WoW nilgiris

Iris Behind the Lens & the World before it

2010-08-19T14:27:00.002+05:30

Photography is what makes me

Pull myself out of my morning slumber.

Quenches my creative thirst from the monotony

Makes me see colours and contemplate

Look at people and relate to

Take notice of all the nitty gritty things happening around me

Above all it is an excuse to be amidst the nature !!

August 19 is the World Photography Day.

Ps:Thanks to Ragu he remind me about it and i chanced upon this image and thought of sharing it.

Greens are they ?

2010-08-08T18:26:00.002+05:30

The greens are going. Tis the colour of skirmish critters called environ activists, there is a corporal identify associated with them to being leftists, a cold blooded anti capitalist and of all they are looked down as “are these critters the only saviors of this earth”, Thou I don’t belong to any green brigade as such, but I am obviously concerned about the fallouts of implosive developmental activities happening in and around the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. In as many casual chats I have with friends one ends up touching the environmental issues daunting the Nilgiris. And invariably it boils down to green brigade bashing, which which made me ponder over the generic psychic of people inhabiting the Nilgiris. Is it only few jug heads like me go thumping around to protect the environment. It is the way commoner think as what impact a lil violation here n there does to the ecosystem, if the violations happened to get questioned they get petrified and throw tantrums a galore. “See even XYZ did the same thing and they got away with it, why only it has to be us”? “The ABC in the green brigade should have put this on to the department they are the jealous lot, they just cannot digest us being happy.”

Coming again to the greens it may be obvious that the greens pulled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty with ulterior motives be it as simple as to get some noise going to get noticed or may be as pretentious with commercial intent by and large there are souls out there gasping at the environmental time bomb, genuine or pretentious the greater common good should prevails and if a mile long is walked for this cause, it is the very cause that gets to gain. So think them to be fascist , critter or creeps the mile is jolly well walked…..

Ouch it Rains

2010-05-30T12:07:00.002+05:30

Awaiting dearly for the monsoon, it is not something as cheerfully awaited yet timidly in the corner of my heart I yearn for now the damp moist days, the aromas of steaming tea & ginger biscuits, the god should be crazy gossips around the fire place ,to cuddle with cozy blankets, with slushy roads and empty bylanes. The monsoon in Nilgiris has its own charm one has to ease in to it though the transition every year is cumbersome, the change will be drastic as gloom descends all around. I like the feel of monsoon, the yearn now is much more to do away with the horrid summer. I hope the wait is over........

Thru Masinagudi Ah ?

2010-03-09T13:56:00.004+05:30

Cow in the evening sun. Masinagudi

In the recent days Masinigudi and its surrounding area have come in to limelight for all reasons that be good for good and bad for bad? Humm now how else can one classify the issues that is daunting this biome in general and the people in particular, above all if I try to concise or do a synopsis of all that comprehends this region for a small post in my blog it is no less an absurdity as I have always been inclined towards the social ecology rather then inviolate core area school of thoughts.

It was last month or so a hearing committee as directed by the Madras High Court had a sitting in the Segur range (on the Masinagudi – Ooty state highway) to receive objections and grievance related to the recently published Map demarcating the proposed Elephant Corridor,

There has always been high emotional over runs, on relocations issues, I like to draw similarities on relocation exodus of River Narmada, as the height of the Tehri Dam was raised the Tehri Valley natives had to relocate, it was opposed tooth and nail, but then it was the might of the pro development envisioned government vs. the will of indigenous mountain people , they cited loss of habitat, loss of diversity and so no but it reached the deaf ear, the govt went ahead with its plans to raise the height of the dam, haven’t heard since then of the plight of those relocated, the relocations is a painful social engineering especially if it is natives and indigenous people to be shifted out of their roots be it for development or for conservation they pay an hefty price, in the realms of social ecology man is an integral part of the ecosystem but in the current circumstances it is difficult to aggregate the harmonious check and balances, be it in the human settlements or these biome pockets getting overburdened with prey or predator populations. There will be more man wildlife conflicts as the spillover happens from either side.

The name derived from the Temple of Masaniamman this sleepy village became the cynosure for all wannabe wildlife socializers conservationist and shutterbugs, well that includes me too :( hanging around on the street waysides flashing those sleeveless, camouflages and khakis. Dousing oneself on chais, last minute shampoo soap spontaneities, Masinagudi has always charmed me from my early ages I have been excited to be here though it might be for mare stopover on the Masinagudi bazaar for its earthiness for its acute wafts of cow dung as you enter this typified village unlike the once we are used to in the upper part of the Nilgiris.

The Mono Cultured Thorns

2010-01-27T19:22:00.005+05:30

On the third day of the ICC field camp I had an opportunity to be at the media presentation by Dr Tarun Chabhra of Toda Nalavalvu Sangam, briefing about various aspects of conservations mechanisms that are entwined in the Toda culture & knowledge base, on the discourse he coined a phrase which compelled me to write this post “the mono culturing the cultural diversity of this world”

Across various civilizations and communities there are intricate practices, accrued knowledge base which has helped them adapt to certain kind of environment and livelihood needs which is inculcated in their cultural fabric as well, thus bringing about the uniqueness among various communities, in the current scenarios the free market driven conglomerates are clinically modifying the social & cultural fabric (even more so the demographic landscape) of every country, if this is the age of global villages with multi faceted culture dotted with Cokes, MacDonald & Pizza Huts fine but these are the prime indicators of mono culturing of our cultural diversity. This macro cultural engineering will lead to broad based dilution of culture in turn gradually affecting the knowledge base and indigenous practices which where organic and sustainable.

