Pulicat

Pulicat
Location: Thiruvalluvar District
Distance: 60 km from Chennai
Main Attraction: Backwaters, Fort, etc



Pulicat is a small town situated at a distance of 60 km from Chennai. It houses a Dutch cemetery dating back to the 17th century. The Dutch built a fort here in the year 1609, to ensure a comfortable stay at the Coromandel Coast for a long time. It was finally occupied by the British in 1825. After independence, the fort became a part of Madras state of India, which was later renamed as Tamil Nadu, in 1968. There is also a Dutch Church here, which has withered away in spite of renovation.

Owing to the number of monuments and lakes present here, a trip to Pulicat is interesting from travel and tourism point of view. The cemetery is looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India. The main attraction of the place is the Pulicat Lake. The lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal, by a strip of land which comprises of the Pulicat town. Owing to its proximity to the sea, it has turned into a salt water lagoon. It is the second largest lagoon of India and boasts of a rich biodiversity.

Therefore, the lagoon has been preserved as a Wildlife Sanctuary. A host of animals, such as the fish, aquatic and terrestrial birds, mammals and reptiles, find shelter here. It is the hub of migratory birds like Flamingos, which are the most frequent visitors, with about 15,000 of them visiting every year. Pelicans, Kingfishers, Herons, Painted Storks, Spoonbills and Ducks are some of the other birds that show up at Pulicat Lake every year. There is also a light house on the opposite side of the lake. Thus, Pulicat makes a good picnic spot for all.