Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India known as the ‘Flamingo Paradise’

Unplanned holidays where one follows a trail of something mysterious but obscure often lends more excitement than a very meticulously planned honeymoon.

The mystery and suspense of the unknown has always lent credence to the thrill experienced during the quest of men and women on the path of discovery. So also the way we were led to Pulicat Lake on the trail of a little known civil servant who merited a memorial in a far way town in Kerala.In a less traveled road of Palakkad in Kerala State,through which our vehicle had to take a diversion, was this moderate-sized obelisk erected in the memory of ‘Pulicat Chettiar, 1st native civil servant of Madras Presidency’. Pulicat Lake of course is a large water body on the Andhra -Tamil Nadu border- a bird watchers’ paradise, with annual festivals replete with
folk dances and other entertainment organized in the evening. The term Lake of course is a misnomer; it is more of a lagoon. Palakkad was those days part of the Madras Presidency, and a charming town that is a gateway to Kerala for those from Erode, Salem and Kovai. We will return to Palakkad in another travelogue as we try to unravel the mystery of its visitors like Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan, and the British.But first, this pleasant diversion to Pulicat where our search for antecedents of Pulicat Chettiar took us.

Pulicat- 2nd largest lagoon in India

Factually Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, also known as ‘Flamingo Paradise’, as it is being visited by more than 21,000
flamingoes every year along with several other species of birds. The prominence of the lake is increasing day by day, leading to plans for eco-tourism. The key initiative of eco-tourism will be to directly and indirectly benefit the locals and neighbouring population who depend on the eco-systems of the lake to eke out their existence. The Nellore District
Authorities have started conducting a Festival for the Flamingoes every year. The idea fructified in to an incredible festival with the apt nomenclature of ‘Flamingo Festival’. Though we received an invitation to the festival in March, we could visit the sanctuary only in April. If watching flamingoes is not fully satisfying, there is a bird sanctuary nearby. Driving
from Chennai one could spend an entire day, at the most two, and combine both these locations -Pulicat and Nelapattu -or proceed to Nellore for a longer sojourn.

From Flamingoes to Pelicans
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary has one the largest Pelican populations in South-East Asia and this where
thousands of Pelicans breed every year. Many winter migratory birds have also been visiting this sanctuary for decades. It is also a breeding ground for some very rare and endangered species like Grey Pelicans, Open-bill Storks, Little Cormorants, Spoonbills, White Ibises, Night Herons etc. A wide variety of birds like Egrets, Terns, Ducks, Waders etc., are found to roost here. This sanctuary is a heaven for a broad spectrum of bird species for both breeding and roosting purpose. Some of the reasons attributed to the birds selecting this sanctuary area are: The availability of large fresh water body of Nelapattu tank. The presence of a sizeable number of ‘Baringtonia
acutangula’ trees that can tolerate inundation for longer periods in the tank bed and foreshore area, and is the preferred perching and nesting tree for these species of birds. The awareness of neighbouring villagers in offering protection to these birds has developed in to a sort of symbiotic relationship. The birds get protection and the villagers get the bird guano in the tank water, which serves as an excellent
fertilizer for their agricultural crops. A similar story emerged from Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary near Chennai. The proximity of the Pulicat Lake provides an inexhaustible source of food for the birds. Finally the reserve forest area surrounding the Nelapattu tank, serves as a good protective cover besides a good source for nesting material.

location:
This sanctuary is situated near Nelapattu village in Doravari Satram Mandal of Nellore District in Andhra Pradesh. It is located between latitudes 13 degrees 51′ & 13 degrees 59′ North, and longitude 79 degrees 57′ and 79 degrees 59′ East.

How to reach:
Air: Nearest airport is Tirupati around 65 kms and Chennai City around 95 kms south of the sanctuary.
Train: Nearest Railway stations are Doravari Satram (about 1 km) and Naidupet (almost 11 kms). These are on the Vijayawada-Chennai broad gauge line.
Road: Along NH 5 about 80 kms. south of Nellore, 95 kms. north of Chennai and 80 kms. east of the Holy City of Tirupati.

Season: The best season for visiting this sanctuary is
from October to March.
Climate & Rainfall: Average annual rainfall is 1000
mm. From both North-East & South-West Monsoons.
Cyclones are common in May & November.
Temperature: Minimum: 23 degrees centigrade; Maximum:
45 degrees centigrade;
Area: The area of the sanctuary is 458.92 ha.
Including the following components:
Kalluru Reserve Forest Area: 288.14 ha., Nelapattu
Tank Area: 82.56 ha., Unreserved Forest Area: 88.22
ha., adding up to a total of 458.92 ha.

A trip to any of these locations would be incomplete without a visit to Nellore. In fact if a tourist were to make a wish list of things he or she would love to see and experience, Nellore (especially Pulicat and Nelapattu) is the place, which would make many dreams, come true.

Devotion-drenched places of worship, magnificent forts that still stand like silent sentinels of a glorious past. Mighty rivers, which serenely flow, witness to innumerable stories of the civilizations that flourished on their banks. The vast Bay of Bengal that washes the golden shores with its undulating waves.
The incredible variety of feathered friends who have found their ideal nesting ground here.
Eye-catching sarees (including Gadhwal and Pochamalli) and fabrics into which traditional weavers have woven fine art are
a good way of carrying a remembrance of the visit. The numerous festivals here are celebrated with great religious fervor and pageantry. In all it is a journey back in time to relive the past for a cherishing experience. But our quest for Pulicat Chettiar continues; where it will take us is a mystery that we will share as it unravels; as it leads us across
States borders.

How to reach Nellore: Road: 504 kms from the capital city, Hyderabad and 30 kms from Tirupati.