Kodaikanal retains much of its 19th-century landscape, evoking a sense of nostalgia, while at the same time buzzing with life even as tourists soak in its quaint, old-world charm.
The fireplace crackled, spewing out untamed flames and sparks that spat into the room like energetic fireflies. I smiled and sank deeper into my easy chair, cupping a bowl of hot soup. I was enjoying every bit of the cold weather, having arrived here from the scorching plains. Just a few relaxing hours in Kodaikanal had afflicted me with a languor that was quickly becoming second nature. As my hosts spoke animatedly about life in Kodaikanal, their favourite long walks, secret nooks, and scenic views, it became abundantly clear that I had a battle on my hands to shake off my slothfulness, if I wanted to explore Kodaikanal.
Sepia-tinted photographs and meticulous black-and white sketches from the 1800s, dotted all over my hosts’ living room, enticed me with the promise of pristine landscapes, fleet-footed Nilgiri tahrs and sambar in grasslands, and humungous gaur surprising me at road bends. As a compulsive nostalgia-seeker, the thought of attempting to experience 19th century Kodaikanal immediately caught my fancy, and soon I was consumed by the idea. So I pored over the photographs and sketches, noted details, and armed myself with directions and tips from my hosts, to help myself recreate the memories held by these images.
The next morning, I forced myself out of the snug comfort of my quilt only to be greeted by the croaking of cicadas. When I left at 6 am, there was barely enough light to discern and open the padlock on the property’s gate, while simultaneously trying to prevent their resident pet from running out with me. Kodaikanal had not yet awoken from its slumber, except for a dimly-lit tea shack from which wisps of smoke emanated.
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