Kabini is where the world comes to honour an ancient covenant with Nature.
Kabini. Forgotten by time. Bypassed by civilization. Thankfully.
The legend and romance of Kabini plays out in a theatre called Nagarhole, and revolves around a pristine river called Kabini (originally Kapila) that snakes its way through the Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka, and forms an aqueous boundary with the Bandipur National Park.
Together, this area constitutes the largest contiguous forest cover in this part of the world and is part of the Nilgiri biosphere, the largest in Asia, and home to the largest concentration of herbivores in Asia. And herbivores don't get larger than the Asiatic elephant, whose favourite playground this is. At Nagarhole, one can witness the largest
congregation of Asiatic Elephants in the world, and these majestic mammals rule the roost here.
While the lead actors may be largely herbivorous, the support cast consists of three major predators in the Tiger, Leopard and Dhole or Wild Dog, with all three co-existing in high densities. A feature unique to Nagarhole.
History
Nagarhole was ruled by the Lingayat kings of Kodagu and their feudatories until the British colonial administration established hegemony in the 1850s, soon after the defeat of Tipu Sultan of Mysore. The presence of derelict irrigation tanks suggests that there were agricultural enclaves within the forested landscape. While the Lingayat kings maintained nominal control, the forests were considered common property and swidden agriculture (slash and burn technique) and collection of forest produce by the tribes residing within the forested landscape was widespread.
The colonial administration established the Forest Department in 1860 with a mandate to restrict forest burning, control swidden agriculture, prevent agricultural encroachments, carry out sustainable harvest of timber and to raise teak plantations. From the 1890s, the forests were gradually demarcated and notified as government owned reserved forests.
After Indian independence, the Govt. of India laid great emphasis on the production of food and the harvesting of timber, which led to the importation and settlement of tribal and non- tribal groups into the hadlus or swampy clearings, to provide cheap labour for forestry operations and for the cultivation of rice. In 1955, a 285 sq km area was gazetted as the Nagarhole Game Sanctuary. The same was extended in 1974 with some reserved forests from the Mysore district being added to bring the total area to the present 644 sq km. This was also accorded the status of a National Park in 1974.
In 1999/2000, the Nagarhole National Park became part of 'Project Tiger', a successful wildlife conservation initiative for the fast disappearing Royal Bengal Tiger.
The Kakankote forest in Mysore became a favored staging ground for the Khedda - a method of capturing wild elephants wherein a whole herd would be beaten and driven into a stockade by skilled mahouts mounted on domesticated elephants.
Geography
Location
Latitude 11° 50' to 12° 15' North
Longitude 76° 0' to 76° 15' East
Area
644 sq km
Elevation
Lowest - Kabini river 700 m
Highest - Masal Beta Peak - 960 m
Soils
Generally red sandy loams
Mean Monthly
20° C to 27° C
Temperatures
Max 35° C ; Min 10° C
Annual Rainfall
Between 1000mm to 1500 mm
Seasons
Wet - June to Sept
Cool - Oct to Jan
Dry - Feb to May
Forest Type
Tropical Dry Deciduous
Tropical Moist Deciduous
Geographical Location
Where Deccan Plateau integrates with the Western Ghats
Nagarhole National Park of Karnataka serves as home to some of the most endangered wildlife species.
The term Nagarhole is a combination of two Kannada terms, 'Nagara' meaning 'Cobra' and 'Hole' meaning 'River'. This National Park has been named after the river 'Nagarhole' which snakes through its rich tropical forests. Set up in 1955 in Coorg, in an area of 285 sq km, the park was accorded the status of a National Park and extended in 1974, with some reserved forests from the Mysore district being added, to bring the total area to the present 644 sq km. In 2000, the park was brought under 'Project Tiger'.
The Kabini dam submerged large tracts of forest creating a huge lake, parts of which are within the national park. During the dry season, the lake dries out, leaving only the main river visible. The resulting open plain creates an abundance of fresh grass, more reminiscent of African savanna than tropical India. This unique microhabitat has proved to be a boon for the park, providing fresh grass when the rest of the park is drying out.
