Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve - Equitable Tourism Options

This is also known as 'Devarayapattinam', It was under the reign of
Krishnadevaraya, the greatest Vijayanagar king, as found in an inscription of
1527 AD. The Masanahalli village in the Devarayapuram of Waynad was
given as gift to one of his local chieftains by name Krishna Raya Nayaka who
was a close associate of Krishna Deveraya himself. The ruins of mud forts at
Thottalingi, Arallathi and Sembanatham situated on the left bank of the Sigur
river, and the hosts of cromlechs found with several parts of the village go to
prove that the place was of far greater importance. Near the ruined fort at
Sembanatham, is found a small shrine dedicated to Basaveswaraswamy.
Masinagudi is claimed to have been one of the capitals of the whole of the
Waynad and was an important centre of business and authority. The whole
area is covered with thick jungle teeming with wild animals and elephants.
The forest reserves have now been annexed to the Mudumalai Wildlife
Sanctuary.
The work on the Moyar hydro electricity scheme, which commenced in 1946,
has provided for the employment of more than 15,000 persons, who were
housed in the camps built at Masinagudi and Moyar. The forest ofthe area is
rich sandalwood and other minor forest produces such as honey, wax,
gallnuts, tamarind, soap·nut seed, pungam seeds, etc.
The place is suited for mulberry cultivation and as such the Government of
Ta mil Nadu maintains a silk farm here. There is a tourist bungalow
maintained by the Highways Department. The Forest Department also has a
rest house here. The village has a Police Station, post office and high school.
It is the headquarters of the Forest Range Officer, Masinagudi. In 1950,the
village was constituted as a Panchayat.
Ecology of Masinagudi
Masinagudi is strategically located in Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, which is
declared as a part of the International Network of Biosphere Reserves by the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (U N ESCO)
programme. The majority of Nilgris Biosphere Reserve (NBR) spreads over
in Tamilnadu to the tune of 2237.6 sq kilometres. In Tamilnadu there are two
National Park/Protected Areas. They are Mukurthi and Mudumalai.
Masinagudi is 6 Km away from Mudumalai and this also gives tourist
attraction and much value to Masinagudi.
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