A classic example of how the mono culture has intruded in to our system can be seen in the rural farmlands, the farmers where encouraged to use the big conglomerates inorganic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and growth inducers. Conditioning them to move away from traditional farming methods that suited the particular environment (the knowledge base) now the same farmer is reluctant to go back to organic ways.

PS – after giving makeover to my blog I am some how got hooked on to posting black & white images, will last for awhile I guess.

An Evening with Climate Champions

2010-01-25T14:49:00.016+05:30

(in lighter moments to the beats of local drummers)

The International Champions Field Camp got underway yesterday at the Salivation Army – Conference Facility Coonoor.In the inauguration The District Collector Mr Anand Rao Patil spoke on need for the district to be suitably compensated for offsetting the ecological imbalance of this region, and the true beneficiaries of this upland biome was the people in the lowlands, various development aspiration of the people of this hill district are curtailed so that the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve augments the critical carbon wheel of this region.

We had an informal chat with the champs they are keen to learn at the same time well informed about climate scenarios.The champs will go various places around Nilgiris, will conclude with a valedictory on 30th

Click here for more photos of the inaugurations

International Climate Champions inaugaration

The Climate Champions are Here

2010-01-18T13:38:00.012+05:30

A veiw from asara mattam of the Manalapatti Valley

Time and again I end up divulging a lot on the climate issues. Perhaps it is destined that I write about it invariably. Venu (D.Venugopal) said he is going to pull all stops to highlight the recent devastations & landslides that happened in Nilgiris which he attributes to climate change in Nilgiris, Nilgiri Documentation Center (NDC) that venu founded, firstly did a tribal music concert (Music of the Mountains) in Coimbatore, Now the NDC is priming up to put the Nilgiris on the International Climate Change Map, NDC in association with the British Council is organising the second International Climate Champions Programme (ICCP) in the Nilgiris from January 24 to 30, 2010 The ICCP will consists of 30 young champions chosen across 14 countries 4 candidates have been included from the Nilgiri District. The ICCP will be based in Coonoor (Salivation Army) for 7 days & will be moving around various parts of Nilgiris observing impact of climate change on the people, land, forest, fauna, flora and general ecology of the Nilgiris; thereby interpreting the observations in the context of the respective countries of the participants; and seek to draw common lessons for managing such impact in the future.

They would also try to understand the mitigation measures being taken, their effectiveness and the role of NGOs in the fight against climate change impacts. At the end of the camp, they would develop and administer a learning framework to reinforce the experience to their own contexts and individual learning.

Apart from the observation and interpretations the ICCP will gain mileage in various media & give much needed exposure to the general public about the critical importance of the climate change at the local level, for the same there will be few lounges opened at the Salivation Army Conference facility exhibiting climate features, an art gallery, a Kota pottery sessions, sale of native produces and a photo gallery commemorating 25 years of Save Nilgiris Campaign (SNC).

The Year of Biodiversity

2010-01-12T20:37:00.005+05:30

(shot on clear Tuesday morning Ooty)

Ah yes another year has began now, the staidness of the moments felt by me around me stringed to tabulated numerical significance, conniving to make years out of seconds in no time, making me wonder why sandwich something in between two numerical units and then exhilarate or exonerate, again set out to prophesies for the next set of units – for god sake can the Time be set to infinity?

The 2009 scenarios, has seen it all the recession the diving markets, the ever increasing political buffoonery, the climate imbroglio, the pandemic turmoil’s, the natural vagaries & what nots. It was uncertainties all the way with lil or nothin to cheer about. Having seen the back of 2009 for good The Twenty Ten should be all but optimistic to the resolute human self. This world at large expects that this optimism reflects all that we have learnt over the past years, thus to prudently engage in balanced, sustainable development actions & polices.

UN has dedicated 2010 as the YEAR OF BIO DIVERSITY. Though Biodiversity as a word has become a cliché, the underlying imperativeness has much larger paradigm to it,

Its more like mimicking or reinventing the nature in simple term.

At the global arena the nature itself has enacted a preview for last couple of year – of the devastating depressions of Indian Oceans, the freak cold wave clamp downs in China and across Europe and hodunit hurricanes on Uncle Sam’s land, Still the leaders of the capital world are euphemistically passing the buck. We have to graduate from giving mere lip service to realize that human race to thrive needs to coexist. So millipede is as important as Microsoft to US.

WISHES ONE ALL A HAPPY TWENTY TEN.

Smart as Nature

2009-12-12T19:48:00.006+05:30

Malabar Giant Squirrel

I have been frequenting the Crain Hill Reserve for more then 5 years now and I haven’t come any closer to this guy then this perhaps it has got immune to the human presence – a naturally shy diurnal, arboreal mammal the MGS Malabar Giant Squirrel or the Indian Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica ) is a strange story of adaptation in the high altitudes of Nilgiris, they are the only found squirrel species (thrives in 180 to 2,300 msl) in the high altitudes of Nilgiris apart from isolated occurrence of Flying squirrels, and if you have to believe the forest departments theory then MGS is more of a introduced species here. As far as the adaptation part goes the species which is not tolerant of habitat degradation and does not occur in plantations but here they have thrived in man made monocultured forest scapes mostly populated by the towering eucalyptus & cypress trees it is strange because these wooded areas hardy supported their source of nourishments. But they as seed disburser’s have managed to create a subsystem around these forest to meet their dietary requirements. Thus the MGS thrives here it is natures way of improvising if left to fend itself with lil bit of help from us. I wanted to continue on about the Crain Hill Reserve I reserve that for nother elaborate entry.

