Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary - Major Species Of Wild Animals Found Here

ARALAM WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

AT

KANNUR

The Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 55 sq km of undulating forested highlands on the slopes of the Western Ghats. The highest peak here - Katti Betta - rises to a majestic 1145 m above sea level.

This Sanctuary was established only 32 years ago in Kannur District of Kerala. This protected area shares common boundary with Coorg district of Karnataka. The aralam range runs along this protected area and is the only range in sight. Earlier, the reserve was under Wayanad Forest division but soon became autonomous from 1998 and Iritty became its head quarters,

Covered with tropical and semi evergreen forests, the Aralam Sanctuary is home to a vast variety of flora and fauna endemic to the Western Ghats. Elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Nilgiri langur, Hanuman langur, Malabar giant squirrel, etc can be seen here.

Aralam, a village in Thalassery, Kannur, is also noted for the Central State Farm, a 3060 hectare farm started in 1971 by the Government of India. This is one of the main production centres of hybrid coconut seeds in the country.

Nearest Town is Iritty which is only five kms away. one can avail buses for hire cars to reach this place. The sanctuary is well connected with Wayanad, Kannur, Virajpet and Thalassery. Thalassery railway station is the nearest and well connected station that is located about 45 kms away and kannur station about 70 kms away. Both the stations are connected to the reserve by public buses and four wheelers. It is a little cumbersome to reach by air because the nearest airport Karipur in Kozhikode is about 150 kms away and will take hours to reach the place.

Contact Address: 

The Wildlife Warden 

Aralam Wildlife Division, 

Iritty P.O

Phone: +91 490 2493160 

Mobile:9447979101

E-mail: ww-aralam@forest.kerala.gov.in 

Website: www.aralam.com

Source : Kerala Tourism

Gandhi Museum - It Leads The Pictorial Gallery Depicting A visual Biography Of Gandhi ji

GANDHI MUSEUM

AT

MADURAI

Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai has been built and organised by Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. There are ample places in South India which are important in relation to Gandhiji. Since, he has visited Tamil Nadu 14 times, among all of them  Madurai city got its distinct place of its own.  It was in Madurai in the year 1921, Gandhiji adopted for the first time the line cloth as his mode of dress, which made him known throughout the world as "The Half  Naked Fakir".  

It was in Madurai again that the doors of great Meenakshi Amman Temple were thrown open  to  Harijans, thus winning a historic battle against "Untouchability".  Gandhiji visited the Temple in the year 1946 along with Harijans as a triumph for the cause of Harijan Temple entry.  The Gandhi Memorial Trust has allocated Ten Millions Rupees for the purpose of setting up Gandhi Memorial Museum in selected seven places in India associated with the life of Gandhi.  

The Gandhi Memorial Museum is meant to be a living  Institutions and not merely a building  preserving and showing exhibits, however precious. It seeks to help an ever increasing number of people particularly the youth of the country to understand and to value the life, work and teachings of Gandhiji.The Picture Gallery presents a visual biography of Gandhiji. It contains photos, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, quotations, and some original articles used by Gandhiji (Relics and replicas). Special Exhibition on "India Fights for Freedom" with 265 illustrations, depicting the history of the Freedom Movement, greets you first.  

The Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai was the first of its kind to be completed and it was inaugurated by Shri Jawaharlal Nehru on 15th April, 1959. The Museum serves to propagate the ideals of Gandhiji. Exhibitions, Seminors, Study Circle meetings, Group discussions, Summer Camps for students, Fine Arts training courses for children and classes on Yogasana and Naturopathy are organised periodically.  A Science Park has been put up for the benefit of school children.  Examinations for students on 'Gandhiji's life and Thought' are regularly conducted. 

   

Gandhi Memorial Museum conducts an Educational Programme for the students of the Colleges and High Schools of Madurai City.  They undergo a methodical one day study course of 7 hours duration, on the history of "Indian Freedom Movement" and on a brief study of "Gandhiji's life".  The courses are Class room study, Film and Slide shows and Museum Gallery tour.  A Class room is set up with Film Projection annexe for this purpose in the second floor of the Museum section.  The Educational programme is a regular activity of the Museum.    

      

The Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai is an autonomous Registered Society and is administered by a committee which includes Gandhian leaders, Educationalists, Social Workers and representatives form the State and the Central Governments.

Gandhiji, during his visit to Madurai stayed in the residence of Sri Ramji Kalyanji, 175-A, West Masi Street, Maduraiwho respectfully invited him to his house, on 21.09.1921. During his stay there at night he was mentally agitated and worried to think of the various farmers and poor people on his way dressed in scarce cloths that is only a small towel like dhothi around the waist and were shivering with cold, while he was  wearing long turbans khurtha and dhoties. 

So overnight he took a decision that he should be a model to everyone and to dress in a simple manner like the peasants and poor people he witnessed in his journey to Madurai and he carried out this from the very next day itself. On 22-09-1921 (the next day) morning all were shocked to see him in his new pattern of dress and Gandhiji explained them about his decision and he followed this throughout his life. Then he attended the meetings in Madurai (The place now called as Gandhi Pottal) at 0700 hrs, explaining the reason for his new mode of dress therein. Then he attended the meeting at Karaikudi and returned to his destination.

By Air

There are daily flights to Madurai from Chennai, Bangalore,Tiruchi & Coimbatore. Madurai Airport is 10 Kms away from Madurai City.

By Train

Madurai is an important railway junction of the Southern Railway and is directly connected to Chennai and Tirunelveli. Madurai is on the Madurai-Tiruchirappalli-Dindigul-Quilon line. The Vaigai Express, which is a super-fast day train between Chennai Egmore and Madurai takes 7 hours for the 495kms.

By Bus

There are excellent roads connecting Madurai to all parts of South India.  Madurai City has 5 Major Bus Stand.