Silent Valley National Park
The ever green Silent Valley is in Palakkad district. The river Kunthi descends from the Nilgiri hills above the valley, at an altitude of 2000m, traverses the entire length of the valley and rushes down to the plains through a deep gorge. The Silent Valley National park, with an area of 90sq. kms is situated in the north eastern corner of the district. In the National Park it is estimated that there are more than thousand kinds of trees. The rarest species of animals and birds are seen in the valley. The valley has a fair representation of all peninsular mammals.
SILENT VALLEY - MYTH OR REALITY Date: 30th of Dec. 2007
My visit to Silent Valley , in the Palakkad District , 64 Km from Palakkad Town by road , was spellbinding as well as breathtaking since this place has been left pristine by preventing human interference till now or so the impression you get when you visit for a day.
One needs to get prior permission from the Asst. Wildlife Warden, Kerala Forest Department, Mukkali (Ph: 04924 253225, email ID: awlwsvnp@sancharnet.in ) informing about the composition of group, viz. nos. of adults above 10 years, the day of visit ( please note people above 60 years of age may not be able to undertake the small trekking of 1.5 Km in one direction down the valley since they need to climb up as well).The Silent Valley Park opens for visitors from morning 8 A.M. and visitors are allowed till 11 A.M. only.
These details are necessary because the Asst. Warden has to arrange appropriate Guide for accompanying the Group. It is mandatory. This is to take care of the fact that the visitors do not go astray and create problems for the animals in wild. Not only that, they must start leaving the Park by 4 P.M. that day, to reach the start of buffer zone , by sun set.
From Palakkad to Mukkali you can go by your own vehicle (40 Kms.) but from there onwards inside the Buffer Zone, Jeep or any similar vehicle is recommended for the balance 24 Km, since the so called road had been made by KSEB to cater to their requirements for moving machinery 15 years back when they had planned the dam across Kunthi river (tributary to Bharathapuzha) and hence not at all suitable for cars with low clearance. Jeeps are available near the Asst. Warden’s office at Mukkali at a nominal charge of Rs. 600/- for the day.
On reaching Mukkali, you need to contact the Asst.Warden’s office again physically for getting written permission giving names of people (and they need to sign the visitors’ register). If you carry still/ movie camera you need to declare the same, which will be charged a nominal fee for which you will get a receipt. Since you intend to enter a Biosphere reserve , it is an earnest request by Forest officials that you should not carry liquor / plastics AT ALL. At the same time you must also note that you must carry all food materials that you may require during the stay in the Silent Valley Park as only clear drinking water will be available inside the Park and no provision for any Food is made. It will take, normally, 1.5 hours to reach the ultimate destination – if you are lucky , you may sight a Nilgiri Monkey , Giant Squirrel , Lion Tailed Macau, Great Hornbill ( which happens to be the Kerala State Bird ) Wild Water buffalo. Beyond the first 5 Kms you leave all signs of civilization and reach wilderness with no contact on your mobile, no electricity (no wires or H T lines to carry electricity) An eerie silence envelopes you with occasional chirping of birds .This is where the Brits have named this land as Silent Valley as, even Chicadas which are otherwise found in to keep on chirping and create noises is absent in this zone. If your vehicle makes lots of noise, every chance is there that you may not sight any animals as they are scared of such noises. The numbers of hair-pin bends takes you through thick vegetation unique to this evergreen forest that you start wondering how animals survive. Yes, animals survive with the fruits / nuts that are made available to by the nature. You can see wild jackfruit variety in plenty for the monkeys, squirrels etc. to feed on. By the time you reach the end of 24th Km you are haunted by silence , Greens , occasional varied rainbow colours of new varieties of leaves that keep coming up. This defines the Ever Green Forest – before a set of leaves drop from a variety of trees, you can find trees laden with different hues of newly decorated leaves in plenty. This tempo only keeps the forest Ever Green all through the years , all through the years with an average rainfall of 4000 mm annually. Occasionally one can see the varied coloured snakes & variety of reptiles entangled on the trees, bushes etc. to have a sunbathe. The richness of flora and fauna is there, to be seen to be believed. At an altitude of 1000 m and above the chillness of the wind keeps one guessing for what the land awaits for – it can be anything except wild. On reaching the viewing point over the Tower gives an overall glimpse of the whole terrain that carries the smell of leaves, soil, and flow of water of Kunthi puzha in the Sairandhri Forest Range which forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere.
Then the trekking to the actual river bed starts down the hill for 1.5 Km and the noise of flow of water tells you why the much talked about controversial river water dam project in Kerala had been shelved. The view from the Eastern side is simply marvelous to define what a valley is about with the river already traveled 20 Kms of shores NOT TOUCHED BY HUMAN BEING looks like - pristine clear water keeps you guessing how such cleanliness is maintained by nature without any human intervention. Yes, the weather is chill with sun drenching the part of the river. The steel bridge dangling with the rhythm of visitors walk (constructed and commissioned by the Forest Dept. two years back) takes you to the Western end and the glimpse is complete with a circular view of the river flowing down to become Bharathapuzha later on flowing for another 100 Kms to join the Arabian Sea.
The trekking up the valley in the dampness of moisture gives additional strength to keep going up for treat of information provided by ever ready Forest Officials in their Information Centre – briefing the history, location of the park, the various audio visual effects of cries/chatters of birds /animals and their unique features adds knowledge to the members of the visiting team which cannot be obtained in any school.
Neral specie of tree, which has a girth of 10 feet, of which only seven nos. are alive in the world, Silent Valley accounts for the four nos. One of them, said to be 800 years old is on the verge of dissolving into earth’s soil is being addressed by the Guide on the way itself. The other three nos. are seen on the way down to the valley. It is understood that research officials have been able to create one no. of the said specie in the lab. The reason for not multiplication of the specie is attributed to certain kind of mice which eats away the seed on germination -- a truly sad story.
Having remained isolated from the world – for the five hours, without a mobile call, no electricity etc. gives a sense of belonging to the visitors along with the plants / trees/ animal/birds.
The return journey keeps the visitors on their tenterhooks for locating any new animal that lives in the wild, and not a wild animal. And this is REALITY
