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Pillar Rock
Pillar Rock Pillar Rock in the Palni Hills at Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India.

Kodaikanal

India
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Last Updated: • Article History

News •

Fill vacancies of doctors in Kodaikanal GH immediately, demand activist • Mar. 19, 2025, 2:47 AM ET (The Hindu)
E-pass mandatory for visitors to Kodaikanal, says Collector • Mar. 15, 2025, 11:47 PM ET (The Hindu)
Madras High Court restricts number of tourist vehicles to the Nilgiris, Kodaikanal • Mar. 13, 2025, 11:47 PM ET (The Hindu)
Why not fix a cap on number of tourist vehicles entering Nilgiris and Kodaikanal, asks Madras High Court • Mar. 4, 2025, 9:45 PM ET (The Hindu)

Kodaikanal, town, southwestern Tamil Nadu state, southern India. It is situated at an elevation of 7,300 feet (2,225 metres) in the Palni Hills, about 35 miles (55 km) west-southwest of Dindigul.

Kodaikanal was created in 1845 by U.S. missionaries and British civil servants as a hill station to which administrative offices were moved during the summer. The town is now a popular resort known for its scenery, 75-acre (30-hectare) artificial lake, and recreational facilities. It also contains a meteorological observatory that engages in astrophysical research. The town serves as a collection and distribution centre for fruits and vegetables, especially potatoes and pears, which are sent to neighbouring cities on the plains. It has schools for foreign and Indian students and a Jesuit seminary. Pop. (2001) 32,969; (2011) 36,501.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Maren Goldberg.
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