Kolli Malai, also known as Kolli Hills, is a hill station and taluk in Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, India.^{[citation needed]}

The hills are named Kolli Malai after the goddess Etukkai Amman (also known as Kollipavai), who guards the hills with her divine protection.^{[citation needed]}

The Kolli Hills are featured in several works of classical Tamil literature such as Silappathigaram, Manimekalai, Purananuru and Akananuru. Mahavidwan R. Raghava Iyengar in the research monograph Araichi Katturaigal has given exhaustive references to Kollipavai from early Sangam literature, concluding that her image is in Kolli Hills. The region was ruled by Valvil Ori around 200 CE, who is praised as one of the seven great philanthropists of ancient Tamil Nadu. His valor and marksmanship are sung by several poets, and his exploits are a popular part of folklore. Ori is said to have killed a lion, a bear, a deer and a boar with a single arrow.^{[citation needed]}

The hills are said to be guarded by Kollipavai, also called Ettukkai Amman, the local deity. According to legend, the sages chose Kolli Hills when they were looking for a peaceful place to do their penance. However, the demons invaded the hills to disrupt the penance when the sages began their rituals. The sages prayed to Kollipavai, who according to the myth, chased away the demons with her enchanting smile. Kollipavai is still worshipped by the people here, and her smile is revered. The hills have several mythological legends associated with them, and often come across as an eerie place in contemporary tales due to the unexplored and less traveled terrain. These hills are full of herbs which retains health and vigour. E. D. Israel Oliver King of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation has documented over 250 sacred forests in Kolli Hills in the year 2005.^{[citation needed]}

The Kolli Hills are a taluk and form a part of Namakkal district. Semmedu village is the headquarters for the Kolli Hills block and Semmedu is connected by road from Namakkal and Salem. Nowadays the bus service is provided up to Arappaleeswarar Temple. BSNL (earlier DOT) established the first telecommunication networks (LDPCO) in 1977, and the telecom facilities have been continuously expanded to meet the requirements of the Kolli Hills.^{[citation needed]}

Apart from its historical significance, the hills are covered with tropical moist mixed evergreen forests, but increasing areas of forests have been cleared for farming. Farm products of the hills include black pepper and other spices, jackfruit, banana, pineapple, oranges, and tapioca,. Rice and minor millets (foxtail, finger millet and little millet) form the staple food of the tribal people who inhabit these hills. The jackfruit grown on the hills is well known for its taste and fragrance and is often soaked in wild honey that is also harvested from the hills.^{[citation needed]}

The hills are covered by green vegetation in the spring and monsoon and are streaked with streams.^{[citation needed]} There are three reserve forests that are controlled by the government of Tamil Nadu: Ariyur Solai, Kundur Nadu, and Pulianjolai.

The hills are a site of pilgrimage, because of the Arapaleeswarar temple, which is believed to have a secret path to the Shiva temple in Rasipuram. This Shiva temple is said to have been built by Valvil Ori in the 1st or 2nd century CE when he ruled this area. "Arappaleeswara sathakam" is a poem which praises Lord Arappaleeswarar. It is believed that this temple existed during the Sangam period itself.^{[citation needed]}