Ooty: Local Culture And Heritage Of Destinations In Your Resort!
Whenever we go on a trip, we look for an experience, an immersive moment to be in, a beautiful memory we can take back home. More and more of us are interested in an immersive travel experience rather than opting for a conventional stay at a hotel.
At the Sterling Ooty Fern hill, you’ll find yourself cocooned in nature. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the hotel is situated in the hills surrounded by tall trees and ferns. And if you are going on a romantic trip, you are in for a treat! At times the clouds envelope the hotel and the entire scenery becomes magical.
Since it is located at an elevation, you can stand on the balcony overlooking the greenery and sip on some freshly made Nilgiri tea while you witness the sun paint the blue skies in vibrant shades of orange, and this was just about the experience Sterling Ooty – Fern Hill creates for you.
Sterling Holidays have strived hard to create that experiential holiday experience that millennials today expect from every trip they take. Every trip has to tell a story, has to spell out an experience like no other. An experience so unique that none of their friends have lived before. They don’t want to settle for the bed & breakfast arrangement and have good food. It’s so much more than that.
Sterling Holidays have collaborated with NIFT students to recreate the essence of the tribes and the flora & fauna in Ooty.
Let’s take a look at what’s in store for you
A Serene Abode
Minimalist and inviting, the Toda tribal huts are distinct when compared to modern houses we have today yet they are super beautiful and welcoming. It is a place of comfort and also a place of art for the tribesmen as the women decorate them with unique embellishments, spices and colourful flowers.
The huts are curious structures, usually without any windows and carved in a semi barrel shape. The entrance to the hut is approximately 18 inches. One has to bend down and enter the hut. But once inside, you can comfortably stand upright. These huts are one of the many major attractions of Ooty.
The Spicy Edge
Not just beautiful on the outside, the Toda huts are gorgeous on the insides as well. A traditional spice table graces the insides of the hut with its authentic presence. This traditional way of grinding spices retains the flavour and enhances the taste of the food. The spice table represents the importance of spices used in the households.
Lift To Impress
Sounds like some fun competition held at a local gym right?
For all the lovers out there and even back in the Toda times, as a ritual to impress and win the bride, the men of the tribe participate in a competition by lifting heavy stone with their bare hands to prove their strength and to be worthy of the bride’s love.
The stone is kept for display just outside the Toda Hut on the side. So all you young men travelling with your partner, before stopping by, make sure you are pumped up and able to carry the stone.
The Jack Of All Trades
Sterling Fern Hill houses mesmerizing sculptures inspired by the life of the Kota tribe living in the Nilgiri ranges of Tamil Nadu. They maintained a lifestyle as a jack of all trades such as the potters, agriculturalists, leather workers, carpenters, and blacksmiths and as musicians for other groups. Pretty talented, huh?
Finely Embroidered Pride
In the Toda embroidery mural, you can catch a glimpse of the art they take pride in. The Toda tribe of the Nilgiris are experts in a distinct style of embroidery that has been passed on through generations.
Fine and intricate, the Toda embroidery is created on shawls, tiny souvenirs and other clothing materials. It has a fine finish which appears like a woven cloth but it is actually handcrafted using red and black threads on a white cotton background. Damn, that must look gorgeous!
The Great Wall Of Artifacts
We have always thought what if we could keep a piece of memory intact, right?
That one moment, that one gift, that one thing…only if we could.
Sterling heard you and recreated the great wall of artifacts that treasures the epic life of the tribals of Ooty.
Inspired by the ornaments, daily items and art of the tribals, the artifacts wall at Sterling Ooty – Fern Hill showcases a range of curated and handmade collectibles that signify the way of the tribal life. The process involved to create these artifacts are woodwork, black smithery, jewelry technique, iron forging and 3D print for the tribal miniatures.
The Wheel Of Nostalgia
Don’t you think history classes would be so much more fun if you could take a glimpse into it instead of reading chunks of text on paper?
The wheel of nostalgia gives a glimpse into the history of Ooty. It clearly explicates which dynasty ruled and who took over at what period of time. It also contains insightful trivia about Ooty so that you can spend an amazing time learning new things about the place you are in.
Jigsaw Puzzles For Ooty
Engage in solving a puzzling jigsaw with your friends and family at the Ooty jigsaw map installation. This map features 96 jigsaw blocks that you can arrange on a 20 square feet large map of Ooty.
All you need to know are names of famous places around Ooty to complete the map in record time and win against others.
Dandelion 3D Art
Amidst the green expanses of Ooty, the bright yellow dandelion flower blooms in all its glory filled with several medicinal benefits.
Sterling Ooty- Fern Hill recreates the beauty of dandelion into a grand 3D art form that you can witness as one of the Sterling Fern Hill impressions.
Did You Know This?
If you are someone who doesn’t mind getting lost in a gripping piece of info, this is the place you should be at for your next trip!
Sterling Holidays brings to you engaging infographics installed throughout the Sterling Fern Hill resorts that’ll enthrall you with many new unknown and never heard before secrets about Ooty.
Some of the topics include :
Neel Kurunji Flower | The invention of Gin & Tonic | The Places of Ooty under various Maharajas | Flowers of Ooty | European Vegetables of Ooty | Horse Racing of Ooty and many such interesting stories.
Nilgiri Animal Pathway
In an epic blend of art and technology, Sterling D&E hosts these 30 square feet massive square tiles that represent the abundant wildlife in the Nilgiri mountain ranges. It is home to about 3500 plus species of reptiles, and amphibians.
The pathway lets you meander through various jungle creatures and hear some of them cry out loud if you step on them. A fun, exciting game to play with family or friends.
Nilgiris Mountain Railway Game
Inspired by the toy trains that was introduced by the British, Sterling offers a glimpse of the rack and pinion railway track in a fun entertaining way.
Read the instructions of this game and find a fun way to pass the many railway stations and pit-stops before reaching Ooty.
Rack & Pinion Infographics
In order to meander through thick forests and steep mountains in Ooty, Britishers built the only rack railways in India. The popular Ooty Toy Train is a UNESCO Heritage Site for the very old and model of Rack & Pinion being used.
In the Sterling D&E impression, visitors can see the Rack & Pinion system up close and see the original 13 stations of the Nilgiris Mountain Railway in form of a game here.
Sterling D&E serves a simple purpose of making every visit engaging, entertaining, memorable and most importantly creating a “moment of wow” for them. So be sure that every time you are at Sterling, you are going to discover something new that won’t fail to leave you mesmerized.
Curious about more?