Nagarjunasagar
Srisailam Sanctuary
The largest
of India's Tiger Reserves, the Nagarjunasagar -Srisailam
Sanctuary (3568 sq. km.), lies in the state of Andhra
Pradesh.
The terrain is rugged and winding gorges slice through the
Mallamalai hills.
Adjoining the reserve is the large reservoir of the
Nagarjunasagar Dam on the River Krishna.
The dry Deciduous forests with scrub and bamboo thickets
provide shelter to a range of animals from the tiger and
leopard at the top of the food chain, to deer, sloth bear,
hyena, jungle cat, palm civet, bonnet macaque and pangolin.
In this unspoiled jungle, the tiger is truly nocturnal and
is rarely.
Evolved out of different needs, the town of Srisailam is
divided into three zones. Srisailam or the original pilgrim
town centers round the age-old temples dedicated to Lord
Mallikarjuna and Goddess Bhramaramba, incarnations of Shiva
and Parvati. A fairly stocked marketplace and several lodges
for pilgrims lie alongside the temple quadrangle. About
eight kilometers from the temple town is Sunnipenta, another
ridge top where most offices and a few eating houses are
located. Also located here is the office of the Project
Tiger and the Field Director. The dam site on the river
Krishna-the Srisailam Hydel Projects-makes up the third
zone.
Nestling in the Nallamalai Hill ranges, an offshoot of the
Eastern Ghats, with cliffs, gorges, ridges and plateaus,
endowed with a variety of flora and fauna, the NSTR protects
a large portion of the once flourishing ecological system
that existed here. Without having the benefit of being an
erstwhile royal game preserve, the forest in this area was
always open to human visitation. Pilgrims from all over
southern India carved out routes through the forest to reach
Srisailam. It was in 1973 that the area was declared a
sanctuary and incorporated under Project Tiger a decade
later.
A little over 6 sq km in area, the Rollapadu grasslands near
Srisailam are dotted with dry, thorny bushes and is home of
about a hundred blackbucks. From a distance, one can observe
families of blackbucks out on their breakfast trail, a
couple of bustards gazing at the horizon while taking a
tentive foot forward. At present, day visits to Rollapadu
Sanctuary is permitted.
PLACES NEARBY
Mannanur is a pre-existing tribal hamlet with a comfortably
furnished camp bungalow. Next to the bungalow are a
crocodile pond and an environment education center. From
Mannanur, one can explore the western corner of the tiger
reserve. The forest area here is thickly set with
miscellaneous timber species with local names like Nallamadi
(Terminalia tomentosa), Chirumanu (Anogeissus latifolia),
etc., as well as stretches of teak forest. One can also spot
spotted deers, sambars, and nilgais here.
Nagarjunasagar is the place where excavations have unearthed
many historical monuments belonging to 1st and 2nd century
AD. The place is also home to a large dam built on the river
Krishna.
General Information :
Best Time to Visit :
October to June.
Nearest Town :
Macheria (29 km)
