PERIYAR: A RENDEZVOUS WITH NATURE

A very strict routine often prompts us to seek an escape in the form of a short holiday. I am no aberration from this general rule, and hence after some rigorous net searching, KTDC’s Lake Palace Resort on the Periyar Lake came up as the answer to my prayers.

We drove to the outskirts of the Periyar Tiger Reserve (Thekkady, Kerala) late in the morning. It being November, the weather was pleasant and waiting in the cool shade of the looming trees was more inspiring than perspiring. We were waiting for the boat from the Resort to pick us up from the jetty. The Lake Palace Resort runs its personal boat service not only to pick up new boarders but also to conduct tours around the Periyar Lake. When the boat arrived, we were ushered towards it bypassing the existing queue of tourists waiting for the general boat tours of the Lake. This 20 minute boat ride took us to the beautifully manicured campus of the Resort.

We were greeted by the courteous staff before being taken to a tastefully furnished room reserved for us. If you are a History buff, you would like to know that The Lake Palace resort was originally the summer retreat of the Travancore kings when they went out on hunting expeditions. In keeping with this tradition, our room decorated with wooden furniture, generated a lovely antique feel. The unique carvings on the bed added to the regal charm. The windows opened to the beautiful Periyar Lake. The rooms were connected with a continuous verandah leading to the lawn from the portico side.

Post unpacking and a sumptuous lunch, we went out to explore the compound of the Resort. There were ornate iron benches placed at strategic view-points. We chose a bench on the side sloping towards the lake.

The serene bluish-grey Lake gave the impression of a mirror as there was hardly any wind to create even a single ripple. The reflection of foliage from the opposite bank was a medley of (“fall”) colours on this still canvas. It soothed our tired nerves just by looking ahead. Slowly as the sun set, the stillness of the bank started to be disturbed, as thirsty animals, singly or on small groups, came out for a drink. There were mainly herds of sambar and wild pigs. For wildlife enthusiasts like me, it was a treat looking at this scene, especially when I realized that I was in fact in the august company of a Nilgiri Langur. The langur had called it a day, and from the large tree beside the bench, it was also busy watching the thirsty menagerie.

At this precise moment, out of the forest emerged two elephants. Lazily they made their way towards the waterbody, one of them sometimes stumbling over a rock or two. The Resort had provided us with powerful binoculars. I pressed my eye against the eye piece to try and figure out whether the animal was injured, but what I found made my heart leap with joy.

There, between the protective legs of the mother was a little one. Running along with uncoordinated steps, it had reached the water’s edge gleefully. It dipped its tiny trunk into the water and shook its head happily as the adults quenched their thirst. The mother then tried patiently to show the calf how to use its trunk effectively to have a drink, but the little one was a total clown. It blew into the water, looked at its mom, danced about and wildly shook its head from side to side. Finally it lay down happily on the ground as the indulgent mother took a trunkful of water and splashed it on her baby. Then abruptly the pachyderm family turned around and disappeared into the dense foliage. By then it was becoming dark and we felt that the time had come to leave this lovely ambience and return to our room.

After a lavish dinner, we indulged in a casual chit chat with the manager. He informed us that it was indeed lucky for us to have sighted the mother and calf duo. On enquiry about THE tiger of the “Periyar Tiger Reserve”, he said that tiger sightings are more likely in dry months of April or May, which prompts the elusive king to shed its cover frequently enough to come and have a sip. Satisfied with the DAY ONE’S feat we retired for the night, eagerly awaiting the following morning’s Lake cruise.

The trip around the Periyar Lake on DAY TWO was truly memorable. The boat cruised quietly near the forested bank and unexpectedly we were made witness to a duel between two sambars. They approached each other cautiously before locking horns, and fought on till the more agile of the two overpowered its stocky counterpart. Luckily, that was just the start to the wide range of animals that we were about to see. Our sighting that lucky morning included a couple of elephants, a herd of bisons, several deer and wild boars.

The beautiful blue Periyar Lake is also home to a number of birds. We spotted bitterns, a darter drying its wings, egrets, pond herons and kingfishers (white throated and pied) darting in and out of the lake, sometimes with a shimmering prize between their strong bills. But the most striking was the presence of a number of cormorants. They perched themselves on the dead trunks that jut out over the lake surface. On some of the protruding logs, we watched with amusement, the residents had created their own condominiums and lived a very social life.

The rest of DAY TWO was pure rest for us. We gorged over the superb spread that the Resort had laid before us, and spent the evening gazing into the bustle around the mirror-like Lake. The Langur must also be a permanent resident, for sure enough, the long tail gave away its presence on the same tree again.

On the last day of our sojourn we undertook an interactive nature walk. It is a simple concept where a small group of like minded people participate in a walk conducted through the forested terrain, accompanied by a nature expert. Throughout the walk, our guide was fondly pointing out the different trees, their genre and uses.  Occasionally he even drew our attention to the shy bird that remained well camouflaged within the tapestry of leaves and branches. Though the walk lasted for about a couple of hours, it left us feeling enthralled beyond words. Just like this Nature walk there were also options (which required a little more time) like the Cloud Walk, Green walk, Bullock cart ride (!!!) and Bamboo rafting. In case you have time in hand, you can avail of the Tiger Trail which spans a minimum of two days against a consolidated payment. 

What is commendable about the Periyar Tiger Reserve is its dauntless effort to promote Community Based Eco Tourism. The way tourists’ participation is ensured in the process is most interesting. The walks and rafting experience not only provide supreme thrill, but also create a great level of awareness about nature through hands-on experience. In short, Periyar provides an unparalleled rendezvous with nature. It is one experience that will remain etched in your mind for a long-long time.

How to Reach:

If you are flying to Periyar Tiger Reserve (Thekaddy) in central Kerala, your convenient airports are Cochin (190km), Trivandrum (270km) or Madurai (140km).

Nearby railway stations are Kottayam (110 Kms), Ernakulam (190 Kms) or Madurai (135 Kms)

Alternate places to stay:

If you are looking for an alternate accommodation, Aranya Nivas in the Reserve itself, on the fringe of the Periyar Lake, is your best bet. (Prior booking advised). If you like to pick up knick-knacks on your trips there are souvenir shops selling an attractive array of handicrafts, tee shirts and other colourful wares on the outskirts of the Reserve. The Bamboo Grove, Jungle Inn and Jungle Camp under Kerala Forest Department are also commendable places to stay.