Editing Yercaud

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Yercaud 
| native_name             = Erkadu
| native_name_lang        = ta
| other_name              = 
| settlement_type         = Hill Station
| image_skyline           = File:Yercaud lake.jpg
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = Yercaud lake
| nickname                = 
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = 
| pushpin_map             = India Salem#India Tamil Nadu#India
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| coordinates             = {{coord|11.7794|N|78.2034|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = India
| subdivision_type1       = [[States and union territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[Region]]
| subdivision_type3       = [[List of districts in India|District]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[Kongu Nadu]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Salem district|Salem]]
| established_title       = <!-- Established -->
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| named_for               = 
| government_type         = 
| governing_body          = 
| unit_pref               = Metric
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_total_km2          = 
| area_rank               = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 1515
| population_total        = 11582
| population_as_of        = 2011
| population_footnotes    = 
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_rank         = 
| population_demonym      = 
| demographics_type1      = Languages
| demographics1_title1    = Official
| timezone1               = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1             = +5:30
| postal_code_type        = 636601
| postal_code             = 
| registration_plate      = TN 30, TN 54
| website                 = 
| footnotes               = 
| demographics1_info1     = [[Tamil language|Tamil]] <br> [[English language|English]]
}}
'''Yercaud''', also spelt '''Erkad''',{{refn|group=note|''Yercaud'' is the [[British English]] spelling, and ''ēṟkāḍŭ'' is the [[ISO 15919|romanized]] spelling from [[Tamil script]]}} is a town and [[hill station]] in [[Salem District]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], India. Located in [[Servarayan Hills]] in the [[Eastern Ghats]], it is situated at an altitude of {{cvt|1515|m|ft}}.

== History ==
Stone-age implements have been found near an ancient shrine located in the [[Servarayan Hills]], about 5&nbsp;km from the Yercaud lake.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000917/spectrum/travel.htm|title=The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum – Travel|work=The Tribune|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> In the 1820s, [[M. D. Cockburn]], the collector of [[Salem district]] facilitated the establishment of coffee plantations and citrus fruit saplings imported from [[South Africa]]. It was later discovered by [[Sir Thomas Munro, 1st Baronet|Thomas Munro]], the Governor of [[Madras Presidency]] in 1842 and popularized as a recreation retreat.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/archives/feel-country-yercaud-2171734|title=Feel of the country in Yercaud|date=8 January 2014|newspaper=[[Deccan Herald]]|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=7 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107112541/https://www.deccanherald.com/archives/feel-country-yercaud-2171734|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Geography==
It is located in the Shevaroy hills in the [[Eastern Ghats]].<ref name="TT">{{cite web|url=https://www.tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in/destinations/yercaud|title=Yercaud|publisher=[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=22 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222161721/https://www.tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in/destinations/yercaud|url-status=live}}</ref> The total extent of [[Yercaud taluk]] is {{cvt|382.67|km2|abbr=on}} including reserve forests.<ref name="SD">{{cite web|url=https://salem.nic.in/tourist-place/images-of-yercaudlake/|title=About Yercaud|publisher=[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=29 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929140321/https://salem.nic.in/tourist-place/images-of-yercaudlake/|url-status=live}}</ref> It is situated at an altitude of {{Convert|1515|m|ft}} above [[mean sea level|sea level]], and the highest point in Yercaud is the Servarayan temple, at {{cvt|5342|ft|m|order=flip}}.<ref name="TG">{{cite book|title=Tamilnadu Tourism Guide|first=Ganesh|last=Babu|page=73|isbn=978-8-1948-9847-4|publisher=Archers & Elevators Publishing House}}</ref>

