Wednesday, January 30, 2008

PERIYAR –cruising in the paradise




Prime Attraction: Periyar National Park with its rare Tuskers, Tigers, Nilgiri Tahr and Nilgiri Langur.

Periyar at a glance

Periyar is a 350 sq km cruising paradise nestled in the Western Ghats, in Kerala (India). Famous for its National Park which is locally called Thekkady, Periyar or the Big River, is laced with a long lake that meanders around the contours of the moist deciduous hills, providing a perennial source of water for the local wildlife. An ancient lore goes that when a mighty tusker got killed at the hands of a Britisher, the erstwhile king of Travancore was so saddened that he immediately extended protection to the denizens of the forest. In 1982, the core area was declared a National Park and recently, in 2004, conservation efforts were further cemented with the formation of the Periyar Foundation – a joint crusade of the park administration and the locals.

Wildlife Adventure in Periyar

A boating cruise takes you right into the heart of the Periyar sanctuary with its inexhaustible treasure of flora and fauna. During the dry periods, generally in March and April, herds of playful wild elephants make Periyar Lake their favourite haunt for frolicking in the water. Sights of sambar, gaur and wild pigs alongside, make a truly refreshening vista. And if you suddenly find the air reverberate with alarming calls of the langur and the peafowl, indications are that a tiger is prowling close-by a quiet wait will be worthwhile. However, spotting the tigers and the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat) are a rarity that demands lot of luck and excellent timing. Periyar also harbors the leopard, wild dog, barking deer and mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar, and sloth bear. On the rocky outcrops along the lake, monitor lizards can be seen basking in the sun. Visitors who trek into the Park often see a python and sometimes even a king cobra.

Some 260 species of birds are recorded in Periyar. These include darters, cormorants, ibises, grey herons, mynas, flycatchers, orioles, wood pigeons, kingfishers, kites, ospreys, thrushes, and an appreciable number of blue-winged parakeets. The endangered macaque monkey is also a special attraction here.

Besides, Periyar is one of its kind that offers you the liberty of sauntering around in small groups accompanied by a forest guide. Elephant and jeep safaris and even biking, can be enriching experiences. You can also join the jungle’s patrol team and know the conservation processes at work. Besides, lectures on wildlife preservation are organized regularly at the park and these can be of help in understanding the wild creatures and their environment.

The best time to visit Periyar is from October to June when most of the wild animals can be sighted near the lake shore.

Reaching Periyar

The nearest airports from Periyar are Kochi (Cochin) at 200-kms or Madurai in Tamil Nadu at 140-kms from Periyar. The nearest railhead is at Kottayam at a distance of 114-kms. The nearest town from Periyar is Kumily, well connected with Kottayam, Ernakulam and Madurai in Tamil Nadu by regular and frequent buses.

Don’t forget to check these out....

Trekking: Apart from the boat cruises, the adventurous ones can go for trekking expeditions, camps and bamboo rafting in the Periyar forests. Treks to the Mangla Devi temple promises undulating fun.

Bullock Cart fun: How about exploring the nearby villages of the Mannans – one of the oldest group to inhabit the forests – in a bullock cart? Sounds exciting surely! Once there don’t miss out the Tribal Heritage Museum there.

Mangala Devi temple: to the temple of Mangla Devi – an ancient stone temple amidst the Thekkady forest promises undulating fun.

Kumily : Just 4-kms away from Periyar is a famous spice trade centre – Kumily.

Cardamom Hills : Kerala's picturesque and beautiful Cardamom hills can be easily accessed from Periyar and Kumily.

Lectures on wildlife preservation are organized regularly at the park and these can be of help in understanding the wild creatures and their environment. Late afternoon is just right for another walk down the lakeside. The evening walk along the lake is always tinged with forebodings of danger combined with exhilaration at being in such a beautiful place.
Accommodation options

Ever thought about spending a night in huts made of bamboo and grass, perched right innthe jungle? Periyar has an eco-friendly area where such cottages abound. Thekkady, otherwise has a wide range of hotels to choose from. Taj Garden Retreat can be a comfortable solace for luxury-lovers. In Kumily are plenty opportunities for accommodation in the hotels and resorts in the town

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