Uttar Kannada District in Karnataka - The Natural Wonders of India
A large expansive district,situated on the
boundary Karnataka shares with Goa,Uttar Kannada is one of the last remaining
natural treasures of the country.Landscapes, likes of which are not found
elsewhere, bounty of seas and rivers abounding, the land that is Uttar Kannada
is a paradise to use a simpler word for it.
The primary and all-encompassing feature of the
district are the vast forests that abound here. Of the total land mass, more
than 7000 sq. km. of the land is covered under various types of forests,
ensuring a rare scenario in modern India wherein all interactions between man,
animal and nature occur under the blanket of these ancient landscapes. Thedistrict
encompasses an exhilarating mosaic of habitats that support a bewildering
variety of biological diversity with birds, insects, various flora and fauna
enveloping the region under their flamboyant presence.
A walk amongst some of these untamed wilds and
still protected forests provides us with an appreciation of the need to
preserve and protect these resources, for where else would you find more than
1741 species of flowering plants, 419 species of birds, an amazing assortment
of mammals, zoo planktons, reptiles, insects and a wide-ranging diversity of
the forest family in a single composite zone of 10,291 km²!
With towering hills and a long coastline of more
than 120 km, the geography of the region is as abrupt as it is well spread out.
The narrow coasts are home to some of the best beaches in the country, highly
rugged in nature. As we drive eastward from the coast, the Western Ghats rise
abruptly and give way to the elevated eastern portion that merges with the
Deccan plateau. This provides the region with a character that is uniquely
Uttar Kannada.
This is also the land of the Appiko, where common people shrug their complacency, fought through reams of apathy and struggled to protect their forests. This perhaps gave rise to the birth of the environmental movement of South India and from September 1983 when the first tree was hugged till date, the movement to conserve and preserve nature has progressed by several notches, not just in these parts but across the entire peninsula.
What we see today in Uttar Kannada is also perhaps the remnants of the once even more impressive forest ecosystems for the district had more than 81 % forest cover during the period of India’s independence. Though they have been exploited, these forests have survived.
Paper mills, plywood factories and a chain of hydroelectric projects had a drastic effect and the forest cover considerably reduced over the next three decades. It took Appiko and the corresponding interest of the common man combined with determined officials that decline of forests was reversed. This is the story of Uttar Kannada and its rich natural wealth.
This is also the land of the Appiko, where common people shrug their complacency, fought through reams of apathy and struggled to protect their forests. This perhaps gave rise to the birth of the environmental movement of South India and from September 1983 when the first tree was hugged till date, the movement to conserve and preserve nature has progressed by several notches, not just in these parts but across the entire peninsula.
What we see today in Uttar Kannada is also perhaps the remnants of the once even more impressive forest ecosystems for the district had more than 81 % forest cover during the period of India’s independence. Though they have been exploited, these forests have survived.
Paper mills, plywood factories and a chain of hydroelectric projects had a drastic effect and the forest cover considerably reduced over the next three decades. It took Appiko and the corresponding interest of the common man combined with determined officials that decline of forests was reversed. This is the story of Uttar Kannada and its rich natural wealth.
The Wonders of Uttar Kannada
The district is unique for its natural wonders. Kali has the most prominent presence in the highland regions and is known for its churning rapids. The river cuts a swathe through the district, a thick fast flowing confluence with pristine water derived from a number of sources in the highlands.
Besides, the region has hidden wonders of nature
located within the ghats. The Cavala cave stands out with a number of five feet
high natural shivalingas. It takes a long and arduous trek through a beautiful
forest patch to reach the caves. The final few hundred metres involve walking
through steps that test the physical fitness of the visitor. Cavala Caves is
not for the faint hearted and a visit here is worth a lot if one is willing to
enjoy nature as it comes.
And it is here at the caves that I saw my first black panther, appearing softly as a ghost would and vanishing before we could even stop to admire its beauty. It was an unforgettable experience as the image felt like an apparition that floated in for a fleeting second. The silence that preceded those few exciting seconds before and after the leopard vanished into the bushes after rustling a few nerves and a lot many leaves was enthralling.
There are many more jewels in the forests and coasts of Uttar Kannada. Syntheri Rocks are a 500 feet high formation with cascading waterfalls that can be reached after climbing down 275 steep steps. Caves abound in the rock formations and there are several catfish who bide their time for a bite at someone’s food. Then there is the Vincholi rapid and the Sykes point - stunning landscapes located in rugged parts of the district.
