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This is my first visit/travelogue that am sharing on TBHP. I hope am able to do justice and make it an interesting read for the members. If there are any shortfalls, please do share the same so that I can improve on it next time around.
A word of caution - this is more about a particular spot/location and hence have not covered the route details neither the cars on the trip but just FYI, there were two rides - an Innova with 1.85 lac kms on the odo and a brand new wagon-r. This thread might be a bit disappointing for folks like me who looks for car pics along side the others. Sorry about that.
We had been on a trip to Kerala in the last week of July and had the time and opportunity to visit the Konni Eco-tourism center. Yes, I did mention it as eco-tourism center but in reality its more to do with an Elephant Shelter/Rehabilitation Center.
So the story around this starts when there was a marriage proposal for my Sis in law, and the grooms family was from Konni. While talking to the Grooms dad, I got to know about this park and how they rehabilitate and slowly let off the elephants into the wild when the herd comes. Apparently, elephants do not take in other new elephants in their group and so it becomes a challenge while letting them into the wild. Becomes even bigger challenge when the elephant is a rescued baby elephant as they are not even familiar to staying the wild.
What basically is done is that, the elephant is taken into the wild when the herd comes and observed from a distance. Generally it takes more than one visit for the herd to acclimatise to the new member but eventually they take him/her into the group.
This is what I got to know from the grooms father and found it to be interesting. So put it on my list for a visit. Though I had many visits after that, I couldnt really make it to the place because of a tight schedule. Luckily, I found some time on this trip and immediately clenched the opportunity. There were some relatives who had come from abroad and also were keen on visiting the place.
Like mentioned earlier, I have not covered the scenic routes or the rides involved because Kerala routes are a part of many travelogues. I did not want to bore the audience with something similar and couldnt click the rides because I was more in excitement of reaching the spot and seeing one of my favourite animals on the planet. So apologies once again.
A few pics of the entrance -
Hi Centaur ,thanks for your travelogue. Can you let us know more details on where this place is and how to reach? Can we club this with any other place of attraction?
Great Travelogue :thumbs up
Quote:
Originally Posted by centaur
(Post 4049338)
A little ahead I spotted this huge tree and on its trunk was written "Devil's Tree". Now I am not sure of the reason this one is called a Devils tree but it definitely did look a bit different from the others. Attachment 1550581 Attachment 1550582 |
'Devil's Tree' is actually 'Ezhilam Pala' in Malayalam (Alstonia scholaris).
Also called as 'Yakshi pala' (Yakshi is the Malayalam word to Female Ghost).
The fragrance from the flower is really different and they look different too.
The belief is connected to 'Yakshi' being living in this tree. :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ananthc
(Post 4049681)
Hi Centaur ,thanks for your travelogue. Can you let us know more details on where this place is and how to reach? Can we club this with any other place of attraction? |
Madurai-Gavi-Konni-Thenmala-Palaruvi will be a good drive. At Gavi, you need prior booking, it's one of the most attractive place near to Konni. You can get more details from
http://gavi.kfdcecotourism.com
If you are not driving with your family then the best thing you can experience is Konni - Thenkasi via "Konni Achankovil Road", it's about 40KM drive through dense forest. But we will be allowed to drive only during the day time, entry is restricted after 4PM I believe.
Nice write up mate!! And wait!! A road roller and a elephant!! I may be going a little off topic here, but as a big malayalam movie fan, I couldn't stop myself from sharing this video from the famous movie Vellannagalude Naadu (Land of white elephants) Watch it from 6:06 Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBQAZYTUNUc
Thanks Guys. I have the video of the pachyderm bathing. Let me see if I can get it uploaded as well
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ananthc
(Post 4049681)
Hi Centaur ,thanks for your travelogue. Can you let us know more details on where this place is and how to reach? Can we club this with any other place of attraction? |
Guess GT145 has already answered your queries but in terms of other places of attraction near Konni, I doubt there aren't many. We now have relatives in Konni and their house is like around 10 mins from the center. I had spoken to them about other places but apart from forest areas, a river and a waterfall, they did not hint at anything else. This I speak of in and around Konni. The coracle boat ride is one attraction there and above the drive through the forest and the areas adjoining the river are extremely scenic for anyone is what I have heard multiple times :)
Beautiful thread! I believe I have been to this place (not very far from the international airport I guess?). Your pics kicked in a lot of beautiful moments and thoughts (for any Malayalee). The "Elephants" to the "Ezhilam Pala" to the "Road roller"! Quite a nostalgia.
When I visited the place in 2011, they had an elephant calf too. And it was brought in just days before. It took me quite some time to spot it in the shelter. I was so surprised to see a trunk as big as a kid's hand. Never knew it could be that small. These babies need to have the space to play and shouldn't be restricted to the shelters; probably it's for their own safety those are kept in quarantine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by swiftnfurious
(Post 4051023)
Beautiful thread! I believe I have been to this place (not very far from the international airport I guess?). Your pics kicked in a lot of beautiful moments and thoughts (for any Malayalee). The "Elephants" to the "Ezhilam Pala" to the "Road roller"! Quite a nostalgia.
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The Elephant training camp near Kochi International Airport is Kodanad Elephant Camp. Its different from Konni Elephant Camp. My native is near to that. As shown in his post, Kodanad center also has lots of Seized vehicles. May be it those seized during illegal timber trade or hunting of Wildlife from these areas.
During my childhood days, there used to be a one eyed Giant Tusker and it was kept always inside the Cage. The news I heard that time was its always create trouble once it was taken out of the cage and is very tough to Manage and killed several people. One of the elephant I particularly remember from this camp was a baby elephant Named Sunny. It was born there in the Camp during 90s I guess and I went and saw when it was few days old. Now its a "Non-So-Gentle" Giant and killed one guy few years back. I like Sunny's wild looks with long tusks pointing straight down. This type of tusk is not good elephant feature as per Elephant lovers.
Delightful debut post, Centaur ! Nice to read in detail of a relatively unexplored spot like Konni. Beautiful pictures of the Baby Elephants, though it felt sad to see them shackled in such a cramped enclosure !
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