For now I would like to share about something that I felt the Nilgiris can be better off

- the Nutrino Project has been shifted out of the Mudumalai
Tiger Reserve Link

- MoEF’s promise to look in to the Tourism Policy Link

- MoEF’s comprehensive legislation to protect the bio-diversity hotspot Link

Now for every 3 good things to happen there will be something bad to write as well so

An alternative road to Ooty right through the last remaining free ranging corridor for the
Asiatic Elephants. Link

Naduhatty Nemesis

2009-11-23T15:08:00.011+05:30

This is reported to have happened on 9th Monday nite, we got to hear about it on Wednesday – a small portion of the Coonoor Kotagiri road above Naduhatty caved in triggering a landslide gathering mass on due course, it had strangely detoured on its path as it forged down creating drag corridor thru the village around 4 to 5 house and a public toilet have been completely washed away with on aged women as causality by the look of it – the village appears more ravaged and gorily inflicted upon. The far flung theories going around varies from a cloud bursts, ground water currents of Rallia Dam gushing out to mild tremors, though there is a general grimness and qualm in the face of the villagers I was over awed by the indomitable spirit of the Baduga hospitality even in this times of distress the old Ayya (elderly men) of the village took to a total stranger of me around and insisted in having tea, describing of the freak rains that he hasn’t seen in all of his age (75) managing with out power water for more then a week now, it was heartening sight. The community kitchen was serving hot teas and food solely for visitors, volunteers from the neighboring villages.

VIEW MORE IMAGES HERE

Naduhatty WM

Updated Phyen

2009-11-14T20:49:00.006+05:30

Updated with the photos taken in Achanakal

N(ature)ilgiris smacked

2009-11-12T19:18:00.002+05:30

In the aftermath of the walloping rains that ravaged Nilgiris, I woke up every day to unassuming news of several lives lost around me the initial response to these fatalities relates to sensitized empathy. But yesterday I went around few places that where annihilated by the rains, it was heartening to see the extant of damage meted out by the natures fury, though I did see the images of these places flashed in the media before, the reality did prick a lot. Apart from loss of lives there have been extensive damages to properties, roads, retaining walls, embankments and farming lands. The Ketti Valley recorded 82 cm of rains in a single day record for Nilgiris and Tamil Nadu ( the previous recorded highest downpour was in Cuddalore in 1947 for 57 cm). All put together Nilgiris should have yielded something around 700 cm to 900 cm of rains from 6^th evening to 9^th morning.

Ooty’s main arterial roads from Kotagiri and Coonoor side are still disengaged, with several massive landslides reported on the Coonoor Mettupalyam road as well – It should take more then a month or so to revive these roads, this apart there are several service roads around Nilgiris that have seen multiple landslides that to has to be restored.

Now priming upon these devastations all I can sum up is that these devastation is more of made then happened, If the cause and effect is to be found the obvious fact is here for all to see, as most of the fatalities have happened due to unplanned constructions or in the Improvised Colonies on the steep face of valley’s structured without proper foundation, retaining wall or facilitating proper drainage of water.

On the depression induced rain front not that we have experienced something similar in the past , there have been depressions homing in to Nilgiri ranges and the seasonal north east monsoon lashing out but the severity and the magnitude of this scale has been long since heard of (if I can draw parallel it was way back in 1978). Obviously the blame game or finger pointing towards the global warming is natural, but as a phenomena it is rather strange pattern which has been occurring for past couple of years now of frequent depression in the oceans surrounding the peninsula which makes you conclude pointing to the el ninos

The world is now on track to experience more catastrophic damages from climate change than in the worst-case scenario forecast by international experts, scientists have warned.
The research, published in a prestigious US science journal, shows that between 2000 and 2004 the rate of increase in global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels was three times greater than in the 1990s.
That is faster than even the worst-case scenario modelled by the world's leading scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, published over recent months, because the updated emissions figures were not available in time to be included.
We keep shying away from the thought running in us – do these things affect US?

Humm Nature has shed its inhabitation

^{PS: I had been wanting to update my blog for long time now but while awayed my days in virtual oblivion , as it stands justified it would have been much better to have stayed way rather then.}

^{check out more photos of the}

Devastation

^here

Like to hear the forest Laugh

2009-08-26T17:50:00.001+05:30

Now how many of you know about this? That there is a rare species that you can sight only in Nilgiris !

There are lots of species which are rare that can be sighted in Nilgiris upon rarity there is a Unique place for The Nilgiri Laughing Thrush (NLT) which can Only be sighted in Nilgiris and nowhere else Yes you read it right.

The Nilgiri Laughing Thrush (NLT) is a insectivorous bird larger then a house Sparrow and smaller then a common Crow splurging on insects and berries found in the Shola thickets, the call of NLT is very unique a resounding call more like mimicking laughter. NLT is the only truly endemic species of Nilgiris in the Avian Fauna part now. Thou there are lotta species that have the prefix of “Nilgiri” attached to it like the famed Nilgiri Thar then the Nilgiri Wood Pigion, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Nilgiri Pipet and so on but these species are found even outside the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR). The Nilgiri Thar is found all the way down in Munnar and Valpari. Even more astounding is the fact that NLT is enlisted as an Endangered (EN) species in the IUCN Red list, a rung below the lists priority - Critically Endangered (CR), with the highly fragmented geographical distribution NLT can be found in small numbers around Nilgiris, there have been a sighting of NLTs in the Pala Mala Kerala ( these sighting are yet to be authenticated, inputs are needed) the population of NLT is estimated to be any thing between 2500 to 9000 individuals according to BIRDLIFE International as it is really difficult to peg the exact numbers and its anybody guess now, it might even have decreased in numbers given the state of disturbance to its habitat – which is predominantly Sholas, thickets and scrubby undergrowths in the elevation above 3000 ft.

