Mangroves at Pichavaram
In the mangroves: out boatman maneuvering the boat in one of the smaller water paths; mangroves at Pichavaram, Tamil Nadu.
The mangrove forests at Pichavaram are the second largest in the world and that was to be our first destination on the east coast of Tamil Nadu.
Starting from Bangalore late in the morning and going through the towns of Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Panruti had us on the outskirts of Chidambaram in the evening where we took the deviation towards Pichavaram. When we reached Pichavaram, it was too late to take a boatride. There is only one hotel in Pichavaram, run by the TTDC, and all their three rooms were booked; so after spending some time at the watchtower waiting for the sun to set, we returned to Chidambaram planning to return early morning the next day.
The boating starts at 7 in the morning and we reached there much later to buy tickets. The boating is regulated by the TTDC and tickets for a 1hr boat ride have to be bought at the counter in the hotel. There was also a longer boat ride all the way to the sea but it was not available because of the low level of water at the time we were there. The boatman informed us that earlier they would be hired and payed a fixed amount which was later changed to getting a share of the ticket; they welcomed the change thinking that it would lead to earning more but later realized that their earnings completely depended on the tourists who were very seasonal. Now they make the extra money by offering to deviate from the standard route, and taking people through a few smaller waterways and a longer route.
Fishing was already underway at various places along the path we took. First were the kids trying to catch fish by the shore with their threads and hooks, storing the caught ones in a water bottle. With the level of water being low there were groups of people literally walking bent down in the water trying to collect molasses(?). We also saw a few crab traps lying in the water at a few places while a few people were catching fish the traditional way with nets. The boatman tells us that the mangroves diminished the effect of the tsunami in their area and there was no major damage; he also informs us that early morning and evening were the best times for a boat ride, when the sun is not so harsh. Our boat ride takes longer than an hour and there is nothing much else to do here as well; we start off south towards Velankanni having lunch at one of the smaller shops in one of the numerous villages along the road.
Tamil Nadu East Coast, July, 2008