Aroma from the snooty Ooty

They say the best trips are those which are spontaneous than the ones planned meticulously.

When my old friend pitched in the idea of a small get-together in the form of a travel trip, I nodded picturing loveliest beach, crystal-clear water, wisps of cloud touching the high mountains, a walk in a deep forest, basking in the afterglow, impressed by some majestic monument. But the suggestion was the queen of hill stations – Ooty.

The aesthetic feeling changed the definition of hectic fundamentally. The joy of meeting my old friends after a long time and the excitement on the start of the journey overshadowed all the trouble to rush back from  office on a traffic-jammed Friday evening to reach Bangalore (from Chennai) and catching a train to Mysore and hopping on a cab to reach the marvelous hill station. Yes, had to go through the Mysore route to enjoy the travel with my Bangalore friends instead of travelling alone via Coimbatore. I didn’t feel an iota of pain when I knew I would be welcomed with birds chirping around, soft breeze passing to leave the lingering scents from Nilgiris and a clear sky with the sun shining just mildly.

Located in one of the hottest states in India, Ooty is bestowed with an eternal Spring season. The exquisite view of the verdant tea and coffee plantations is beyond words could describe (they were spread beyond horizon!) I was intoxicated by the mesmerizing grandeur of the hill station amongst the Niligiri range. It is for a reason that Ooty is called as the queen of hill stations.

We didn’t mind searching for hotels to stay put (remember, it was not planned) as the lush and green picturesque scenario laid down never reduced their charm. Or there was some magic in the air – compelled to skip lunch, the incomplete tour of the royal Mysore palace, getting delayed due to block in road because somewhere on the way a truck was stuck and now unavailability of hotel rooms – nothing seemed to deter the state of peace. We concluded that Ooty is a provider of inner peace through its unique charm.

The visit to the exotic Rose garden was a feast to our eyes and pleased our noses with different fragrances – strong and faint with the sweetness in the air. The chilled breeze brushed pass our cheeks while on the boat in Ooty lake leaving the invigorating fragrance of Eucalyptus – the artificial lake is surrounded by groves of Eucalyptus trees. Those are tall and strong trees- exhibiting unlimited possibility by its delightful scent in the surrounding near and far. The refreshingly aromatic fragrance can attract you to enjoy a walk amongst the blue-green leaves – just to be conjured to forget all the fragrances you have ever smelt. The splendid waters and lush greens were a perfect recipe for tranquility.

Botanical Garden flaunted flourishing green well maintained lawns and immense variety of flora. I was greedily soaking peace in the pleasant weather escaping from the heat waves of Chennai. The slight smell of the bloom was a bonus to the ecstatic experience. I was literally on cloud nine when we reached Doddabetta Peak – the pinnacle of Ooty. At 8650 feet and 10 kilometers from Ooty, it provides a panoramic view from the telescope house.

The trip would have been incomplete without going to Coonoor. A drive to Coonoor from Ooty was about 18 km along a thin road along the mountain. As we drove through the clouds, I could smell a strong familiar fragrance from the previous day – incredible aroma from the tall and dense Eucalyptus trees on the way. The fragrance was the same – unchanged, like the mountain rain- fresh and pure just enough to appease your inner chaos.

We reached the Dolphin’s nose enjoying the enchanting view created by the blue haze and the sound of the passing streams of water. The Dolphin’s nose is a blessed site of Ooty that stimulates your senses. The view was indeed breathtaking by offering high density mountains, twisting streams and widespread tea gardens. As we left the most scenic view point, my olfactory system longed for the distinct and powerful fragrance on our way back. And when we reached the spot again, I wanted to take back the fragrance to Chennai from the nature’s symphony. So I drenched my soul with the fresh and clean scent from the magnificent Eucalyptus trees and etched my heart with the astounding views from the painter’s paradise.

I had remembered since last September the fragrance of tall Eucalyptus trees from Ooty and wondered what it would be like to add the fragrance for Godrej aer.

P.S. This blog post is for Indiblogger contest Inspire a fragrance.