On the conservation front what are the efforts taken to protect this unique bird, to my knowledge it is near non existent. The officials sitting in the concerned department are not aware of the importance of such a bird, even if they do they cannot gauge the critically importance attached to it. And above all it is not highlighted or media represented, like the importance given to the Nilgiri Thar. Species like NLTs are crucial denominators for the state of our environments health there are many such denominator going unnoticed around us, of all miseries people are more interested in big names of Tigers and Lion conservation – yes it holds true when the top predator is protected the ecological food chain sustains by itself, but what about the isolated small dynamic forest reserves where umpteen number of smaller species like NLTs thrive, there might even be many more species and organisms alike around the world that are in the verge of getting vanished or have seen their traces wiped off from the face of this earth due to loss of habitat – we will never come to know about it and how less important are these species in the ecological food chain? Can all this be attributed to the evolutionary process! If so can we allow the Lions the Tigers and the other exotic species to see its natural end of being wiped off from this very earth as their role in the evolutionary process has been attained?

I know no evolutionary theorem here - just a laymens heart to possess and to be possessed by nature

Is any body listenin out there ?

Chasing Monsoon

2009-08-18T15:04:00.001+05:30

Coonoor Singara Estate Road

The picture perfect monsoon mood that is conjured up in the movies of the mountains flacked by moving mist, smog and the occasional wind swept drizzle is all but in the reel world. In the real world what does the Great Indian Monsoon means to people of Nilgiris. For us it is more of a “love hate” relationship as the better part of the year is consumed by both the SE – NW - Monsoon - it obliviate life every time monsoon sets in - to reconcile the ways and means to counter the monsoon rains over and over again – it is a way of life no doubt, a habitual acclimation of sort for the resident is more cumbersome and comes with a ritual cribbing as they gradually ease in to the monsoon mode. what with intensive cloud cover, one hardly sees the sun rays hit the earth for weeks together, dampness and moist clothing to put up with as it hardly dries, if one dwells in homes with old Mangalore tiled roofing it is (most of us do) then of all probability it will leak, seep and will splotch with droplets.

Left with the smaller side of the Monsoon as the peak months of June and July are behind us now, having yielded below normal rains then forcasted for this year let alone year on year. In the ecological front if one has observed the pattern of monsoon for last 8 to 10 years it is pretty evident that there has been a major shift in Nilgiris climate pattern one that stands out conspicuously is the window of second season which has vanished and both the monsoons have merged – every thing in its severity is has been the order of the day. Heavier rains in the monsoons, summer getting hotter with ever souring temperature.

The monsoon is now expected more so with some kind of mechanical precession with the every passing year the weather department is forecasting the precise date the monsoon sets in - fairly it is been the case for more then 8 to 10 years now that we have received reasonable monsoon as expected. In the face of it I keep pondering over the thought of “expecting the nature to perform on any given time” Now can it perform to our demanding needs ? with so much of influence like the El Ninos, The Greenhouse Effect and the vanishing green cover. In the probability of the monsoon skipping out for a year – imagine what will be the arising scenario? Total devastation a precarious scenario whereby our storage facilities is churned out on hand to mouth basis. The last time monsoon gave a break for a year the scenario wasn't as demanding as now but that was 10 year before. What we will see is chaos every where, the obvious blame game, committees upon committees special task force core working groups (bureaucratically buying time, and excuse “WE ARE WORKING ON IT” ), the green crowd given a hearing and massive fund infused to do major forestry, de-silting dams, reservoirs lil bit of framer pleasing finally the sizable chunk of the fund will end up with crooks masquerading as Realtors. And can we have a plan B here if so what kind of contingency can we plan to fill up in place of the monsoon a blatant management theory here to ask for a contingency plan for nature (sic a contingency plan for “nature”, thou one can be better equipped to face it but cannot replace it) ~ it is like being parched on top of the cliff and expecting every time a copter to rescue us.

That precarious Year is not far off from us, will eventually dance to the tune of Nature until then I await the arrival of the Monsoon dampness mountains flacked by moving mist, smog, the occasional wind swept drizzle et al

Coonoor, Brooklands Road

The men who keeps your Tigers

2009-07-24T14:13:00.001+05:30

In the age where it is a compulsive fad, too glam and to too hepp to profuse of tiger conservation... in this very world lives these men scoffing of poachers gun powders, braving forest fire and occasional wild life aggression there is no protagonist hep conservation theory here- just commitment and the livelihood strands that they cling on to for nothing more then mare pittance doled out by the forest department – the arrival of even that pay packs has no fixed date either- waiting for more then three months or even six months before the lay their hands on the pay register. They are the first in line ears eyes and defense in the forest management, toiling beyond their primary duties, life of an Anti Poaching Watcher (APW) is a wrenching tirade and dribbling sweat shop treatments on a normal day they trudge minimum of around 20 km to mind their beats ( forest tracts divided into small areas for easy managements) apart from monitoring the beats they double up as fire watchers, on occasion of fire flares up they have to dig trenches and fire lines to contain the fire from spreading. The APW force is drawn mostly from the indigenous native menfolk who are well versed with the terrain and surroundings more over the department leverages the local knowledge base and intelligence in turn providing them small employment window (mostly on Temporary roles) for these predominant herders and farm hands.

Featured here:

Bhojan crossing the stream near Shanda Mattam Anaikatti ~ a 46 year native Irulan is father of three and belongs the the Segur Division Forest Circle on the Temporary roles for more then 12 years now (finally got inducted). Attacked by Sloth Bear once – escaped with a ripped shoulders bones and broken arm was in the Gudalur Government Hospital for more then three months. Snarled by Tigers, Chased by Elephants umpteen number of times. “He has chased wild Elephants” at least once, as far as I have seen with my own eyes. Believe me. Waiting to see his daughter graduate from the College in Coimbatore.

