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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{For|Kookal village|Nilgiris district}}

'''Kookal''' is a [[Panchayat#Village level .28Panchayat.29|Panchayat]] village of [[Terrace (agriculture)|terrace]] farmers at the far western end of the [[Palani Hills]] in [[Kodaikanal]] block of [[Dindigul district]], [[Tamil Nadu]] [[States and territories of India|state]], [[South India]]. It is {{convert|40|km|mi}} from Kodaikanal at: {{coord|10|17|9|N|77|21|48|E}}. [[Elevation]] is {{convert|1890|m|ft}}. Kookal is notable for the high [[biodiversity]] of the area.
[[File:AMS-Upper Palani Reserve Forest copy.jpg|thumb|300px|Upper Palani Reserve Forest showing Kookal]]

==Geography==
Kookal sits at the head of the {{convert|126|km2|sqmi}} Kudiraiyar River basin.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Cu1OAAAAMAAJ&q=Kudiraiyar+River&dq=Kudiraiyar+River&client=safari&pgis=1 ''ICORG-92 Remote Sensing Applications and Geographic Information Systems: Recent Trends''] By I. V. Muralikrishna, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Published by Tata McGraw-Hill Pub. Co., 1994, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized 5 November 2007</ref> In this hilly terrain, topography may account for large variations in rainfall over short distances. A rain gauge at the border of the Kookal forest at {{convert|2000|m|ft}} recorded rainfall about 50% higher than that of two rain gauges in grasslands at the same altitude and northern slope during 1956-1966.<ref>Meher-Homji, V. M. 1991. [http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/gsasearch/search?q=cache:vOs5AhFgbqcJ:www.ciesin.columbia.edu/docs/002-159/002-159.html+hydrological&access=p&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF=8&client=default_web&site=CIESIN&proxystylesheet=default_web&oe=ISO-8859-1 ''Probable impact of deforestation on hydrological processes'']. Climatic Change 19: 163-73.</ref>

==Employment==
Out of 392 households reporting income, the means of livelihood are: casual labour 149, subsistence cultivation 183, artisan 32, salary 14. other 14.<ref>Government of Tamil Nadu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, DISTRICT - DINDIGUL, BLOCK - KODAIKANAL, Village Name - Cookkal, [http://bpl.tn.nic.in/TNBPL/bl_rep/bl_livelihood.php?code=2906009&state=TWprPQ==&district=TWprd05nPT0=&block= MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD, S 33]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 33 cookkal 149 183 32 14 14 0 392

==Health==
Drinking water for 391 households is supplied from a source: greater than elevation of 100 meter - 13, within Elevation of 50-100 meter - 149, within Elevation of less than 50 meters -127, within House - 102. within an elevation of more than 50 meters.<ref>Government of Tamil Nadu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, [http://bpl.tn.nic.in/TNBPL/bl_rep/bl_drink_water_fac_hilly.php?code=2906009&state=TWprPQ==&district=TWprd05nPT0=&block= DRINKING WATER FACILITY (In Hilly Areas)]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Cookal S. 32, 2008]</ref> There is a lack of sanitary latrine facilities. Out of a total of 392 homes: 291 use open defection, 44 use a group latrine with regular water supply, 22 use group latrine with regular water supply, 2 use a clean group latrine with regular water supply and a regular sweeper and 33 use a private latrine.<ref>Government of Tamil Nadu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, SANITATION STATUS, DISTRICT - DINDIGUL, BLOCK - KODAIKANAL, Village Name - Cookkal, [http://bpl.tn.nic.in/TNBPL/bl_rep/bl_sanitation.php?code=2906009&state=TWprPQ==&district=TWprd05nPT0=&block= Type Of Sanitation]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} S 33, 2007.</ref>

