Periyar National Park

You won't find any rare species in Kerala compared to rest of India. But if you do come across one, then I'm sure that the specific species is being protected in Periyar Sanctuary. Being a prime location for the tourists and botanists, Periyar is a part of Northern Kerala which is densely populated by Hill stations and water parks. Periyar is not an exception. Spread across 925 sq km, Periyar has its wings on Idukki and Pathanamthitta whereas the core zone lies between Idukki and Kottayam district. 

305 sq km of the core zone was declared as the Periyar National Park in 1982. The park is a repository of rare, endemic and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala, the Periyar and the Pamba. located high in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the south Western Ghats along the border with Tamil Nadu. It is 4 km from Kumily, approximately 100 km east of Kottayam, 110 km west of Madurai and 120 km southeast of Kochi. 

It's obvious by now that I didn't travel across the entire 925 sq km area, instead, my trip to Periyar was cut short to a few kilometers. By the time I visited Periyar, I was 15 and I still remember wasting an entire hour watching the beauty of Submerged Trees in the Periyar lake. I hardly saw any Tigers but I did get to see some Wild Elephants in action. The place itself is extremely protected and if you want to arrange hiking for photography, you must get an authorization letter from Kerala Forest Department. 

My trip to Periyar was heaved mainly on the core area, that is, the Periyar Lake portion. The first thing we did was to go around the jungle in a boat for Safari and shortly after that we took a Jeep Safari. You can not cover the entire place in one day. One among many attractions when it comes to safari is the Late night Jeep safari which is 4-hour long journey into the jungle and back. If you plan on staying for two days, I suggest you take this trip. It's worth every penny and you could find some wild animals. Options are wide when it comes to Safari. I took the morning boat safari and I was fortunate enough to get a good side seat. I got to see some Boars and Elephants but it was the whole ambiance that shook me. 

The inclusion of Elephant safari has attracted a lot of people and thus far creating a huge demand for it. If you plan a budget trip, I suggest you take the Boat Safari as it is more enjoyable compared to Jeep safari where you hardly get to see something moving. On the other hand, if you have a big budget, I suggest you take the Bamboo Rafting programme. It is a package which contains an hour-long trek which ends in a 3-hour long journey in Bamboo rafts. You will be accompanied by officers with protective gear. 

Overall, Periyar is a place that will surely give you chills down your spine. I bet you won't see anything like Periyar anywhere. Perfect for Botanists and explorers, apart from Trekking, if you could travel towards the south, you can visit Cardamom Hills which will surely wrap up your trip in a pleasant way. While you are there make sure to visit the Anamudi. An experience worth million words, one can't deny the fact that Periyar is easily on the top when it comes to Sanctuaries or National Parks in India. 


Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Guindy National Park

India does have a fair amount of rare flora and fauna. Even though we rank high in the charts of deforestation and poaching, a proper infrastructure for National Parks and Sanctuaries protect the rarest of rare species from such inhuman activities. As of now, we have around 733 Protected Areas that include 103 National Parks, 537 Wild Life Sanctuaries, 26 Community Reserves, and 67 Conservation Reserves. One among the integral National parks in India is the Guindy National Park.

Guindy being the 8th smallest National park in India, it is a protected area spread across 2.70 sq km(1.04 sq mi). The park is an extension of the grounds surrounding Raj Bhavan, formerly known as the 'Guindy Lodge', the official residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, India. It extends deep inside the governor's estate, enclosing beautiful forests, scrublands, lakes, and streams. Having spent my holidays in Tamil Nadu, I got to know about this place and when I scheduled my next trip, I did visit the place and it was definitely worth the wait.

I traveled to the Park in a public transport facility which was not that hard to find. Once I got there, I bought a ticket and a pass for Professional Camera (Note: They charge extra amount for Professional Camera, if you use a Mobile Camera, the rate is lesser). Guindy houses 400 blackbucks, 2,000 spotted deer, 24 jackals, a wide variety of snakes, geckos, tortoises and over 130 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, over 60 species of butterflies and spiders each, a wealth of different invertebrates—grasshoppers, ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, scorpions, mites, earthworms, millipedes, and the like. These are free-ranging fauna and live with the minimum of interference from human beings.

 

My most favorite part of the entire trip is the Reptile Park. I did find some preserved snake species inside a small chamber, but you could find some snakes in action if you could make it to the Reptile Park. The Guindy Snake park houses some of the most venomous snakes and if you are lucky enough to find a ground staff, you can ask them to demonstrate the extraction of venom from a snake. It is definitely worth watching it.

It took me almost two hours to walk around the entire area. As far as I'm concerned, the major highlight of Guindy Park is the untamed Snake Park. Especially watching a White Cobra For the first time made my trip a memorable one. If you are a wildlife enthusiast or a photographer, you must visit this place at least once. I guarantee you that you won't regret getting there.



Contributed by Sooraj Ram