Kudremukh National Park-Karnataka

About:

The Kudremukh or Horse Face Range is situated 95 Kms southwest of Chickmagalur town. The broad hills which overlook the Arabian Sea are chained to one another with deep valleys and steep precipices and is so named because of the unique shape of the Kudremukh peak which has the highest elevation at 1892 metres. The park named after the peak, extends over three districts, Dakshin Kannada (South Kanara), Chickmaglur and parts of Udupi and stretches between Narasimha Parvatha (in Sringeri Taluk) in the north to the Jamalabad Fort (in Belthangady Taluk) in the south. The park is divided into four ranges Kudremukh, Kerekatte, Kalsa, Shimoga.

The Kudremukh region records an average annual rainfall of 7,000 mm and the wet climate has resulted in the formation of thousands of streams in the region converging to form three major rivers of the region, Tunga, Bhadra and Nethravathi. The Kadambi waterfalls are a major attraction of the Kudremukh National Park.One of the newest entrants in the National Park list the Kudremukh National Park has been named after the eponymous peak that is shaped like a horse face. The Kudremukh town adjacent to the park is primarily an iron ore-mining town where the government-owned Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) operates.

There is a wide variety of flora and fauna in the park. The park is covered with thick hilly forests, mostly evergreen and semi-evergreen near the coastal plains on the western portion; and the shoal-grassland habitat at elevations above 1400m on the Western Ghats. Plantations of Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Acacia auriculiformis and Grevillea robusta are found here. The park is surrounded by Coffee and Tea plantations on the northern and eastern boundaries.The wild animals seen in the park include tiger, leopard, wild dog, jackal, lion-tailed macaque, common langur, sloth bear, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying squirrel, porcupine and the mongoose.The park is particularly rich in the diversity of birds. Approximately 195 types of birds are found in the park. This includes rare birds like the Malabar trogon, great pied hornbill, Malabar whistling thrush and the imperial pigeon.

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History of Kudremukh National Park:

He further suggested that Lion Tailed Macaques could be effectively used as a 'flagship' species to conserve the entire biotic community in the region and prepared a conservation plan for survival of wild population of Lion Tailed Macaques in the region delineating the present national park area as a proposed nature reserve. Based on his report, the Karnataka State
Wildlife Advisory Board suggested to the Government that Kudremukh National Park be created. Subsequently, the first notification of the Kudremukh National Park was issued. In 1987, the Government of Karnataka declared these Reserved Forests as a National Park based on the above suggestion.

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Kalasa:
Kalasa, meaning a water pot, is the abode of the Kalaseshwara Temple of Lord Shiva and is a holy temple-town and a tourist spot located near Kudremukh on the banks of river Bhadra. Local mythology points the origin of Kalasa connected to the wedding ceremony of Shiva and Parvathy. It is believed that visiting Kalasa bring punya, a greater religious merit. The Girija Kalyana, commemorating the marriage of Shiva and Parvathi, is an important festival here attracting many tourists.Kalasa, an agricultural land, depends on Bhadra river for its water needs. It is famous for the agriculture products such as coffee, varieties of Ayurvedic herbals and plants and spices. Located in the midst of the heart of the Western Ghats, Kalasa has nearly a pretty pleasant climate in all the seasons. Kalasa attracts many tourists with private resorts and five major water spots, known as pancha theerthas. This is a nice place to spend some time to get the religious blessings as well as natural enjoyment.

Horanadu:
Horanadu is a holy city, laid in the middle of charming natural scenarios, for Hindus residing near Kudremukh. This place holds a beautiful temple Adi-Shaktyatmaka Shri Annapoorneshwari, a historical temple of Annapoorneshwari installed in 1973. The shrine renovated with a new idol of Adi Shakthi installed recently, is the main attraction in Horanadu. The place is attracted by plenty of pilgrims who are provided free boarding and lodging by the temple.The main deity of Annapoorneshwari is made out of pure gold, looking imposing and amazing. The legend and folk stories tell that a person who seeks the blessings of Annapoorneshwari would never be having any shortage for food in life. Any devotee who visits here will leave the temple with a sense of fulfillment. Horandu is a place recommended for visiting.

Hanuman Gundi Falls:
One of the main attractions close to Kudremukh is Hanuman Gundi waterfalls. The waterfalls, slashing down from a height of more than 100 feet falling onto natural rocks majestically, is an exciting scenery.One can trek for some distance to get into the falls and to have body rejuvenating and refreshing bath. The forest department has constructed some nice and safe steps to get down into the falls for a nominal Rs 30/- per head. A calm and isolated destination, here one can enjoy the beauty of silence and marvel of the waterfalls.

