A rare sight that was not caught on Camera

"It's a great place, deep inside the forest. You should go if you want. At night, tigers and wild buffalo roam the courtyard. You might get a great photo," Ranju suggested with his usual Thrissur-style enthusiasm. My curiosity was piqued.

Manampally Forest Guest House is a hidden gem located in the heart of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Accessible via the Malakkapara route, it's just twelve kilometers before Valparai. The guest house is nestled deep in the forest, nine kilometers from the Urulikkal check post, in the core area of the Tiger Reserve. With its abundance of wildlife, this is a prime location for animal sightings.

Excited by Ranju's description, I immediately booked a room through the ATR Pollachi website. The guest house offers two rooms at ₹5000 and one at ₹4000. After booking, I received a call from Nagaraj. He advised me to bring all the necessary food items, as there's a kitchen available for cooking. Not worrying about food, I happily agreed. Chicken curry and chapati for dinner, noodles for breakfast—the menu was planned, and I bought everything needed along the way.

We set off on Saturday morning, taking the Athirappilly-Malakkappara route from Kottayam via Muvattupuzha and Angamaly. After stocking up on food essentials in Angamaly, we reached the Vazhachal check post. From there, the road led us deep into the forest. Although we didn’t see any wildlife at first, we prepared for the adventure by picking up some chicken near the Tamil Nadu Check post.

By the time we reached the check post, it was 3:30 p.m. After paying the entrance fee, we embarked on a nine-kilometer journey through the forest. The path was rough, filled with stones and mud, but it eventually led us to the courtyard of the Manampally Forest Guest House.

The cool evening breeze and peaceful atmosphere immediately captivated us. The guest house, an old thatched structure, stands proudly in this serene forest, with a river flowing nearby. However, be cautious near the water—it's a place frequented by monkeys. The tiled courtyard was alive with the antics of these mischievous creatures, who were busy rummaging through discarded milk packets near the kitchen.

Wherever you go, there’s always something to discover. A nineteen-year-old named Jayaram, an assistant at the guest house shared insights about the forest. He mentioned that tigers and leopards occasionally visit the riverbank to drink water. We arranged for a nighttime safari, as animals are more likely to be active when human presence is minimal.

That night, we ventured into the forest. The quiet of the night was only broken by the sounds of wildlife. As we slowly drove through the dark, we spotted two glowing eyes in the car's headlights. A quick glimpse revealed the elusive Nilgiri marten, a creature I had longed to see. Though I couldn’t capture it on camera, the encounter was thrilling nonetheless.

The Nilgiri marten, also known as "Maranaya" and "Karumveruk" in local dialects, is a rare and endangered species, primarily found in the Eravikulam National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Due to their elusive nature, very little research has been conducted on them. Despite not capturing the marten on camera, the forest presented me with an unforgettable experience.

Upon returning to the guest house after the safari, we satisfied our hunger with a delicious meal of chicken curry and chapati. As Ranju had mentioned, although no tiger or leopard visited the courtyard, the Manampally Forest Guest House is an ideal retreat for those seeking peace and solitude. It’s a perfect spot for a relaxing holiday with friends in the heart of nature.

For more on my wildlife photography adventures, visit PainlessClicks