The Paeans of Octavio Paz

2009-07-03T16:58:00.001+05:30

Ootacamund

In the Nilgiris Hills

I went looking for the Todas.

Their temples are cone- shaped and are stables.

Thin, bearded, impenetrable,

they milk their sacred buffaloes

murmuring incoherent hymns.

They guard a secret from Sumeria,

not knowing that they guard it.

Between the thin, dry lips of the elders

the name of Ishtar, the cruel goddess,

shines like the moon on an empty well...

A vision on the mountains road:

the rose camelia tree

bending over the cliff.

Splendor in the sullen green,

fixed above an abyss.

Impenetrable presence,

indifferent to vertigo – and language...

~ Octavio Paz

(winner of the 1990 Nobel prize for Literature)

Nilgiris has mesmerized one and all they came, they saw - got conquered
(still coming in droves)

a laureate from far of ... as far from Mexico came visiting and

had this to say.

Source: The Nilgiris Guide (1993)

By D.Venugopal
Nilgiri Documentation Centre.

OF Todas

2009-04-21T18:35:00.001+05:30

Untold of Glares

The Todas have been unique, like the Nilgiris they have always been in the media glare, i had always wanted to write about them because i have been associated with them since my teens and have grown hearing about their folklore and legends. It did strike me if i had to draw equals or measure them with other similar indigenous tribes, it would be hard to draw parallel hence the uniqueness and i can elaborate many such uniqueness of the Todas of one being of Vegetarian in eating habits of unique dialect with phonetics that have any inkling with the Dravidian or Sanskrit lineages. They have been the most written about most mentioned about indigenous people of the Nilgiris. Which makes me the question about - other equally or more precarious native communities that inhabit the Nilgiri Biosphere, pretty much unknown much to the outside world. The Todas have been in the limelight as a flagship community in the Nilgiris - when you mention about Nilgiris the thoughts that linger would obviously will include that of Todas as well. In the broader spectrum it is immaterial of who hogs the limelight until at least they get the exposure which would be of immense help in the upliftment of these communities, having said that the Todas are relatively on a better wicket, Then the Cholanaikens and Paniyas.

It is time we threw some light on these people as well.

Shot on Pothili son's marriage Filming session by A Belgian Film Crew with Vasamalli

For More On Todas

Todas the Story on Front line

Wikipedia - Todas

Transports

2009-04-16T13:28:00.002+05:30

Transport by all Means

Is this an apt image for the term. Near Sathyamangalam in the Black Buck Sanctuary this is indeed way of life - the development is word that is near non existent here, in a euphemistic view the great debate of development vs conservation will have no takers from the communities that inhabits these forest areas which is again the most crucial elephant corridor.

Now where do we draw the line?

The Nilgiri Peak

2009-04-05T15:39:00.002+05:30

The Moolakad Times

-

In my quest to probagate Nilgiris – of its grandures and uniqueness I lost unto the time and as the buck keeps passing on to another time and nother day.I need to get my acts together, to keep the momentum on I am going to blog mostly of back logged photos - the above one is a compelsive blog material

Moolakadh 22 km from Gudalur it is lynch pin in the 'O' Valley basin at 4330 ft msl groovy gorge's under belly of the Nilgiri high lands flanked by the Nilgiri Peak at 8320 ft msl of it looks like a typical third world country side small plantation settlement of the Birla Jaishree plantation, the plantation has run in to huge legal embroil as the said tracts of land belonged to Nilambur Kovilagam which where turned over to the Birlas who converted large extant of prime forest in the tea, coffee and spice plantation suppose to be around 16000 acres – as the Supreme court has directed the birlas to maintain status quo and there isnt much estate works happening the the labour force have moved out in search of better pasture this settlement wears a deserted looks. We found curious infants peeving at us on our quest to Nilgiri Peak ( that is an another blog do coming soon, I hope so...)

Living it up 2009

2009-01-15T13:51:00.001+05:30

Living it up 2009

2009 has seen its first couple of days. it is irony that

Hope is wright all around us in spite of the global turmoils,

Hope makes us dream realize and thus exist,

To live and tell the tales of another day....

One such tale about a small Dream in the Quest of Mukurthi.

The Mukurthi Nilgiri Thar Sanctuary will always have its charm; nonetheless I can vouch for word Mukurthi in itself singlehandedly allured me in to conservation. It carried a mystic wonderland tag to it from all that I heard since my teens, thou I did personally set my foot on top of the peak in the year 2004 but it was in my dream list for more then a decade. In those days – that is around 10 years ago it was open to all those who had a streak for adventure to venture on to scale the peak even camp near the stream all that is restricted now, this zealously guarded patch of haven is a proper typified (few) remains of natural Shola grassland vegetation of Nilgiri Highlands. A verdant stretch of rolling mounds carpeted of a unique grass strains which retains moisture all thru the year hence called the catchment areas and natural over head tank of low altitude flood plains of River Bhavani one of the main intent to be notified as protected area apart from being a habitat for the endangered Nilgiri Thar.

All these years the Forest Department has done a commendable work in conserving this region however the plight of this unique grassland vegetation is under tremendous threat from wattle a commercial timber that was introduced by the English mainly for viscose fibre and for firewood needs – the wattle spreads very fast and is destroying the prime Shola grassland which the Forest Department is finding it difficult to eradicate, the only means to eradicate the wattle is by physically uprooting the wattle which is a herculean task and subsequently the windswept seedlings keeps pollinating to the adjoining peripherals. Hope that we are able to restrict the wattle and conserve this haven

Wishes for the Year 2009.

