Coimbatore

Overview:

Coimbatore, located on the banks of Noyyal River and encompassed by the Western Ghats, is known for spare parts manufacturing, textile industries and health care centers. The capital city of the Kongu Nadu region, it is also referred to as the ‘Manchester of South India’. Among the fastest growing tier-II cities in India, Coimbatore is the second largest Metropolitan city and urban agglomeration after Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Being the fourth largest metropolis in Southern India, Coimbatore is administered by the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation. The city is also known as Koneyammanputhhur, which means ‘birthplace of the goddess’. There are various theories regarding the etymology of the city’s name. One theory states that the city derived its name from Koyanputhur (meaning new town of Koyan), as the region was ruled Koyan chieftains. Koyanputhur gradually evolved into Koyambuthur; and was finally anglicized as Coimbatore by the British. While another theory suggests that the name was derived from the goddess Koniamman who has a temple devoted to her in the city. The Koyan’s worshipped the goddess and the region came to be called as Koyanamma which evolved into Koniamma. The region around Coimbatore served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap which was the principal trade route between Tamil Nadu and the west coast. Numerous Roman coins and artifacts have been unearthed from in and around the region, indicating ties with Roman traders. Coimbatore was the headquarters of Dheeran Chinnamalai during the Second Poligar War in 1801. Coimbatore played a prominent role in the independence movement of India. Post independence, the region has seen rapid growth due to industrialization. Modern day Coimbatore is the textile capital of Tamil Nadu. Best time to visit Coimbatore is from September to March. The summer season stretching from March to May and the monsoon season from June to August are best avoided. After having explored all that Bangalore has to offer, some tourists also like to undertake a trip to Coimbatore by car. The city is located at a distance of about 360 kilometers from Bangalore, and the trip from Bangalore to Coimbatore by car takes around seven hours. Tourists prefer to hire cabs in Bangalore for the trip as it ensures that the journey is both fast and comfortable. Having a vehicle on-call makes commuting in and around the place easy and economical. Commuting from Bangalore to Coimbatore by cab, allows visitors to travel at their own pace.

Places of interest:

There are a number of tourist spots in and around the city, one of them being the KovaiKutralam Falls. It is situated amidst a dense forest, and is the primary source of drinking water in Coimbatore. A few other waterfalls around the city include Monkey falls, Vydehi Falls and Siruvani Falls and Dam.

One of the most famous temples near Coimbatore is the AnubhaviSubramaniar Temple. The Architectural Aazhiyaar Dam is yet another popular tourist attraction in the city. It was constructed for the purpose of irrigation, and helps in restricting the flow of the rivers Palar, Thekkadi, Nirar, Parambikulam, Sholiyar and Aliyar. The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in Coimbatore is also worth a visit as it is home to a variety of birds and animals.

Other places of tourist interest in Coimbatore include Forest College Museum, Amaravathy Reservoir, VOC Park and Zoo, PerurPatteeswaraSwamy Temple, Vellingiri Hill Temple, NarayanaKavi Memorial and Black Thunder Theme Park.

Renting a car to Coimbatore from Bangalore makes it easy for tourists to commute in and around the place while visiting the various sightseeing spots.

Things to do:

Amongst the adventure activities in Coimbatore, trekking is the most prominent. Numerous trekking and camping sites are located in and around Coimbatore. Anaikatti hills, Karamadai, Satyamangalam and Siruvani provide exciting and enthralling trekking trails, which are suited for amateur as well as expert trekkers.

Being the textile capital of Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore is world renowned for its silk saris. The markets at Sukravar Pettai and Raja Street deal in apparels and handloom saris. Poompuhar Handicrafts Emporium and other government owned emporiums offer a huge variety of collections at economical rates. Khadi products which are hand-woven can also be purchased from Khadi Craft on Avinashi Road. Cross-Cut Road is considered a feasible option for the procurement of ‘Kanjeevaram’ saris, home decor items, handicrafts and artistic metal wares.

The Natyanjali Festival and the Koniamman Car Festival are the most important festivals of Coimbatore.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Natyanjali Festival is celebrated at the onset of Mahashivratri, during the months of February-March. The festivities prolong over a period of five days, with performances of dance and music at the Perur Patteeswara Swamy Temple. Renowned dancers participate and perform at the festival.

Another important festival celebrated each year in March at Coimbatore is the Koniamman Car Festival. It is celebrated with great fervor and gaiety at the Koniamman temple. A procession from the temple is initiated with devotees pulling the chariot through the streets of Coimbatore.

Other festivals include Aadiperuku which is celebrated in August; Tamil New Year is celebrated in the month of April, in October the nine-day festival of Navaratri is celebrated.