INTRODUCTION
Situated within the confines of the
Western Ghats in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Periyar
National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating
wildlife parks in the world. In 1895, the British undertook water
resource management plans for the area and started work on a dam and
an artificial lake under the auspices of Col. J. Pennycuick. The
picturesque lake in the heart of the sanctuary was originally 26 sq
km but now spans an area of 55 sq km. This perennial source of
water, which initially led to the submersion of large tracts of
forestland, slowly attracted wild animals. It eventually resulted in
the adjoining forests being granted protection by the Maharaja of
Travancore. Post-1975 Periyar finds itself in the enviable position
of being a national park as well as a protected tiger reserve.
Periyar (also known as Thekkady) is a park where
one can witness playful pachyderms, whose population is currently
around 800. The population of tigers is also increasing appreciably.
The terrain ranges from hilly to flat grassland areas at the edges
of the lakes. The vegetation is of moist deciduous type.
THE
ELEPHANTINE ABODE
Periyar is a veritable paradise of elephants.
Herds of playful wild elephants have made Periyar Lake their
favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Scores of them can be
witnessed bathing and swimming here. The Indian female elephants do
not posses tusks like their African relatives. They are also not as
swarthy as their African counterparts. Other inhabitants of Periyar
include the leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri
langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels,
gaur (Indian bison), wild boar and sloth bear. There are
approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest reports. The
tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), are
elusive creatures. However, an early morning visit, with luck on
your side, could yield results.
Amidst the rocky hinges along the lake, monitor
lizards may be spotted. Trekkers have also sighted pythons, king
cobras and flying lizards. Some 260 species of birds are found at
Periyar. These include darters, cormorants, ibises, gray herons,
mynas, flycatchers, orioles, wood pigeons, kingfishers, kites,
ospreys, thrushes, and an appreciable number of blue-winged
parakeets.
The months of March and April constitute the
driest part of the year, because of which the animals spend a lot of
time near the lake. Even the tiger may be spotted approaching the
waters. Animals may be seen from motorboats on the lake or from
watchtowers. A special permission is required to travel by boat to
the source of the artificial lake, the River Periyar. This area is
generally not open for tourists, but is the favorite haunt of the
sloth bear. There is a good chance of spotting an occasional tiger
in this relatively peaceful corner of the forest. One can also form
a group and go on a walking tour with locally available guides.
CLIMATE
The temperature during summers (April–June)
ranges from 21°C to 24°C. During the monsoon (July–August), it
ranges from 19°C to 21°C. Winter season lasts from October to March
and is cool and pleasant.
REACHING THERE
The park is well connected by bus service from
the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram (271 km), as well as the
cities of Cochin (200 km), Kottayam (117 km), and Madurai (140 km).
The nearest major rail junction is Kottayam. The nearest national
airports are Cochin (200 km) and Madurai (140 km).
STAYING THERE
Forest rest houses—Periyar House, Aranya Niwas,
etc.—situated in the park’s tourist complex area offer good
accommodation facilities. The Lake Palace at Eddapaliyam, which was
once the royal residence of the Maharaja of Travancore, and Spice
Village are the two other better options for accommodation in the
area. Apart from these, there are many other rest houses where
accommodation is available to suit every budget.
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