TFN a small dream now Big Movement

2008-11-13T19:19:00.000+05:30

Tour oF Nilgiris beckoning

A group of enthusiasts in Bangalore conceived a tour to Nilgiris in Bike, after thrashing out, bouncing ideas among fellow bikers and the possibility of such a strenuous expedition, couple of days later it gathered ideas and bloomed in to a wholesome movement to highlights the importance of cycling. Such tours do create awareness among the public to revive the old cycling ways which has whole lot of benefits like cycling for health and pollution free mode of transport.

The movement apart from being an adventurous trail that pans 910 kms of cultures and varying tropical landscapes for the participant, it will create awareness enroute by means of organizing cycle rallies in prominent places to highlight the benefit of cycling. The organizers trying to create excitement around this event planned to kick of on December 24th, such that the media takes notice of this tour and the message is conveyed .

For me cycling was the sole mode of transport to roam around Nilgiris then, I have biked around the country sides of Nilgiris since my teens, in the summer hols as bike packer we would set out in the BSA slrs and champs wading thru uncharted terrains filled with rolling grasslands, shola thickets, jiving thru water bodies skidding on soling roads fun fun to the brim. Thou i dont find much time these days to go biking it is still in my toe to push a peddle or two.............

TFN Tour of Nilgiris is calling upon like minded enthusiasts to join in whatever way they can to promote this event with the motto to revive the cycling habit all over again

visit TFN

Weeping Gods

2008-10-13T19:51:00.001+05:30

Shot at the Kamaraj Sagar Dam Nilgiris on the Ganesha vajirnam day

A ritual that did good for the independence in rousing the nationalistic fervor – eventually took over by the hue of saffron in a big way it was abduction of the custom (of sort) or a smart orientation of Ganesh Churthithi to be associated with the saffron brigade, (this phenomenon is mostly evident in the Southern India) neither did we realize it happen all along. Most of the time we don't question the basic premise behind these customs or ritual in the current scenario, but that is how most of customs and rituals have been for years and for generations they are the symbols of cultural identities and one doesn't reason them, just go thru it with reverence and celebrations if need be. Once you start reasoning then it manifests or zeros down to the core of our cultural beliefs, it is the shadow of our social wantons, subscribing it for brandishing the ego of our beliefs, one such is this custom of the Ganesh Idol immersion what has turned into the much publicized heart thumping show in the edge of religious glorification, thou these kind of customs brings out common man thru local groups, neighborhood clubs, religious sabhas and other cultural clubs together, it is a good comradeship. As we move with the times we and the religious heads interpret and modify the rituals or customs to suit according to our whims and fancies when this is very much acceptable. Now why cannot we apply the same modification to this custom as well - the custom of immersing the Ganesha's idol in the water bodies if the religious heads see reasons and care for the environs, rather then polluting the water bodies the solution can be arrived like as creating a solid idol immersing the idol in the water bodies and retrieve it back the same to be reused for next year this way the ritual remains intact ,the water bodies not polluted and above all the dignity and respect to the idol as god is upheld.

2008-10-08T16:18:00.001+05:30

Transportation by all Means

In the deep recesses of sathy forests this is transport by all means, one is always inquisitive if the great Indian development ethos hasn't arrived here as yet. It will remain as a paradigm that equates the human aspiration on one side and the greater common good of conservation on the other side which will be detrimental to development For these people who have sustained in this part of the world for generation as as predominant herders and cultivating upstream settlers. The fallout of the greater common good side is the development marginalization which is very much evident here, attributing to conservation of the critical wildlife habitat that this region boosts of as an Elephant corridor and a haven to host of other endangered species. These people are thus denied of their share in the great Indian Development pie.

A mud road that leads from the town of Bhavani Dam all the way to Thengumarada dotted with small settlements of Hallimoyar, Gazallhatti and Kallampalayam. This route is being serviced by a Government Bus once in a day with erratic timings and by the milk van that you see in the above frame. It is a 2 hours drive from Bhavani Dam.

2008-07-17T18:09:00.001+05:30

See Adventure Hear History

This place has gone down in the history as a mysterious pillar, deep south east in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve around 5 km from Kil Kotagiri lies this unusual rock formation, what is called The Rangaswami Pillar, how it got this name is still sketchy - it is said that one Mr Ragaswami had his estate below this Pillar hence the name, So be it, but it is a real visual treat to sit there and admire this unique rock column jutting out from a thick green cover resembling like a green cauliflowers staked on the mountain flanks. Now the history part of it, in the year 1950 a Chennai to Trivandrum bound Air-India flight deviated from its due landing course of Coimbatore and crashed on this pillar ! All 20 passengers and crew on board were found dead.

What used to be our regular trek and exploration trip on weekends - this being one such sojourn myself Dinesh and Purushoth decided to look around Rangaswami Pillar on the way we roped in Giri of kotagiri Hari mess a wildlife enthusiast with lotta energy and passion for Nilgiris, he guided us to to Rangaswami Pillar a moderate one hour trek from Kil Kotagiri through tea estates, shola forests and grass lands ( it was surprising to come across grass lands in the eastern side of Nilgiris). Done with the trek and back in Kotagiri we were discussing about the trek when Giri told us that he was in possession the new paper article published in 1953 carrying the news of the above mentioned plane crash which got us excited and as we read through the article which deliberated the sequence, the search undertaken and the details of the persons on board so on. It was heartening to hear and at the same time it gave us an inquisitive historical angle to our exploration. Read the full text reproduced here

