Madayi FortAlsicarpus bupleurifliusMadayi Kavuvadukunda siva templeKathiruvaykkum TharaEriocaulon madayiparenseMadayippara in SeptemberMadayippara in FebruaryAutumn Leaf butterfly
Madayipara is a flat topped hillock located in the Madayi, of Kannur district of Kerala state in the Southern India. It overlooks the town of Payangadi on the northern bank of Kuppam river.[1]
It is popular being the site of the Madayi Kavu (Thiruvar Kadu Bhagavathi Temple) of Goddess Kali, Shakthi, the Vadukunnu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shiva temple of Madayipara was razed by followers of Tippu Sultan in the 18th century. However, now it has been rebuilt.
The area is also known for the Malik Ibn Dinar mosque, which is believed to have been originally built by Malik Ibn Dinar, a Muslim preacher. The remnants of a fort built is also present here, and the part is known as Kottakunnu.
Site description
Madayipara is located in the Madayi village, at latitude 12°2’ N and longitude 75°16’E, about 21km north of Kannur town, the district headquarters of Kannur district in Kerala. As noted by William Logan (1887) in the Malabar Manual; the river Kuppam "bending slightly and passing under the guns of an old ruined fort of the Kolathiris" on the south eastern edge of Madayipara, suddenly turns due south at Payangadi and takes a course parallel to the sea to meet the larger Valapattanam river at Matakkara, finally discharging into the Lakshadweep Sea at Azhikkal.
The available geo-morphological and historical data suggest that, till 1450 A.D. this river was drained into the sea, flowing west from Payangadi instead of turning south. On the northwest of Madayipara lie the wetlands of Chembullikundu and Kunhiniangalam formed by the Ramapuram River, Peruvamba River and Kawayi backwaters. On the west, at the seacoast, is situated the promontory of Ezhimala. The altitude of the Madayipara ranges from a minimum of 40 m to a maximum of 47m above sea level. The southeastern edge of the hill is slightly elevated compared to the remaining areas. As the name suggests, the top of this hillock is a laterite plain more than 365 ha in area. The ancient temple named Vadukunda Shiva temple is located on the western side of the plateau. A few yards away from the temple is a perennial fresh water pond, of about 1.5 acres is a major attraction . On the northeastern slope of the hill, is situated the Thiruvarkad Bhagavathi temple (Madayikavu) and its sacred grove, drawing thousands of devotees every year. It is a temple of the mother Goddess Kali and belongs to the royal family of Chirakkal.
The entire plateau once belonged to this temple, and even now the temple festival is being celebrated on the vast expanse of the hill near the Vadukunda pond and the Kottakunnu especially during the ten-day-long festival of ‘Pooram’ in the month of March. There are remnants of a fort believed to have been occupied by the dynasty of Kolathiris and later by Tippu Sultan. The Madayipalli, one of the oldest mosques in India and believed to have been built in A.D. 1124 by Malik lbn Dinar of Arabia, is situated on the eastern slope of the hill. Another monument of importance is the "Jew's pond" which indicates the presence in the area of Jews between 605 BCE and 490 CE. The British rulers had also built a travelers bungalow in 1793 on the eastern side of the Madayipara, endowed with a rich scenic beauty of landscapes.
Biodiversity of Madayipara
The Madayipara is well known for its rich diversity of plants. The aquatic and semi-aquatic plants form extensive carpets of blue, pink, white and yellow during the monsoon season. It is typical of the Laterite foothills of the Western Ghats. The area is notable for the presence of some of the rarest plants of the world such as Nymphoides krishankesara, Rotala malabarica, Lindernia madayiparense, Eriocaulon madayparense, etc.
The midland hillocks of northern Kerala have its own characteristic floral composition supporting scrub jungles and cashew plantations on the hill slopes and grasslands and associated aquatic and semi-aquatic plants on the hilltops. Even though these hills are exposed directly to the sunlight and wind, they harbour rich species diversity. Recent plant explorations revealed more additions to the known plant species of the area some of which turned out to be new to science, and endemic to the locality. The vegetation of the hillocks may be classified mainly into grasslands and scrub jungles. The grasslands can again be categorised into wet phase and dry phase grasslands based on the seasons. More than 500 plant species have been recorded from Madayipara.
