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Indian peafowl, which is commonly known as peacock, as we all know it by, is the national bird of India. It was chosen to represent the country for a reason. Birds are chosen to symbolize a country based on how well the features of the bird coincides with that of the country's unique features.
In case of our country, the grace and vibrant colours of the peacock's feathers represent the diverse culture and traditions of India. Also, the bird needs to be well distributed within the country and everybody must identify with the bird. And since peacocks serve all of these requirements, this beautiful bird was declared as the India's national bird in 1963.
Here are the places that you must go to and visit this graceful bird of our country.
Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary, Karnataka
Being one of the less explored places of Karnataka, Bankapura is one of the very few sanctuaries in India, that is exclusively reserved for the preservation of peacocks. When the Government of India noticed the massive presence of peacocks in this area, it declared Bankapura as a peacock reserve in 2006.
Over 1000 peacocks are speculated to be found in this area! The sanctuary is situated in the Bankapura Fort, which can be reached just 2.5 km from the Bangalore-Pune Highway. The sanctuary remains open from 9 am to 5pm on all days of the week.
PC: Dennis Jarvis
Viralimalai Peacock Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
The small town of Viralimalai in Tamil Nadu is located about 30 km from Trichy. It is famous for two reasons - one is the peacock sanctuary and two, the Lord Shanmuganathar Temple. Peacocks of beautiful feathers can be found roaming in their natural habitat in the sanctuary.
The temple is located on a hilltop with 210 steps to climb. It is popularly known as the ancient place where the dance form of Bharatnatyam flourished. Beautiful woodlands surround the entire region making it a great place to spend some time in nature.
PC: Anand Chitravelu
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka
Located near the border of Karnataka and Goa, Dandeli is a beautiful place that is famous for adventure activities. This is because of the abundance of nature's blessings found in the region. The forest thickets of Dandeli are home to many animals and birds.
But the sanctuary is particularly a haven for birdwatchers since birds of about 200 species can be found here. India peafowls or peacocks and Indian elephants are the common sightings. Apart from this, Malabar pied hornbills, orange-headed thrush, black-napped monarchs are some of the other birds that can be seen at the sanctuary.
PC: Mprasannak
Morachi Chincholi, Maharashtra
Morachi Chincholi is a village located 55 km from Pune, and the name literally means "the town of tamarind trees and dancing peacocks". Although the place isn't a reserve or a government apporved sanctuary, the village is filled with peafowls all across the place.
These peacocks are used to living with the locals but are shy with tourists. However you can still sight a peacock casually moving around within the village. The beautiful village is a perfect getway since it gives you the feel of a countryside, culture and tradition of the villagers amidst the beauty of nature, and of course, peacocks!
PC: Yogendra Joshi
Choolanur Peacock Sanctuary, Kerala
Choolanur Peacock Sanctuary is made of thickets of forests that spread over 500 hectares. It is found 30 km from the town of Palakkad in Kerala. This beautiful sanctuary is home to over 200 vibrant peacocks.
It is often called as Mayiladumpara Peacock Sanctuary as well. If you love watching birds, a visit to Choolanur is a must while at Kerala!
PC: 一元 马