Another perspective of the Pillar from Kallampalayam in the Segur Ghats

2008-03-31T17:43:00.001+05:30

Venu seeing sullivans Blue Mountains

The spotless blue skies staring down on the brick and mortar structure staved off in a nondescript village of Nilgiris –which is claiming to get back to its hay days again. Built in the year 1819 by John Sullivan – The Collector of Coimbatore this building is the first modern construction to come up in Nilgiris. The irony is that - one cannot understand what cometh to this important piece of history to be in the oblivion and state of neglected all these years. Thou the general antagonism for the British remnants are obvious in the plains but in Nilgiris it was different, by and large the Victorian & gothic style architecture was ideally suited more so for it is climatic adaptation and to the sylvan settings the residue of this kind of architectural style is evident even in the post British Raj period buildings. Many a factors went in to disintegrating this structure and to demean its importance one of the main factor being the place where it was located - Dhimbhatty (5 km from Kotagiri) which lost out to the subsequently explored Kotagiri & thereafter the Ootacamund through which the roads where planned this might be the one of the reason, as for the ownership of this bungalow changed in to various hands thereby it lost its significance eventually it was deserted by its last possessor until SNC took note of the importance of this building in 1988 and proposed to the administration to restore the Pethakal Bungalow (as it was called by the natives here). It was by the efforts of Shri P C Alexander, Governor of Tamil Nadu at that time and there after By Shri Supriya Sahu – Collector of Nilgiris in the year-2002 that this building was restored to its original plan and in the year 2005 it was hand over By Collector of Nilgiris (Mr VijayRaj Kumar) to SNC for maintenance and promotion.

And thus SNC is promoting The Sullivans Bungalow in a big way with lots of plans for the future to see it grow as a archive of The Nilgiris rich history. Envisioned by D.Venugopal Coordinator of SNC – The Nilgiri Documentation Centre is already in operation here with collection of priceless old photographs artifacts meticulously documented and exhibited.

And about D.Venugopal an economist by profession, founder coordinator of Save Nilgiris Campaign, his mind soul and thoughts lie in Nilgiris. I have not come across any one so obsessed with Nilgiris.

2008-01-26T13:53:00.002+05:30

Gelfs Own

Country

( gulf that iis how it is pronounced in Kerala and it is every other youths aspiration to head to gelf and make it big)

Having been to gulf’s own country (pronounced as gelf) for couple of days one thing is really evident the gelf’s economy has actually helped upkeep the Wynad’s pristine forest and the ecology at large!! And it seems this part of the country looks so different from the others with good roads (I am talking about monsoons heartlands) dotted with small towns, well defined neo aesthetics buildings that have good mix of contemporary and traditionalism merging in to the plantation landscape. Very courteous people better informed, they know the importance of their place!! By and large Wynad has a unique climes and fertile land mass; here you can see coconut trees and high altitude tea bush side by side.

Taking about places we went around in Kallpetta which
was an ancient Jain Settlement there is an old Jain Temple here. And about the ancient ways there is a 6000 year old rock art craving site Edakal Caves – The ASI is on excavation here, on what is supposedly a natural cave formed due to an earthquake, with a gaping fissure pegged above by a huge rock boulder hence the name EDAKAL (roughly the centre stone) there is a huge flat face crevice adjacent to this carving site, if your adventurous knees love to crawl and your head can defy some degree of vertigo (we had both) you can climb the rock face above this cave (they have erected ladders and ropeways at inaccessible patches) the view from the top is awesome and worth a climb, having said that the climb is easier then the decent cause it is a near vertical face so you would be facing steep gorge down below - sounds dizzy. Coming to the Wynad’s famed diversity what remains are clumps of island forest diversity due to thriving plantation and resort clamoring’s nonetheless these islands are protected, what we where at loss was the invincible Chembra Peak that we wanted to climb (due to forest fire the permission’s were denied)

Photos- first one shot in the Edakal caves.
Second one shot on the peak above of the cave

2008-01-01T19:17:00.004+05:30

Mile Stone for every ONE

AAhhhh! An old mile stone pillar that you will seldom see these days

Look how far Coonoor is from Ooty - 11 miles (it is 18km) an old milestone withered its times still looking cute and better of then all those iron n sheet fabricated direction boards that has come and gone, few still jutting out like rusted gardeners blade stalking the bystanders!

Shot at St Stephan Church gate.Ooty

Now my personal milestone of all the days I counted out of my ever decreasing formative years spent iridescently on myriad self imposed miseries now I am desperately seeking directions a meaningful one at that.

Hence these milestone (the literal one) of the New Year signify the threshold to take guard on a different wicket, to scoff at the posterity, and to augustly welcome the days ahead of me to accomplish all that I set out to achieve.

Wishing every one out there with the vision for

2008 a

Happy and Prosperous year to come

Ya here we come.

2007-12-28T13:26:00.001+05:30

The Towering Ranga

RANGASWAMY PILLAR

A HALLIMAYOR PRESPECTIVE

Just by the look of it one is griped by the unusual rock
formation reaching out for the sky. An audacious free
hand chiseling dealt exuberantly by the vivid sculptor
called nature,a testimony of all its grandeurs.
This image is far from describing
what I really feel of these gregarious mountains
bestowed not only with visual appeals but the real
meta purpose of nature
in work to erode the highlands and fill up
the sea bed this ongoing process is what
baffles me to question the very
premise to preserve the environment.
The answers lies in the natures
realms and we have to see parallels in our
lives now don’t we eat to survive
even as we are destined to die?

So is conservation too….

2007-12-13T12:11:00.002+05:30

O Mountains O Mountains of Things

11.12.2007
Internationl Day of Mountains.

a day for a mountains or should i say a date with a mountains,
in the era of perplexed fads for national days, international
days and days for all days.
The importance and the human dexterity to remember all these
days is fading non the less we will have more such days nominated
in the coming days(again days!!).
I rather take my share of an important day
in December the 11th.
UN has nominated December 11 as the
International Day of Mountains,
A day to revere, glorify and celebrate humongous mounts and
the petite mounds in the ecological scheme of
things their stature to quench human avarice is boundless.
We profuse about air and water as crucial to life on earth,
the mountain ecosystem is the vital anchors to air and water.
with the evident ghosts of climate change the mountains bear the physical
brunt’s, with the glacial retracts and its adversities, apart from the human exploits.

