Jannaram Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary

Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary in the Jannaram forests of Mancherial district in Telangana has been declared as the 42nd tiger reserve in the country in 2012.

According to the department sources, the Kawal wildlife sanctuary has about 20 tigers as per an unofficial count. "By notifying it as a tiger reserve, we expect an increase in the number of tigers," a forest department official said.

Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the important wildlife sanctuaries in Telangana. The Kawal sanctuary houses various animals and several varieties of flora and fauna are seen here. If you want to get a glimpse of wild animals in their natural habitat, then, the Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary is a must see place. 

This Wildlife Sanctuary gives you a picturesque view of retreat. Every corner of this sanctuary is filled with adventure and thrill. Thousands of tourists visit this secluded animal kingdom to experience the thrills amidst wild beasts of the region. This sanctuary is located in the Mancherial district which is 50 kilometers from Mancherial and 250 kilometers from Hyderabad. The wildlife sanctuary is a dry and dense forest with teak, bamboo and many other varieties of trees. During summer, the Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary witnesses hot and dry climate. But the monsoon season that commences from June and continues till September adds life to the forest and makes it bliss. Winter is the perfect season to visit the sanctuary. 

The sanctuary houses several species animals including Cheetal, Sambar, Barking Deer, Nilgai, Sloth Bear, Indian Bison, Panther and Tiger. Tourists can also find reptiles like Crocodile, Python, Monitor Lizard, Star Tortoise and Cobra, in this wildlife sanctuary. This tourist spot also provides jeep safaris, and bird watching trips to spot several rare animals in their habitat.
“The tiger has finally arrived at Kawal,” stated a jubilant Jannaram Divisional Forest Officer, G. Ravinder, after he saw pug marks of the big cat near Dongapalli and Kawal villages within a span of a week earlier this month. “It will be safe here,” he observed, alluding to the safety of a highly improved habitat that Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR) has become since its inception in 2012.

Kawal was declared a tiger reserve without the presence of even a single wild cat only because it had the potential of regaining its past glory. It’s spread in an area of 893 sq km of dense tropical dry deciduous forest to which about 1,120 sq km of buffer area was added subsequently.

It was assumed, which now seems to have been done rightly, that given proper conservation of the place there is a huge possibility of tigers migrating from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur adjoining Sirpur (T) forest in Adilabad district to their once glorious habitat of Kawal. “This tiger would have come from the TATR and travelled across Malini, Asifabad, Tiryani, Sirpur (U) before coming down the hilly range into KTR,” says KTR research associate Jogu Yellam.

As the tiger is an animal which is continuously on the move, it needs a completely safe habitat to become native, says Imran Siddqui of the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society (HyTICOS), an NGO working towards tiger conservation in KTR. The government needs to look hard into this aspect as making the habitat safer involves voluntary relocation of villages to cut down human interference inside the forests.

The danger posed by anthropogenic disturbance to the survival of the big cat has been stressed upon in many scientific studies conducted at different Tiger Reserves across the country.

For example, the study ‘Glucocorticoid stress responses of reintroduced tigers in relation to anthropogenic disturbance in Sariska Tiger Reserve in India’ by Subhadeep Bhattarjee and other published in the Public Library of Science in June this year and ‘Studies to determine presence or absence of Indian tiger in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary’ by P. Anuradha Reddy and others of CCMB, Hyderabad, published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research in November 2010, make a vivid mention of the phenomenon.

The villagers of Dongapalli, Alinagar, Malial, Maisampet and Rampur located in the core area of KTR want to be relocated, yet the government is dithering the issue. The villagers are ready to accept the generous relocation package on offer.

Meanwhile, the troubling part is the decrease in the population of prey animals. Though the latest animal census figures have not been released yet, the population of ungulates and wild pigs decreased in 2014 to 4,300 and 2,500 from 6,000 each in 2013.









http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/the-tiger-finally-reaches-kawal-sanctuary/article7661220.ece




http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kawal-wildlife-sanctuary-declared-as-tiger-reserve/1/184064.html




http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Tigers-make-a-return-to-Kawal/articleshow/49876344.cms

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Dharmapuri

Dharmapuri is situated at a distance of about 48kms. from Jagityal town and 51 Kms. from Peddapalle railway station

Dharmapuri attained religious importance owing to the existence of the shrine dedicated to Narasimha Swamy, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Siva With Dakshinamurthy, Vinayaka and Sapitha Mathrukas carved on a single slab of stone and Mahishasuramardhani, the sixty pillared temple, Mahalakshmi temple, Akkapalle Rajanna. 