Kabini
The river Kabini originates in the Wayanad district of Kerala, flows eastward to join the river Cauvery, which empties into the Bay of Bengal. This is the largest river in the Nagarhole National Park and was dammed in 1974 for an irrigation project. This becomes the life-giving source for the park during the summer months, attracting the largest concentration of Asiatic Elephants and other herbivores. The river separates Bandipur and Nagarhole National Parks.
Flora
The vegetation in Nagarhole reflects the distribution of rainfall over the park. The eastern parts of the park receive less rainfall with a gradual increase to the middle and western parts of the park. The two broad forest types that dominate the park are the moist-deciduous, where the annual rainfall exceeds 1000mm and dry-deciduous where the rainfall is lower. Substantial areas were clear felled and monocultures of teak were raised. where these plantations failed, secondary forests have taken over.
There are also various microhabitat types such as hadlus, which are shallow clayey valley bottoms that contain swamp savannas and short grass clearings or veiwlines created to facilitate game viewing for the tourists.
A dam was built across the Kabini, creating a huge lake with Giant Bamboo dominating the river banks. During the dry season, water is let out for irrigation and the lake dries out leaving only the main river visible. The resulting open plain supports an abundance of fresh grass more reminiscent of African savanna than tropical India. This unique microhabitat has proved to be a boon for the park, providing fresh grass when the rest of the park is drying out.
Flowering trees such as Flame of the Forest, Indian Coral Tree, Red Silk Cotton, Indian Laburnum and the Padri add a dash of colour during the dry season, taking turns to brighten up the park.
Fauna
The Nagarhole ecosystem supports the highest density of herbivores anywhere in Asia. Studies carried out in Nagarhole show that the estimated mean number of large herbivores in Nagarhole is 108 animals per sq km. Large herbivores are defined as ungulates and primates weighing more than 5kg and in Nagarhole these comprise of - Muntjak, Chital, Sambar, Four-horned antelope, Gaur, Wild pig, Asian Elephant, Common Langur and the Bonnet Macaque. This translates into a biomass of 14746 kgs per sq km. This is comparable to the Masai Mara in Africa, which has a biomass of 19200 kgs.
Of these herbivores, the Chital, Sambar, Gaur, Wild pig, Muntjak and Common Langur are preyed upon by the Tiger, Leopard and Wild Dog. These herbivores are classified as principle prey species and occur at a estimated mean density of 91 animals per sq km. The prey species can be further divided on the basis of body weight into small (Langur,young Chital and young pig ), medium (yearling and adult Chital, adult pig, yearling and young Sambar and young Gaur), and large (adult Sambar and adult Gaur) and studies show that Tigers preferentially selected large prey, Leopard medium and small prey and the Wild dog medium prey. Because the availability of prey in the appropriate size class is not a limiting resource in Nagarhole, selective predation has facilitated large carnivore co-existence in the park.
The principal reasons for large carnivore coexistence in Nagarhole as opposed to the African savanna are ecological factors such as adequate availability of appropriate sized prey, dense cover and tree density which is absent in the African savanna and the fact that behavioral factors such as habitat specificity, choice of hunting sites or inter-specific dominance play a relatively minor role in Nagarhole.
People - Natives of Kabini
• Jenu Kurubas (Honey gatherers)
• Betta Kurubas (Hill tribes)
• Collectively known as the Kadu Kurubas (forest dwellers)
• The Yeravas and Soligas
Nagarhole is also home to certain indigenous tribes who've been sheltered from the mainstream, and thus practice a way of life that is syncretic with that of the wildlife in the region, rather than with the outside world.
According to one theory, after the fall of the Pallava empire many kurubas settled down in South India as small land owners and farmers, while some kurubas took to hiding in the forests of south india and adopted their lifestyle to their environment, where they developed their own culture and traditions different from others due to their prolonged isolation.