==Education==
There is a Panchayat Union primary school here.<ref>Bharat Nirman Programme
Department of Drinking Water Supply, Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India, Status of Drinking Water & Sanitation Facilities for School [http://ddws.nic.in/bnp_hab/school_detail.asp?scode=29&dcode=2906&bcode=2906009&pcode=001&vcode=001&hcode1=001&schcode=01 Kookkal]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Out of 392 children 5–14 years old, 204 are working and not going to school, 7 are going to school and working, 176 are going to school and not working and 5 no response.<ref>Government of Tamil Nadu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, STATUS OF CHILDREN, [http://bpl.tn.nic.in/TNBPL/bl_rep/bl_children_status.php?code=2906009&state=VkVGTlNVd2dUa0ZFVlE9PQ==&district=UkVsT1JFbEhWVXc9&block=UzI5a1lXbHJZVzVoYkE9PQ Cookkal, S 33] (2007)</ref> Household literacy rate is 79%.<ref>Government of Tamil Nadu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, DISTRICT - DINDIGUL, BLOCK - KODAIKANAL, Literacy Status of the Highest Literate Adult [http://bpl.tn.nic.in/TNBPL/bl.php Cookkal, S 33] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017072850/http://bpl.tn.nic.in/TNBPL/bl.php |date=2008-10-17 }}, (2007)</ref>

==Wildlife==
The area includes four types of ecosystems — [[swamp]], [[Montane grasslands and shrublands|grassland]], freshwater [[lake]] and [[shola]]. Kookal lake runs through the middle of the sholas and surrounding grasslands. The [[Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History]] has a field research station here.

;Flora
The Southern [[Montane]] [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests|Wet Temperate Forest]] has some unique features. An enormous 800-year-old tree, (sp.?) which bears fruit said to be useful for patients suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, is found here. It is now fenced in and under the care of the [[Tamil Nadu Forest Department]]. Very rare single fern trees, [[jamun]] and [[rudraksha]] trees, 26 species of [[cinnamon]] and the Shenbagam flower tree highlight the plant biodiversity.<ref name=Basu>Basu Soma, The Hindu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20121107213410/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/10/02/stories/2004100200590100.htm ''Stunning sholas''], 2004-10-2</ref>

Evergreen rain forest once extended down the valleys and slopes of the Palani Hills almost to the plains. One relatively large patch of evergreen forest survives on the north-west edge of the Palani plateau west of the settlement of Kookal. It lies on the flanks and crest of a north-south ridge and is mostly between {{convert|2000|m|ft}} and {{convert|2100|m|ft}} elevation. There is also a stunted dry woodland on parts of the ridge crest. Beyond the forest is the most extensive remaining [[montane grassland]] wilderness of the Palani Hills, merging with [[Manjampatti Valley]] in the [[Indira Gandhi National Park]].<ref name="Wilderness Lodge">Bison Wells Lodge [http://www.wilderness-explorer.in/ Wilderness Lodge]</ref>

Woody plants were inventoried in December 2004 in the Kookal Reserve Forest. A total of
2279 stems belonging to 83 species, 68 genera and 40 families were inventoried. Of these, 16
species from 12 genera and 12 families were [[liana]]s. The most abundant species (≥ 1 cm dbh) was Psychotria nilgiriensis var. astephana (Rubiaceae), which accounted for 12% of the stems sampled. Xantolis tomentosa var. elengioides had the
largest basal area. [[Lauraceae]] was the dominant family accounting for 20% of the stems. About 30% of the species were [[endemism|endemic]] to the Western Ghats.<ref>PRIYA DAVIDAR, D. MOHANDASS& S. LALITHA VIJAYAN, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry 605 014, India; 2Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikattty, P.O., Coimbatore 641 108, India [http://www.tropecol.com/pdf/open/PDF_48_1/Davidar_Dass_n_Vijayan.pdf ''Floristic inventory of woody plants in a tropical montane (shola) forest in the Palni hills of the Western Ghats, India''], Tropical Ecology 48(1): 15-25, 2007 ISSN 0564-3295
© International Society for Tropical Ecology, www.tropecol.com</ref>

The Sholas are shrinking and wildlife population are threatened due to monoculture plantations of the [[Introduced species]] [[pine]], [[eucalyptus]] and [[Acacia|wattle]]. Along with the encroaching trees, ground ferns are also eating into the grasslands, affecting both the flora and the fauna of the area.<ref name=Basu/>

{{Or|date=November 2008}} Kookal lake hosts a healthy [[Oriental small-clawed otter|otter]] population. The Kookal sholas are noted for 165 species of butterflies, and a number of relatively uncommon birds such as the [[common wood pigeon|wood pigeon]], [[Nilgiri pipit]] and 15 types of [[little grebe|dabchick]]s.<ref name=Basu/>

==Trekking==
Many of these wilderness areas and various wildlife may be seen while [[backpacking (wilderness)|trekking]] in the area of Kookal. It is not safe to trek in the area without a local guide.

