fresh grocery, meat, handicrafts, hot snacks, inexpensive toys, medicinal herbs and oils, hardware, dry goods and cooking fuels. The cosmopolitan nature of Kodai is evident on Anna Salai, the main business street, where it is common to see local villagers, European and American students and backpackers, foreign retirees and families from other parts of India, all mixed together in their common activity of shopping.
Plums, pears, chile peppers, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic and onions are cultivated by terrace farmers in surrounding villages. Most are trucked to other parts of India and some are sold in the local market. Popular tourist souvenirs include handcrafts, home-made chocolates, postcards and Eucalyptus oil.
Due to its relatively unpolluted image, various locations within Kodaikanal are used for movie shootings as well. Some examples being Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar though depicted as Dehradun, the Tamil movie Guna, Manmadhan Ambu, Thenali etc
