We’ve chosen another homestay which looks out over the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Kumily is an important spice growing region, and it has a vibrant little bazaar and some delicious street food. One night we had a hot, fresh and filling meal of biriyani rice and fried chicken for just 45 rupees (about $1.20) for the two of us, which is probably the best value dinner we’ve had anywhere.
We spent two nights on the Periyar “Tiger Trail”, a two day, two day night trek through evergreen forest and open grassland inside the national park. Supposedly Periyar has a comparatively large population of tigers, but since here their habitat is thick, inaccessible jungle, tigers are very rarely sighted. From what we saw there’s no shortage of tiger food (deer, monkeys, boar and gaur), and the forest guides (ex poachers from the tribal villages bordering the park) pointed out tiger claw marks on the trunks of trees, and some several weeks old tiger poo. We had good sighting of gaur (called ‘bison’ by the guides), the largest species of wild cattle. One lone male, an animal of fascinating hugeness, we were able to approach within about 30 metres. We were trekking with an older Austrian couple, and the husband, an over-enthusiastic amateur wildlife photographer, crept so close the gaur that he prompted our guide to start readying his standard-issue forest officer’s rifle, in case the 1,000kg bull decided to charge. In the end, the gaur, and not the Austrian, decided to avoid a confrontation and headed into the deep jungle with a dignified gallop. Slightly disappointingly, we didn’t encounter elephants. Although we’ve both seen wild Asian elephants before in Thailand, it would’ve been exciting to come across them while on foot. The park is reasonably scenic for trekking around in, but only became truly spectacular after an afternoon thunderstorm. Low mist draped itself over the tops of trees and in dewy forest glades and floated over Periyar’s vast man-made lake. The lake is littered with the still-standing hardwood trunks of rosewood and teak, drowned when the British dammed the Periyar River 125 years ago.
Since returning from the Tiger Trail, the heavy afternoon and evening rains have persisted, forcing us one night to sheltered under a food stall tarp, where we were inevitably drawn into the same simple conversation, “what is your good name?” and “what country?” "what do you think of India?" Whenever we visit the street food stalls we're met with curious looks and proud smiles when the locals see we're enjoying the real cuisine of India just as much as them.
