The history of Kodaikanal goes back ages, with slices of it remaining on its landscape. The Tamara Kodai is a colonial-style, eco-friendly resort that embodies the rich history and culture of this hill station. Let us take you through the ages as we unfold the history of Kodaikanal through the story of the creation of The Tamara Kodai.
Looking Back Through The History of Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal is a misty town located in southwest Tamil Nadu state, in South India. It sits at an elevation of 7,300 feet in the Palani Hills. Created in 1845 by U.S. missionaries and British civil servants, Kodaikanal served as a hill station location for administrative offices during the summers. In the history of Kodaikanal, this could be considered a precursor to the resort town it is today. It has a 75-acre artificial lake – The Kodai Lake (created in 1863) and several recreational facilities. The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory founded in 1899 was quite the draw.
The earliest residents of this hill station were the Paliyan tribe folk. Looking back through the history of Kodaikanal, some of the earliest mentions of Kodaikanal and Palani Hills can be found in the Tamil Sangam literature.
Kodaikanal sometimes goes by the sobriquet ‘Princess of Hill Stations’. The local economy today is based on the hospitality industry, with the town being on the radar of Indian and international tourists.
The History of Kodaikanal and The Tamara Kodai
This historical background brings us to our luxury heritage resort that dates back to the 1840s, the early beginnings of the colonial history of Kodaikanal. This building first began as the Baynes Bungalow from 1847-1849 built by the Kodaikanal District Judge by that name. Several such bungalows began to spring up in this forest area and were sought after as a healing space by missionaries looking to recuperate from malaria and cholera. Baynes sold the bungalow to Father Louis Cyr, a well-known missionary in the town. It was renovated and rechristened La Providence. It served the sick priests of Nagapattinam as a rest house. The restaurant at the property today carries this name.
A 53-suite resort that spans the expanse of 7.8 acres, this space took 7.5 years simply to get the needed permissions to renovate. It took an additional 2.5 years to go from paper to reality and was ready, as you see it today, on May 2018.
The remnants of this monastery can be seen with the three cowled monk statues as you first step into the resort, surrounded by flower beds. It is a belief that these statues are showering their blessings on this reincarnation of their home which today houses restaurants, a ballroom, business facilities and an outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pool.
The blend of the old and new is done so seamlessly that you would be hard-pressed to see where the old granite and basalt walls stop and the new façade comes in. Warm fires in the lobby, a grand piano that is perfectly tuned, old stained glass that streams in the early morning sun… there is so much to this beautiful resort.
Explore this property when you stay with us and feel the clock turn back time into the history of Kodaikanal as you walk through the many spaces.