Kodaikanal is the only hill station in India developed by Americans. In 1821, Lieutenant B. S. Ward, a British surveyor, was the first European to visit Kodaikanal. He sought a healthy place for foreign missionaries working in Madurai and the surrounding areas to escape the summer heat and epidemics. Early visitors to Kodaikanal traveled by horse, bullock cart, or palanquin through forests infested with robbers and wild animals. Despite these challenges, Kodaikanal became popular with elite families due to its wonderful climate and clean air. In 1834, the Collector of Madurai built a small bungalow in Kodaikanal. By the second half of the 19th century, churches and other colonial structures began to appear, including the Union Church built in 1895 and many private bungalows.

In 1863, Sir Vere Hendry Levinge, the Collector of Madurai, created the 60-acre Kodai Lake by damming three streams. He stocked the lake with fish and brought the first boat from Tuticorin. A boat club was formed in 1890, and since May 1929, tourists have been allowed to join the club as temporary members to enjoy boating facilities.

Missionaries established church properties, and many ruling princes built summer homes. Clubs, schools, and hotels emerged, and civic amenities were introduced. Kodaikanal developed slowly but steadily, including the establishment of the famous Kodaikanal International School. The extension of the railway line from Chennai to Tirunelveli (598 kilometers) increased Kodaikanal’s popularity. A station was built at Ammainayakkanur, later renamed Kodai Road, 80 kilometers from Kodaikanal. The arrival of the first steam engine in 1875 made travel easier. Though the road to Kodaikanal was completed in 1914, it was opened to the public in 1916, attracting a large number of tourists.

Kodaikanal  General Information

• Area: 21.45 sq. km
• Population: 100,674 (2001 Census)
• Altitude: 2,133 meters above sea level
• Rainfall: 165 cm (average)
• Temperature:
  • Summer: Max 29.0°C, Min 16.0°C
  • Winter: Max 21.3°C, Min 9.0°C
• Best Season: April to June, and September to October, but can be visited throughout the year
• Clothing: Light woolens in the evening during summer and heavy woolens during winter
• Languages: Tamil and English
• State: Tamil Nadu
• District: Dindigul
• ISD Code: +91
• STD Code: 04542

Location: Kodaikanal, located at an elevation of 2133 meters in the Palani Hills—an offshoot of the Western Ghats mountain range, which runs north to south along the west coast of peninsular India—is in Tamil Nadu, bordering Kerala.

Area: The Palani Hills span 2068 sq. km, while the Kodaikanal township covers 21.45 sq. km. However, the town is expanding rapidly.

Climate: The weather is generally mild, though night temperatures can drop to freezing in January, with thin ice forming along the lake’s edges. During summer (March to May), temperatures range from 20°C to 11°C, while in winter (December to February), they fluctuate between 17.3°C and 8.3°C. The region receives an average of 165 cm of rainfall annually, mainly during the northeast monsoon from June to September.