*The Kookal caves, at about: {{coord|10|19|17|N|77|19|54|E|}}, are ancient rock shelters that show traces of and are believed to be home to the descendants of the original [[Palaiyar]] (meaning "old ones") tribes who used to wear leaf clothing. The caves are overhanging slabs of different types of metamorphic rocks called charconite and [[granulite]]. Till the mid-1980s, over 30 families resided on the hill top, where a small temple is located.

:To reach Kookal Caves, travel by bus from Kodaikanal to [[Poombarai]] and begin walking northwest. After walking through geranium plantations, and pine and wattle forest, the Kookal Forest Rest house can he reached. From there is a {{convert|8|km|mi}} trail to the Kookal natural rock cave formations on a hill top. This stretch is [[leech]]-infested and best avoided during the monsoon.,.<ref name=Basu/><ref>indiaandindians.com [http://www.indiaandindians.com/tamilnadu/dindigul/kodaikanal.php Kodaikanal Kookal Caves]</ref>

*Kookal - Kudiraiyar Dam - [[Palani]]: This is a difficult hike. Though the distance is only {{convert|13|km|mi}} a good hiker will take about 5 hours. From Kookal, follow the foot-path leading to Pappampatti. After three kilometers this crosses the Kudiraiyar River and continues along the river. A waterfall {{convert|90|m|ft}} high can be heard to the left. Elephants are common here. You’ll walk through [[shola]]s, and deciduous forest. On getting to Kudiraiyar Dam, take a bus to Palani and back to Kodaikanal.<ref>Trekking to the Plains [http://www.kodaikanal.org/trekking_to_the_plains.html Kookal]</ref>
*There is a trekking route from [[Mannavanur]] via Keelanavayal (90 mins.) to [[ManjampattI#Manjampatti|ManjampattI]] (3 hours) and [[ManjampattI#Thalinji|Thalinji]] (2 hours) then to [[State Highway 17 (Tamil Nadu - Kerala, India)|SH 17]] (1 hr) and bus to [[Udumalaipettai]].
*Another route is from Paricombai - Kookal (8 km) - Kuthirayar-Pappanpatty-Kavalapatty (7 hours) then bus to [[Palani]].<ref>Kodaikanal.com, Kodaikanal - Travel Information [http://www.kodaikanal.com/travel/trekkingroutes.htm Kodaikanal - Trekking Routes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221130035/http://www.kodaikanal.com/travel/trekkingroutes.htm |date=2008-12-21 }}</ref>
*Mannavanur is about an hour’s drive from Kodaikanal. Some popular trekking routes pass through the [[Sheep Research Center (Mannavanur)|Sheep Research Center]]. The route from Kavunji to Kookal is fairly difficult.
<blockquote>
From Kavunji take the footpath leading to Mannavanur. From there an old footpath leads to the sheep farm. Cross it and reach the Kodaikanal road. Follow the road to Kookal. En route, there are pleasant meadows of the sheep farm. Above Kookal you can see the caves where ancient men were living. Deer are common.</blockquote>

==Visitor information==
Tourists are required to get permission from the Forest Department to visit Kookal or trek in the forest areas. Please contact: Government of Tamil Nadu, Tourist Office, Annasalai, Kodaikanal, 624 101, Tamil Nadu, India. PH; 04542- 241675. A trekking map is available from them.<ref>District Collectorate, Dindigul, National Informatics Centre, ''DESCRIPTION OF TREKKING ROUTES'', [http://www.dindigul.tn.nic.in/KodaiTrek.htm 12. Kavunji – Kuukkal (Fairly difficult)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427220415/http://www.dindigul.tn.nic.in/KodaiTrek.htm |date=2007-04-27 }}</ref> ''Bison Wells'' Lodge has a panoramic view of the eastern slopes of Kookal ridge.<ref name="Wilderness Lodge"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Villages in Dindigul district]]

Kukkal - Revision history

>GreenC bot at 18:07, 20 April 2021