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Into animal kingdom

Camping with wild animals on the prowl can be an exciting experience

AND QUIET FLOWS THE PAMPA The jungles around the river are full of tuskers, bisons, squirrels and even leopards!

Kochu Pampa, in Pathanamthitta district, is a destination that most people here are not aware of. Many here do not even know of the existence of a road connecting Pathanamthitta to Vandiperiyar in Idukki. This may be because this road is primarily a service road for the various dams like Moozhiyar, Kakki and Kochu Pampa. Moreover, the entry is restricted because the road passes through some of the densest forests of the State.

Koch Pampa is a small settlement of about sixty souls near the dam. Earlier, the Kerala State Electricity Board had a strong presence here. There were many families that had settled down here in the Board's living quarters. But now only a minimum number of employees are here. Many of the quarters lie abandoned. Some of them are occupied and there is a rest house and canteen still functioning.

There is one bus on this route servicing this settlement. It operates every evening from Vandiperiyar, halts for the night at Kochu Pampa and returns next. It was by this bus that we reached Kochu Pampa.

Kochu Pampa is situated at a distance of approximately 40 kilometres from Vandiperiyar. Six kilometres from Vandiperiyar we entered the forest passing through the check post at Vallakadaavu.

We had hardly moved two kilometres when the bus came to a sudden halt. Peering out of the window we saw a herd of six elephants and two calves crossing the road. There were about twelve passengers in the bus and they informed us that sighting of wild animals on the road was a regular feature. Leopards, bison, deer and elephants were regularly spotted on this route.

Stop at Gavi

En route we stopped at the Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation settlement at Gavi. Here the State-owned Kerala Forest Development Corporation maintains a Forest Lodge, a cardamom plantation and a cardamom-processing factory. Most of the passengers disembarked here and the bus continued it journey with just five passengers on board.

At Kochu Pampa we stayed at the KSEB rest house. We had carried our dinner with us and so did not have to venture out. Blissfully unaware of what was happening outside we slept through the night.

The next morning we ventured out and headed for the canteen. An intrepid lady called Syamala runs this canteen. While serving us black coffee she asked us whether the elephants had disturbed us at the rest house. On enquiry she informed us that a herd of elephants had rampaged through the settlement the previous night and trampled on the chicken shed behind the canteen.

Accompanied by two local youths, Abey and Yogaraj, we set out to explore Kochu Pampa. The dam and its environs were beautiful but it was the lower reaches that were breathtaking. The river Pampa flowed in all majesty and the forest, lining the banks, was dense.

The boys took us to a tree called `Nirampalli'. This tree, which has the botanical name Boro Carpus, is said to be the only specimen of its kind in Asia. It is also said to be the Biblical Gopher wood tree from which Noah constructed his Ark.

Trekking through the forests and grasslands we spent a thoroughly enjoyable and informative day. We were lucky to sight a mountain squirrel and a distant herd of elephants. In the course of our conversation the boys informed us that leopards periodically raided the settlement and got away with cattle.

Likewise tigers were also sighted at night near the settlement. Tired but thrilled we returned to the rest house and returned to Vandiperiyar the next day.

K. BALAKRISHNAN

How To Get There

Drive to Vandiperiyar, which is around 130 kilometres from Kochi. Take the evening bus, the only one to ply the route, to Kochu Pampa, which is 35 kilometres from Vandiperiyar.

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