" The bear and my ancestor lived feasting on honey. The bear always left half of the honey for my ancestor. If my ancestor harvested the honey first, he left half of it for the bear. Sharing the honey thus, they lived in the forest for ages." - An old Kuruba Saying.
Kurubas live in small settlements called Hadi or Hatti. Originally hunter gatherers, Kurubas switched to swidden agriculture and later to collection of minor forest produce and weaving baskets. They now work as small farmers around the forests.
Wild life sightings
This is the jungle! Here life beats to the rhythms of nature. For the novice these are barely noticeable at first. Nature unfolds her secrets one page at a time. The secret to success is an ability to wait and watch. Reality is far different from the thrills of instant gratification available to the urban dweller through his TV screen. Life in the jungle has its share of thrills and spills; however, these are punctuated with long intervals of calm. To truly understand the wild one needs to disconnect with the world of deadlines and reconnect to the world as god intended it to be.
Boat Safari (Nagarhole / Bandipur National Park)
On the Boat Safari, the guests will be taken upstream from the resort on the Kabini River. The boat, fitted with an outboard motor, in a short while, reaches the area where the river itself separates the Nagarhole National Park from the Bandipur National Park. As a result, the guest will get an opportunity to visit the Bandipur National Park. The Bamboo - Bambusa arundica commonly called Giant Bamboo, dominates the riverside.
While the animals and birds that can be sighted will be the same as during the vehicle safari, the boat safari offers an opportunity to observe the Marsh Crocodile and other water birds, rarely seen during the Vehicle safari.
As the river meanders between the two parks, the visitor gets to witness the vastness of the parks. The boat safari also goes to certain areas, which are not accessible by vehicle .
The backwaters of the Kabini acts as a huge water body, attracting a wide variety of water birds. As the waters recede during summer, they leave behind isolated pools of water that attract a multitude of birds as fish are often trapped in them
During the summer as the waters of the reservoir recede, a huge open plain is created, here fresh grass and plenty of water provide a safe heaven for wildlife. During this time, the remains of the Mastigudi temple and remnants of the khedda stockades can be seen. Today one can witness the largest congregation of Asiatic elephants, peacefully feeding and getting on with their lives, at the exact spot where not so long ago they were ruthlessly trapped and sold into a life of slavery.
Vehicle Safari (Nagarhole National Park)
Guests will be taken into the Nagarhole National Park in a vehicle specially designed to facilitate wildlife sightings.
The Nagarhole ecosystem supports the highest density of herbivores anywhere in Asia. Studies carried out in Nagarhole show that the estimated mean number of large herbivores in Nagarhole is 108 animals per sq km. large herbivores are defined as ungulates and primates weighing more than 5kg and in Nagarhole these comprise of - Muntjak, Chital, Sambar, Four-hourned Antelope, Gaur, Wild pig, Asian Elephant, Common Langur and the Bonnet Macaque.
During the safari, which lasts for two hours the visitor has a good opportunity to sight the herbivores. Sightings of the predators are less frequent, but improve considerably during the summer months.
Another highlight of the Park is the largest congregation of Asian Elephants, which occur during the summer months. Apart from mammals, the visitor can also indulge in bird watching. Bird watching in Kabini is an excellent past time.
The Resort Elephant
During an informal talk with our Naturalist, you get to learn about this magnificent animal, its natural history and its long association with man. Learn about the various methods of capturing wild elephants and their long and historical association with Kabini.
After the talk, get up close and personal with Meenakshi, our resident elephant, one can bathe and feed her and while doing so re affirm our historical bond with this fascinating and intelligent animal.
Elephant Ride
Re discover the pleasures of an era long gone through the elephant ride on the banks of Kabini river. When man had the luxury to sit back and ponder over the finer points of life.To derive maximum benefit from this therapeutic experience one must try to adapt to the rhythms of the elephant. In this way man and animal will become one.
Coracle ride on river Kabini
Guests will be taken on a traditional round shaped boat called a coracle. The design of the boat is unique to the rivers of southern India and surprisingly to the rivers of Ireland! The coracle will drift slowly down the Kabini, hugging the shoreline.
