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Enroute to Thirukurungudi Malai Nambi Kovil
Theivaprakasham Hari
[email protected]
Southern districts have always been an under-explored
with respect to diversity of butterflies. Last month (01
November 2019), I got a chance to visit Valliyur ( வள்ளியூர் )
town of Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
on an invite by Mr. Prakash Loganathan. A one day field
exploration was planned at Thirukurungudi Malai Nambi
Kovil which comes under Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger
Reserve.
Malai Nambi Temple is located amidst forests and a
stream. The temple is at the average distance of 3.1km
with changing elevation from 159MSL to 347MSL from the
Foothill. The very place reverberates calmness and devotion. In this picturesque location, resides Malai Nambi.
There are two modes of transport to reach the Malai Nambhi Temple. The first and common mode of transport is
through uphill trek for 3.1km from the foothills Forest check post. The other mode of transport is through Jeeps.
Jeeps are available from Thirukurungudi to Malai Nambhi temple. Own vehicles are navigable till foothills and is
inaccessible till the temple due to poor road conditions and the hilly terrain. A nominal entry fee of Rs.30 for an
adult is collected at the entrance of foothills forest check post.
On 01 November 2019, we as a team of three comprising of Mr. Ramanasaran H, Mr. Theivaprakasham H and
Balakrishnan S started the butterfly walk at 08.00AM. The weather was sunny and the sky was clear after the rains
the previous night. On the way towards the foothills, we observed a strong butterfly migration especially consisting
of Common Emigrant, Lime butterfly and Common Crow. The butterflies migratory movement was heading
towards Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu in the directions of North-North East South–South West. After reaching
the forest check post at the foothills, we could see many butterflies namely Golden Angle, Plain Hedge Blue, Zebra
Blue, Lobed beak and Common Albatross happily mud-puddling near the river stream even with much disturbance
from the movement of public.
On walking towards the hill, we were able to sight few mud-puddling patches with mainly blues. Each mud puddling
patches was filled with at least 10+ White-tipped Lineblue, Dingy Lineblue and Forget-me-not which was something
unusual and significant. The three visually similar pierrots namely Common Pierrot, Banded Blue Pierrot and Angled
Pierrot were also seen mud puddling
together. The Plain Hedge blue was
also seen more in numbers
compared to Common Hedge blue.
One of the either side of the path
towards the temple always had a
river stream flowing through it. After
walking 2km, we sighted a massive
mud-puddling area mostly with
Swallowtails and White and Yellows.
Some of the butterflies seen were
Common Banded Peacock, Blue
Mormon,
Common
Leopard,
Common Mormon, Common Jay,
Southern Blue Bottle, Common
Emigrant,
Mottled
Emigrant,
Common Albatross, Grass Yellows,
Pioneer and Common Gull.
PATTAMPOOCHI
A TNBS MAGAZINE
WINGS 4 VEINS 1
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