INTRODUCTION
Periyar lies in the southernmost reaches of the Western Ghats. In the late 19th century, Col. J. Pennycuick conceived and built the dam across the Periyar river, a ''most extraordinary feat of engineering ever performed.'' Completed in 1895, the dam changed the river's flow. Waters that emptied into the Arabian Sea to the west were diverted into the east-flowing Vaigai river, thus helping irrigate thousands of acres of barren lands. The project was later upgraded into a full-fledged hydroelectric project. In 1930s the lake, now widely regarded as a blessing in disguise, and several hundred sq.kms. of nearby forest was declared a sanctuary, thanks to the Maharaja of Travancore under whose control these tracts were. In 1977, Periyar came under Project Tiger, with a core area of 350 sq.kms., and a total area of 777 sq.kms.
MY REVIEW / OPINION / COMMENTS
Five boats packed with close to 250 visitors venture forth on a hot afternoon in Thekkady or Periyar. Everyone wants to see elephants. It's a glorious sight, the jungle on either side, dark, tall and deep with only occasional shafts of sunlight penetrating through the dense canopy that resounds with the cries of monkeys, giant squirrels and numberless birds.
Soon the boats have spaced out and appear like tiny dots on a vast canvas of water. To our left, on the distant banks, a few dark, lazing, shadowy forms emerge. They are gaur, five of them. Nearby, a frolicsome band of otters scampers, watched by an engrossed sambar stag. Minutes later, someone spots a procession of idling giants moving down a grassy slope, not too far out, and instantly the boat resounds with excitement. We see the elephants enter the water and swim right across a channel and it's a supernatural feeling to see such colossal creatures all but vanish underwater, only a bit if their heads and part of their trunks jutting above the water.
Periyar Tiger Reserve, in Kerala's Idukki district, is rightfully regarded as the finest place to view Asian elephants. In a wildly undulating terrain, pristine tropical forests are interspersed with rolling, grassy slopes, the setting dominated by a rambling reservoir. Over 30 sq.kms. at high water-level, the lake looks like a vast sheet of water and there's more than a feel of supernatural about it, especially on winter morns when the vista is shrouded in mist, dotted with ghostly, dark stumps of giant trees jutting out of water. Long and wide, the lake has fingers as if encroaching into the hill slopes and is carpeted with dense, tall forest along most of the length.
Periyar offers terrific opportunities for viewing elephants, and the slow moving boat is perfect for approaching and photographing the dawdling giants. Gaur, sambar, chital, otters, wild boar, there is always action on the waterfront, and a pack of wild dogs sets off a flurry of activity. On rare occasions, a tiger has been sighted, emerging out of the forest.
PERIYAR OPTIONS
1. Boat rides
The boat rides are fun, though it can get awfully crowded. Ride timings are 7:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM and 4:00 PM (check timings on location).
2. Jungle walks (by permission only)
Some interesting trekking sites are Manakkavala, Nellikkampetty, Pullumedu (drive and trek) and Kurisumala. Check with the forest office for daily treks.
3. Plantation tours
A visit to a spice plantation is a must on any visit to Thekkady. Check with local tour operators or the district tourist office. Tours include visits to cardamom, pepper, coffee and tea plantations, tea factories as also tribal settlements (Mannans and Palians, dwelling mostly on the periphery of the tiger reserve).
4. Elephant rides
If walking isn't your forte, there are elephant rides through fixed jungle routes. Check with the forest office for timings and availability.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Can be visited all year round.
Temperature : 15-32 degrees Celsius.
DISTANCE FROM (Thekkady Tourist Center)
Cochin : 185 kms
Kottayam : 112 kms
Madurai : 140 kms
Kumily : 3.5 kms
MOST LIKELY TO SEE MAMMALS
Elephant, wild dog, gaur, Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, sambar, barking deer, striped-necked mongoose, Indian giant squirrel, smooth Indian otter, common otter, wild boar.
LESS LIKELY TO SEE MAMMALS
Tiger, common leopard, Nilgiri tahr, mouse deer, small Indian civet, brown mongoose, large brown flying squirrel, small Travancore flying squirrel, slender loris.
BIRDS
Great cormorant, darter, woolly-necked stork, grey junglefowl, crested serpent eagle, osprey, grey-headed fish eagle, crested goshawk, rufous-bellied eagle, Jerdon's baza, mountain hawk eagle, besra, brown fish owl, spot-bellied eagle owl, great eared nightjar, Sri Lanka frogmouth, great hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, white-bellied woodpecker, dollarbird, Malabar trogon, Loten's sunbird, greater flameback.
Thekkady/Kumily have all requisite facilities, including hospitals, banks, currency exchange, internet services, courier services, car-hire, book-shops, spice shops and ayurveda and Kerala massage centers.
TECHNICAL REFERENCES
1. WILDLIFE RESERVES OF INDIA .... SUNJOY MONGA
- LEAFLETS AND PAMPHLETS DISTRIBUTED BY THE FOREST OFFICE
I sincerely and anticipatedly do hope that this review entices your mind and attracts your attention. Suggestions and comments are always more than welcome .... Thanx !!
QUOTE OF THE REVIEW
''A Person Who Asks A Question Is A Fool For Five Minutes .... A Person Who Doesn't Is A Fool Forever !!''
© Cookie : 06/2003
