Yercaud, the jewel among hill stations in the South India, lies in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, in South India. This quiet hill station, situated in the Shevaroy Hills in the Eastern Ghats, is the only one of its kind in northern Tamil Nadu and enjoys a cool and pleasant climate throughout the year. Yercaud derives its name from two Tamil words, ’yeri’ and ‘kaadu’, meaning lake and forest. Coffee, citrus fruits, cardamom and pepper are grown in abundance here It is relatively less commercialized than Ooty. This quiet and peaceful hill station was discovered by the British who introduced coffee plantations and laid out roads. The missionaries who followed them started educational institutions which are among the elite institutions. The main land mark here is the Emerald Lake or the Big Lake which is a popular picnic spot. It is surrounded by well-laid out gardens and has facilities for boating.  Right on top of the hill is the Servarayan temple dedicated to Lord Servarayan and his consort Kaveri. Interestingly, the temple is situated inside a cave and according to the local belief, the cave extends all the way to Kaveri in Karnataka. There is a wishing well too near the temple. The Killiyur waterfall, with water cascading down 300ft into the Killiyur Valley is an awesome sight. Near the Servarayan temple is the Raja Rajeswari Amman temple, dedicated to Raja Rajewsari, the goddess of all gods.  Other places of interest are the Lady’s seat and Arthur’s Seat – two vantage points which offer panoramic views of the Yercaud town, the big lake surrounding the hill and nearby towns. The Pagoda Point or the Pyramid Point has four clusters of stones in a pagoda or pyramid formation made by the tribals. Now there is a Rama temple situated between the pagodas. The orchidarium at the Botanical Gardens with a huge collection of rare orchids is a treat for plant enthusiasts. Another place worth to include in this travel plan is the Silk Farm. Yercaud with its forested hills possesses many trekking trails to offer to the trekkers.