When my family discussed the idea of a holiday at Silent Valley in Kerala, I was hesitant. Although it’s a well-known national park, accounts by some colleagues that it’s full of leeches and snakes, put me off. But with some persuasion, I agreed. The valley is tucked away 60 kms south of Palakkad in the Western Ghats. The early morning approach to base camp at Mukkali, 23 kms from the core area of the forest, set the stage for what was in store; the mist-covered hills were just fabulous. At Mukkali, we reported to the information centre, and after the long form-filling sessions, we were in a jeep along with a mandatory guide. As we entered the buffer zone of the pristine dense forest, the gruelling ride was all forgotten. The grace, silence and tranquillity of the valley spoke for itself.
Our first encounter was with a long-tailed macaque perched on one of the trees. “These primates survive on a peculiar fruit called Cullenia exarillata, which is in abundance in the forest and this seems to be a reason why they have made the valley their stronghold,” Vinod, our guide, explained. Next we spotted a giant squirrel and then large and small butterflies of all hues. The Silent Valley National Park has a core area of 89.52 sq kms of dense forest and a buffer zone of 148 sq kms that preserves the rainforest, believed to be some 50 million years old. “The bio-geographic positioning and altitudinal range have left the forest untouched by poachers and hunters. The park is the last patch of existing virgin evergreen forest in India,” Deputy Ranger Babu N M explained later.
At the place where we alight, there is a 100-metre tall watch tower. From atop, the extensive mountain valley gives a breathtaking view. The thickly forested valley, quiet flowing rivers Kunthi and Bhavini, the grandeur of highest peak in the park Anginda (2,383 m) and the treasures that are strewn beneath the large green canopy, speak volumes of the marvellous exuberance of life. We then trekked through the core area to where the Kunthi river flows. Like most such wooded areas, this too is leech-infested. We hadn’t taken any precaution and a few of them got into our shoes. The guide was cool as a cucumber. “Leech bite is neither painful nor poisonous. They just suck blood, the only irritating factor being the blood doesn’t clot for sometime.”
Active conservation movement
The forest got thicker with foliage. We could hear Malabar Whistling Thrush and whispers of insects through the silence of the woods. Forest guard Ratheesh says, “The actual name of the forest is Sairandhri, which got anglicised as Silent Valley. It has a mythological significance wherein it is believed that the Pandavas had stayed in the forest and hence the name Sairandhri (Sairandhri is Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandavas). Kunthi river was named so by the Pandavas.”
We reached the Kunthi river, which flows undisturbed and untouched by human intervention for 20 kms. A hanging bridge across could have taken us further deep into the core area but that’s not allowed now, mainly as part of conservation measures. Several medicinal herbs, many flowering plants and some orchids in the world bloom only in Silent Valley.
Says Babu, “Besides that, 200 species of birds, tiger, leopards, wild dog, sloth bear, otters, mongooses, wild elephants, barking deer and gaur are found in the forest. But you need to be lucky to see them. Only a minute fraction of its biodiversity has so far been recorded and several more species needs to be catalogued.” A major chunk of this rich and unique ecosystem would have got submerged in 1976, under the Kerala government’s proposed hydroelectric project. But a strong environmental movement forced then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to scrap the project.
Tourists are allowed just two hours in the core area. “The idea is if they have too much time they will loiter around, make too much noise and dirty the place,” explained Ratheesh. “Nothing brought from outside is allowed to be thrown in the core area. Not even banana peels, because they have fertiliser contents that are harmful for the pure environs.” Even for lighting up the place, only solar energy is used. There is a unique exhibition centre where photographs and information on the various species of orchids, plants and animals found in the valley have been displayed. There is an innovative Jungle Orchestra, where the sound of various animals in the park can be heard at the press of a button.
By 4 pm we were back at Mukkali — a small hamlet that goes to sleep by 9 pm and wakes up only by 7 am. Most of the essential items are available in a few shops. Some hotels serve non-vegetarian dishes too. The breakfast menu comprises of dosa, paratha and appams, with sambar or chutney. Lunch includes typical Kerala meals comprising rice and curries. Most of the customers are locals and a few tourists; and since there aren’t many people around for dinner, hotels don’t provide the service. Therefore, the hotel will have to be told in advance before you drop in for a meal at night.
People-centric approach
The way the forest is fiercely protected is striking. In a public-private partnership model, the local people have been co-opted into its administration. Almost all activities like tourist guidance, administration of the information office, transportation etc are managed by eco-development committees (EDCs) that largely comprise of residents of the area. There are nine tribal settlements at the fringes of the buffer zone and they too have been roped in for forest protection programmes. There is just a token representation from the Kerala government forest department.
Ratheesh explained the reasons behind EDCs. “Government officials come here usually on three-year postings. It’s difficult for them to have long-lasting commitment towards the upkeep of the area. Since the welfare of the local people is directly linked to proper maintenance of the national park, EDCs have proved to be effective.” And the results are evident. The flora and fauna have grown in abundance and in an interesting turnaround, there is now less scope for tourists to trek and explore the wildlife. Because of the danger of animals, trekking into the thick jungle is being discouraged and only short trips are allowed.
One of our three short treks was to a place called Keerippara, home to very thick deciduous forests. This time round, we took adequate protection against leeches, by applying a thick paste of snuff, dipped in Dettol and applied around the shoes. It worked. Just as we were getting used to enjoying the thick forest, our new guide, Satish, noticed footprints of an elephant. And, worse, he said the marks were fresh. “It’s not very safe, since the elephant may not have gone too far,” he said. A while later we heard some sounds, very much like branches being broken. Now the guide himself said it is a bit risky to go ahead. And we began our walk back.
We did two other treks through areas that were less dangerous. One, a four-km walk from Mukkali to Chindekki, took us through the tribal settlements. The other walk was a five-km one from Mukkali to Karuvara waterfalls, where we could see many birds and hear their chirpings. The cool, fresh air, the fragrance of the rain-soaked woods was marvellous. An ambience not found in cities.
As we left the pristine environment, we felt grateful to all those who were guarding and nurturing this rich Western Ghats stretch. It’s a relief to know that there’s a place not trampled by commercial interests, where the nature and its birds, animals and plants are left to themselves and are allowed to be just what they are.