Moving through the busy town of Coimbatore, an industrial town of South India, in Tamilnadu, one can never expect that he is just a foot away from the Dakshin Kisash mounts of India. The Vellingiri Hills which is a part of the western ghats in Nilgiri Range is chiefly known as the Dakshin Kilash and is just 40 kilometers away from Coimbatore.
The hill is bounded by Walayar hills and Malampuzha hills at the south. The Walayar gap which is about 25 kilometers wide is the only marked gap through the western ghats. The Highway between Palakkad and Coimbatore passes through this gap. The Westerly boundary is marked by the towns of Manarkadu in Kerala. At the north it is bounded by the Attapady hills. Attapady is a rural area of Kerala near the Silent Valley National Park and is largely occupied by tribal people. Further north is the Nilgiris a well known hill station of Tamilnadu formerly known as Ooty or Ootacamund.
Buses ply between Coimbatore and the temple at the foot of the Vellingiri hills only during the season which is from February to May (Tamil month between Masi and Vaikasi.).Even then you can have a taxi cab hired from Coimbatore.
The experience which one enjoys here is compared with the "Amarnath Yathra" of the North, It is believed that Lord Shiva personifies in the form of Linga under a natural cave at the top of the 7th hill of Vellingiri. The Vellingiri hill the final hill of the group of seven hills which must be trekked to reach the top point. Here Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of natural (Swayambu) Linga. This Linga is surrounded by adjoining four lingas. So it is named as “Panchalingas" (Means five Lingas). The Lord Brahma was fast asleep and lacked in his duty. So to overcome his sin he started meditating at Himalayas where he got Shiva Dharisanam (Sight Of God) and was guided to continue his meditation in the name of Pattimuni at Perur. Perur Is on the way to Vellingiri From Coimbatore and the temple at Perur Is called Perur Valiyambalam( Big temple of Perur)
Though it is said that the Nila kurinji grown only in Munnar Kerala, it is found in many part of Western Ghats, including Palany hills, Vellingiri hills, and along the Selvarayan ranges of the Eastern Ghats. People can find several different essential rare herbs growing here, which could be used for medication.
