Edayilakkad – a swampy island and a fascinating traveller destination is located along the Kavvayi backwaters, an isolated arm of the Arabian Sea in Valiyaparamba, Kasargod.
Edayilakkad is separated from the Arabian Sea on the west by a thin strip of land called Valiyavaramba (meaning “Big Border”), possibly formed due to the plodding separation of the lake from the sea. Being one of the largest islands in North Kerala, this place is distinguished for its biodiversity and native conservation efforts.
Occupied only after the early 1900s, the place was once a part of Madras and controlled by the feudal lords of the Vijayanagara Empire. The charming magnificence of this place today attracts passionate bird watchers, investigators and environmentalists. Beaches here are creased with coconut palms. The site is also home to many otherwise endangered species, like the White-bellied Sea Eagle and the Nervilia orchids.
There is a sacred and dense forest called “Nagam”, populated by several monkeys. There is also a Hindu shrine in the same forest dedicated to snakes. The monkeys in the forest here wait for Manikkam, a volunteer conservationist who takes care of them. Though she makes a living from the rural employment guarantee scheme of the Kerala Government, she manages to feed the monkeys here on a daily basis. She visits them in the forest each day with some cooked rice and sometimes with jaggery, fruits and nuts. She continued this practice that her mother, Chiri, started, and it is more than three decades now of her consistent efforts for conservation. The resident people here have joined hands with her in her conservation efforts. The monkeys also enjoy a majestic Onam Sadya during the harvest season. The Sadya includes an extravagant delight of rice, fruits and vegetables. People sing songs as the monkeys partake in the Sadya.
This mesmerizing tourist spot is a heaven where you are sure to feel time stand still.