Flora at Kudremukh:
The flora in Kudremukh National Park consists of mostly evergreen and semi-evergreen forests near the coastal plains on the western portion and the shoal-grassland habitat at elevations above 1400m on the Western Ghats.

Vegetation:
The Burma Monsoon Forests of Manas lie on the borders between the Indo-Gangetic and Indo-Malayan biogeographical realms and is part of the Brahmaputra Valley Biogeographic Province. The combination of Sub-Himalayan Bhabar Terai formation with riverine succession leading up to Sub-Himalayan mountain forest makes it one of the richest biodiversity areas in the world.

Fauna:
The sanctuary has recorded 55 species of mammals, 380 species of birds, 50 of reptiles, and 3 species of amphibians. Out of these wildlife, 21 mammals are India's Schedule I mammals and 31 of them are threatened.The fauna of the sanctuary include Asian Elephants, Indian Rhinoceros, Gaurs, Asian Water Buffaloes, Barasingha, Tigers, Leopards, Clouded Leopards, Asian golden cat, Capped Langurs, Golden Langurs, Assamese Macaques, Slow Loris, Hoolock Gibbons, Smooth-coated Otters, Sloth Bears, Barking Deer, Hog Deer, Sambar Deer and Chital.The main wildlife species in Kudremukh include tiger, leopard, wild dog, jackal, lion-tailed macaque, common langur, sloth bear, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying squirrel, porcupine and the mongoose.

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Everyone who visits the Annapoorna temple is provided with a three course vegetarian meal irrespective of their religion, language, caste, or creed. Male visitors to the temple have to remove their shirts and preferably cover their shoulders with a towel or a shawl as a symbol of respect and humility in front of god.The main deity of Annapoorna is made of gold and it is believed that a person who seeks the goddess' blessings will never have any scarcity for food in life. It is also believed that Lord Shiva had a curse upon him once and that this curse was reversed only when the Lord visited Goddess Annapoorna and sought her blessings.

On an average around 5000 devotees are said to visit the Devi temple every day, travelling through the midst of thick forests and valleys. The route to the temple traverses ghats, amazingly dense forests and vegetation. The scenery and the pristine atmosphere have a spiritual effect on every person travelling to and visiting the Annapoorneshwari Temple.

Jamalabad Fort:
Located in Kudremukh, the Jamalabad village is famous for its fort, Jamalabad fort, located 8 km north of Beltangadi town, is 1788 ft above sea level and used to be known as Narasimha Gudde, which refers to the granite hill on which the fort is built. It is also referred to locally as 'Jamalagadda'.The fort, built by Tippu Sultan in 1794, was named after his mother, Jamalabee and is said to have been built over the ruins of an older structure.The fort is primarily inaccessible save a narrow path, with nearly 1876 steps to the fort that are cut out of this granite hill and lead all the way to the top through the fort to the summit.

Inside the citadel, there are two small fresh-water springs and some tanks to store water. Some of the bastions have dismantled iron cannons with European markings. The rest of the fort consists of ruins of walls and parapets.The British captured the fort in 1799 during the Fourth Mysore war. According to legend, those out of favour with Tipu were hurled down this fort to their death.

These days, Jamalabad is a trekking destination, with the climb up to the fort being classified as 'medium difficulty level' and the top of the fort offers good views of the surrounding landscape and the Kudremukh range.Every visitor has to pay a nominal entry fee at the forest check post at the base of the hill. It is advisable to carry sufficient water since there is no potable fresh water available on top. The nearest town with any communication and medical facilities is Beltangadi.

Lakya Dam:
A check dam across the Lakya, the tributary of Bhadra river, built by Kudremukh Iron Ore Company is the so called Lakya Dam having a height of 100 m. The main utility of this dam is to collect the waste materials from the mining operations and since it is a dam of silt not water.The dam is at the backdrop of picturesque hilly terrains, shoal forests and calmly flowing rivers. It is argued that the Lakya dam has already made the submergence of 572 hectres of shola forests and raising the heights or constructing a new dam will submerge more areas. The dam and the surroundings are scenic and lots of tourists are attracted towards it.

Radhakrishna temple:
Radhakrishna temple is a place of interest of Kudremukh offering a panoramic view of the whole place from here. A Kudremukh park has also drawn the admiration of people. Lobo House is an old deserted house on top of Kudremukh.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

Petrol Pump:Dakshina Kannada,Karnataka,India

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation nearby Kudremukh National Park:

Hotel Hassan Ashok:P.O Box. 121, B. M. Road,Hassan,Karnataka,India,ph:08172 268731

Hotel Southern Star:Bm Highway,Hassan,Karnataka,India,ph:08172 251816

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