Thandikudi
Thandikudi is the one of the most beautiful village in Kodaikanal taluk in Dindigul District, Tamilnadu. It is situated at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level, at the longitude of 77.64 and latitude of 10.31. It is also called trekker's paradise and "Aadha Kodai" (half Kodaikanal!).
The place is famous for Murugan Temple, Coffee Plantations, Pre-Iron Age Burials, Pure Honey, Deep Forest Trekking and abundance of medicinal plants. Some places of interest here are Murugan Temple, Kariyamal Temple, Kadavu Malai, Maayandi Temple, Sangu Parai view point, Ponnu-Mapillai Hill, Doll Man’s Cave, Kattel Kasam Water Falls and Echo Rock etc.
One can notice a marvelous change in flora and fauna, as one goes from Vathalakundu to Thandikudi. The establishment of numerous coffee estates made Thandikudi famous. Lofty mountains, dense forest and miles and miles of coffee plantations greet the passengers on most routes.
There are two common beliefs that are prevalent for the village Name “Thandikudi”.
One is the belief that the residents of Thandikudi told to their generations. Such as after the fight with asuran Idumban Lord Muruga jumped over the hill to reach Palani and hence the name of the place was called “Thandi-Kuthi” and later became as “Thandi-Kudi”.
Another one is based on the archaeological survey done by Department of Epigraphy and Archaeology, Tamil University, Thanjavur. According to Dr Rajan, Head of Dept of Epigraphy and Archaeology, Tamil University, Thanjavur, “Thandikudi, about 47 km northeast of Vattalagundu in lower Palani hills, was associated with Sangam Age chieftains named Tondrikon and Kodaiporunan”.
The Kulasekhara Pandya inscription issued during the 12th regnal year (1280 AD) records this village as Tanrikudi. "Tanri" is a variety of tree (termenalia bellarica) famous for its medicinal value and found in abundance in this region. "Kudi" means a clan based settlement. The present name Thandikudi is derived from Tandrikudi. "Archaeological vestiges suggest that the site lies in a perfect ecological background, which helped to occupy continuously for more than 3,500 years."