The purpose of this activity is to allow the visitor to experience the river by bringing him in direct contact with it. The visitor will get to experience the many moods of the river as she drifts by.
Coracles, originally covered with animal skins, have a history dating back thousands of years and are still found in the British Isles, Ireland, India, Vietnam and Tibet.
Guided Bird Watching (Bheeramballi Village)
Visitors will be taken for bird watching on foot, which begins along the river bank, to observe the water birds and waders. It will then proceed through the cultivated fields and scrub growing along the village roads. This is for the serious birdwatcher and can be tailored to suit his needs. Around three hundred species of birds have been recorded in the Kabini area and depending on the time of the year an average of twenty to thirty species can be sighted during a two hour walk.
Around 300 species of birds have been recorded in the Kabini area
Tribal village visit (Sanemadanna Hadi)
3 kms from the resort, lies a small hadi or village of the Kuruba tribals.
They are the Jenu Kurubas, the Beta Kurubas (collectively called Kadu Kuruba or simply Kuruba). These people were originally hunter gathers who switched to swidden agriculture and when that was banned to collection of minor forest produce.
They have a unique culture and lifestyle of their own and the guests will be able to experience this first hand while sharing a cup of coffee with them.
Activity centre for children
While the entire resort is geared to address the holiday requirements of adults, an exclusive Children’s Activity Centre has been created for the accompanying children.
A Table Tennis table has been provided in addition to board games such as Carrom, Chess, Pictonary, etc to keep the children occupied while the parents enjoy their peace and quiet.
A collection of Children's books, comics, art material and puzzles are available for the children to enjoy.
A special children's movie will be screened at the Activity Centre.
Orange County, Kabini is located near Bheeramballi Village at a distance of 245 Kms from Bangalore by road, via Mysore. (Mysore is just 90 kms or 90 minutes drive from Orange county, Kabini).
The Routes from important cities in the region are:-
BANGALORE (245 Kms) - Mysore Highway - Ramnagaram - Maddur - Mandya - Srirangapatna - Before reaching Mysore City turn right on to ring road, continue till you meet Mysore - Mananthavaadi Road (Turn right towards Maananthavaadi) -- Hand Post Circle (Continue straight towards Maananthavaadi) - 3 Kms after Hand Post Circle turn left towards Kabini Dam - Beechanahalli Village - Bheeramballi Village - Orange County, Kabini
Orange County Lodge
Rooms and Suites –
We couldn't make Kabini more beautiful, so we thought we'd simply make it more comfortable. We began with the understanding that the most luxurious things in the world are peace, tranquility and harmony, and that whatever we do should only enhance these pillars of our philosophy.
The result is a resort architecture that has a tribal 'kadu kuruba' leitmotif, where each of the guest huts bespeaks a happy marriage of traditional craft and modern luxury. From the outside, the dwellings subtly incorporate the colours and textures of the landscape in every detail; while within, the sumptuous interiors reflect a vernacular sensitivity that goes beyond mere lip service. From the ethnic furniture and luxury fittings, through the tribal patterned furnishings and drapery, to the little touches like the 'bottle gourd' lamp shades, the sum of the parts is a harmonious whole.
Facilities
Orange County, Kabini comes with all the facilities you'd expect in a world class luxury resort ... and then some more.
A scenic Reading Lounge, a traditional Ayurvedic Spa and the timeless Infinity Pool are designed to relax and rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. The other facilities include a board room and and a well stocked bar.
When you step out, we'll help you forget the world you’ve come from, with a scenic Reading Lounge where you can put up your feet, and lose yourself in any of our coffee table books on wildlife. For a relaxed course on understanding timelessness, spend a few hours in our Infinity Pool, located at the lake's edge.
Our fine dining restaurant 'Honey Comb', named after the honey gathering Jenu (Honey) Kuruba tribe, lays out a platter of the cream of international and regional cuisine.
We also boast an Ayurvedic Spa, the Vaidyasala, where age old healing secrets are put to work in ironing out the kinks in your system.
(source of this text - Orange County Site)
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