anuvavi Subramaniyaswamy Temple

The temple is located on the hilltop and situated on the other side of Marudamalai hill, and has to be approached from the road going to Kerala via Thadagam. This has a beautiful scenic surrounding, where people come to offer their prayers in the ambience of peace and serenity. There is a perennial water spring near this temple. The temple is located 20 km from Coimbatore central bus stand on the Coimbatore–Thadagam route.

Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary

The 958 sq. km sanctuary is situated at an altitude of 34-2400 metres in the Western Ghats near Pollachi (about 90 km from Coimbatore). The sanctuary is home to various fauna like elephant, gaur, tiger, panther, sloth bear, deer, wild bear, wild dog, porcupine, flying squirrel, jackal, pangolin, civet cat and birds like rocket-tailed drongo, red-whiskered bulbul, black headed oriole, tree pie, spotted dove, etc. Anaimalai has large number of crocodiles. There are also places of scenic beauty, like Karainshola, Aniakunthi, grass hills, water falls, teak forest, estate, dams and reservoirs.

Karamadai Ranganathar Temple

The temple was built by the King Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara. It can be reached from Coimbatore by rail and road and it is located 30 km from Coimbatore central bus stand on the Coimbatore–Ooty road. This temple is believed to be one of the oldest in Coimbatore.

Sri Swami Dayananda Saraswathi Ashram, Anaikatty

Sri Swami Dayananda Saraswathi is a renowned saint and has been teaching the Vedanta since 1976. The ashram is situated 32 km north-west of Coimbatore.

Coimbatore Zoological Park and Conservation Centre

It was established in the year 1986 and is located at Anaikatty near Coimbatore, occupying an area of 250 acres, at an altitude of 650 metres above sea level. It is one of the two designated bio-diversity hotspots in India. It is 32 km north-west of Coimbatore.

Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Anaikatty

The SACON is a national institution devoted to the cause of conservation of India’s biodiversity, with special focus on birds. It is situated in the surrounding of Anaikatty, 24 km north-west of Coimbatore city, within the Nilgiri biosphere reserve. It is a centre of excellence funded by the Government of India. It conducts research in Ornithology.

Pollachi

The town is about 40 km from Coimbatore on the way to Parambikulam-Aliyar. It is the second largest town and commercial centre in the district, after Coimbatore. A temple dedicated to Mariamman and another to Subramanya are located here.

Aliyar Dam and Park

It is a big reservoir situated near Pollachi. The dam is located on the foothills of Valparai in the Anaimalai Range of Western Ghats. It was constructed in 1962 across the Aliyar River and it is located about 65 km from Coimbatore. The 2 km long dam is one of the longest in Asia. Boat cruise is also available.

Vethathiri Maharishi Ashram, Aliyar

Vethathiri Maharishi’s profound revelations enabled him to synthesize a complete system of life for the betterment of humanity. The ashram is situated at a distance of about 65 km from Coimbatore. The Pollachi town is 45 km south of Coimbatore and the Ashram is situated on the Pollachi to Valparai main road, 2 km after the Aliyar dam.

Baralikkadu

The spot is located near Pillur in Baralikkadu of Karamadai Range, one of the Ranges in Coimbatore division. The route is a hilly terrain enriched with green vegetation and a very pleasant climate. Visitors are allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays. It is situated (Coimbatore-Karamadai-Pillur Dam road-Baralikkadu) 72 km from the Coimbatore central bus stand.

Udagamandalam (Ooty), Coonor, Kothagiri

Ooty, Coonor and Kothagiri are situated in the Nilgiris districts of the Western Ghats. They are the most popular and the oldest hill stations in the South. They are located at an elevation of 2,286, m, 1,859 m, and 1984 m respectively. Ooty has a beautiful lake, botanical garden, and Dodabetta, the highest peak in the Nilgiris. Coonor boasts of Sims Park, Laws Falls, Dolphin’s Nose and Lamb’s Rock. Kothagiri has viewpoints and shoals. Reaching Ooty from Mettupalayam by the Swiss Rack Rail type mountain train is an unforgettable experience.

Kovai Courtallam

Visit the awe-inspiring Kovai Courtallam Falls located in Siruvani about 37 km from Coimbatore central bus stand. The scenic waterfalls is situated in a dense forest and visitors are not allowed after 5 pm.

Valparai

The pollution-free heavenly land of ‘Valparai’ is located 3,500 feet above the sea level on the Anaimalai mountain range. Valparai stands majestically with green mountains and forests. The drive from Pollachi to Valpari is an exotic experience in itself. It is 102 km from Coimbatore.

Topslip

The Topslip is located in the Anaimalai mountain range. It has unique teak forests. Bamboo forests are also located near Topslip, which is 37 km from Pollachi and 77 km from Coimbatore. Reaching Topslip from Valpari by road (65 km) is itself an exotic experience. En route is the Indira Gandhi Wild Life Sanctuary, where lion-tailed macaques, common langurs, Malabar giant squirrels, elephants, gaurs, spotted deer, Sambar deer, barking deer and wild boars reside.

Monkey Falls

The Monkey Falls is an excellent and ideal outdoor travelogue, which is situated some 65 km away from Coimbatore city and it is some 27 km away from Pollachi on the Coimbatore–Pollachi–Valparai road.

Masani Amman Temple, Anaimalai

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Devi and is located at Aanaimalai, on the banks of the Aliyar River, near Pollachi. Here, the deity is in a lying posture. It is believed that Lord Rama, while searching for Sita, stopped at this temple to worship the Goddess. It is located 55 km from the Coimbatore central bus stand on the Coimbatore–Pollachi–Anamalai road.

Vanabadra Kali Amman Temple, Mettupalayam

The temple has Goddess Kali as its presiding deity. It is located near Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district, and is a Parihara Kshetra for problems like hurdles in marriage and child birth. The temple stands on the banks of river Bhavani, which originates from the Nilgiris. It is about 5 km from Mettupalayam and can be reached by buses and other road transportation modes. The temple is located 48 km from Coimbatore central bus stand.

Kallar Horticulture Farm

It is located 50 km from Coimbatore and 10 km from Mettupalayam towards Udagamandalam. It is under the control of the Dept. of Horticulture. A place of natural beauty, Kallar waterfalls attracts tourists by the hordes.

Amaravathi Dam and Park

It is situated 32 km from Pollachi, 45 km from Tirupur, and 25 km from Udumalpet. It was constructed in 1956 across the river Amaravathi for conserving the surplus water. Amaravathi dam is unique because of its outstanding crocodile farm. There is also a well designed park.

Isha Yoga Centre

It is located 35 km from Coimbatore central bus stand. The Isha Yoga centre, founded under the aegis of the Isha Foundation, is located on 150 acres of lush land at the foothills of Velliangiri Mountains. Surrounded by thick forests, it is a part of the Nilgiri Bioshpere.

Temples

Churches

Mosques