Click here for more...


Click here for more...


Vol. XX No. 20, February 1-15, 2011
The magnificence of Mukurthi – an insight into incredible biodiversity
(By M. Kumaravelu)

Tribal people have long respected and worshipped all forms of Nature. They have also traditionally identified and attached special attributes to certain ecologically sensitive ­areas and designated them as ­sacred places. In that tradition, trees, groves, water sources have been protected with religious fervour. Each region and landscape has had a special meaning and has offered livelihood to the local communities.

Many mountain ranges and hills have been treated as sacred. Usually such sacred mountain tops have some kind of ‘temple-like’ structure with some form of a deity within, be it a formless stone, a crudely chiselled idol, or a well sculpted one.

Traditionally, these places have been associated with the cultural practices and religious beliefs of the people. These religious and spiritual values greatly influence the lives of the inhabitants of the area.

In India, mountains served as natural fortresses and gave people a sense of security, both physical and spiritual. A mountain range and its surrounding areas are naturally viewed as a life-sustaining ecosystem for water and food requirements, and well-being. If a mountain is left undisturbed, it remains pristine and a lifeline to all life forms.

The mountain ranges of the Nilgiris are an important part of the Western Ghats of southern peninsular India. The Nilgiri ranges have been determined to be older than the Himalayan ranges. The Mukurthi peak and the Nilgiri, Kolleribetta and Kudiakadubetta are situated in the south-western corner of the Nilgiris, in the Kundah range. They appear majestic, impregnable, and command an impressive view of the surroundings. The Mukurthi peak is the third highest peak in the Nilgiri ranges. From a distance, the summit appears to be oddly shaped, like the nose of some gigantic human being, stuck at an odd angle. This very appearance of the peak has given rise to many myths and beliefs.

Mukurthi and its surrounding areas are home to the oldest inhabitant community of the upper plateau, the Todas. In the past, when the Todas were a pastoral people moving from place to place on the Kundah range during their annual migration with their buffaloes, Mukurthi peak and its surroundings had a very special significance. For instance, the belief is that from the dizzy summit of Mukurthi peak, the souls of men and buffaloes leap together into the nether­world. Also, it was considered a taboo for women to cross the Pykara River that originates from the slopes of this peak.

At an average altitude of 2400 m, the terrain of the Mukurthi area is primarily grasslands interspersed with numerous isolated, compact, sharply defined montane wet temperate mixed forests locally termed as ‘Sholas’. The Sholas are normally present in the folds of the mountain and the valley floor, and contain beautiful brooks. They have savannah woodlands, and evergreen trees which are more stunted than those in the lowland evergreen forests.

Apart from the cultural significance, this area is also a major source of water. It is in fact the main catchment area for the whole district. This is because it is in the path of the Southwest Monsoon winds, the main source of rain for the area. The ecology of the hillsides is also vital, as the grassland-Shola ecosystem is an integrated one and a major water resource.

The grasslands act as a spongy layer that absorbs the rainwater, preventing it from flowing away in the deluge. The absorbed water is released in trickles to form rivulets, streams and rivers in the Sholas on the edge of the grasslands. This ­ensures that the streams and rivers have water throughout the year, not only during the monsoons. The important ­rivers, other than the Pykara, originating from the slopes of the surrounding areas are the Kabini, Chaliyar and Bhavani.

This area has an incredible number and variety of plants, animals, birds and other life forms. The threatened mammal species that live here include the Nilgiri tahr, tiger, the very rare Nilgiri marten, and Nilgiri langur. There are leopard, many deer (sambar, barking deer, mouse deer), jungle cat, small Indian civet, wild dog, and many others.

Out of this impressive list, the most important animal is the Nilgiri tahr, a species endemic to the Western Ghats. The Nilgiri tahr, an ungulate, is a highly endangered, grassland-dependent species. As the tahr inhabits grasslands at altitudes over 1500 m, this area is one of its last refuges, and only a few hundreds can be found.

Avian fauna includes many hill birds, such as the threatened Nilgiri laughing thrush, whistling thrush, and Nilgiri pipit. These ranges are known to be home to the winter migrants such as the Himalayan woodcock, Kashmir flycatcher, pale and marsh harriers and many species of wagtails. The bird list includes 16 species endemic to the Western Ghats, and one species endemic to the Nilgiris – the Nilgiri laughing thrush – not found anywhere else in the world. Its numbers have been estimated at around 2000.

The area is home to many species of reptiles, including an endemic species, Horsefield’s spiny lizard (Nilgiri Salea Salea horsfieldii).

Some amphibians found here include the common Indian toad (Duttaphrynus melano­­­stictus), Bufo beddomii, Bufo microtympanum and many species of tree frogs like Micrixalus opisthorhodus and Rana limno­charis. Butterflies with Himalayan affinity like the Blue admiral, Indian red admiral, Indian fritillary, Indian cabbage white and Hedge blues are seen here.

There are more than 200 grassland plant species in this area, of which 80 are endemic to South India, 22 to the Nilgiris, and some that are found only in these ranges.

Mukurthi has the highest number of the Scapigerous Impatiens found in any single place in the world. Alchemilla indica and Hedyotis verticillaris are found only within or on the fringes of this area. Cyathea Crinita is a rare tree fern, endemic to the Western Ghats, and found in only three places, Mukurthi being one of them. Many types of beautiful orchids can be seen here, including Eria albifolia, Oberonia santapauli, Aerides ringens, A. cispa, Coelo­gyne odoratissima. There are also many types of lichens and moss.

* * *

After the British settled in the Nilgiris in the 1800s, more and more immigrants came and settled here. Modernity in all walks of life took root in the hills, and this gave rise to inescapable and inevitable changes in the life of the indigenous tribes, such as the Todas, Kotas, Irulas and Badagas. Over a period of time, the beliefs held by the people of the area have been diluted. In spite of this, some of the cultural traditions and practices continue to be followed by them.

The incredible biodiversity and abundance of rare, endangered flora and fauna signify the existence of an unique combination of physical, climatic and geographic factors. Being the main source of water for not only the Nilgiris, but other regions in the plains, this peak in the Western Ghats assumes great importance. Realising the importance of this, the first Biosphere Reserve created in India was the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1986). The Mukurthi area is a hotspot and a core area in the Biosphere Reserve. The Mukurthi National Park has been created to protect the Nilgiri tahr (the state animal of Tamil Nadu), with the Mukur­thi peak and its surroundings being the pivotal point. Needless to say, when one species is protected, all other life forms in that area get automatic protection. This in turn preserves and conserves the entire region. (Courtesy: Eco News, the journal of CPREEC)


In this issue

Will city's heritage be soon wiped out by Metrorail?
What's in a name?
A remarkable history...
... in the care of the mentally ill
An early Madras activist
The magnificence of Mukurthi
otherstories

Our Regulars

Short 'N' Snappy
a-Musing
Our Readers Write
Quizzin' with Ram'nan
Dates for your diary

Archives

Download PDF