It is a rainy August morning and we are at the 90-acre Vellalore Lake , admiring the calm scenery. Ducks paddle in the still waters, while cormorants and pelicans flutter their wings around the trees on the little islands. As the rain pauses we bask in warm sunshine beside a striking giant 18-ft butterfly replica, orange in colour with a dark brown outer ring, at the city’s first ever Butterfly Park .
It is an installation of the Tamil Yeoman, also known as Tamil maravan , an endemic butterfly of the Western Ghats , the state butterfly of Tamil Nadu. Once inside the park, a profusion of colourful butterflies — the dark blue tiger, blue tiger, common rose, and glossy black common crows — buzz around yellow marigolds, showy orange lantana blooms, red velvet flower bunches and yellow dahlias. The butterfly park at Vellalore Lake| Photo Credit:PERIASAMY M Blue Mormons , the fourth largest butterfly of India and state butterfly of Maharashtra, have been sighted here in great numbers.
A beautiful bluish-green butterfly called the common banded peacock, and other rare ones like medus brown, chocolate albatross, and bamboo tree brown are often seen drinking nectar from the blooms, much to the excitement of butterfly enthusiasts. The sprawling 90-acre Vellalore Lake| Photo Credit:PERIASAMY M When Vellalore Lake, once a hub of migratory birds, ran dry it became a dumping ground for garbage and debris. This blocked the inlet channels that fed the lake with water from the Noyyal, the lifeline of Coimbatore.
Many old timers recall an unforgettable sight at the lake where rosy starlings, a winter migratory bird, flocked in thousands to roost. A team of eco-warriors led by R Manikandan, founder of Kovai Kulangal Paadukaappu Amaippu (KKPA), a water conservation NGO started in 2017, along with Coimbatore Corporation and other public works departments, de-silted the rajavaaikaal channel, which connects the lake with the Noyyal, removed encroachments, cleared the debris of plastics and thorny seema karuvelam bushes, an invasive species. After a gap of 15 years, the lake filled to brim with water during the monsoons in 2018.
“Once there was copious water, magic unfolded,” says Manikandan as he recalls how birds and butterflies thronged in great numbers, an indication of a thriving bio-diversity. R. Manikandan, founder of Kovai Kulangal Padhukaapu Amaippu at the 18-ft replica of Tamil Yeoman, the state butterfly of Tamil Nadu at the park| Photo Credit:PERIASAMY M A Miyawaki forest canopy was raised along the bund with 10,000 towering native trees in batches including bamboo, neem, banyan, pungai, poovarasu, and as many 270 varieties.
Along with trees, rows and rows of herbal plants and a dense greenery of flowering and nectaring plants like hibiscus, castor, lime, curry leaves, turmeric and banana has turned the lake into a butterfly hotspot. Eventually, KKPA team established the park with CSR funding from Milacron India “We have dedicated 351 weeks to achieve this milestone,” says Manikandan adding that he sourced native plants like mul murungai ( Indian coral) , nari kilu kilukai ( devil bean) , thael kodukku (Indian heliotrope) from Hosur, Thrissur and Puducherry. It attracted butterflies and also enhanced the tank’s biodiversity.
Blue tiger butterfly| Photo Credit:PERIASAMY M Of the 328 species of butterflies found in Tamil Nadu, 31 percent have been recorded at the Vellalore lake. A year-long survey conducted by The Nature and Butterfly Society (TNBS) identified 103 species including the stunning common nawab that has brown wings featuring distinct pale yellow-green bands. Tracing their journey, Manikandan says they have desilted 12 ponds starting with the 265-acre Perur Big Tank, followed by Sengulam, and the Vellalore lake which has now been transformed as a model tank.
Along with walking tracks by the bund, and rows of flowering plants, they have also set up small lily and lotus ponds shaped like butterfly. One cannot miss the signboards that highlight butterfly species, its life cycle etc. Red pierrot butterfly| Photo Credit:PERIASAMY M A bamboo bridge at the entrance is an added attraction.
“We envisioned the park as an educational platform. At the information centre, students can learn about not just the butterflies, but also the Western Ghats, lakes, bio-diversity and the Noyyal , Coimbatore’s lifeline,” explains Manikandan adding that environment-related games for children will entertain and also educate them on conservation. “We have used upcycled building waste like black stones as art installations.
All life forms like reptiles, snakes, lizards and birds, and rabbits are installed as sculptures. An installation of spotted deer that we spotted here first is also there. There is wall art that talk of great kings who greatly respected people who take care of water bodies and Tamil scholars who lived in tune with Nature and in harmony with the many life forms supported by water bodies,” says Manikandan adding that Vellalore thrived as a trade hub.
And, people dwelt on the Noyyal’s banks in Perur and Vellalore. Plain tiger butterfly| Photo Credit:PERIASAMY M Kamala Kannan Y, a full-time volunteer with KKPA since 2017 says a team of bird watchers accompanied by school students have recorded 158 species of birds at the green zone. He says, “We ensure that the green cover is nurtured and well-maintained.
We chose host plants like curry leaves for common mormon, lemon for lime butterflies and ranakili ( miracle leaf plant) for red pierrot. We have also spotted the southern birdwing, believed to be the largest butterfly in India.” A view of the park| Photo Credit:PERIASAMY M Adds Manikandan, “Anyone can visit the park and spend time with Nature, watch birds and butterflies without disturbing them.
Remember, we are guests here.” The butterfly park is open to the public on Sundays, while corporate and educational institutions can book visits from Monday to Saturday. Entry is free.
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