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On a forest trail, imagine catching a fleck of yellow or a spot of blue in the midst of dense foliage. In an ancient landscape, the chattering of birds sounds like music to the ears. At some distance away, the Puligundam waterfall cascading down makes a divine rhythm. The tale goes that once an old tiger accidentally fell in the water here and died.
Welcome to Kanakagiri, a reserve forest in Khammam district of Telangana, surrounded by hills and steeped in lore. A trail inside this paradise spread over almost 30,000 hectares ensures the chance sighting of a leopard or the viewing of the diminutive blue-eared kingfisher.
Realising the natural attractions of this place, Khammam divisional forest officer Siddharth Vikram Singh set about to work. The aim was to start eco-tourism. In this, he received assistance from district collector Muzammil Khan.
Over a phone call, the collector explained in detail his vision of turning around the place for tourists. “By developing eco-tourism in Kanakagiri, the district administration has ensured an intimate emotional bond with a forest site which many travellers look towards these days. This will put Khammam on the tourism map.”
The plan sounds grand, but things were not always smooth. Khan pointed out that during the past decade, considerable encroachment had occurred on the forest land. In the past few years, efforts were also made to reclaim it. This was not easy, given the demand for land mainly to carry out farming. Currently, nearly 350 acres (141.64 hectares) of land is under encroachment in Kanakagiri. About 942 acres (381.2 hecatres) have been recognised under the Forest Rights Act.
As per the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, Telangana’s forest cover is 24.69 per cent of its geographical area.
Today, efforts to start tourism amidst nature have paid off. An urban park started at Velugumatla is attracting city dwellers, especially those who want to enjoy an undisturbed morning walk close to nature. At the same time, the Puligundala eco-tourism site in the Kanakagiri forest is nearing completion.
While Velugumatla offers respite to the urban crowd, the Puligundala project is a haven for bird watchers, adventurers and wildlife enthusiasts. Its advantage is that it lies close to Hyderabad, the state capital of Telangana, and Vijayawada, a major city in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Over a phone call, Azam Ali, a beat officer from the Tallada range of the Khamman forest division, described the beauty of Kanakagiri. The prime attraction is the Puligundala water body. According to Ali, at one point of time water flowed down from the hills during the monsoon and collected here. Later, the tank spread over approximately 45 acres (18.2 hectares) was made. The spot attracts birds and is an ideal boating spot.
For those who love to spot trees, the flora in Kanakagiri is diverse. The forest is full of bamboo. A forest department depot near Julurupadu village is the place where bamboo, often referred to as ‘green gold’ because of its versatility, is auctioned.
Apart from its flora and fauna, Kanakagiri is a great place for history buffs. “The hills all around contain relics from the Kakatiya dynasty. The major attractions are a fort and an ancient temple which goes by the name of Veerabhadraswamy. An annual fair is organised on the occasion of Shivratri at the temple,” Ali said. The Kakatiya-era ruins date back to the time of ruler Prataparudra.
A few weeks back, bird watchers visited the pristine Kanakagiri forest, surveyed the area and documented over 100 species of birds. “As the district administration wanted to create a buzz around the place, wildlife photographers and nature enthusiasts were invited. The ongoing infrastructure for a camp site will be completed soon. Next year, a ticketing service will be set up for the public,” the collector said.
P Suresh Kumar, the deputy range officer of Tallada, said the prime attraction will be a forest trail for wildlife sighting and birding. To keep intact the sanctity of the place, natural things are being planned like the installation of solar lights, promotion of local cuisine and the usage of eco-friendly leaf plates. The Kanakagiri forest, where the first survey was completed by the forest department in 1896, is home to tribes. A major tribe is the Nayakapodu. Eventually, a few Adivasis will be offered jobs.
According to the Khammam divisional forest officer, Kanakagiri was selected for its undisturbed forest away from the madding crowd. “The lush jungle, presence of a scenic water body and hills make it a perfect spot for trekking, boating and birdwatching,” Singh said.
As part of the tourism package, the forest officer wants tourists to visit the Puligundala lake, Palakayya Loddhi, a spot where small streams attract birds, the Puligundam waterfall, the leopard watch tower built at a height of 580 metres and the Kakatiya historical ruins.
Khammam, also known as Stambhadri, has an interesting history. In 1900, the Warangal division was formed comprising Khammam and Warangal districts. Fourteen years later, the Khammam forest division was formed after the bifurcation of Warangal into Khammam and Hanamkonda divisions. After independence, the working plan prepared by Nooruddin Khan in 1949-58 served as the first consolidated plan for Khammam division.
A century-old building constructed in 1925 by the Nizam of Hyderabad once served as the rest house. It is now the forest office. Located in the district headquarters, it is about 65 km from the Puligundala project. The plinth area of the building measures 3323.44 square feet. At that time, it cost about Rs 12,671. It completed 100 years in January 2025.
In the present, Singh eagerly awaits the completion of his dream project. The reception centre-cum canteen site to welcome tourists has already been set up. It stands on toddy palm tree trunks. A total of six tents will be placed on raised platforms.