=== Climate  ===
{{Weather box
|location = Yercaud
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 29
|Feb record high C = 32
|Mar record high C = 34
|Apr record high C = 35
|May record high C = 34
|Jun record high C = 32
|Jul record high C = 31
|Aug record high C = 30
|Sep record high C = 30
|Oct record high C = 32
|Nov record high C = 31
|Dec record high C = 29
|year record high C = 32
|Jan high C = 22.9
|Feb high C = 26.0
|Mar high C = 26.9
|Apr high C = 28.6
|May high C = 29.4
|Jun high C = 29.4
|Jul high C = 26.6
|Aug high C = 26.0
|Sep high C = 26.1
|Oct high C = 25.0
|Nov high C = 23.7
|Dec high C = 23.5
|Jan low C = 12.4
|Feb low C = 13.3
|Mar low C = 15.4
|Apr low C = 17.7
|May low C = 18.1
|Jun low C = 18.6
|Jul low C = 17.6
|Aug low C = 17.3
|Sep low C = 17.0
|Oct low C = 16.4
|Nov low C = 14.9
|Dec low C = 13.1
|Jan record low C = 4
|Feb record low C = 5
|Mar record low C = 6
|Apr record low C = 9
|May record low C = 10
|Jun record low C = 8
|Jul record low C = 9
|Aug record low C = 8
|Sep record low C = 5
|Oct record low C = 4
|Nov record low C = 6
|Dec record low C = 6
|year record low C = 4
|Jan precipitation mm = 17
|Feb precipitation mm = 17
|Mar precipitation mm = 18
|Apr precipitation mm = 81
|May precipitation mm = 143
|Jun precipitation mm = 109
|Jul precipitation mm = 187
|Aug precipitation mm = 247
|Sep precipitation mm = 209
|Oct precipitation mm = 250
|Nov precipitation mm = 161
|Dec precipitation mm = 73
|year precipitation mm = 
|source 1 = Wunderground<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayIntlNORMS.asp?CityCode=42182&Units=both|title=Historical Weather for Yercaud|access-date=27 November 2008|publisher=Weather Underground|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225205210/https://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayIntlNORMS.asp?CityCode=42182&Units=both%20|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|date=November 2010
}}

== Demographics ==
As per the [[2011 Census of India|2011 census]], Yercaud has population of 11,582. The [[sex ratio]] was 974 against the state average of 996. [[Literacy rate]] was 83.17%, higher than state average of 80.09%. [[Scheduled caste]] constituted 33.33% while [[Scheduled tribe]]s were 15.50% of the total population. The town had 2,652 houses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census2011.co.in/data/town/634158-yercaud-tamil-nadu.html|title=Yercaud census town, 2011|publisher=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=13 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113163916/https://www.census2011.co.in/data/town/634158-yercaud-tamil-nadu.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Administration and politics  ==
The taluk is administered as a township with a [[Panchayati raj in India|panchayat union]] headquartered at Yercaud.<ref name="SD"/> Yercaud is part of the [[Yercaud Assembly constituency]] which forms part of the [[Kallakurichi (Lok Sabha constituency)]].<ref>{{cite report|url=http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S22/TN_ACPC.pdf|title=List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies|access-date=9 October 2008|publisher=[[Election Commission of India]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031131000/http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S22/TN_ACPC.pdf|archive-date=31 October 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Economy ==
The economy of Yercaud is majorly dependent on [[tourism]] and [[agriculture]]. [[Coffee]], [[Orange (fruit)|orange]], [[jackfruit]], [[guava]], [[black pepper]] and [[cardamom]] are grown around the region.<ref name="TT"/> Yercaud lake is a natural lake in the center of the town where there are [[boating]] facilities.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/yercaud-this-scenic-tamil-nadu-hill-station-is-perfect-for-a-pocket-friendly-getaway-8730491.html|title=Yercaud: This Scenic Tamil Nadu Hill Station Is Perfect For A Pocket-friendly Getaway|date=6 January 2024|work=News18|access-date=10 January 2024|archive-date=6 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106132441/https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/yercaud-this-scenic-tamil-nadu-hill-station-is-perfect-for-a-pocket-friendly-getaway-8730491.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Other places of interest include the deer park, bears cave, Kiliyur falls, rose garden, various view points and temples including Servarayan temple, Raja Rajeswari temple and Rama temple at Pagoda point.<ref name="SD"/>

== Transport ==
The nearest airport is [[Salem Airport (India)|Salem airport]] at a distance of {{cvt|38|km|abbr=on}}, which has limited domestic flights. The nearest major airport is [[Coimbatore International Airport]] located {{cvt|170|km|abbr=on}} away.<ref name="TT"/> The nearest railway station is [[Salem Junction railway station|Salem junction]] at 34.5&nbsp;km.<ref name="TT"/> Government owned [[TNSTC]] operates public buses from Yercaud to Salem, which is connected to other major towns.<ref name="TT"/>

==Education==
There are many residential schools in Yercaud including the [[Montfort School, Yercaud|Monfort school]], established in 1917.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/education-career/from-montfort-to-doon-top-5-boarding-schools-in-india-and-their-admission-process-5810413.html|title=From Montfort to Doon: Top 5 Boarding Schools in India and Their Admission Process|date=24 August 2022|access-date=1 December 2023|work=News18}}</ref> Shevaroys college is the only institute of higher education in the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shevaroyscateringcollege.com/|title=About Shevaroys|access-date=1 December 2023|publisher=Shevaroys|archive-date=13 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113163917/http://shevaroyscateringcollege.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Tourism in Tamil Nadu}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Wikivoyage inline}}

[[Category:Tourist attractions in Salem district]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Salem district]]
[[Category:Hill stations in Tamil Nadu]]