Hush, don’t even whisper, it seems too loud. Quiet, just be quiet and feel the silent hum of nature. Feel the breeze puffing on your face, feel the scents of the gentle giants, feel the soft, sensuous touch of their shade, feel the occasional warm streams of light, feel the soothing melodies of its inhabitants, feel the whispers of its dancing streams, feel the nature at its pristine best. Just lose yourself in the moment, lose in the aura of its embrace, lose in the magnanimity of its grace, be one with it, be the nature!
Welcome to Silent Valley.
Located in the Western Ghats of Kerala, Silent Valley is home to one of the richest and most unexplored landscapes in the world. Its forests harbour some of the most pristine, unique and highly diverse ecosystems in the world.
Nestled in the South-western corner of the Nilgiris, Silent Valley is the last remaining stretch of evergreen forests in Kerala and one of the largest in India. Moreover, it is home to to 41 mammals, 211 birds, 49 reptiles, 47 amphibians, 12 fishes, 164 butterflies and 400 species of moths. This gorgeous valley is estimated to have hundreds of wildlife species still undiscovered.
Why it is called Silent Valley
More than anything else, this wonder of nature is unlike any other forest in India. It is devoid of the piercing shrill of the cicadas that is synonymous with all rainforests. Hence, it is called the Silent Valley. It has been silent for centuries, except for the melodies of its diverse birds. The valley has been a silent witness to the miracle of its existence and survival! Silently wondering how it has remained untouched?
Its survival amidst all the destructive activities of humans around it is nothing short of a miracle of nature. Silent Valley has remained untouched and unblemished by human activities for thousands of years, especially its core zone of 89.52sqkms. Conditions there today have prevailed since before anthropogenic activities.
So, what is a rainforest?
Rainforests are the lungs of the Earth, they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. These are essential for the survival of humans on this planet. Absorbing a major volume of the Earth’s carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, rainforests help stabilise the earth’s climate.
That is not it. Rainforests release water into the atmosphere, playing a crucial role in regulating rainfall. Destruction of the rainforests across the world is one of the major causes leading to natural catastrophes and ecological imbalance.
World Heritage
A UNESCO World Heritage site and part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, this 143.52 sqkms of verdant stretch was declared a national park in 1984.
A must visit place for all nature lovers, the park is best experienced through slow, silent exploration. Access to the park is possible only on the jeeps run by the park authorities from the Silent Valley Base Camp.
If you are looking for a silent, slow exploration of pristine nature, look no further than this. Please make sure you don’t carry any plastic (it’s a plastic-free zone) or any other polluting agents. For bookings and timings, visit www.silentvalley.gov.in
(For more stories with a unique outlook on India’s diversity in life, nature, craft, culture and heritage, check out Thousand Shades of India on Instagram)