The midland hillocks of northern Kerala have its own characteristic floral composition supporting scrub jungles and cashew plantations on the hill slopes and grasslands and associated aquatic and semi-aquatic plants on the hilltops. Even though these hills are exposed directly to the sunlight and wind, they harbour rich species diversity. Recent plant explorations revealed more additions to the known plant species of the area some of which turned out to be new to science, and endemic to the locality. The vegetation of the hillocks may be classified mainly into grasslands and scrub jungles. The grasslands can again be categorised into wet phase and dry phase grasslands based on the seasons.[2]
Grasslands
Grasslands of Kerala have been classified into two types i.e., Low elevation grasslands and high elevation grasslands. The grasslands on the laterite hills of north Malabar are classified under low elevation dry grasslands, characterised by remarkable diversity. This type of natural grassland is the characteristic feature of the laterite hills of Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod districts and the lower parts of Wayanad district. These grasslands are highly seasonal and interspersed with other herbaceous plants and scrub jungles. More than 50 species of grasses were recorded from Madayipara hills, many more remaining to be fully identified. The common grass species are the Eragrostis uniloides, Ischaemum indicum, Heteropogon contortus, Pennisetum polystachyon, Cynodon dactylon and species belonging to the genera Arundinella, Dimeria, Panicum, Themeda, etc. Species of Arundinella form the commonest grasses during the months of October and November. The pinkish inflorescence of these grasses makes the area appear as if burnt mixed here and there with green shades. According to Agarwal (1961), Arundinella form a higher stage in the succession. So it can be safely stated that Arundinella grasses represent a higher stage in grassland development in the areas where they occur.
Recent plant explorations revealed some more new species of grasses from the laterite hills of north Malabar (Sreekumar and Nair, 1991), 11 out of 37 endemic grasses of Kerala are reported from this kind of locality. Thus, these hillocks are isolated ecological niches of conservation importance. However, a detailed account of the species association is lacking. Grasses control erosion, and several species are well known for their rich fodder value. When the monsoon recedes, the local people start cutting grasses for use as fodder for their cattle. A small plot, containing a thick growth of Themeda and other species of grasses fetches about rupees three thousand per season for a landowner.
Following the retreat of south west monsoon, during September, most of the early appearing plants give way to others such as Celosia argentea, Sesamum orientale and grasses such as Arundinella spp., Dimeria spp., Ischaemum indicum, Panicum spp., etc. which dominate subsequently. The abundance of grasses can be noticed during this period. The wet phase lasts up to the end of November.[3]
The dry phase
Stronger winds during the month of January and the direct incidence of sunlight enhance the drying up process of the flora of Madayipara. The majority of the herbaceous plants dry up except for some grass species and the thorny Lepidagathis keralaensis, which may remain spread all over the rocky regions of the hill. The silver coloured, Polycarpaea corymbosa can also seen against the black surfaces of the rocks.[3]
Scrub jungles
The scrub jungles form the protective cover of the slopes of the hills. The thick grove adjacent to the clay mining site is one of the major vegetation patches of this hillock. The evergreen forest species such as Hydnocarpus pentandra, Holigrna arnottiana, Cinnamomum sp. are seen in this area. Ficus arnottiana one of the characteristic fig tree of this kind of ecosystem is seen in the southwestern part of the Plateau. The tree is locally called Kallarayal (Malayalam meaning - Peepal Tree of rocks). Other fig species such as Ficus benghalensis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus racemosa, Ficus tinctoria, Ficus exasperata and Ficus hispida also support large number of frugivorous birds and bats during their fruiting season. The small groves of Ixora coccinea, Ziziphus oenoplia, Ziziphus rugosa and thick clumps of Calycopteris flouribunda give refuge to a large number of small animals and birds in addition to providing nectar to butterflies and other insects during their flowering season. The forest dwelling species of Stereospermum colais is one of the major wonders of this woody area, with its large white flowers blooming during November and December. A large tree of Careya arborea situated in the compound of the tourist bungalow also support a large number of animals such as bats, birds, butterflies, etc.
Rare and endangered plants
The geographical and climatical features made Madayipara and the adjacent laterite hillock system in supporting a unique assemblage of species. It is the home of some unique and sparsely distributed endemic plants such as Nymphoides krishnakesara (Joseph and Sivarajan, 1990), Rotala malabarica (Pradeep et al., 1990), Justicia ekakusuma (Pradeep et al., 1991), Lepidagathis keralensis (Madhusoodanan and Singh, 1992), Eriocaulon madayiparense, (Swapna et al., 2012), Lindernia madayiparense (Narayanan et al., 2012), Eriocaoulon cheemenianum Biju et al. (2012), Coelachene madayensis Pramod & Pradeep (2012), Parasopubia hofmannii Pradeep & Pramod (2012), P. hoffmanii var. albiflora Pradeep & Pramod (2012), Eriocaulon gopalakrishnanum Rashmi & Krishnakumar (2013), Fimbristylis pokkudaniana Sunil et al. (2016) and Chrysopogon narayaniae Sunil et al. (2017).
