The lights of Mysore – Happy Dussehra

 

Feeling Alive and Awesome in Londa

Ever wondered what it is like to cross a gushing stream , to jump into a natural jacuzzi, to dip your head in the cascading flow of waters and feel the rush of a waterfall splashing water all over your face ? If you have not experienced anything like that, then I suggest that you experience the natural energy of the River Kali . My story however starts from an obscure railway station.

“ Bhaiyya, do dena aur ek mirchi bhi.. Garam hai na?”

A couple of dogs watch us as we devour the vada pavs. The pavs are a bit cold , but soft .As we bite into them, the hot vadas and the spicy mirchis bring tears to our eyes.

Raju smiles as he throws a few crumbs to the dogs . He says he always finds it amusing to find “ sheherwale” going gaga over a simple dish like vada pav . We tell him that simplicity is often something that we dont find in our cities .

The Rani Chennamma express snakes its way out of the Londa station . The lone vada pav stall in the corner is probably the only sign of life in this otherwise quaint railway station. As for Raju, the day starts sometime as early as 6.30 am, an hour before our train lands.It is an important junction, he explains, for passengers going to Belgaum, Goa, Karwar or Hubli and Bangalore and he does brisk business .

I look around and take in the early morning sights of this “ important junction” that looks quite lost to civilisation. The station is very clean and quiet. Some people are sitting on the benches reading the papers. Others seem to catching up on local gossip. Very few seem to be waiting for trains .The dogs stretch and go to sleep. We leave as more passengers crowd around Raju’s stall.

 

Londa is not our destination, but a transit point.We are headed to the haunt of the River Kali which has its source in the Western Ghats and flows through lush greenery before emptying herself into the Arabian Sea . Besides Goa and Karwar , birding and wildlife enthusiasts travel to Ganeshkudi and Dandeli to spot rare species of fauna. This is also the home of the hornbill and we had booked ourselves in a private resort named after the bird itself

The open jeep lets the sun’s rays caress us as we cross more villages interuppted by stretches of forest lands. Ganeshkudi ,a place on every birdwatcher’s map is the closest point to our resort. A vast expanse of blue make us pause on our journey as the driver stops by at the Supa Dam built on the backwaters of the river Kali . We could camp here in the night if we liked, he said and the resort would make all the arrangements .We put it down in our agenda and reach our destination , just as a hornbill flies over our head inviting us.

Nestled on the banks of the River Kali is a small hamlet near Ganeshkudi where hardly 60 people live and two private resorts – Hornbill River Resort and Bison River Resort cater to the tourists here. The Jungle Lodges properties at Dandeli and Ganeshkudi is a stone’s throw away . This is a border town and you find a disaspora of people here from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa speaking a mishmash of all languages . The Marathi influence is unmistakable, right from the accent to the poha we ate .

“Would you like to go fishing or to the island ?” We gaze at the deep green Kali river almost flowing as a private pool in the backyard of the resort. A branch curves down and stretches forward to stroke the waters. A line of trees border the river on the other bank . A kingfisher scoops down as a few pond herons watch. The waters lull us for a moment and we are in no mood to take a quick decision .

A loud screech and we rush for the binoculars to see the hornbills atop the tree . “ Last January, we counted up to 70 at the same time,” says Umesh, the owner, offering to take us to the other bank by road. We cut through the vegetation and some fields and walk through the trees and see them all through the binoculars – malabar pied hornbills, indian grey hornbill and even a couple of great hornbills in flight.

“Are they all migratory birds ?” I ask, in complete ignorance.” No, for most species, this is home and they are resident birds” explains Umesh saying that the season to catch them will be between November to March. Today unfortunately the birds are preys to poachers who kill them for their long curved beaks and casques.

Time flows as we swim , fish and then row over to the island. “ A natural Jacuzzi,” read the itinerary . We trek through the uninhabited island , cross the river and climb rocks until we reach the spot. It did look like a natural Jacuzzi . Pools of water around rocks are formed as the river gushes with force and create a miniature waterfall . The force is overpowering as we feel the might of the river flowing over us. The currents are strong and we feel humbled and exhilarated at the same time. The adrenalin starts flowing again as we see a group of rafters cascading under the rapids and cutting through the water currents.

We plunge into the water too and allow ourselves to be carried away and purged by the river. We learn to manoeuvre and cut through the currents . The rapids take us by surprise as we see the river change her moods and colours .She takes us in her lap and then throws us to her depths and bring us back to land again.

We spend the remaining days going to the Dandeli forests and thereafter to Goa , where wilder shores beckon us . But the River Kali with her myriad moods remains fresh in our minds .

