From
just behind the Main Bus Stand (also near the Railway station)
the famous Ooty Lake stretches, in an irregular 'L' shape, for
about two kilometres in length and varrying distances in width.
At the far end is the Boat House where all kinds of boats are
available for hire from eight in the morning to six in the evening.
During summer seasons, in May, boat races and boat pageantry are
organised on two days at the lake which draw huge crowds.
In recent years the lake and the boat house have become the hub
of entertainment for the visitors. At the boat house end there
is children's park with a toytrain. In the adjacent site there
is a deer park. A mini-garden is at the bus stand end and a well
laid footpath circles the entire lake. Just outside the Boat house
local ponies are available for jolly rides at a charge.
For the curious, this lake was artificially formed by Johm Sullivan,
the founder of Ooty, in 1823-25 by damming the mountain streams
flowing down Ooty valley. The lake which breached thrice, completely
emptying itself, originally extended upto the present day market
and ferries were used to get across one side to the other. The
lake gradually shrunks in size giving place to the present racecourse,
the bus stand, mini garden and some part from the mini garden
end. |
