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Photo: Soma Basu

Watch your step The Vallimalai scrub forest

Ascrub forest for an RLT outing may not be appealing. Yet I am off on a bright sunny morning, to the Vallimalai scrub forest. I drive for almost an hour, and I seem to going nowhere. The wind howls across stretches of wasteland on either side of this narrow tar road, and I suddenly spot a very different looking Mariamman Temple painted in bright red and yellow. Freestanding pillars encircle the sanctum sanctorum. Right opposite, on the other side of the road, there is a lot of activity. Labourers are digging a big yerri (pond).

The Sivagangai district administration in Tamil Nadu hopes to attract more people to the naturally occurring scrub forest in this lesser known place called Vallimalai. Rich in thorn scrub vegetation, the Vallimalai scrub forest is spread along either side of the road.

Though the dominant vegetation is the Acacia species, what catches the eye is an exotic thorny shrub growing in abundance. It is a dark green cacti plant with a short trunk and its low branches spread like a conifer, quite like a Christmas tree. But move past them carefully because even a slight brush can leave deep cuts into the skin. In fact, a walk through a scrub forest has to be measured. Wild grass and groves of bamboo, thistles and bramble, thorny trees and shrubs surround you. The path is well laid out. What you need are a good pair of shoes, ample drinking water and avoid walking too close to the ant hills which are scattered like mini sand castles. Originally, the scrub forest was a good mix of East Deccan dry deciduous and evergreen forests which retain their leaves through the year. But now the Vallimalai scrub forest is a tropical dry forest, which is fast turning into a stunted thorn scrub vegetation.

The forests are getting modified mainly due to human interference _ cattle grazing and cutting trees for fuel. It is visible as I walk - quite aimlessly and lost. The terrain turns rocky and sparse with much barren area in between. When I near the tree cover again, the silence is broken by a faint twitter of birds. A variety of birds apparently visits this scrub forest, and the most commonly sighted is the peacock. The new pond is to provide a habitat for birds.

The scrub forest spreads across several acres of wasteland where the administration has also undertaken lot of afforestation work. And yes, the place gets its name because on the other end is a Valliammal Temple built on a slightly elevated mound of earth. And it was here that I spotted a lone peacock perched gracefully atop the temple structure.

Jackal, fox, black buck, jungle cat, pangolin, wild dogs and giant squirrel are mostly seen in these dry scrubs and thorn forests. Of course I did not come with the idea of any animal sighting but to experience a walk through a scrub forest. Afterall RLTs are meant to be different, sometimes exotic and fun, at times tough and unique. Ideal for a mini walk to study plants, birds and insects, I really can't say whether scrub forests make for a good picnic spot.But if you are keen, you can still find a spot to spread out your lunch hamper.

How to reach: From Madurai, take the Sivagangai Road and go up to Varchiyur village. Then take a left turn to Thatchanendal. About 18 km down the road which leads to Thiruvaruvoor is Vallimalai.

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