Yercaud
| Yercaud Tamil ஏற்காடு |
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 India
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| State : | Tamil Nadu | ||
| District : | Salem | ||
| Sub-district : | Yercaud | ||
| Location : | 11 ° 47 ' N , 78 ° 13' E | ||
| Height : | 1515 m | ||
| Area : | 5.26 km² | ||
| Residents : | 11,582 (2011) | ||
| Population density : | 2202 inhabitants / km² | ||
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Yercaud ( Tamil ஏற்காடு ) is a small town with about 15,000 inhabitants in the Salem district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu . During the British colonial times , the mountain town was a hill station .
Location and climate
Yercaud is located at an altitude of 1515 m in the up to 1620 m high mountains of the Shevaroy Hills in inland Tamil Nadu a good 360 km (driving distance) southwest of the megacity of Chennai (formerly Madras ); the district capital Salem is only about 30 km south-west. The climate is temperate because of the altitude, but sometimes also tropical warm; Rain (approx. 1510 mm / year) falls mainly in the summer monsoon season .
population
| year | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 |
| Residents | k. A. | 8,750 | 11,582 |
Approx. 73% of the population are Hindus and about 2.5% are Muslims ; the Christian population is very high at 23%. The male population is about 3% higher than the female. Only around 16% of the population are illiterate. Most of the residents speak Tamil as their mother tongue.
economy
Agriculture used to be the livelihood of the self-sufficient population. Today most groceries can be bought in the market or from street vendors. The British introduced tea cultivation in the region; They also set up a Hill Station with a sanatorium here for the health care and recreation of officers and senior officials . The Indians continue this tradition for all who can afford it; there are numerous doctors and Ayurveda practitioners.
history
Stone Age artifacts have been found in the vicinity of Yercaud. Later, the remote place, equipped with a small mountain lake, was only sparsely populated. It was not until the British colonial era that the hill station experienced an economic and demographic boom, which has been gaining momentum again since the 1980s.
Attractions
There are no historically or culturally significant temples etc. in Yercaud; all buildings date from the 20th century. The Hindu Annamalaiyar temple and the Anglican Sacred Heart Church are interesting . In addition, the Orchidarium of the Botanical Survey of India deserves attention. There are numerous natural attractions in the area, some of which can be explored by renting a bike or by rickshaw or taxi.
Web links
- Yercaud - Photos + Info (English)