Situated on the banks of river Cauvery and river Bhavani, Erode is a beautiful destination to visit in south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Being an agricultural hub and one of the largest turmeric producing land in India, it is also known as the “Yellow City or Turmeric City”.
Erode is also known as the “Texvalley or Loom City” of Tamil Nadu since it is a home to and is renowned for numerous textile and handloom industries. Various types of textiles such as towels, printed fabrics, sarees, bed sheets, carpets etc. can be procured from the markets of Erode at very reasonable prices and in wholesale quantities. These are sold not only all over the country but in other parts of the world as well.
It is not only the business brilliance of Erode that is making it popular but its tourism quotient is also attracting lots of people towards this city every year.
Major Tourist Attractions
The destinations that are most intriguing for tourists in Erode are:
- Vellode Bird Sanctuary – Situated in the outskirts at a distance of about 12km from the main city, Vellode Bird Sanctuary is a complete bird-lover’s delight. A house to a huge variety of resident and migratory species of birds, the sanctuary is spread over an area of 77 hectares. To visitor’s amazement, there is no forest surrounding or close to the sanctuary, rather it is just a place centred around a storage tank!
- Bhavani River – side- Spread over a stretch of 200kms, Bhavani river emanates from the Silent Valley of Kerala and passes through many towns and cities including Erode. It is situated at a distance of 15km from the city and is known as Kooduthurai among the locals.
- Government Museum – Another spot that must be visited while on a rip to Erode is the Government Museum of this city. It preserves and exhibits lots of historical artefacts such as Tanjore Paintings and manuscripts including the palm leaf manuscripts. Also there are other pieces of art which are a symbol of regional traditions and artwork. The museum also has sections dedicated to zoological and botanical specimens.
- Temples – One of the most important temple sites of the region is the Thindal Murugan Temple, dedicated to Lord Muruga who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This 750 years old temple is situated on a hillock at a distance of 6km from the main city.
Arudra Kabaliswarar Temple is another prominent place of worship in Erode. This shrine is as old as 1200 years and belonged to the Kongu Chola Kingdom in the past. Dedicated to Lord Arudra Kabaliswarar and the Goddess Varunambigai Amman, the temple also houses other deities such as Mahaganapathy, Kalyanasubramanyar and Sanesswarar.
other eminent temples of Erode include Periamariamman Temple, Kasthuri Aranganathar Temple, MahimaliswararTemple, Natadreeswarar Temple and Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman.
- Churches – Brough Church and Saint Mary’s Church are the two most renowned and magnificent churches of Erode. Dating back to the 19th century, Saint Mary’s Church is 100 feet tall in height and features an ancient holy bell.Brough Church was founded in the early 20th Century by Mr. Antony Watson Brough, an Australian Missionary and is the prime prayer center of the city.
Other prominent tourist spots in and around Erode include
- Karadiyur View Point
- Bannari
- Kodiveri Dam
- Periyar Memorial House
- Kodumudi
- Erode Fort
- Panneer Selvam Park
Festivals and Fairs
Although all important festivals are celebrated here but there are some major festivals that are worshipped and celebrated by the people of Erode with full of joy and exuberance. These include Pongal, Tamil New Year, Mariamman Festival and Aadi Peruku.
Tamil New Year, is celebrated with ample enthusiasm by the Tamil people of Erode. It is celebrated all across Tamil Nadu in the month of April. In local language, it is also known as Puthandu or Chithirai Tiru-naal
Pongal, also known as the Harvest Festival dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun God) celebrated every year on 14th January. This festival is also known and celebrated as Makar Sakranti in Northern India. On this day people worship Lord Sun and their cattle as a sign of good omen in terms of high harvesting yield. A traditional dish known as Pongal is prepared on this day. It is made up of rice, milk, jaggery, cashew nuts and almonds.
Mariamman Festival is the most important and the biggest festival celebrated in the city of Erode every year in the month of April and May. It is celebrated for 20 days simultaneously at three temples namely Arulmigu Vaikkal Mariamman, Arulmigu Chinna Mariamman and Arulmigu Periya Mariamman. Among three, celebrations at Periya Mariamman are the most lavish magnificent. The site of attraction is the beautiful chariots and processions of deities which are carried away through the streets by the devotees with people eagerly waiting to see just a single sight of their deity!!!
Adi Peruku, also known as Adi Monsoon Festival in Tamil Nadu is celebrated each year on the 18th day of Adi month of Tamil calendar. It usually occurs between mid June to mid August. During this festival, thousands of devotees gather at the banks of Cauveri and Bhawani river to perform special poojas. This festival marks the inflow of fresh water in the rivers and it signifies to bring prosperity and happiness in one’s life.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Erode is between October to March when the climate is pleasant and maximum temperature touching is just 20 0C. One can explore and do all the sightseeing very comfortably. Summers and monsoons are not quite ideal times for paying a visit to this city.
How to Reach
By Air – The nearest airport from Erode city is Coimbatore airport known as Peelamedu Airport which is apprx. 90 Km with a 2 hour drive journey from the city of Erode. Coimbatore airport is very well connected with all major states and cities across India
By Rail – The Erode Junction Railway station is the main point of connection with all the major cities and railway network across India and hence visitors do not feel and difficulty reaching Erode by train.
By Road – Erode is very well connected by Road to all the major cities within Tamil nadu and other states of India. Tamilnadu State Road Transport Corporation and private transport services runs many deluxe and non deluxe buses and private cars for smooth commuting within and out of the city.
