Pichavaram, Mangrove forest reserve in Tamil Nadu, India
Pichavaram is a mangrove forest reserve in Tamil Nadu, India, sprawling over more than 1,000 hectares (about 2,500 acres) between two major river estuaries. The tangled waterways wind through dense mangrove groves that flood during high tide, forming a maze of green tunnels and open inlets.
The Chola kings in the early medieval period recognized the value of these coastal forests and ordered them to be preserved for future generations. In the 20th century, the area was officially designated as a protected zone to safeguard the mangrove trees and their role for the coastline.
Fishing families set out before dawn in handmade boats, gliding between mangrove roots along narrow waterways they have used for generations. People living along this coast speak Tamil and know every channel by name, casting their nets in quiet inlets where the roots meet the water.
The best time for a boat trip is between November and February, when the weather is pleasant and migratory birds rest in the channels. Visitors who come early in the morning see the birds feeding and the mangrove roots in soft light.
In the root tangle of the trees live small mudskippers, fish that walk on their fins across water and can breathe on land. At low tide, you see them by the hundreds hopping on the mud while they search for food.
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