Geographically, Kerala is clearly divided into hilly, intermediate and coastal areas. Kerala is situated between the Western Ghats in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west. In fact, such hills, plains, and riverbanks are inhabited. In a way, the hills are the source of the life and culture of the people of Kerala. Madayipara is one of the most studied and well-known places in the country. Madayipara is a plateau that looks like a large table in the middle of the Iowa region, with the watersheds of the Kuppam River, Ramapuram River and Perumba River and the proximity of the Ezhimala to the Arabian Sea. Spread over more than 600 acres, Iowa Hill is 40 to 47 meters high. Studies have shown that Madayipara is one of the hills that was flattened out of the sea millions of years ago. 550 years ago, the Kuppam River flowed straight west from the now winding railway bridge and fell into the sea near Ezhimala. The Iowa estuary was a large port called Marahi. Greek, Arabian and Chinese tourists came to our country through the port of Iowa. Historians attest that Jain and Jewish Arab cultures reached Mata via the Iowa Waterway.
SOIL STRUCTURE: :
The surface of Madayipara, a brick hill, has been sandblasted due to years of sharp sunlight and heavy rainfall. In some places there are layers of bricks up to 30-40 feet. There are many forms of carbon under the sandstone, beneath which there is charcoal, like the remnants of wood sediments buried in the soil of old. In some places these are in the form of lignite. Between these is a small layer of sand and at the bottom is white clay. Studies have shown that iron ore and ore deposits are found in the red sandstone of Madayipara. Manganese, titanium.
Nature has hidden small deposits of vanadium, zircon, sulfur and phosphorus in the soil. The hard rock is caused by a coating of iron oxides and low levels of manganese oxide. In 1995, in addition to china clay, lignite was also found in Madayipara, prompting the government to mine the entire rock.
WATER ABUNDANCE:
Although many studies have been done on red sandstone, it is only recently that scientists have begun to understand its ability to store water. More than 3,000 millimeters of rainwater is filtered through the scratches on the sandstone and stored in chambers within the hills. The acidic nature of the water, which interacts with the organic matter at the top of the hill, filters out the calcium in the red rock and causes large cracks and chambers to form underground. All of the Iowa chambers become good water reservoirs. In a way, hills like Madayipara can be described as the best water monsters. During the month of June, most of the rain that falls on the hillsides is absorbed by the sandstone like a sponge and stored in underground chambers. When it rains heavily, excess water from the swollen hillsides flows out into streams, creeks, and waterfalls. There are about five waterfalls around Madayipara that flow out for eight months. During the first thunderstorm in the middle of the night, the Iowa water monsters are startled and the water overflows into springs. The stream that flows from the slope behind the Vadukunda Shiva Temple has been seen seeping into the water at times, even in good summers.
Thalayattum Vellam, a waterfall that flows into the Kulangarappallikulam on the eastern slope of Madayipara, is one that is active during the first rains. About 500 liters of water per minute flows out of the ground. It is estimated that 10 lakh liters of water a day. If we add the current market price of Rs 20, we can see that water worth Rs 2 crore is flowing from Iowa Falls alone in a day. If the Iowa Falls flows for five months, it will provide about Rs 300 crore worth of fresh water. The importance of the hill is further illustrated by the fact that five such waterfalls provide about Rs. 1500 crore worth of fresh water.
Apart from these, two huge water tanks of the Water Authority are located at Madayipara. One is pumping drinking water to low lying areas like Madayi from a well near the Vadukunda Shiva Temple. The other is on fire. Iowa pumps more than 40,000 liters of water a day from two tanks.
Studies have shown that the water of our intertidal Red Hills is the purest and tastiest drinking water in Asia. In 1997, water collected from upland reservoirs was tested in a laboratory. The test results showed that the Iowa water had a chemical composition that surpassed that of mineral water. New research shows that red sandstone has the ability to effectively replace excess phosphorus and heavy metals. Apart from these, the numerous rock pools, temple pools and the historic Jewish Pool are examples of the abundance of water in Madayipara. The one and a half acre lake at the Vadukunda Shiva Temple, which never runs dry in any summer, still amazes the scientific community.
BIODIVERSITY:
Madayipara, which at first glance looks like a wasteland, is home to a large number of flora and fauna. The growth of plants in Madayipara takes place in two stages depending on the climatic conditions. The wet season lasts from June to October and the dry season lasts from November to May. The biodiversity of the two major stages of Iowa is such that it surpasses any vital habitat.