Nymphoides krishnakesara is a small water lilly appear during the wet phase in the small pools and ponds on the plateau. Rotala malabarica is a semi-aquatic plant seen largely in the temporary pools. Justicia ekakusuma (Pradeep et al., 1991), aptly named because of its nature of flower, is rare and seen in the rocky edges of the plateau. Lepidagathis keralensis (Madhusoodanan and Singh, 1992) described for the first time from this locality and flowers during the dry phase. It is observed that the number of Justicia ekakusuma has been declining drastically over the years, while other newly described species remain uniformly distributed. Eriocaulon madayiparense, grows in temporary pools or wet areas during the wet phase.
Chamaesyce katrajensis (which now includes Euphorbia katrajensis var. kasaragodensis), is an endemic species originally described from the similar habitats of Katraja hills of Maharashtra. The beautiful small yellowish to pinkish flowers of this species is seen during the wet phase. This plant is poorly distributed and individuals of the species can be seen on the elevated portions of rocks. Only very few individuals of this species are found in Madayipara. Curuma oligantha is another characteristic plant seen in the laterite habitats during the wet phase. It now includes plants described by Ansari et al. (1982) as Curcuma cannanorensis var. cannanorensis and var. lutea. It is also known from parts of Southern India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. It also appears immediately after the first shower of the monsoon. Besides, the abundance of insectivorous plants such as Drosera indica and Utricularia spp. are worth mentioning.
Out of 670 species known from the Madayippara (Pramod et al. 2017), more than 60 are Peninsular Indian endemics; of which 24 are narrow endemics of Kerala, confined to the laterite hillocks. Sevan species are Indian endemics and 28 species are known from confined to Peninsular Indian and Sri Lanka and 13 species to Indian region and Sri Lanka. The presence of endemic species belonging to various threat categories such as Hopea ponga, Capparis rheedei, Eriocaulon cuspidatum and Neanotis rheedei are also indicate the conservation significance of the area. Another interesting plant of this locality is the rare lycophyte, Isoetes coromandelina found near the temporary pools of Madayipara during the wet phase. It was once widely distributed in the wetlands and paddy fields of Kerala, but becoming rare due to changes in the habitats. Ophioglossum species such as O. costatum, O. nudicale and O. gramineum are also distributed sparsely and make their appearance during the wet phase.
The wet phase of the Laterite hillocks is the more active in terms of the appearance of plant and animals (Jafer Palot and Radhakrishnan, 2005). An analysis of the biological spectrum revels the fact that, majority of the herbaceous members appears along with the first showers, flourish during the monsoon season, complete their life cycle towards the end of the rainy season and enter into the dormant phase by shedding their fruits/seeds or in the form of rhizomes. The dry phase is characterized by the presence of highly adapted, xerophytic plants such as Lepidagathis, Chamaesyce, etc. They may remain fresh to some extent of the summer season, and may dry up leaving the perennial rootstock.
Conservation
The laterite hillock system has been facing serious danger of degradation over the years. Most part of the midland hillocks had been converted to plantations, building sites, minimizing sites, etc. The indiscriminate mining for laterite and soil demolishing the hillocks had been severely threatened the very existence of the biota, culture and also the water availability in most of the areas. The Madayippara and its adjacent hillocks are also not an exception. The mining for the ‘china clay’ has been causing severe damage to the system. It was strongly limited due to the positive intervention by the general public to some extent. However, such operations are going on in other areas. There was a proposal to mine the entire hillock of Madayippara for the lignite deposits. However, it was not yet executed due to the heavy protest from the general public.
The ecological and cultural values of the laterite hillocks of the northern Kerala have not been got the due weightage it deserves. Majority of the general public is least bothered about its unique and rich biodiversity. The Madayippara and its environs survived over these years, by supporting its rich cultural and ecological features. However, it is a matter of great concerns that, whether it could continue in preserving its feature, without getting urgent conservation measures. The rate of pollution is very high over these years. It includes wastes such as from the vehicles, dumping of all sorts of wastes from house hold garbage to plastic and industrial debris, etc. The visitors also contribute their share by dumping plastic, cans of drinks, bottles, etc.
