Thekkady

Thekkady (also known as Thekkadi) is a small hill station situated in Idukki district of Kerala. Located on the verges of Kumily, which lies on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Thekkady is home to Periyar National Park. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 300 square miles of land. It serves as the habitat for evergreen forests and deciduous forests. A host of fauna species, namely wild elephants, tigers, Nilgiri Langurs, are being sheltered in this National Park. Another interesting construction in Thekkadi is the Mullaperiyar Dam, which has been has been built across the Periyar River. The construction of this dam has resulted in the formation of an artificial lake, which adds to the scenic beauty of the place.

Apart from the park and the hilly terrains, Thekkady has a few more tourist attractions. Mangala Devi Temple situated here is one among the tourist spots here. The temple opens for devotees and visitors only during the Chitra Pournima Festival. Another is The Chellar Kovil, which is known for its gurgling streams and misty waterfalls. Anakkara is another tourist attraction in Thekkadi. The hill station is also famous for its range of spices, which are found at this place in abundance. A few of the spices readily available here are clove, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper. The government has made concrete efforts towards the promotion of spice tourism in this part of Kerala. The areas especially known for the plantations of spices are parts of Anakkara and Murikkady.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thekkadi is surrounded by the Cardamom Hills, with the highest peak being that of Kottamalai at 2019 m. The beautiful landscape and climate of Thekkady supports the cultivation of flora, which in turn provides shelter to fauna. The altitudes within the sanctuary vary from place to place, so does the temperature. This results in a variety of vegetation types. The temperature during the summer months could be between 15-20° Celsius, depending on the altitude. Thekkady is largely a protected piece of land with tourist activity restricted to the northern end of the park. It has been done so to protect the flora and fauna of the region.