VEGETATION DIVERSITY:
In the scorching heat of summer, when the last grass on the rocks is scorched, the soothing rain touches the dormant seeds, and the reeds adorn the place with greenery. To date, 666 species of flowering plants have been identified in 117 plant families. Dr. PV Sivarajan, a botanist at the University of Calicut in the early 1990s, spoke about the flora of the place. KT Joseph, Ph.D. PV Madhusoodanan and Dr. AK Pradeep discovered four new species of plants in Madayipara. Dr. KP Rajesh, Dr. KP Swapna, Dr. Ratheesh Narayanan and Dr. C. Pramod have recently donated five new plants to the world of science. The following is a list of new species of plants found in Madayipara.
- Rotala malabarica
- Nymphoides krishnakesara
- Lepidogathis keralensis
- Eriocaulon madayiparensis
- Lindermia madayiparensis
- Coelachne madayensis
- Parasopubia hoffmanni
- Justicia ekakusuma
Of the 666 species of plants found in Madayipara, 161 are endemic to our country. The Iowa Rock is also home to 56 endemic grasses. Nine of these species are endemic to the Western Ghats! The variety of neem grasses that make Madayipara an organic cover immediately after the rains protects the rock until the summer rains and protects the associated seeds and organisms from the harshness of the sun.
Seven species of carnivorous cockroaches and one species of azalea are abundant in Madayipara. Rare ground-growing orchids are also unique to Madayipara.
Although there are no large trees anywhere on the rock, the large trees and huge shrubbery that have stood for thousands of years in the forest of Madayikavu are still preserved in the name of faith.
ANIMAL DIVERSITY
Due to its rich flora and fauna, Madayipara is also home to a large number of unique animals. Madayipara is a hotbed of butterflies as it is the larval food plant of many species of plants. Of the 327 species of butterflies found in Kerala to date, 140 species have been found in Madayipara. There is more butterfly diversity here than in some of the important wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala. About 40-50 species of butterflies are observed in a single day in a small area near the Vadukunda Shiva Temple. This place is also known as ' Butterfly Park ' in Madayipara
When it rains, the pits, rocks and ponds at the top of the hill are flooded and many trunks reach Madayipara. 55 species of trunks have been found in Madayipara. Lyriothemis ocigastra , a species of trunk found only in the north eastern states of India, was first found in Kerala from Madayipara. Madayipara is also a great place to get to know and study the trunks as the temporary wetlands formed during the monsoons are breeding grounds for many trunks.
In addition to the colorful insects mentioned above, a variety of grasshoppers and moths have been observed in Madayipara. About 10 species of caterpillars and about 40 species of spiders have been found in the Iowa habitat. Insectivorous frogs can also be found in Madayipara. Twenty species of frogs have been observed here. Many frogs are active only during the rainy season. During the dry months, the frogs go underground and become active in the wetlands when it rains. Madayipara is also a breeding ground for ancient frogs such as red frogs, rock frogs and picture frogs.
Out of 500 species of birds found in Kerala, 182 species have been found in Madayipara. We can understand the significance of Madayipara when we know that at least 12 species of birds were first found in Madayipara from Kerala. At least 45 of the 182 species are migratory birds. Most migrants start from Madayipara! Most doshas visit Madayipara in late August or early September, when the migration season begins. Passage Migrant, as well as the migratory habitat of many long-distance migratory birds, is also Madayipara. Our hill is also a place where the migratory birds around us find refuge during the monsoons without returning. Large flocks of 24 of these species have been observed during the monsoon season. Madayipara is also the last sanctuary for celestial birds, vultures, grasshoppers and wildebeests that nest on the ground. Studies have shown that the recent 'developmental' destructive activities in Madayipara have led to a drastic reduction in the number of such birds.
In addition to birds, about 20 species of reptiles, 13 species of mammals and many species of fish have found refuge in Madayipara.
THREATS
Madayipara, a gift of nature, has been facing various threats to development for the last 50 years. Ltd Clays and Ceramic Products in Perinthalmanna, Kerala. Excavations over the past 45 years have destroyed the southwestern slope of the hill. Part of the iron leached from the soil debris completely destroyed the wells in the houses. In some wells the iron content is 25mg / liter. According to the World Health Organization, the maximum allowable amount of iron in our drinking water is 0.3mg / liter. Sulfate and phosphate have been added to the water in this way. PH aqeyw 2þ3 of water in some wells. Studies warn that water is actually acid.
Illegal encroachment on more than half of Devaswom land, illegal vehicular traffic and fires in the grasslands have largely destroyed the unique habitat of Madayipara. Madayipara is being lost forever due to the developmental industrial logic of using red sandstone as a resource and product.
We have an obligation not only to ourselves but also to our next generation to return this heritage land without compromising its sanctity.