Where is Thekkady?
Thekkady
(140 km from Madurai), a major tourist attraction, is located in the Idukki
district in the state of Kerala. Thiruvanathapuram is located at a distance
of 271 km from Thekkady.
What is the city famous for?
Thekkady is famous for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary was
declared a Tiger Reserve in the year 1978. The Periyar Lake is one of the
chief attractions in the sanctuary.
How will you gain access?
Madurai (140 km) and Kochi (200 km) are the closest airports while the
convenient railheads are located at Teni, Kottayam (114 km), Madurai (140
km) and Changanaserry. One can find regular buses from Kumily (4 km) to the
other key tourist destinations.
What does the climate say?
Thekkady experiences a tropical climate. The weather remains pleasant with
temperature reaching a maximum of only 31 degrees centigrade. The minimum
temperature records 16 degrees centigrade.
What magnetises people?
» Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
Spreading
over an area of 777 sq km, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is the main
attraction of Thekkady. It stands by the side of the river Periyar. The
sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in the year 1978. One can observe a
huge variety of flora and fauna here. The flora of the sanctuary includes
over 1965 flowering plants, 171 grass species and 143 species of Orchids.
The animal inmates of the park are tiger, wild elephant, Gaur, Sambar deer,
wild boar, lion-tailed macaque, Malabar giant squirrel, jungle cat, sloth
beer etc. There are also numerous species of avi-fauna and reptiles. The
sanctuary is open from 06-00 hours to 18-00 hours.
» The Lake
The lake of the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is yet another popular tourist
attraction at Thekkady. The lake is formed by the Mullaperiayr Dam across
the Periyar river. There also stands a palace located in the heart of the
lake. The palace attracts a big number of visitors. The visitors can avail
of the boat cruises on the Periyar Lake.
» Watch Tower
The Watch Tower is another charm within the park. From the tower, one can
also have a wonderful view of the surrounding areas. The maintenance of the
tower is done by the Forest Department. It also serves as a fantastic place
to view the animals.
» Mangala Devi Temple
At a distance of 15 km from Thekkady, lies the Mangala Devi Temple. The
temple is located at an elevation of 1337 m above sea level. It is a fine
example of the traditional Keralan style of architecture. It is held in high
esteem by the Hindus and is visited regularly by a good number of devotees.
Which are the nearby hotels?
Hotel Spice Village (180 km from Kochin Airport) and Hotel Taj Garden
Retreat (135 km from Madurai Airport) are 4-star hotels at Thekkady while
Aranya Niwas (135 km from Madurai Airport) is a 3-star. The popular resorts
at Thekkady include names like Cardamom County Hotel (130 km from Madurai
Airport) and Shalimar Spice Garden Hotel (140 km from Madurai Airport).
Where should you shop?
Kumily, 4 km away from Thekkady, is a chief shopping and spice trade
centre. One can also buy souvenirs from here to take back home. There are
numerous other interesting commodities on sale.
