FOR the past months, news of the flooding in various parts of Kerala, the southern state of India, has caused concerns to many people. The natural calamity has wreaked havoc and claimed lives. One of the affected areas is the Idukki district, home to tea hills, spice plantations, protected forests and wildlife reserves.
The news brought me back to my trip to this state last year when I was part of the Kerala Blog Express Season 4. I remember vividly our early morning trip to the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady, located in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. The white fog greeted us as we made our way to the small pier inside the national park. It was somewhat similar to a scene out of a movie, something between fantasy and suspense. The veil of mist kept the scenery hidden from us, like a curtain of mystery that kept us wanting to uncover it.
The Periyar Tiger Reserve is a vast land with bodies of water, totaling to 925 square kilometers. Tigers and elephants roam freely in this national park. Apart from these endangered species, the national park is also rich in flora and fauna, as well as various kinds of birds, animals and insects.
We boarded our boat and waded through the calm waters, where lifeless tree trunks were protruding in the middle of the lake. Along the way, we spotted some otters, turtles, wild boars and birds. The tigers were nowhere in sight as they stayed inland, but the view was enough to take our breath away.
As the fog slowly dissipated and the sun came out of the clouds, Periyar gave us another amazing view of nature, filled with greens, browns and blues. We stopped in one of the islands inside the reserve where the KTDC Lake Palace, a small hotel run by the government, is perched atop the tiny hill island. The six-room hotel has a cozy ambiance with its interiors full of antiques and cabin-like decors.
There are guided hikes and tours around the national park where visitors can observe from a safe distance some of the animals that are living in their natural habitat. Although Periyar Tiger Reserve started originally as a game sanctuary in 1934, it evolved into the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950 and now follows a community-based ecotourism program.
Due to the recent rains and the deluge, Thekkady has become inaccessible to travelers. Boat rides were suspended because of the bad weather and its ill effects. However, tourist operations are resuming once again after the flood.
Our trip to the Periyar Tiger Reserve is an experience I will always treasure. Not only have I seen a different view of nature, but I also learned a lot from the insights and information shared with us at the reserve. It also showed me that we can still live harmoniously with other living species, as long as we respect our boundaries and not encroach on their territories.
Our planet has been experiencing climate change, which has affected many countries, communities and lives. It only reminds us to double our efforts in preserving mother nature and protect our biodiversity, as what Periyar Tiger Reserve is currently doing to the species it is protecting.
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All photos are by this author unless otherwise stated. Claire Marie Algarme blogs at http://firsttimetravels.com. Follow her as @firsttimetravel on Twitter and Instagram and like her Facebook page First-time Travels blog.