The lack of awareness is the major reason for the pathetic condition of this type of unique ecosystem, which supports many endemic species. The local administrative bodies could do a lot in conserving this system. Adopting conservation practices such as bringing it under the protection of a community reserve only could save the Madayippara and its environs from degradation. In addition to its high scenic beauty and ecological values, its historical significance and rich cultural heritage also make it an ideal site to be conserved for the future.[4]
Transportation
The national highway passes through Taliparamba town. Goa and Mumbai can be accessed on the northern side and Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram can be accessed on the southern side. The road to the east of Iritty connects to Mysore and Bangalore. The nearest railway station is Pazhayangadi on Mangalore-Palakkad line. Trains are available to almost all parts of India subject to advance booking over the internet. Nearest airport is Kannur.
See also
An updated checklist of flowering plants of Madayipara, Kannur district, Kerala. Malabar Trogon 15 (1&2), Jan-Aug 2017, pp.14–34.
Horton Plains National Park is a national park in the central highlands of Sri Lanka that was designated in 1988. It is located at an elevation of 2,100–2,300 m (6,900–7,500 ft) and encompasses montane grassland and cloud forest. It is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region. It is also a popular tourist destination and is situated 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Ohiya, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the world-famous Ohiya Gap/Dondra Watch and 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Nuwara Eliya.
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests is an ecoregion in South India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu at elevations from 1,000 to 2,695 m. Annual rainfall in this ecoregion exceeds 2,800 mm (110 in).
The Malabar Coast moist forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southwestern India.
Ponmudi also known as Kashmir of Kerala is a hill station in the Peringamala gramapanchayath of Trivandrum District of Kerala in India. It is located 22km west of Vithura town, 53 km north-east of Trivandrum City, 78 km south-east of Varkala town and 69 km north-east of Kovalam Beach at an altitude of 1,100 m (3,600 ft). Ponmudi (Varayadumotta) peak is a part of the Western Ghats mountain range that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea. Ponmudi is also called Kashmir of Kerala and is a popular honeymoon destination in South India. The normal temperature of Ponmudi is between 18 and 25 °C.
Sholas are the local name for patches of stunted tropical montane forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India, largely in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating montane grassland. The shola and grassland together form the shola-grassland complex or mosaic. Not all such high-altitude grasslands have sholas in their valleys, especially if they are isolated from other such meadows, such as the meadows found in the Idamalayar Reserve Forest in Ernakulam district of Kerala. The word 'Shola' is probably derived from the Tamil language word cÕlai (சோலை) meaning grove.
The term Malabar rainforests refers to one or more distinct ecoregions recognized by biogeographers:
the Malabar Coast moist forests formerly occupied the coastal zone to the 250 metre elevation
the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests grow at intermediate elevations
the South Western Ghats montane rain forests cover the areas above 1000 metres elevation
Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area located in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India. It is notable as an elephant reserve and a tiger reserve. The protected area encompasses 925 km2 (357 sq mi), of which 305 km2 (118 sq mi) of the core zone was declared as the Periyar National Park in 1982. The park is a repository of rare, endemic, and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala: the Periyar and the Pamba.
Eriocaulon is a genus of about 400 species commonly known as pipeworts, of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Eriocaulaceae. The genus is widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical regions, particularly southern Asia and the Americas. A few species extend to temperate regions, with ca. 10 species in the United States, mostly in the southern states from California to Florida, and only two species in Canada; China has 35 species, also mostly southern. Only one species occurs in Europe, where it is confined to the Atlantic Ocean coasts of Scotland and Ireland; this species also occurs in eastern North America and is thought to be a relatively recent natural colonist in Europe. In the Americas, Eriocaulon is the only genus in its family that occurs north of Florida. They tend to be associated with wet soils, many growing in shallow water, in wetlands, or in wet savannas like flatwoods. In wet soils, their abundance appears to be related to water levels, fire frequency, and competition from other plants such as grasses. Experiments have shown that they are weak competitors compared to many other wetland plant species. Some species can persist as buried seeds during unfavorable conditions. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek εριον, erion, meaning 'wool', and καυλός, caulos, meaning 'stalk'.
The Malabar barbet is an Asian barbet native to the Western Ghats in India. It was formerly treated as a race of the crimson-fronted barbet. It overlaps in some places with the range of the coppersmith barbet and has a similar but more rapid call.
