KOTTAYAM: A stroll through the paved walkways, getting to know the rich varieties of flora and fauna, enjoying the chirping of birds and feeding fish in ponds - is quite a refreshing experience for anyone. Mango Meadows at Ayamkudi, a small hamlet near Kaduthuruthi in Kottayam, claimed to be the world’s largest agricultural theme park, offers a unique biodiversity treat for nature enthusiasts.
Accommodating as many as 4,800 species of plants, including 700 trees and 900 flowering plants, 64 varieties of fish and almost all domestic animals and birds, Mango Meadows plays a significant role in environmental conservation of the region.
This man-made green paradise spread across 35 acres is the result of over 15 years of hard work of N K Kurien who invested all his earnings in this novel initiative. “When I purchased this land, it was barren with only some coconut trees on its boundaries. The first thing I did was to build a pond to develop an ecosystem on its banks,” said Kurien. Now, there are four ponds in the park with rich fish varieties. The ponds are inter-connected with tunnels through which fish can move freely.