Skywatch Friday–Kudrevatti , Tamilnadu

The journey they say is the destination. This was a journey that started in down south Tirunelveli in a village called Kallidaikurichi one sunny morning. We crossed the river Tambiraparani to the neighbouring town, Ambasamudram and walked into a rather welcoming office of the Forest Department to get the necessary permits to enter the Kalakadu Mudanthurai Tiger Reserve. My journey was to take me down through the hot biodiversity reserve with endemic flora and fauna , the home of several rivers , rivulets and reservoirs. But the forests took me on a road not taken to the land where ferns grew in abundance.
We drove without a destination in mind and without an agenda as well. No tigers or leopards crossed our paths, nor were we looking for them. The trees cast long shadows, wrapping us in a green world. And then in a little clearing, I saw it . With the mountains of the Western Ghats bordering it, the little Manimuthar, that has its source in the hills flowed here and cascaded down as a waterfall. Tourists sing praises to Courtrallam Falls, but Manimuthar tumbled down as the lady in white and a dam greeted us on the way.
The mountains gave us company. A herd of spotted deer crossed our paths. The monkeys glared at us, a crested serpent eagle posed for us. The landscape kept changing with every turn on the road. Dense evergreen forests, open grasslands, little streams and dams followed us where ever we go. The skies were a distinct blue and the clouds came down to touch you. But it was not just the beauty of nature or the invisible presence of the wild that fascinated me ; it was the absolute silence that greeted me everywhere. There was no tourist or even a local around, but for a local tea shop near Manjolai tea estate .
We drove on without stopping and crossed tea plantations at Manjolai until another dam interrupted us – the Upper Kodaiyar Dam . The landscape changed again and we saw open grasslands , but the mountains were still with us. Sometimes road trips are just about aimless journeys moving from one scenic spot to another, lost in the lap of nature.
But finally we did pause in our journey. There was no milestone or a board that announced our destination. It was just the wind that swept across our face . There were no roads or houses huddled together. There were just open grasslands with the mountains circling us and just a viewing point in a corner. We climbed up the steps and waited for the mist to clear.

This was Kudrevatti - one of Tamil Nadu’s best secrets which would give a hill station a run for its tourist tag. The mountains just got closer as the entire canopy of the forests spread itself around me , almost embracing me in a carpet of green. But in the middle of the green cover was a sea of blue as we could see a couple of dams from the scenic point . While Manimuthar dam was clearly visible Karayar dam seemed to be in a veil of clouds. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity until the mist soon descended wrapping everything in its fold ensuring Kudrevatti remained a secret.

This story was published in my column Inside Story last week in The Hindu Metro Plus. To see more beautiful skies around the world, visit Skywatch

My favourite parks in Malaysia

There are times when you want to run away from all the noise and clutter and lose yourself in a world of lush greenery . I would rather see tall trees than high rise buildings .I hang out very often in parks and green spaces when I travel and I did the same in Malaysia. So here is my list of three favourite parks in Malaysia.


Pic courtesy : Diane Yuri, Creative Commons, Flickr.com

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
Now, imagine a tropical rain forest right in the heart of the city with colourful avian beings flying around in a world of their own. The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is an absolute haven for bird lovers like me who can spend hours just watching them. Almost 3000 birds call this free flight walk in aviary their home as they spread their wings wide in this 20.9 acres of land.

The Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Garden
I was 21 when I visited this beautiful lush butterfly garden and I fell in love with it instantly. A little secret tucked away in the city, this is the largest ever butterfly garden in the world. More than 5000 colourful wisps of wings flutter around in this verdant landscape as you can watch them feed, mate and live in their own habitat.


Pic courtesy : Goflashpacker, Creative Commons, Flickr.com

Pulau Payar Marine Park, Langkawi
From green to blue, from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, we make the journey from land to sea. Malaysia am told is planning to have about 50 marine parks, but this is one of the tourist’s favourites. While some of the uninhabited islands offer opportunities for diving, the park centre at Pulau Payar gives you a detailed information on the island. And while you are here, do not miss the hiking trails and check out the colourful reefs.

So which is your favourite park ?

A wet and wild weekend in Valparai

The rain tumbles down , a gentle drizzle at first . It slowly gathers force, raising its tempo, drowning all sounds of nature . The green becomes greener but the sky wears a dark sheath of grey. The forests close in on us, the creepers magically entwining us into their world. I am warned that is going to be a wet and a wild weekend.

But there is something about the rains in a tropical evergreen forest that brings out the real wild person in you. We are heading to Valparai, a plantation town, a hill station, a bio diversity hotspot and a tropical rain forest – all rolled into one. Located in the Anaimalai Range of the Western Ghats, this is one of the most pristine spots in Tamil Nadu.