Pazhayangadi, is a small township, approximately 22 kilometers north of district headquarters Kannur, 14 kilometers south of Payyanur and 14 kilometers west of Taliparamba in the Indian state of Kerala. In the local language of Malayalam it literally means "Old Market". The town is bounded by the Madayi Hills (Madayippara) on the west and by the Pazhayangadi River on the south. Ezhimala, a range of hills, that is believed to be home to a variety of medical herbs including mrithasanjeevini, and a very ancient recorded history, is situated nearly 8 km west of Pazhayangadi. Pazhayangadi town is spread over Madayi and Ezhome Grama Panchayats. Madayi Hill offers a splendid scene of Ezhimala which means a chain of seven mountains, where the Indian Naval Academy is situated.
Madayi. is a Census Town and Grama panchayat in Kannur district of Kerala state, India. Bhagavathy shrine, Madayi Kavu where devotees worship Bhadrakali, is located here. The Goddess is one of the family deity of the Chirakkal Royal family, and the temple is known for the Koyikalasham. The temple was one of the few to survive desecration by the armies of Tippu Sultan, which devotees attribute to the grace of the Goddess. The Kolathiri Rajahs were the administrators of the temple, however recently the administration was transferred to the Malabar Devaswom Board. Nearby is the Vadukunnu Temple dedicated to Shiva. The temple was razed by followers of Tippu Sultan in the 18th century, but the temple has been rebuilt and is a vibrant centre of religion in the region.
Utricularia malabarica is a small annual carnivorous plant that belongs to the genus Utricularia. It is endemic to southern India and has been collected from the Kasaragod district. U. malabarica grows over wet rocks or lateritic soils in the presence of Eriocaulon species and grasses. It was originally collected by M. K. Janarthanam in 1985 and was formally described by Janarthanam and Ambrose Nathaniel Henry in 1989. It is most closely related to U. lazulina.
Kunhimangalam (കുഞ്ഞിമംഗലം) is a census town situated in the northern coastal part of Kannur District in Kerala state on the outskirt of Payyanur. The population in 2011 was around 19,000 including Hindus, Christians and Muslim residents. The village lies in an agricultural region.
The Kas Plateau Reserved Forest, also known as the Kaas Pathar, is a plateau situated 25 kilometres west from Satara city in Maharashtra, India. It falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster of the Western Ghats, and it became a part of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2012.
Eriocaulon scariosum, commonly named common, rough or pale pipewort, is a species of tufted grass-like herbaceous plants, constituting part of the plant family Eriocaulaceae. The scientific name of Eriocaulon is derived from Ancient Greek εριον, erion, which means 'wool', and καυλός, caulos, which means 'stalk'. Common pipewort plants grow naturally in wetlands, bogs and drainage areas, from central and eastern Victoria, through eastern New South Wales, including the Australian Capital Territory, to eastern and north Queensland, Australia.
Kannur, India has a number of tourist attractions including beaches, hills, temples and other monuments.
Rotala malabarica, the Malabar rotala, is a short-lived annual plant endemic to southern India, where it is known from only one location. It is considered critically endangered and may be extinct.
Nymphoides balakrishnanii is an aquatic plant in the Menyanthaceae, endemic to lateritic plateaus of the southern Western Ghats of India.
Rotala malampuzhensis is a terrestrial annual gregarious herb. It is endemic to the Western Ghats.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madayipara.
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Balakrishnan VC, Palot MJ, Rajesh KP (2010) Observations on the flora of Madayipara a midland laterite hill in Kannur district, Kerala Malabar Trogon 8 (2&3): 14–29.
Joseph KT, Sivarajan VV (1990) A new species of Nymphoides from India. Nordic J. Botany 10: 281–284.
Palot MJ, Radhakrishnan C (2002) Herpetofauna of Madayipara hill, Kannur district, Kerala. Cobra 48: 3–6.
Palot MJ, Radhakrishnan C (2005) Faunal diversity of a laterite hill system at Madayipara, Kannur district, Kerala State, India. Rec. Zool. Surv. India Occ. Paper No. 242:1-98. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.
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Pramod, C., Balakrishnan, V.C., Rajesh, K.P., Muhammed Jafer Palot and Pradeep, A.K. 2017. An updated checklist of flowering plants of Madayipara, Kannur district, Kerala. Published in Malabar Trogon 15 (1&2), Jan-Aug 2017, pp.14–34.
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