An over five hundred year old Sri Sita Rama Swami temple are the other temples of importance that heighten the sanctity of this The
Ramalingeswara Temple which is of about 1000 years old, is in the proximity of the Narsimha Swamy Temple. It is said among local inhabitants that the Shiv Lingam installed in this temple was installed by Lord Rama during his exile and on way to Lanka in search of Sitha Maatha.

Dharmapuri was called so after King Dharamavarma, (Who was a staunch evotee of Lord Narasimha), it was known earlier as Dhamaraya, Dharmapuram, Dharmmanpuram, Dhammanvuru, Dharmavura and Dharmapuram80. 

It is famous for temples and artists, located on the banks of holy river Godavari. It is called Dhakshin Kashi.

The name of this place as Dharmapuri and Dharmapuram in the two Sthalapuranas both titled “Dharmapuri Kshetra Mahatyam”, dated 928 A.D82 and 1767 A.D.83 Historically we find the name of this place in an inscription of Arikesari-II (930-955 A.D) of Chalukyas of Vemulavada, at Kurikyala of Gangadhara Mandal. This place was known as Dhammanvura, Dhammampuram. 

Further, we see the name of this place as Dharmapuri and Dharmapura in an inscription of Vikramaditya IV (1076-1126 A.D) of Chalukyas of kalyani on the stone in the Rameswara temple at Dharmapuri. It records the gifts to the Rameswara. 

Malki Singana mentioned is this place as “Dharmapuram” in his Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana (1420 A.D). 

The great Telugu poet Bammera Potana (1400-1470 A.D) mentioned
this place as Dharmapuri in his Narayana Satakam. 

 Again, this place is also mentioned by Korai Goparaju (1430-1490 AD) in his Simhasanadwatrinshika. 

This place as “Dharmapuri” was mentioned in “Kalapurnodayam” by renewed Telugu poet Pingali Surana(1560 AD).

In 19th Century Sheshappa (1800 AD) wrote a Satakam on Narasimha of Dharmapuri and Narasimhadasu wrote “Rohilala pata” in 1858.

In which the sorrows of the victims of Rohillas at Dharmapuri are described. In the modern period this place was mentioned in “Dharmanagada Charitra” which is also known as “Pamupata” by Puri Narayana Raju, wherein the importance of river Godavari at Dharmapuri is given and mentioning Dharmapuri, a sacred place.

Dharmapuri boasts of the only temple for Yama in the country

Several hundreds .of devotees from various parts of the State and also from the neighbouring States have arrived in large numbers at Sri Laxminarasimha Swamy Devasthanam in Dharmapuri of Jagtial district on Tuesday to worship Lord Yama Dharmaraja (God of Death).

This is the only temple shrine in entire country where Lord Yama (God of Death) is worshipped.

The devotees who visit the Dharmapuri temple shrine first offer prayers to the Lord Yama at his temple before offering prayers to other deities. The devotees pour oil in the “Yamaganda deepam” to get rid of their sorrows and sufferings.

On “Yama Dwetheeya” which falls on the second day after the Deepavali festival, a visit to the Lord Yama temple attains lot of importance among devotees. It is believed that people who offer prayers at the Lord Yama temple on Yama Dwetheeya would not go to ‘hell’ after their death.

Temple priest Bojja Ramesh Sharma told “The Hindu” that the annual “Yama Dwitheeya” which is celebrated on second day after the Deepavali festival, marking the visit of Lord Yama to his sister Yamuna Devi’s house for lunch, attains more importance to appease the God of Death. On this occasion, the devotees perform the special pujas such as “Ayoosha Sooktham homam” for longevity and good health and special abhishekhams, he maintained.

