History of Periyar

The Periyar Dam was successfully completed in 1895 resulting in the formation of Periyar Lake which sustained the adjacent forests and its inhabiting animals. The entire region was preserved by the Kingdom of Travancore for long. Post Independence, in 1950, the area was given the status of a Wildlife Sanctuary. Following this, the sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. In 1982, the government notified the core zone as the Periyar National Park.