The Palni Hills, including Kodaikanal and the surrounding villages, is a very special part of the Western Ghats, with its own distinctive flora and bird life, especially in the upper plateau. The climate of the area is as effective a barrier to species’ migration as the waters of the ocean are to an island. That is why we refer to these hills as an ‘island in the sky’. The rare and precious natural heritage of this ‘island’ needs to be preserved and nurtured. The Palni Hills receive the heaviest rainfall in southern Tamil Nadu. Water supplies from the Palnis are thus crucial for farmers down below, and we highlight the need to safeguard this vital catchment. The heritage buildings in Kodaikanal have been built with local material–stone quarried from the hills, red clay from the mountains as mortar, and local wood. The ground-hugging elevations of the old buildings blend beautifully with the hill landscape, and carry the much needed message of a nature friendly architecture. The only way to preserve the heritage is to educate and sensitise residents and visitors to appreciate the delicate balance and understand the symbiotic nature of its existence-flora, fauna, and human. Only such an awareness will ensure that development efforts are environmentally suitable and sustainable. The contributors, representing INTACH, Kodaikanal Chapter, hope that this book will contribute to enlightened management of this ecologically vulnerable and beautiful part of India.
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