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).
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