NILGIRI or Neilgherry Hills are a mountain mass in the S. of the Peninsula of India, Madras Presidency. The district comprises two distinct tracts of mountainous country, between lat. 11° 12' and 37' N., and long. 76° 18' and 77° 51' E. One of these tracts is the Neilgherries proper, and the other the Kundas. The total area of the Neilgherry district is 957 square miles. The surface of the Neilgherries proper is undulating, and not much wooded, and the fall to the plains sudden and abrupt. The Kundas are in the south-west angle of the Neilgherries. They are a mass of mountains, which throw off spurs to the south almost as far as the Ponany river, and the innumerable valleys between the spurs have a rich, fertile soil. In the elevated land to. the N. and W. of the Pykara river, on the whole of the Kundas, and the N.E. portion of the plateau called Kodanaad, are extensive forests. The highest mountain on the Neilgherries is Dada betta, and from it to the E. foot of the Kundas the land falls continuously. The highest peaks are --Dodabetta, 8760 feet ; Kudiakad, 8502; Bevo betta or Beroyabetta, 8488 ; Makurti, 8402 ; Davarsolabetta, 8380; Kunda, 8353; Kundamoge, 7816 ; Ootacamund, 7361 ; Tambrabetta, 7292 ; Hokabbetta, 7267 ; Urbetta, 6915 ; Kodanad, 6815; Davebetta, 6571; Kotagherry, 6571; Kunda betta, 6555 ; Dimhatti, 6330 ; Coonoor, 5886 ; and Rangasawmi peak, 5948. The area of the district is 978 square miles. The ghats or passes leading up to the plateau are the Coonoor, Segur, Gudalur, Sispara, Kotagherry, and Sundapatti.
The general elevation of the table-land differs a little in the three principal divisions. That of the Kunda range may be estimated at 7600 feet. The central portion at 7100 or 7200, and the Kota gherry division at 6000. The Kunda range forms the seaward bank of the Neilgherries with a very steep slope towards the Malabar coast. It attains at its higher parts an elevation of 7500 to 8000 feet above the sea. The Kunda or Sispara ghat or pass which leads to Calicut is 6742 feet above the sea. The Kundas rise abruptly from the plain, bordered by several precipices of great height, and accessible only at one or two points. The upper surface is intersected by narrow, deep valleys, thickly dotted with wood, and presenting some most picturesque scenery. A prolongation of the Kundas to the north is called the Neddi mulla range, and forms a narrow ridge, shooting up into sharp peaks, and bordered by lofty preci pices on the west. On the inner side, the Kundas
sink into a lower range of table-land, formed by a succession of low, rounded hills and valleys, less richly wooded, and bounded to the east by the great central range of Dodabet„running com pletely across from north to south: This is the highest point of the hills, being 8736) feet above the sea. On the west side of the Dodabet range, immediately below the highest summit, Oota& round, situated in a basin surrounded on all •sides by high hills. At the northern extremity of the range is Coonoor, from which a magnificent gorge descends to the plain of Coinibatore. A corre sponding fissure on the north, but much less deep and not so picturesque, is the Segur ghat, which gives access to the hills from Mysore and the north. After crossing the Dodabet range, the country sinks considerably, and is covered with Badaga villages and cultivation for some miles, when it again rises into long grassy ranges like the Kundas, but without the lofty peaks which dis tinguish the latter. At the commencement of the rise is situated Kotagherry, and a little to the north a deep valley running east and west descends abruptly into the low country, and is known as the Orange Valley, from containing a number of wild orange trees. It also contains a picturesque waterfall of some height. The descent from the table-land of Kotagherry, though less abrupt than that of the Kundas, is sufficiently sudden to present a bold and imposing aspect when viewed from below. About the middle of the east face, nearly opposite the Guzzelhutty pass, which ascends into Mysore, is the old Jackanairy pass (5659 feet), which for many years was the only practicable access to any part of them. The views on the Kundas are bold and magnificent. Those towards and near Ootacaround, more pastoral ; and in the vicinity of Kotagherry, richer and more agricultural. Several consider able streams unite to form the Bowani river, which, descending by a succession of beautiful falls into a most romantic gorge, forces its way through the southern edge of the table- land, where it makes an abrupt turn to the east, and flows along the whole southern aspect of the hills till it meets the Moyar, descending in a similar manner, and with similar accompaniments of scenery, from the northern face.