Manjampatti

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents 1 Location 2 Wildlife Sanctuary 3 Rivers 4 Paliyan Tribes 5 Wildlife 6 History 7 References

A big Shola in The Indira Ghandi Wildlife Sanctuary Manjampatti Valley Manjampatti Valley (India)
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Location:	Coimbatore District, Tamilnadu
Nearest city:	Kodaikanal, 30 km.
Coordinates:	10°17′0″N, 77°17′0″E
Area:	110± km²
Governing body:	Tamilnadu Forest Department

Manjampatti Valley is a 110± km² drainage basin of shola and montane rain Forest with tribal settlements in Tamil Nadu, South India. It is a pristine area of high biodiversity recently threatened by illegal land clearing and cultivation. ^[1]

[edit] Location

This Valley is in the southeast part of Anaimalai Reserve Forest, in Udumalaipettai Block, Coimbatore District, ^[3], about 13 km south of Amaravathi Dam and 30 km West of Kodaikanal at the western border of Dindigul District in the Palni Hills in the Western Ghats. Central location is 10°17′N 77°17′E. Elevation ranges from 2,327 m Vellari Mali at the top, to 610 m at the little village of Talinji 10°19′N 77°15′E near the bottom. The village of Mannavanur 10°13′N 77°21′E sits to the south east on a small plateau overlooking the valley.
Indira Gandhi National Park is at the bottom of the valley across the Chinnar River. The western ridge of Manjampatti Valley adjoins the 90 Km² Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary^[4][5] and Vattavadai Valley^[6] in Idukki district, Kerala. The western edge of Manjampatti Vally extends 2km into the easternmost area of Idukki District, Kerala.

[edit] Wildlife Sanctuary

Manjampatti Valley is the eastern part of the Indira Ghandi Wildlife Sanctuary (IGWS)^[7], adjoining the western ends of the Kodaikanal and Dindigul Forest Districts. These Forests will make up the new Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary and the proposed Palani Hills National Park.
Manjampatti Valley is under the protection of the Coimbatore Forest Office; Wildlife Warden-Indira Ghandi Wildlife Sanctuary^[8] A license is required for entry. The IGWS and the Kodaikanal and Dindigul Forest Districts are designated the Anaimalai Conservation Area^[9], a two year collaborative project of the Wildlife Institute of India and the U.S.D.A. Forest Service^[10].

[edit] Rivers

The Manjampatti Valley catchment basin drains into the Chinnar River. This Valley is drained by the stream Ten Ar and a smaller unnamed stream 2km to its west. The unnamed stream is the actual political boundary between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The top of the ridge to the west above this stream is the western limit of the catchment. Thus, the western edge of Manjampatti valley extends up to 2 km into Kerala. This unnamed stream joins the Pambar River at the point they both join the Chinnar River at the north west corner of the Valley. West of this point, the Chinnar River forms the boundary between the Indira Ghandi National Park and the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
The stream Ten Ar joins the stream Kajadaikatti Odai flowing from the east, which in turn joins the Chinnar river .8 km to the west. The Chinnar River flows North and becomes the Amaravati River which flows to the Cauvery River.

[edit] Paliyan Tribes

Nomadic Paliyan tribes people have been seen in the past 35 years living in small caves in the valley. Historically close extended Paliyan family groups foraged and hunted at least 128 forest species for subsistence. In the past century they increasingly depended on shifting cultivation and collection and trading of non timber forest products of over 60 species for: food (14), incense & toiletries (11) medicines (13), construction materials & precious woods (9) and miscellaneous (13). These included honey, tubers, fruits, herbs, flowers, bark, seeds, fibers, gum, leaves, logs and oils.
Since establishment of the IGWS their trading was gradually but severely restricted. They are now allowed to collect only Tamarind from one small area outside Manjampatti Valley. Their strong cultural ties to the area and traditional avoidance of outsiders keeps them attached to their forest habitat. They must now depend on intermittent plantation labor, primitive low yield cultivation in restricted areas, liaisons with forest product smugglers and poachers, government programs and charity^[11].
In 2002 there were 401 tribal persons living in three Paliyan settlements in the valley, including: Manjampatti (m-19, f-19); Thalinji (m-168, f-155); Mungilpallam (m-22, f-18). This is an average population density of 3.65 persons/km². This is 40% higher than the 2.6 persons/km² living in all 36 tribal settlements in the entire 1769 km² IGWS^[12]. Their peaceful ancient culture in this area is increasingly fragmented as they assimilate modern Tamil customs and values^[13][14].

[edit] Wildlife

Wild Indian Elephants and Boar have been seen here in recent times. Earlier the area was well known for Manjampatti White Bison. At least one Indian Tiger has been shot here within the past fifty five years. ^[15]. Tiger populations in the adjoining IGWS and the nearby Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve could expand back into this area if it were better protected.

[edit] History

Manjampatti derived its name from two Tamil words manjal and patti, meaning yellow and village respectively, perhaps because of it's mango orchards^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] References