Manjampatti Valley Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary

Travel to India > Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary >Manjampatti Valley Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary

Manjampatti Valley is an area located in the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary or the National Park. Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary is situated in the Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu state, India. Moreover, the Manjampatti valley is the protected area in the eastern end of National Sanctuary. The Manjampatti Valley is surrounded in an area of near about 110.9 sq.km.

Manjampatti Valley in the Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary is a pristine drainage basin of Shola and mountain rain forest with high biodiversity. Recently, the illegal land clearing and the cultivation process threatened the valley. Manjampati valley is not yet influenced by the commercialization. Moreover, the forest department of Tamil Nadu has divided the Majampatti Valley into three administrative areas, which include Thalinji beat, Manjampatti beat and the Keelanavayal beat.

Moreover, to the east side Manjampatti valley joins the western ends of the Kodaikanal and Dindigul forests district. This forest is the part of the new Kodaikanal wildlife sanctuary and of the proposed Palani hills National Parl. However, to the south and the west side, it adjoins the Munner forest division and the Chinnar wildlife sanctuary. Towards north, it adjoins the north slope of the River Amaravthy basin. However, many areas of the drainage basin are not being included in to the boundaries of the National park. These drainage basins include Kodaikanal Taluk Villages of Kumbur, Mannavanur, and Kilanavayal, Upper Palani reserve forest and the Chinnar Wildlife sanctuary.

Moreover, the Manjampatti valley supports the stable populations of several large mammal species which includes the apex predators to the extent of small animals. Here, the Indian tigers make a very common sight. Recently, census has also estimated that near about 10 to 20 Panther live in the Manjampatti Valley. In whole valley, the elephants also roam in the upper forest of Manjampatai valley; sloth bears are also spotted out in the valley often. One can also find several herds of gaur in the Manjampatti valley. Moreover, this area was also known for the Manjampatti White Bison in the early days.

Manjampatti has derived it name from the two Tamil words. The Tamil words include Manjal meaning Yellow and Patti meaning Cattle fold or a small village. However, it is being believed that this village was named because of the endemic wild mango tress found here. Moreover, the earliest known residents of area include the Palaiyar. Palaiyar means the old ones. There are many Tamil tribal people, who are living in the small caves located in the Manjampatti Valley. In the bygone era, they were dependent upon the shifting cultivation and collection and trading of the non - timber forests product. These non-timber forest products include medicines, food, construction material, miscellaneous, honey, fruits, herbs, flowers and so on. Now the palaiyar people are allowed to collect only the Tamarind and only from the small are of Manjampatti Valley.

Manjampatti valley is main zone of the Indira Gandhi national park. Tourism, Camping, non-resident visitation, hiking is being strictly prohibited in the valley. Moreover, a special permission can be taken to work inside the Manjampatti Valley.

So, go and enjoy the Natural beauty of the Manjampatti Valley. If you do not visit Manjampatti valley while on a visit to Indira Gandhi National Park, you will miss some thing very special, beautiful, mind blowing and lovely!