Abstract
Okhamandal is dictated and identified by its association with the myths and stories of Krishna and is also identified as one of the “chardham” hence being a part of the larger tourist network. This setting every year is visited by lakhs of people for pilgrimage purposes. As one breaks apart through this network and sees beyond the built or the cultural identity, one encounters new sets of anchors (values) in the landscape defined by water bodies for avi-fauna, coral reefs and faunal habitats. The cultural landscapes of Krishna are only a part of a complex multi-layered coastal landscapes – the importance of the Okhamandal also encompasses its ecological significance. The ecological significance of Okhamandal includes – avi-faunal habitat, faunal habitat and coral reefs. The tourism-oriented development of the region and its adjoining villages, owing to the Dwarka’s cultural and religious significance, requires an ecologically sensitive approach to conserve and preserve the landscape values of the region, while critically examining the faunal habitat in the region. The grounded conjectures of the setting from site readings, literature review and mappings, revealed issues pertaining to pollution, salination, depletion of water bodies, habitat degradation, etc. The idea of the study was to assess the faunal habitat of the region and propose a holistic conservation framework based on managing and protecting the ecologically sensitive landscape. The extent of the region selected for the study aligns with the definition of the watershed boundary and the definition of Okhamandal region as defined by administrative boundary.
