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ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

Waiting for the wild

Keeriparai If you are lucky you could spot a leopard. If not, trek in Nature’s company, says Soma Basu

Photos: Soma Basu

Idyllic setting At Keeriparai

“If you are lucky, you may see leopard cubs crossing the road.” DFO Nagercoil’s remark was tempting enough. Excited, I set off for Keeriparai, roughly 30 km from Nagercoil in Kalikesan forest range.

The drive up the ghat section is dry with the searing sun making matters worse. The narrow tarred road snakes around the mini hill enveloped in a strange spell of silence.

On advice, the driver goes at 20 km an hour. Thick clumps of bamboo dot the road. The long bent branches form mini arches across the path. The driver halts almost with a jerk, guilty of treading on something. We just about manage to catch the glimpse of a snake’s tail. The rich variety of flora and fauna found in Keeriparai also includes reptiles and snakes, notably pythons. The place is known as a habitat for wild elephants too.

While we imagine spine-chilling sightings, mountain squirrels show us their acrobatic skills, scurrying up and down the trees.

We are perhaps at the highest point, at 800 metres above the ground and now the only option is to walk through the jungle. As recommended by the forest department, I get in touch with a local boy to guide me.

Equipped with a good pair of shoes, binoculars and my ready-to-click camera, Manimannan, the driver and I begin our trek in anticipation.

What strikes is the amazing change in foliage and colour as we move deep into the jungle.

The virgin evergreen forests have marked tracks to walk on with a variety of ferns, bamboo and cedar trees and various tropical plants falling over each other and forming a blanket against the sunlight. It gives the impression of an overcast sky. Mani, in hushed tones, identifies the various plants, trees and shrubs on the way – hill plantain, jackfruit, mango, coconut, rose, jasmine, croton, dahlia and lily.

He also shows us an interesting plant, an endangered herb known as “arokya pacchai” in Tamil. It has seven slender stems and each stem has a single triangular oval leaf that is slightly truncated, almost heart-shaped. The fruits are supposed to possess anti-stress and energy boosting properties. There are small colourful flowers here and there but Mani warns us against touching them.

Pay attention and you can hear the faint call of birds flirting to the whisper of the rushing stream. Enjoying every scene and moment, we almost forget that we were keen to spot animals in the wilderness. That is till Mani stops, raises his hands and points his finger to one direction. Through my binoculars I spot a pair of bears. A few steps away is the small river Kalikesan, named after the Kali temple on its banks.

Mani informs that the forest department avoids publicity to protect the wilderness from poachers and smugglers. Yet one keeps hearing incidents of trespassing.

Jungle fowls, hedgehogs, porcupines and wild boars are the other animals found here. But none of them oblige us with an appearance.

As we descend, the driver brakes again. This time it is a monitor lizard striking a pose in the middle of the road. The sun has already dipped behind the hills making it difficult to freeze the shot in the camera. Nonetheless, memories will never fade.

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