Anaimalai Hills Pollachi Coimbatore Tamil Nadu
The Palni
Hills lies to the east, extending into Kerala as
the Pampadum Shola National Park . They are spread largely
over Palakkad district, Thrissur district, Ernakulam
district and Idukki district of Kerala(mainly Palakkad and
Idukki), Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district and Tiruppur
district.
Their geological formation is metamorphic gneiss, veined with feldspar and quartz, and interspersed with reddish porphyrite.Twelve major forest types are found in the area.
The landscape is fragmented by many coffee and tea plantations on the lower slopes and teak plantations higher up. Monsoon rains are heavy. Annual rainfall varies from 2,000 mm to 5,000 mm in the area.
Anaimalai Hills descend to form a series of terraces about 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) high.
Fauna in Anaimalai Hills :
Anaimalai Hills are known for their abundant Wild elephants in Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamilnadu The Anamala/Anaimalai Hills are known for their abundant wildlife.
Eravikulam National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idamalayar Reserve Forest, Mankulam Forest division Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, and Anamalai Tiger Reserve located among these hills are well known for elephants.
The Idamalayar Dam area is a major wildlife spot, along with Pooyamkutty and Aanakkulam. This area includes various tribal villages and is protected.
Birds seen include the Pied hornbill, Red whiskered bulbul and Drongo.Recently, a new frog species, Beddomixalus bijui, was found within the forest.
Hydrology
:
There are several rivers in the area including: the Aliayar river, Apambar River, Chinnar River, Kaddambarrai River, the Neerar river, Mannambhally, Pambar River and Parambikulam River.
There are several large dams are in the area including: Aliayar Dam, Amaravathi Dam, Kaddambarrai dam, Neerar Dam, Sholayar Dam (one of the biggest of its kind in Asia), Mannambhally Dam, and the largest capacity dam in India, the Parambikulam Dam.
Most of these rivers originate in the sholas of Kerala's Ernakulam and Idukki districts,flowing mostly west towards the Arabian Sea, with a few exceptions, such as the Amaravathi and Pambar, which flow into Tamil Nadu, the Amaravathi being a tributary of the Kaveri.
There is a water dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu about the Idamalayar Dam due to the construction of the Neerar Dam by Tamil Nadu on the Neerar, a tributary of the Idamalayar, and thereby, visitors are now prohibited from entering the Idamalayar Dam area.
Vadattupara is the last destination that one is allowed to reach on the Bhoothathankettu-Idamalayar Dam Road. The area is also ecologically very sensitive.
Anaimalai Hills Tourism :
Anaimalai Hills or Anamala Hills are a range of mountains that form the southern border of the Western Ghats, through Tamil Nadu and Kerala. While they are famous for the highest peak in South India,
The lower slopes boast of expansive tea & coffee plantations. Rosewood, Sandalwood, Teak and Sago Palms form dense monsoon forests in this region. It is a popular trekking destination in South India - a wispy escape from tropical heat.
Anaimalai Hills apart from other numerous rugged hills and mountains. It would not be flawed to designate Anaimalai Hills as the assimilating point for all kinds of tourists and travelers like nature admirers, pilgrims and adventure and trek lovers.
Besides the pristine nature, Anaimalai Hills are also famous for the Anaimalaiyar Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The tranquility and serenity that prevail in the region makes it perfect for introspecting.
Therefore, Anaimalai Hill is also considered as an important holy place for people practicing 'atma vichara' or self-enquiry and it ranks amongst the five main Shaivite pilgrimage in South India.
Apart from the pilgrimage, Anaimalai Hills are also popular for its wildlife santuary; the names of some popular wildlife sanctuaries are Parabikulam Sanctuary and Indira Gandhi National Park.
There are several rivers in this area which are Chinnar River, Aliyar River, Pambar River, Parambikulam River etc. Some dams are also constructed here and the names are Amaravathi Dam, Sholayar Dam, Parambikulam Dam etc. Several irrigation projects have also been undertaken in the region around the Anaimalai hills.
The Anaimalai Hills are a popular trekking destination in the Western Ghats. Due to heavy rains during the wet season, the ideal time for tourism is between the months of November and May. SH-17 passes through the Anaimalai Hills, between Udumalapet and Munnar, SH-21 passes from Chalakudy to Malakkappara.
Weather
in Anaimalai Hills
Due to its favorable geographical location, Anaimalai Hills receive adequate rainfall during monsoon, which are heavy. Annual rainfall of this place varies from 2,000 mm to 5,000 mm. Formed by the fault-block movements in the Holocene Epoch, the Anaimalai Hills descend to form a series of terraces about 3,300 feet high.
Anaimalai
Hills Trekking :
Annamalai Hills is the ideal place for first-time trekking. There are several points that have been set here and trekkers undertake their journeys to these points. One can follow different trekking routes from simple to difficult.
Some of the simple treks are Pandaravara a 8 km trek and Kozhikamuthu, a 12 km trek. These places are merely easy to trek whereas the difficult places of trekking include the Perunkundru, which is 32 km. To start trek, one will need to seek prior permission from the Range authorities at the Topslip.
Tourist Places In Anaimalai Hills :
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
Nallamudi
Viewpoint
Monkey Water Falls
Aliyar
View Point
Aliyar
Reserve Forest
balaji
Temple (Inside Karumalai Estate)
Sholayar
Dam Cottages
Topslip
Valparai
Tea
Estate Garden
Chinna
Kallar Falls
Birla Water Falls.
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