How Green is the Valley

A stay at anaikatti-by the siruvani gave Karishma Upadhyay just the chance she needed to see the splendours of the silent valley national park.

Do you see the elephant?” asked my guide Sathish, pointing far into the distance. It was past 10pm. I’d been travelling the entire day. More importantly, it was pitch dark and I was on a road in the middle of nowhere. And, no, I couldn’t see anything, leave alone an elephant. But it was hard not to get taken in by Sathish’s infectious enthusiasm, so I looked harder.

About a kilometre away, behind boughs of trees, thick with lush green foliage, I finally saw an eye blink. That was my only glimpse of the wild Asian elephant during my stay at Anaikatti By the Siruvani, a Sterling Holidays resort. But my trip didn’t lack adventure.

Built at the edge of the Silent Valley National Park on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the resort overlooks the river Siruvani, a tributary of the Kaveri. Its lush coconut and palm orchards are punctuated with discreetly spaced pinewood rooms and chalets. Winding, tree-shaded trails connect the rooms to the multi-speciality restaurant, pool, a well-equipped activity centre and a surprisingly fantastic spa.

The next day, I set out to explore the Silent Valley National Park with Sathish. Tucked away in the southwestern corner of the Nilgiri Hills, not far from Ooty, this small but densely forested plateau forms the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. “The British named it Silent Valley because, unlike most forests, this one doesn’t have crickets so there is no sound in the forest,” he explained.