Regional heritage

History of Kolli Hills

Ancient Tamil literature, a guardian goddess and generations of hill farming — the story behind the range you are visiting.

The legend and the name

Kolli Hills — Kolli Malai in Tamil, often translated as the “mountain of death” — carries a history woven through myth. Ancient Tamil literature describes the hills as being protected by Kollipavai, the local guardian deity. Sages searching for somewhere quiet enough for penance are said to have chosen these slopes for their stillness.

When demons tried to disturb that penance, the goddess is said to have driven them away with nothing more than her enchanting smile. The legend gave the hills their name, and something of that mystical quiet still hangs over the range today.

The land

The range sits in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu, covering roughly 280 square kilometres and rising to about 1,300 metres. Getting to the top means driving 70 continuous hairpin bends, which is very much part of the experience.

Climate and forest

The weather stays pleasant through the year, which has earned Kolli Hills its reputation as an untouched paradise. It remains heavily forested and largely free of commercial tourism, so the flora and fauna are still very much intact.

Terraced farmland on the slopes of Kolli Hills

Agricultural heritage

These slopes are known for coffee, tea, black pepper, jackfruit, pineapple and hill honey. The Malaiyali people have farmed this land for generations using traditional methods, and their produce still shapes both the economy and the food you will eat here.

Explore the attractions today

280

sq km of hill range

1,300

metres above sea level

hairpin bends to the top

Come see it for yourself

The resort sits in the middle of all of this, which makes it an easy base for the temples, the falls and the viewpoints.

Explore the resort