Berijam Lake is a reservoir near
Kodaikanal town in
Dindigul district of
Tamil Nadu, South
India. It is at the old site of "Fort Hamilton", in the upper Palani hills. The lake, created by a dam with sluice outlets, is part of a micro-watershed development project. Periyakulam town, 18.7 kilometres (11.6 mt) to the SE, gets its public drinking water from the lake. The lake’s water quality is excellent.
Access
Berijam is located at the end of
Pillar Rocks Road (old SR-18), 21 km (13.0 mi) southwest of
Kodaikanal Lake. map There were two roads from Berijam, the Kodaikanal-Munnar Road to Munnar town, about 40 km (24.9 mi) west and another going to Kavunji village, 9 km (5.6 mi) north. The old roads are now overgrown with vegetation and used as walking trails by local villagers and trekkers. Encounters with wild animals including bison, elephants and leopards sometimes occur on these trails.
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has restricted entry into the Berijam Lake area to between 9.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. for the general public. Entry permits are issued at the Forestry Department Office in Kodaikanal. Only a limited number of visitors are allowed in
The Park each day. There is a forest check-post which prohibits unauthorized entry through the road leading to Berijam Lake. Beyond km marker 13 on the Berijam road there is an observation tower from where one may have a fine view of Berijam Lake and the surrounding forest.
Berijam has a Forest Department Camp including an Eco-Education Center for visitors. Nature areas to be visited here include: swamp ecosystem, fresh water ecosystem, nature trail, bridge, medicinal demonstration garden, museum, nature walk, grassland and shola.(guide map) Site visits are organized for authorized researchers. Trekkers can get permission to stay overnight. There is a Forest Rest House with limited accommodations which serves as an overnight base camp for Forestry Department staff, researchers and trekkers. Visitors must bring their own provisions.
