Doddabetta, Mountain summit in Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India
Doddabetta rises to 2637 meters (8652 feet) at the point where the Western and Eastern Ghats meet in southern India. A summit house built with stone walls and wide windows stands at the top, where visitors can look out in every direction.
The summit served as a natural boundary between different kingdoms in southern India and later became a colonial retreat during British rule. The road to the top was built in the 20th century when Ooty grew into a popular hill station.
The name comes from the Badaga language and means large mountain, used by Nilgiri residents for centuries. The tea factory at the base shows visitors how leaves travel from bush to cup and forms the economic heart of this mountain region.
Two telescopes in the summit house offer views toward Mysore and Coimbatore, especially on clear mornings before fog rolls in. The road up winds through forested curves and can become slippery during rain.
The slopes carry Shola forests, small dense patches that grow in valleys between grassy slopes and exist only in the Western Ghats. These forests shelter orchid species like Vanda and Liparis, which root on the damp trunks of old trees.
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