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Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Location: Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, India
Area: 30 hectares.
Major Wildlife Attractions: Birds
Best time to visit: November to mid March
Places to Stay: Forest Rest House (Vedanthangal), P.W.D. Rest
House (Karunguzhi)
About Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Situated close to the small town of
Padalam in Kanchipuram district, Vedanthangal is the oldest water
sanctuary in India. The place was granted legal protection in 1798 and
recognised as a sanctuary in 1936. Further in 1962, the Madras Forest
Act accorded it the status of a reserve and was upgraded to a wildlife
sanctuary in 1972 by the Wildlife Protection Act.
The sanctuary is close to both Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram, both of
which make a good evening getaway. The place is a paradise for people
looking to experience the countryside added with a dose of excitement
of wildlife. The place also makes a good spot for a lazy evening
stroll.
Wildlife Attractions in
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
As you enter the gates of the sanctuary, the sight of numerous trees
flocked by birds busy in their chirping and chatting catches your
attention. The migratory birds as if packing their luggage before
flying off to their permanent habitats thousands of miles away. The
birds here are accustomed to the visitors and are not afraid to
venture quite close to them.
Prominent among the birds found in the sanctuary are Painted Stork,
Cormorant, Egret, Spoonbill, Oriental Darter, White Ibis, Grey
Pelican, Grebe, Sandpiper, Shoveller, Tern, Open Billed Stork and Pin
Tailed Duck. The migratory birds which include Brahminy Kite, Booted
and Short Toed Snake Eagle, Montagu's and Eurasian Marsh Harriers,
come from as far as Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
It is an excellent place to spend some quite hours watching birds go
about their daily routine. There are paved paths dotted with
watchtowers and benches that are especially good for bird watching.
The birds are best viewed if they do not notice the visitors. It is
advisable to sit in a quite corner without making any noise and
observe the birds.
Best Time to Visit Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
The ideal time to visit the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is between
the months of November to mid March.
How to Get there
Air: Chennai is the nearest and most convenient airport,
connected by daily Indian Airlines flights from Delhi (6:40, 10:15,
16:45 & 19:00), Mumbai (7:05, 9:20, 11:45, 18:10 & 20:30),
Bangalore (8:30) and Kolkata (14:30 & 18:10).
Rail: Chengalpattu is the nearest railhead. Delhi is
conveniently connected through the Thirukkural Exp. (6:00, Sat) &
T N Smprk Krnti (7:25, Tue, Thu) while Mumbai through the Madurai Exp.
(00:15, Fri) & Nagarcoil Exp. (12:05, Tue, Sat). Daily trains
running Chennai-Chengalpattu include the Nellai Exp. (21:00),
Kanyakumari Exp. (17:30), Pandian Exp. (21:30), Pearl City Exp.
(18:30), Anantapuri Exp. (19:30) & Rock Fort Exp. (22:30).
Road: To travel by road from Chennai, take the national
highway no. 45 to Chengalpattu and head south towards Padalam
junction. A right turn here will lead to the sanctuary road. The
sanctuary can also be accessed from other nearby towns of Kanchipuram
and Mahabalipuram, but the road is not very well maintained. State
transport buses ply between Chennai and Chengalpattu, the best option
however would be to travel in your own four wheeler or hire a taxi
from Chennai. |