Not very far from the Kali camp is a timber depot and if there is a paradise for birds within any town limit in the world, it must be here. Birds abound and on any given day, one is likely to see the hornbill, the jungle myna or a variety of other birds that add to the daily cacophony.
If we drive into the southern part of the district, the spires of Yana located within dense forests provides a verdant view of the Mohini Shikhara, Bhairava Shikhara and more such rock formations that appear other-worldly.
Some distance away from Dandeli town is the famed Anshi National Park in the Western Ghats range. A remnant of the montane rain forests and moist deciduous forests ecoregions, the park is a beautiful kaleidoscope of the original habitat that Western Ghats comprised of, till deforestation came along.
There are several more places in the region, especially in the hilly forested zone. Some of them include Burude Falls near Siddapur, Unchalli Falls on the River Aghanashini, Magod Falls and Sathodi Falls near Yellapura. Then there are the dams. The 186 kilometre long Kali is dammed at various places. Though dams bring with them several ecological issues, there is little chance of any further development of dams in the region. Some of the major dams are Supa near Ganeshgudi, Bomanahalli, Kodasalli and Kadra.
The district also has the distinction of one of the best rafting sites in the country along with an extensive coastline with offbeat locations such as Gokarna and Devbaghbeing much sought after internationally.
As a natural paradise, Uttar Kannada is a haven for the nature lover and a popular destination for families who wish to spend time in the lap of nature. The place is a magnet for the adventure seeking who trek through some of the deepest forests of the Western Ghats or enjoy the magic of the fading sun on the beaches of Devbagh and Gokarna. Located away from the route of the mass tourist, the region is also an apt location for practicing sustainable ecotourism practices so that there are minimal impacts of tourism on the fragile landscape.
And it is here at the caves that I saw my first black panther, appearing softly as a ghost would and vanishing before we could even stop to admire its beauty. It was an unforgettable experience as the image felt like an apparition that floated in for a fleeting second. The silence that preceded those few exciting seconds before and after the leopard vanished into the bushes after rustling a few nerves and a lot many leaves was enthralling.
There are many more jewels in the forests and coasts of Uttar Kannada. Syntheri Rocks are a 500 feet high formation with cascading waterfalls that can be reached after climbing down 275 steep steps. Caves abound in the rock formations and there are several catfish who bide their time for a bite at someone’s food. Then there is the Vincholi rapid and the Sykes point - stunning landscapes located in rugged parts of the district.
Not very far from the Kali camp is a timber depot and if there is a paradise for birds within any town limit in the world, it must be here. Birds abound and on any given day, one is likely to see the hornbill, the jungle myna or a variety of other birds that add to the daily cacophony.
If we drive into the southern part of the district, the spires of Yana located within dense forests provides a verdant view of the Mohini Shikhara, Bhairava Shikhara and more such rock formations that appear other-worldly.
Some distance away from Dandeli town is the famed Anshi National Park in the Western Ghats range. A remnant of the montane rain forests and moist deciduous forests ecoregions, the park is a beautiful kaleidoscope of the original habitat that Western Ghats comprised of, till deforestation came along.
There are several more places in the region, especially in the hilly forested zone. Some of them include Burude Falls near Siddapur, Unchalli Falls on the River Aghanashini, Magod Falls and Sathodi Falls near Yellapura. Then there are the dams. The 186 kilometre long Kali is dammed at various places. Though dams bring with them several ecological issues, there is little chance of any further development of dams in the region. Some of the major dams are Supa near Ganeshgudi, Bomanahalli, Kodasalli and Kadra.
The district also has the distinction of one of the best rafting sites in the country along with an extensive coastline with offbeat locations such as Gokarna and Devbaghbeing much sought after internationally.
As a natural paradise, Uttar Kannada is a haven for the nature lover and a popular destination for families who wish to spend time in the lap of nature. The place is a magnet for the adventure seeking who trek through some of the deepest forests of the Western Ghats or enjoy the magic of the fading sun on the beaches of Devbagh and Gokarna. Located away from the route of the mass tourist, the region is also an apt location for practicing sustainable ecotourism practices so that there are minimal impacts of tourism on the fragile landscape.
