Tamil Nadu

The southern state of Tamil Nadu, the seat of Dravidian culture, has long been considered a prime cultural hub of India. Blessed with a rich history and vibrant traditions, the state has entranced tourists with its heritage and hospitality, blending modern amenities in its cities like Chennai and Coimbatore with the indelible charm of the past. Spots like Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram, Madurai and Kanyakumari continue to retain the traditions and cultural values of a bygone era. This unique blend of the old and new, co-existing seamlessly, lends Tamil Nadu a distinctive allure. Though spiritual tourism is the mainstay of the state, with both local and international visitors thronging the state for its temple tours and spiritual circuits, the state has developed a plethora of offerings for its eco-tourists.

The topography of Tamil Nadu is delightfully varied and diverse. Ideal for eco-tourism, over 17 percent of the land is covered by forests and blessed with beaches and hill stations. The Cauvery River is another natural gift that sustains the land, with the Palar, Pennar, Vaigai, and Tamiraparani being the other rivers that traverse the state. Dry lands are bestowed with dry-deciduous forests, thorn forests, scrubs and mangroves. The Western Ghats and a few cooler regions are endowed with moist deciduous, wet evergreen forests, and grasslands. Although Tamil Nadu is most often noted for its splendid architectural heritage, its rich flora and fauna also play a role in capturing visitors due to its rich bio-diversity.

The Eco-Initiative

According to the state tourism department, eco-tourism is a critical component in building the ideal tourism product for the discerning international clientele. The state tourism budget states, “The eco-tourism wealth of the country lies in Pitchavaram, Point Calimere in Muthupet famous for its mangrove forests, Udhamandalam and the Gulf of Mannar noted for biosphere reserves.” The department has proposed to develop an eco-tourism circuit covering Pichavaram, Point Calimere, and Muthupet. Kurusadai Islands in Ramanathapuram district is another destination that the government has identified to promote eco-tourism. With the soon to be installed glass bottom boats, visitors to the islands will be able to enjoy a novel experience in Tamil Nadu.

Eco-tourism in Tamil Nadu is yet to be unleashed to its full potential. With renewed efforts by the State Tourism Department to promote this aspect of tourism, developments in infrastructure are constantly taking place in the region. Beckoning the tourists, this destination combines glorious history with a vibrant present, a rich culture with bountiful natural resources.

Showcasing Hidden Treasures

Today, with the sound backing of the State Tourism Board, Tamil Nadu is developing its myriad tourism products to lure visitors with its natural and cultural resources. In addition to the temple tours that are synonymous with tourism in Tamil Nadu, the board is developing niche tourist products to promote eco-tourism. Its agenda includes specifically emphasising the `hidden treasures’ of Tamil Nadu, focusing on their core strengths and capitalising on them. The department has clearly stated that it is not interested in imitating or replicating other destinations or their strategies. The department is, of late, projecting the lesser-known destinations in the state that have not been in the limelight so far. There are several hidden treasures in the state which have incredible tourism potential. They include Pitchavaram mangroves, Chettinadu Palaces, Navagraha circuit, which has temples representing nine planets and Valpara. The Pitchavaram mangroves and Point Calimere are among the lesser known tourist spots that have immense potential in the eco-tourism arena.

Pitchavaram is a mangrove forest that covers an area of 2800 acres the middle of rural south India. The backwaters are reminiscent of Kerala and visitors are often spell bound by the greenery of the region. Boating trips through the backwaters that wind their way through the mangrove forests can be an exhilarating experience. The forest is home to nineteen species of trees, many of which have medicinal properties. As sunlight filters through the branches that form a canopy over the waterways, tourists come face to face with a raw, uninhibited beauty of the outdoors. Boats can be hired for an hour’s cruise around the mangroves, where tourists can take in the almost impenetrable silence as the boat softly makes its way around the forests.

Another area that is rich in natural beauty is Point Calimere. The landscape and fauna here is extremely diverse, ranging from dry evergreen forests, mangrove vegetation, salt marsh to grasslands. The fauna includes Flamingo, Spot-Billed Pelican, Spoon-Billed Sandpiper, Asian Dowitcher, White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite and Osprey. About 35,000 fishermen and agriculturists live around the sanctuary. Apart from this, another upcoming eco-tourism attraction is Kurusadai islands located in Rameswaram. Apart from pilgrims, Rameswaram is of great interest to marine biologists as the waters surrounding the island are replete with beautiful coral reefs. Completely surrounded by a chain of coral reefs, the shallow waters sustain a remarkable variety of marine life such as Starfish, Algae, Sea cucumbers, Crabs, Sponges and many more.

