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In animal country

For the thrill of sighting wildlife, writes Subha J Rao

It is an uneventful journey through coconut farms and hamlets until we reach the 9/6 Checkpost near Ezhumalayan Kovil, situated in a tribal hamlet, which is part of the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (IGWLS).

"Just a 60-minute trek to the temple," the forest guard assures me. Tales unfold about a tortoise-shaped hillock, a temple built in the Pandya style of architecture and villagers who throng the temple during the Tamil month of Puratasi. Sounds like a risk-free RLT, till he mentions the wealth of wildlife in this plastic-free zone. The elephant is the most common here. Other animals include tiger, bear, panther, wild dog, pangolin, spotted and sambar deer, python and the king cobra.

The rocky climb does not make the task easier.

Mobile classroom

With fossil expert and elephant tracker ARK Arun accompanying us, the trek turns into a mobile classroom. We learn to look out for pugmarks, dense hematite stones lying around for millions of years and keep our eyes and ears open.

The two guards, who are part of the group, suddenly bend down and pull something out of a small waterhole. What looks like a brown rotten leaf turns out to be a dead cerambycid beetle with a lethal mandible and a fatal sting. You can also see the Padhaiadichaan parai, a stretch where people have sculpted foot and hand prints as a token of gratitude to the Lord.

Most of our journey is through rocks that Nature has redesigned into some kind of primitive staircase, sans a railing.

In some places, they look like broad chocolate-pink granatoid veins symmetrically crisscrossing the rocks as if someone chiselled them into place.Providing company during the walk are the birdcalls of the red-throated bulbul, copper smith, tailorbird and the familiar parakeet.

This is scrub jungle and there is nothing lush in terms of vegetation.

All we can see for miles are cacti, thorny trees bearing wild berries, vines and creepers.

After a 90-minute trek, we reach the temple, a structure where utility has been given more importance than aesthetics.

So, a room has been set aside to house the numerous aruvamanais that pilgrims leave behind after a visit.

Legend has it that no one must take anything back from the temple. The sanctum sanctorum is open only on Saturdays.

Nearby, the tribals are putting together a makeshift roof of sinnathazhai branches for one of the minor deities.

A substantial portion of the ground has been taken over by red ants and we tread carefully towards a well nearby. It is no longer in use and a cactus plant covers the decaying wall. Arun shows us a couple of pieces of megalithic broken pottery.

PHOTOS: K. ANANTHAN

THRILLING EXPERIENCE At Ezhumalayan Kovil PHOTOS: K. ANANTHAN.

The sculptures in the temple are from the Pandya period. A panel shows a king and queen accompanied by three men, four women and two aides.

Soon, it is time to return. Even as I wonder how arduous the climb down is going to be, one of the tribals walks up with a purple red berry in his hand — a big juicy kelapazham. Just a bite and its tartness hits the head.

It energises us for the walk to the nearby Theertha Karai, a once-clean water body now choked by weeds.

Till the descent, wildlife has eluded us, but I literally stumble upon the first one - a chameleon hiding among the grass.

Even as we watch, it changes colour to a dark green and then a mottled brown.

Encouraged, we make our way down hoping to see something bigger but return disappointed.

The guard and Arun feel we have a better chance of sighting some animals if we drive down till Chinnar, six km from the check post, on the Kerala border.

The onward journey brings nothing save the occasional teaser of a grey outline that turns out to be just that.

A refreshing dip at the Chinnar and cups of lime tea at the shack run by an old woman later, we drive back to the 9/6 Checkpost. Suddenly, Arun motions us to be silent.

A minute later, a 20-year-old cow elephant and her juvenile male amble into sight. They stay just long enough for us to photograph them.

A 100-feet away, a bison walks into our view. Before we can train our eyes on him, he disappears into the jungle.

Then a spotted deer comes along. Content, we return to base.

How to get there

Udumalpet is 68 km from Coimbatore. From there, take a Moonar-bound bus and get off at the Ezhumalayan Kovil pirivu or one to Amaravathy and travel till the 9/6 Checkpost, which is 16 km from Udumalpet.

The temple is five kilometres from the check post. If you are driving down, you need prior permission from the forest department except during Puratasi.

Write to the Wildlife Warden, IGWLS, Meenkarai Road, Pollachi, or call 04259-225356 for details.

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