Anamalai hills

Anaimalai is a panchayat town in Coimbatore district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Anaimalai is named after the Anaimudi hills around it. Place is famous pilgrimage spot for people going to Sabarimala, Kerala due to the presence of powerful woman goddess MASANI AMMAN.

The Anamala or Anaimalai Hills are a range of mountains, forming a southern portion of the Western Ghats, spanning the borders of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The name anamala derives from the Malayalam and Tamil words ana or anai, meaning elephant, and mala or malai, meaning hill — thus Elephant Hill.

The highest peak of the Anaimalai Hills is Anamudi (Anaimudi), at (2,695 meters (8,842 ft)). Located in the Idukki district of Kerala, it is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and South India. To the north, Palakkad Gap divides the Western Ghats. The lower slopes of the hills now have coffee and tea plantations as well as teak forests of great economic value.

The Western Ghats and Anamailai Sub-Cluster, including the Anaimalai Hills, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

The hills are located between 10° 13' and 10° 31' N. and 76° 52' and 77° 23' E., central point: 10°22′N 77°07.5′E. The Anaimalai Hills are south of where the Western Ghats are broken by the Palakkad Gap, which in turn is south of the Nilgiri Hills. They border Kerala on the Southwest and the Cardamom Hills to the southeast. To the east are the Palni Hills.

Their geological formation is metamorphic gneiss, veined with felspar and quartz, and interspersed with reddish porphyrite.Twelve Major forest types are found in the area which are now fragmented by many coffee and tea plantations on the lower slopes and teak plantations higher up. Monsoon rains are heavy. Annual rainfall varies from 2,000 mm to 5,000 mm in the area.
As of 2001 India census, Anaimalai had a population of 16,556. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Anaimalai has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the males and 46% of females literate. 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Anamala / Anaimalai Hills are known for their abundant wildlife. Eravikulam National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Anaimalai Tiger Reserve and the adjacent Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in these hills are well known for elephants. Numerous wildlife species can be seen including elephants, gaur, water buffaloes, tigers, panthers, sloth bears, pangolins, black-headed orioles, crocodiles, green pigeons, civet cats, dhole, sambar and 31 groups of endangered lion-tailed macaques., Birds seen include pied hornbill, red whiskered bulbul and drongo.

A new frog species was found from the forest recently and named Beddomixalus bijui.
The Anaimalai Hills are a trekking destination in the Western Ghats. The best time to visit this place is during November to mid-May. SH-17 passes through the Anaimalai Hills, between Udumalapet and Munnar. The nearest town is Munnar. The nearest international airports are Cochin International Airport and Coimbatore International Airport.