Tamil Nadu has the distinction of a wide range of habitats in different Sanctuaries, National Parks and Tiger reserves. The habitats extend all over the State. Most of the important mammals of India are found here. Among the rare and endangered animal species are the Elephant, Tiger Leopard, Wild Dog, Striped Hyena, Jungle Cats, Jackals, Indian Pengolin, Slender Lories, Lion Tailed Macaque, Sloth Bear, Bison or Gaur, Black Buck, Nilgiris Tatur, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Dugong and Mouse Deer.

Flora And Fauna Of Tamil Nadu

The state is home to more than 3000 plant species and the singularly rare flower, the Kurunji, which blooms once in twelve years, grows in the hill station of Kodaikanal. Cinchona, from which the anti-malarial drug quinine is extracted grows abundantly in the Nilgiri hills. Forests of other medicinal herbs are found in Palani hills and Courtallam. Palmyra trees grow profusely in Tirunelveli and its products are used as raw materials for several cottage industries. Rubber is the main plantation crop in Kanyakumari and the endangered Sandalwood grows in the Javadhu hills of Vellore district. Elephants, Tigers, Bisons, Monkeys and Deer are just some of the animals that wander the forests. The state is intent on preserving its natural resources with five national parks and seventeen wildlife sanctuaries.

These sanctuaries and national parks nurture arboreal animals like lion tailed macaque, bonnet macaque, Common Langur, Nilgiris Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel and Grizzled Giant Squirrel. Tiger, Panther, Elephant, Gaur, Pangolin, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Wild boar, Dhole, Sloth Bear, Porcupine, Nilgiris Tahr, Civet Cat and Taddy Cat also roam these forests. The Gaur or Indian Bison is the symbol of Mudumalai and the sanctuary is populated with these animals. While Wild Elephants are most prominent in the sanctuary, several visitors also sight tigers in the sanctuary. Leopards too are great in number and are often seen by the roadside at dusk. Dholes or Wild Dogs, Hyenas and Bears are the other animals that are spotted occasionally along with the Spotted Deer, Elephants, and common Langur. Tourists who want to explore the jungle tracts and grasslands of the region, have the option of hopping on to an Elephant for one of the famed Elephant tours. The Elephant camp at Teppakadu is popular with visitors who like interacting with the elephants particularly at feeding time at dusk. The Karikili Bird Sanctuaries has the distinction of being the oldest bird sanctuary in the country and has been in existence presumably for more than 200 years. The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, a marine biosphere, running along with coasts of Ramanathapuram and Tuthukudi (Tuticorin) Districts, is replete with coral reefs, Dolphins and Turtles.

Beaches And Hill Stations

In addition to the numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, Tamil Nadu also prides on hill stations which from the time of the Raj, have proved to be a powerful tourist allure. Nestling in a valley on the crest of the hoary Nilgiri Hills, at an average height of 7500 feet above sea level, Ooty or Ootacamund still retains much of her fabled charm despite the ravages of development. Ooty is surrounded by a wall of hills stretching over a distance of about three kms. in a North-Westerly direction, with the Botanical Gardens at the one end and the Ooty Lake at the other. Another hill resort that has drawn hoards of local and international visitors is Kodaikanal, popularly known as Kodai. Kodai is known for its temperate climate, spellbinding views and the Kodai Lake, a popular tourist hangout. Several lesser-known hill stations are also being hand picked by the government to be developed eco-tourism spots. Some of them include Meghamalai in Theni district, Sirumalai in Dindigul and Javadhu hills in Thiruvannamalai district.

With a long coastline, it is little wonder that the beaches of Tamil Nadu have attracted tourists down the years. A must visit is the second longest beach in the world, Marina Beach. Elliot’s Beach is now a favourite hangout among young people of the city of Chennai. Visitors to the state would be missing out on one of the greatest eco-treasures if they choose to skip a visit to one of the state’s pristine beaches be it the Marina beach in Chennai or the famous beaches at Mahabalipuram, Rameshwaram, Kanyakumari or Covelong.

By Susan George