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Thekkady Thekkady
- The very sound of the name conjures up images of elephants, unending
chains of hill and spice scented plantations. Here, in the crisp, cool
air of the Western Ghats you will experience the most enchanting holiday.
With the animals of the wild and the simple mountain people. In the Periyar
forest of Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India, and
spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations and hill
towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks. Notable
among the denizens of Periyar are the tigers, the majestic Asiatic wild
elephants and the distinctive Nilgiri langur with an all black body and
white face. Other creatures include wild boar, wild dog, bison, bear and
leopards. Amongst the avifauna, the most profuse are herons, egrets, darters,
kingfishers and the great Malabar grey hornbill. A cruise through the
waters of Periyar lake around which the wild -life sanctuary is situated,
offers a soul - stirring pleasant experience. Plantation Tours Elephant rides Trekking Boat cruises on the Periyar
Lake
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Thekkady,
Kerala State, India, one of world's most fascinating natural wildlife
sanctuaries, where you can watch wildlife at close ranges. The vegetation,
the flora and fauna and the birds of Thekkady are uniquely rich, vast
and varied that it does not bear resemblance to any other wildlife sanctuaries
in the world. Even a casual visitor to this place will not fail to observe
the peculiar ecological pattern of Thekkady.
The
(Mannans and the Palians) are the native tribes of Thekkady. They live
on the periphery of the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary maintaing their traditional
customs and beliefs, and depending entirely on the forest- produce for
their livelihood. There is a concentration of tribals near the sanctuary.
The prominent tribal, groups that inhabit this area are the 'mannan's
and the 'Ooralis'. Mannans are very good at fishing in the lakes and the
streams. Also, they are great honey-collectors. They climb up huge trees,
usually about 100 ft high, to collect honey from the honey combs built
by wild bees. To avoid being stung, they climb up the trees only in the
night. Though dangerous, sometimes they collect upto 25 kgs of honey from
one tree. Ooralis still build tree-dwellings. Most of the tree-dwellings
are used as watch towers to keep away animals like Sambar, wild pig and
elephants from their crops.