the trip to koonthankulam (the bird abode)..
this was a trip i undertook some time back. we took a car from tirunelveli.the car turned left before nanguneri heading towards tiruchendur. i went past some dilapidated vilages (as seemed to me) n suddenly we were at koonthankulam. the driver commented that it's been 20 yr since he had come this place.it was one place where i saw birds on top of trees inside houses.there were really big ones ..no idea bout their names but it was a mighty sight to watch. then we walked towards the lake which housed the birds..man there were so many of them!!creaking sounds everywhere!!i was in a state of trance. sat there fr bout an hour or so . then we went back n talked to the villagers there.it seems they don't celebrate diwali fr the sounds of crackers wld drive away the birds.these birds are highly protected by the villagers.guess there is a mutual benefit here..the villagers allow the birds to breed and the birds take care of the rodents in the paddy fields nearby..hope that this symbiotic relationship stands the test of time forever..
www.nellai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html