The rains become a part of the landscape as we stop for the first glimpse of the Anaimalais. The mountains are in your face and intimidating, but the scenery is breathtaking. Low hanging clouds merging with the mist, playing hide and seek with the mountains, roaring waterfalls, quiet lakes – there is no dearth of them. I count the many shades of blues and greens as the weather turns nippy. The road curves and the winding hair pen bends treat me to some of the most beautiful vistas of nature. There are about forty of them and the mist comes calling as we climb uphill .

The rains come down in full force, but sometimes it is the gentle drop that drips from the ferns and leaves that refreshes you. I feel a gamut of emotions inside me. Initially it is all about gay abandon, then the rains rejuvenate you as the forests come alive. Then as the earth gets wet and the skies are forever wrapped in dark clouds veiling the sun out of view, you long for some warmth . However the rain forest eventually wraps you into a world of magic, a world which is green, misty and wet. There are ferns and orchids everywhere with droplets of water dripping from them . The mist and the rains take turns to come calling. The waterfalls beckon. I learn to ignore the leeches and lose myself in the roaring cascades . And for a moment, I almost throw my umbrella and rain coats and rain poncho and let the rains drench me to the bone.

There are patches of tropical evergreen forests and then there are rolling tea and coffee estates .But it is in this rich bio diversity hotspot, that some of the endangered and endemic species live, fighting for survival. And I am hoping to spot a few of them – from the critically endangered primate lion tailed macaque to the nilgiri tahr, to the great hornbill among several others.

Our journey comes to a halt as we have company on the road. A herd of nilgiri tahr is effortlessly climbing uphill, only to lock horns and engage in a mock fight. The birds call as a lone nilgiri tahr comfortably sits high up in the grassy patch overlooking the entire valley.

We look for the endangered primates, lion tailed macaques and find them in their own world, blissfully unaware of the dangers that face them. Today there are barely few hundreds of them in the Anaimalais. Locals, NGOs and wildlife conservationists are striving to protect these species in this pristine environment. Some villagers learn to coexist with these primates as we see them in their own habitat, busy with their day.

The birds are next on our agenda. We spot woodpeckers, eagles, babblers, coucals, thrushes, mynahs but the moment that I have been waiting for is yet to arrive. We squint through the greenery and look for the Great Indian Hornbill . As we almost give hope, we see them hiding amidst the leaves. We wait patiently and saw the majestic colourful birds fly away , a spectacle to behold and an image that will never fade away from my eyes .

We head out in the night and catch a glimpse of the flying squirrels gliding gracefully from the trees . We look for frogs, civets, insects and several other nocturnal creatures and attempt to photograph a few through our macro lens.

Valparai is not just a story about a tourist destination . It is about a journey through the forests that opens our eyes to conservation , to the shrinking rain forests and to the endangered species. We go on a wilderness trail across lush forests, encountering wildlife, soaking in the waterfalls and getting drenched in the rains, learning a bit about wildlife photography understanding the bio diversity of the region from conservationists .

However it is an understatement to say Valparai is beautiful . The plantations and the forests present a fabric of green . The mists are everywhere ; the rivers and the waterfalls follow you wherever you go . And the legend goes, that an old man called Velu claims to have “Seen God” in the human form here. Velu still comes to the viewpoint at Seen God or Nalamudi Poonjolai everyday, hoping for a second darshan . You should probably believe him, because in that rich dense canopy, there is a possibility that God does exist somewhere .

Now, if this experience does not leave you Alive and Awesome, I cannot imagine what else can .  

To see more photographs of Valparai click here . If you would like to travel with me, visit my Facebook page or you can follow me on twitter

Single malt and more in Madras

A quick weekend to Madras aka Chennai and I was in for a surprise. Pat did I land there and I got a call from Vivanta by Taj - Connemara asking me if I was free to join them for lunch at the Chettinad restaurant Raintree for the 125th  anniversary of Glenfiddich in India. The Taj was creating the meal experience and the whole conversation over lunch veered around pairing Indian food with whisky.

Although I was the only vegetarian around, the food was spicy and went with the whole flavour. Distiller Ian Millar, the global ambassador from Glenfiddich was here with us, getting a taste of spicy Indian food and he was probably the only European I had met in recent times who seemed to be in love with it. We sampled a 12 year old and a 15 year old single malt as Millar cradled the glass in his hand, warming it, asking us to drop a few drops of water in it as we savoured it . And it was bliss indeed !

Birding in Hebbal Lake, Bangalore watching pelicans

I was in Hebbal Lake in Bangalore, watching pelicans with some friends. I shot a couple of videos when we saw these beautiful birds in the waters. A friend explains the different kinds of pelicans while you watch them flying

Birding in Hebbal–Pelicans in flight

Pelicans in Hebbal Lake, Bangalore