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Photo: SOMA BASU

Watch your step The Vallimalai forest

The Sivagangai district administration 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 dry scrubs and thorn forests. I did not come with the idea of any animal sighting but to just experience a walk through a scrub forest.

Vallimalai scrub forest may not wow you, but it surely is an out of the box destination suitable for excursions.

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