Silent Valley National Park

The Silent Valley is a national park situated in Kerala, in the southern part of India. It is located in the ‘Nilgiri hills’ and has a core area of 89.52 km2, which is huge in size. It is surrounded by a buffer zone of 148 km2. This national park has some rare and usual species of flora and fauna. Silent Valley National Park was explored in 1847 by Robert Wight, a botanist. It shares its border with Mannarkkad Taluk of Palakkad district, Nilambur Taluk of Malappuram district, which is in Kerala, and Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
The national park is one of the last ‘undisturbed tracts’ of South Western Ghats mountain. Here, you will enjoy the rainforests and tropical moist evergreen forests in India. The lush greenery with pure Oxygen will make you feel better.

Attraction

Shielded by the ‘Nilgiri Plateau’ to the North and the Mannarkkad Plains to the South, the famous Silent Valley was named a national park in 1984. Located in the Northeastern part of the Palakkad district, the valley gracefully constitutes the centerpiece of the ‘Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.’ It is so graceful that, recently, it was named a ‘World Heritage’ site by UNESCO (in 2012). Only a few centuries ago, before humans reached the ‘Silent Valley,’ this green reserve of tropical rainforests stood undisturbed and tranquil like a beautiful hidden Emerald. Its silence was emphasized by the missing cicadas, which usually characterized rainforests, and now it is a refreshing place for many. Plenty of animals are present, and the vast diversity of flora and fauna is breathtaking.

History

In 1857, during the British Raj, the first Western investigation (of the watersheds of the Silent Valley area) was conducted by the botanist Robert Wight. However, the British named the area ‘Silent Valley’ because of a perceived absence of noisy cicadas. The area is unbelievably peaceful and serene. However, another story attributes the name to the ‘anglicization of Sairandhri.’ Besides, a third story refers to the presence of many ‘lion-tailed macaques Macaca silenus.’ However, in 1914, the whole forest area of the Silent Valley area was declared a reserve forest. Between 1927 and 1976, portions of the Silent Valley forest area were subjected to forestry operations.

Inside/Outside Views

Silent Valley, nestled in the high mountain range of the Western Ghats, is a part of the ‘core area’ of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The breathtaking lush green landscape of the valley has four types of vegetation. They are West Coast tropical evergreen forest, southern sub-tropical broad-leaved hill forest, Montane wet temperate forest, and grasslands. The valley promises a really cool climate to soak in, with its altitudes ranging from ‘725 to 2383 meters above sea level. The crystal clear waters of Kunthipuzha beautifully flow through the entire length of the valley, enriching the whole area before finally meeting the ‘Bharathapuzha’.

Silent Valley harbors a plethora of flora and fauna. Here, more than 960 species of flora and over 17 species of plants are identified. The 17 plants come under the Red List of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Plants that contain high medicinal value, as well as the towering Culinea trees, are also available here. It is home to the Lion-tailed macaque as well. The valley boasts numerous orchids of various hues. More than a hundred varieties of orchids can be seen here, including the rare ‘Malabar orchid.’ The valley is blessed with various ingredients that are truly satisfying. Silent Valley, nestled in the high mountain range of the Western Ghats, is a part of the ‘core area’ of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The breathtaking lush green landscape of the valley has four types of vegetation. They are West Coast tropical evergreen forest, southern sub-tropical broad-leaved hill forest, Montane wet temperate forest, and grasslands. The valley promises a really cool climate to soak in, with its altitudes ranging from ‘725 to 2383 meters above sea level. The crystal clear waters of Kunthipuzha beautifully flow through the entire length of the valley, enriching the whole area before finally meeting the ‘Bharathapuzha’.

How to Reach

By road: It is situated in Palakkad’s ‘Mannarkkad Taluk’ area. From the busy area of Palakkad, the Silent Valley National Park is only 30 to 40 km away. Kerala is well connected with other major cities like Kolkata, Midnapore, Chennai, Siliguri, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Mumbai, etc. And from Palakkad city, you will get local transport to reach the site.

By air: The closest airport, ‘Coimbatore International Airport’ (which is an international one), is almost 67 kilometers away from this area which is in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. You can visit this place from outside of India. Apart from that, there are airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, or Lucknow with direct flights to Kerala through ‘Cochin International Airport,’ Kerala. From the airport, you can easily get local transport to reach the site.

By train: The closest railway station from the Silent Valley National Park is only 37 km away at the ‘Palakkad Junction.’ This station is well connected with major areas of the country. From the station, you will get local transport so that you can reach the site.

Tips for Travellers

Please wear suitable and comfortable clothes according to both culture and seasons.
Don’t forget to follow the code of conduct.
If you are visiting Kerala for the first time, try to visit in a group for safety purposes.
Please stay away from total strangers.
Entry to Silent Valley might require prior permission from the Assistant Wildlife Warden.
From Mukkali, one can hire a jeep to Sairandhri.