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| Stone House built by John Sullivan thehindu.com |
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| Ooty location map, TN. ooty.xyz |
The Stone House, first ever colonial residence built in 1822-23 in Ooty, Nigiris hills is a historical and heritage site. the interesting historical fact is was built by the indigenous tribes - Thodas (who lived in upper Nilgiris) for John Sullivan, the then District Collector of Coimbatore, representing the Madras Presidency under the East India Company rule. When the construction work of his residence was on, Sullivan took keen interest in it because he liked the lush green land and the serene ambiance around it. Further, the native tribes were of great help to him. He was the first English man to have ascended an unknown rugged mountain - Nilgris hill and discovered a lovely hill station for the European settlers who were very much troubled by the tropical weather on the plains, particularly, during the hot summer season. The Oak Tree close to the stone house is as old as the house itself.
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| Sullivan memorial sangeethatrails.blogspot.com/ |
Above image: This 2 story small building was built by Sullivan at Kannerimukku village near Kotagiri ( elevation: 5,883 ft). This red bungalow, goes by the name of the Pethakal Bungalow named after a sacred stone that existed there.. It houses a memorial and a small museum but is 2 km away from Kottagiri village. which is not on the popular route. ........
When Sullivan went uphill for the first time he was accompanied by a band of soldiers, hunters, elephants and ponies (who were disbanded halfway), trail-blazing through dense shola-filled forests and steep cliffs. On his second trip to Dimbatty (which means soft, pillow like) in 1819 he lost his heart and decided to have a house built there. In the 5 acre spread bought from the tribes, he experimented potatoes and English vegetables. Today, the area is called Kannerimukku where stands the two-story structure that houses the memorial and Museum. It was almost in ruins, slowly crumbling and today the building stands with majesty. Thanks to funds from the state government and donation from the public. Not many visitors come here because of its isolation off Kotagiri village. Wooded mountain terrain On Nilgiris mountain opened up a new vista of unexplored areas for him and fellow British explorers. Decades later tea and coffee plantations came up there as the weather on the hill was quite suitable to their growth.
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| Stone House Ooty, TN sterlingholidays.com |
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| Stone House built by John Sullivan facebook.com |
With sloping roof, and thick stone walls and a fire place in the large living room the ''Stone House'' was almost like a British cottage in a an English village designed in a simple way. The fire place in the living room would keep the inmates cozy and comfortable during harsh winter on the hill. After retirement Sullivan had settled down and spent much of his time with his family in the house called Sullivan's Oak. To day it is being used as the office of the Principal of Government Arts College. In June 2020 the Government college observed 232nd birth anniversary of John Sullivan in a special ceremony on the college promises.
Every year John Sullivan's birth anniversary is celebrated as an official ceremony by the district collector office. It is quite disappointing that a permanent memorial for Sullivan is nor yet built in Ooty by the state government. In June 2019 on the occasion of paying homage to Sullivan the local people and the Nilgiris Documentation Centre (NDC) appealed for Tamil Nadu Governor’s intervention to set up an official memorial for Sullivan at Ooty, the head quarters of Nilgiris. Their desire is to have a permanent memorial and a museum in honor of Sullivan. If Ooty is what is today it is because of John Sullivan who had also built the famous Ooty lake where boating is a common feature..
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| Stone House, Ooty..makemytrip.com |
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| Stone House, Ooty. ootytourism.co.in |
The Stone House has to be renovated soon because of time factor and slow deterioration in some places of the building primarily due to climatic changes. The restoration work will be entrusted to experienced conservationists as the heritage value and aesthetics of the building should not get affected on account of conservation. The experts will try to choose the construction materials matching those that were used 200 years ago to retain the old charm and heritage look.
Despite the time factor and acts of vagaries of weather, the building stands with majesty as a symbol of British legacy in this part of Ooty.
https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/travel/where-sullivan-lost-his-heart/article4810266.ece
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