It is also believed that Yama promises his sister that people who offer prayers on this day (Yama Dwetheeya) would not go to hell and they would get rid of all sorrows and sufferings. Similarly, it is believed that people having ‘Bhagini-hastha’ (food served by one’s sister) on this day would enjoy longevity and cleansed of their sins, the priest said.

http://tourismintg.com/Karimnagar_Dharmapuri.html

http://www.yatrastotemples.com/sri-dharmapuri-lakshmi-narasimha-swamy-temple/

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/devotees-worship-lord-yama-here/article9293778.ece

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Kadam Dam

Opened : 1958

This project also called as Kaddam Narayana Reddy Project.

The dam’s main purpose is to irrigate close to 25000 hectares in Nirmal district. Also known as the Godavari North Canal project, the structure was built between 1949 and 1965. 

At a distance of 2 km from Kaddam & Peddur Bus Stand, 51 km from
Nirmal, 110 km from Adilabad and 267 km from Hyderabad, Kadam Dam is located at Kaddam Peddur in Nirmal District of Telangana.

The Project has been integrated with Sriram Sagar Project. The reservoir being supplemented through Sriram Sagar Projectby Saraswathi Canal to stabilize the localized catchment area.

Rivers are the lifelines of human civilization and so are the dams built across them for irrigation and hydel power that serves as places of interest too. One such notable attraction in Adilabad distracts is Kadam dam. It is located across Kadam River, a tributary of Godavari River which enters Telangana from Maharashtra. The dam is located at the confluence of Kadam River into Godavari.

The dam’s location in the midst of scenic hillocks and greenery makes it an ideal destination for nature lovers. Kadam Dam is also accessible easily to tourists due to its proximity to the Secunderabad-Manmad railway line. According to history, the dam is named after a rushi by the name Kandava who had performed great yagnas here, while it was officially renamed by the government as Kadam Narayana Reddy Project (KNRP) as a tribute to a popular leader of this region. The project serves many mandals through both left and right canals. The left canal serves villages like Pedda bellal, Chinna bellal, Chityal, Kondukur, Kannapur, Moriigudem, Patha kondukur, Uppari gudem, Chinna camp, Perka palli, and other villages of Kadem mandal. The right canal serves Jannaram, Dandepally, Tallapallli, Myadarpet, and Luxettipet among others.

Currently the dam has a capacity to irrigate 68000 hectares of ayacut. The project has an adjacent beautiful park where tourists can have a real fun moment. The gushing waters from the flood gates during monsoon season is an awe-inspiring moment for tourists. The dam is located 40 Km from Nirmal, which is accessible by road from Hyderabad and Adilabad. Adilabad is the nearest railway station.

Kadam dam is located at a distance of nearly 70 km from Adilabad town and is accessible by road via Peddur village.

http://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/destinations/nature-discovery/adilabad/kadam-dam.html

http://www.trawell.in/telangana/adilabad/kadam-dam

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Badankurti

Badankurti village in Khanapur mandal of Nirmal district in Telangana State, India was explored and remnants of a Buddhist monastery were found on a small island of Godavari river near Badankurti. 

Buddhism is believed to have first come to the South through through this island village in Godavari river in Telangana region where the boundaries of Adilabad, Nizamabad and Karimnagar district meet.

The famous marriage of shatavahana king Hala and Srilankan princess Lilavathi is believed to be occured near Badankurti. It is also known as saptha godavari region mentioned in the ancient books.

Badankurti is also famous for Dattatreya temple, which is a very rarest of its kind.it is also famous for Agricultural and milk production.It is in a very strategic location and three districts namely Adilabad, karimnagar and Nizamabad can be easily accessed from here.

The Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) wanted the government develop a Buddhist memorial at Badankurti village in Khanapur mandal of Adilabad district.

JAC co-convenor Mallepalli Lakshmaiah was instrumental in drawing attention towards the historical importance of Badankurti.

A meeting was organised in this regard on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti that featured many important personalities from the region, who traced the history and depicted relevance of development of the site. Mr. Lakshmaiah recalled the legend of sage Bavari and his 16 disciples who had interacted with Buddha himself. Having been convinced of the tenets of that religion the sage too embraced Buddhism.

The JAC co-convenor also said there was a need for further study of the place by historians and archaeologists. He said development of a national monument of Buddhism was also needed simultaneously. MLC and well-known educationist Chukka Ramaiah suggested inculcation of the element of questioning among children. He said Buddhism was founded on the principle of questioning established tenets.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/tjac-seeks-buddhist-site-at-badankurti-village/article2028441.ece

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