Periyar National Park
Set
high in the ranges of the Western Ghats, in Kerala, is the Periyar National
Park and Tiger Reserve. The park has a picturesque lake
at the heart of the sanctuary. Formed with the building
of a dam in 1895, this reservoir meanders around the
contours of the wooded hills, providing a perennial
source of water for the local wildlife. Herds of
elephant and sambar, gaur and wild pigs wander down to
the lake-side and can be observed from the launches that
cruise the lake. In March and April, during the driest
period here, the animals spend a lot of time near the
lake and the elephants can be seen bathing and swimming
in the reservoir. A glimpse may be had even of the tiger
during this season, as it comes to the water. Periyar
also harbours the leopard, wild dog, barking deer and
mouse deer.
On the
rocky out crops 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. Among the
unusual species found at Periyar are the flying lizard and
the flying snake. With wings of Nilgiri tahr orange or
yellow, the flying lizard is seen as it glides from one tree
to the other. The flying snake is also brilliantly coloured
in yellow and black with a pattern of red rosettes. The lake
attracts birds like the darter, cormorant, grey heron and
ibis and they are seen perched on the snags of dead wood
that dot the lake. The great Malabar hornbill and grey
hornbill are often seen flapping their ponderous way between
trees. There are kingfishers, ospreys and kites as well as
orioles, hill mynas, racket tailed drongos, parakeets,
including the unusual blue winged parakeet and fly catchers.
The
liquid notes of the Malabar whistling thrush and the loud
call of the hornbills are distinctive amid the normal sounds
of the jungle. Four species of primates are found at Periyar
- the rare lion tailed macaque, the Nilgiri langur, common
langur and bonnet macaque. Though this is also the habitat
of the Nilgiri tahr, this elusive goat is rarely seen. The
animals are viewed from motor launches on the lake and from
watch towers. A summer palace of the former Maharaja of
Travancore, set along the lake, is a hotel and a fine place
to stay.
General Information
Best time to visit
October to April
Accommodation
Forest Rest Houses, Aranya Niwas Hotel, Edapalayam Lake
Palace, Periyar House.
Nearest Town
Kumily (4 km)
How to get there :
Rail-Kottayam (114 km) Air-Cochin (200 km) or Madurai (TN)
(140.km).
