About
eight
kilometers
from the
temple
town is
Sunnipenta,
another
ridge
top where
most offices
and a
few eating
houses
are located.
Also located
here is
the office
of the
Project
Tiger
and the
Field
Director.
The dam
site on
the river
Krishna-the
Srisailam
Hydel
Projects-makes
up the
third
zone.
Nestling
in the
Nallamalai
Hill ranges,
an offshoot
of the
Eastern
Ghats,
with cliffs,
gorges,
ridges
and plateaus,
endowed
with a
variety
of flora
and fauna,
the NSTR
protects
a large
portion
of the
once flourishing
ecological
system
that existed
here.
Without
having
the benefit
of being
an erstwhile
royal
game preserve,
the forest
in this
area was
always
open to
human
visitation.
Pilgrims
from all
over southern
India
carved
out routes
through
the forest
to reach
Srisailam.
It was
in 1973
that the
area was
declared
a sanctuary
and incorporated
under
Project
Tiger
a decade
later.
A little
over 6
sq km
in area,
the Rollapadu
grasslands
near Srisailam
are dotted
with dry,
thorny
bushes
and is
home of
about
a hundred
blackbucks.
From a
distance,
one can
observe
families
of blackbucks
out on
their
breakfast
trail,
a couple
of bustards
gazing
at the
horizon
while
taking
a tentive
foot forward.
At present,
day visits
to Rollapadu
Sanctuary
is permitted.
Reaching
There
(Nagarjunasagar
Wildlife
Sanctuary):
By
Air:
The nearest
airport
is at
Hyderabad,
316 km
away from
Srisailam.
Hyderabad
is connected
to many
important
cities
in India
including
Delhi
and Mumbai,
the major
international
gateways.
By
Rail:
Srisailam
is connected
through
Hyderabad
as well
as via
Markapur
(85 km
away)
on the
South
Central
Railway.
By
Road:
Srisailam
is 190
km from
Kurnool,
220 km
from Guntur,
470 km
from Chennai,
and 85
km from
Mannanur.
Accommodation
(Nagarjunasagar
Wildlife
Sanctuary):
Three
guesthouses/temple
cottages
with 248
beds are
available
at present
in the
forest
area.
Therefore,
the available
accommodation
at these
places
can be
depended
upon while
visiting
the reserve.
Links
to Outside
World:
STD/ISD
facilities
are available
at Srisailam
and some
other
places
nearby.
Postal
and telegraph
facilities
are available
at Srisailam.
Places
Nearby
Nagarjunasagar
Wildlife
Sanctuary:
Mannanur
is a pre-existing
tribal
hamlet
with a
comfortably
furnished
camp bungalow.
Next to
the bungalow
are a
crocodile
pond and
an environment
education
center.
From Mannanur,
one can
explore
the western
corner
of the
tiger
reserve.
The forest
area here
is thickly
set with
miscellaneous
timber
species
with local
names
like Nallamadi
(Terminalia
tomentosa),
Chirumanu
(Anogeissus
latifolia),
etc.,
as well
as stretches
of teak
forest.
One can
also spot
spotted
deers,
sambars,
and nilgais
here.
Nagarjunasagar
is the
place
where
excavations
have unearthed
many historical
monuments
belonging
to 1st
and 2nd
century
AD. The
place
is also
home to
a large
dam built
on the
river
Krishna.