( Kodanad Range shot from Bluemeen Kadavu)

2007-11-27T18:31:00.002+05:30

If mesmerized can mean anything better?

precisely why it doesn't stop charming
people from across the globe.
It is Ooty though and not the Ootacamund
that we grew up to, but it is still dearer to
us. It is said that John Sullivan
(founder of modern Ooty) first viewed
Ootacamund from around this place and
fell in love with it and the rest
is.....................

(shot taken from Gorishola)

2007-11-25T19:03:00.001+05:30

Playing to the Nature's Tune

The Indian Scimitar Babbler
Pomatorhinus erythrogenys.

Bird again but a special one at that,
resident breeding bird
shy, rare to sight and having an unusual
calling - so musically synchronized
to hear the male and female babbling's.
These avians plays a crucial role
in the ecosystem as seed disburser,
scavenger, preying on insects and
above all it is a vital sign denoting to the
ecological health of area.

(shot near Doddabetta Nilgiris)

2007-11-24T19:35:00.002+05:30

Left out in the Vision 2020 bandwagon!!

Panthi

a irula herds women in Hallimoyar, Nilgiris
for her and many others in her community -
life is all about cattles and Hallimayor seldom venturing
beyond, weathering the sun, rains and wilderness they
survive on meagres of the low milk yielding cows
(stock mainly reared for their cow dung).
With the bovine stock rearing discouraged in this area,
there is a dilution in their culture and loss of livelihood as their
grazing lands,come under the Nilgiri Eastern Ghats Elephant
Reserves preview. Hence they are marginalised
for the sake of greater common good! on the other
side in the name of development, the fringe areas of these
forests are vanishing.
Now is their loss of livelihood and culture justified?

2007-11-22T16:15:00.001+05:30

The Valley View Mornings

A panoramic view of Ketti Valley on a winter morning, with the
the mist anchored to the mountains it gives you a
breath taking view to see the sun rise with a halo effect.

2007-11-20T18:01:00.002+05:30

The day abstract got better of me !

Yes i have always wondered why these abstract photography
are the most admired ? Well ahh it is an essential interpretation of art.... you know
blah blah.... nay i am not good at that, Folks.
However one thing about these
abstracts, they can be passed on
with some props mounts and processing
(as i have done here)
to others, to decipher what the heck it all interprets.
For me these abstracts are visually appealing
may be this is what they interpret?
Why bother, it gives me that soul searching
sense - me too can churn out some
abstracts. amen.

(a crop of the iron arch at St Stephan's Church.Ooty)

2007-11-18T17:17:00.002+05:30

Lets get down to comparative perspective's

Defying the warnings from my last post. I got succumbed to the imagination to go and shoot from the place around where Richard Barron should have sat to paint his visuals.(I had my own constraints framing the whole perspective due to the buildings obstructing the view, this is the best possible view i got)

To the scenic visuals that Richard Barron's saw then and what I am withnessth to now. It sums up what Nilgiris has inflicted upon itself over a century. It is irony that development is the way ahead but at what cost?

2007-11-17T14:05:00.002+05:30

Ooty as we really need to know and see

let your imagination run riot yes this was what Ooty looked like in 1837!!!Don't dare to compare it with the current visuals of what is supposed to be panoramic view of Elk Hill and Bombay Castle from the Will Bund Road.The life and timesof Neelgherry Hills (as it was called) was so serene andbreathtaking to be called rightly as Queen of Hill Station.

This plate from Richard Barron's 'Views in India, chiefly among the Neelgherry Hills'. It shows a view from across the lake in Ootacamund. Barron writes that the "small cottages dispersed in the wood are the property of Dr. Glen, an officer on the Bombay establishment, and the Parsees' shops, of which there are two, and one European, are large and good, and any thing, either dress, furniture, or supplies, can be procured, without incurring the unnecessary expense of bringing up what the great change of climate requires."
Most of the biggest shops in Ootacamund were branches of large establishments in Madras, and were situated at a convenient distance from European residences. Amongst the biggest and best-established traders were the enterprising Borah Saits of Bombay.
Thanks to British Library.

2007-11-16T13:18:00.002+05:30

Marlimund Lake.

In literary sense this Dam is the over head tank of Ooty.
This dam's scenic beauty apart has been one of the
main source of water quencher to Ooty town.
The heartening news now - this dam is filled to the brim
after 17 long years. Such has been the fury of the Monsoons this year.

2007-11-15T12:50:00.000+05:30

Where is the ginger beer?

what remains of the bygone era of this colonial hangup, a legacy
heard and savored, Ooty had all the essence of English be it in culture, setting,
climate and architecture.

2007-11-14T11:48:00.001+05:30

Pied Bush Chat

A resident female pied bush chat basking in the sun.
Birding is a an aquired interest for me, it is
a boon for those who love to be among the
wilderness and do the waiting game for that
appropriate moment for the bird to show up.
It is an euphoric satisfaction of having seen a rare migrant
bird again that came visiting last year,
it can be equated to not less then sighting a tiger these days.

2007-11-13T11:07:00.000+05:30

The feather flurries

Eurasian Black Bird (Nilgiri Race)

With the monsoons behind us (hopefully). It is raining of birds now, there is a spurt of avian
presence in the fringe areas of Ooty, orchestrating delightful symphony
to discerning ears and colours to the eyes.

2007-11-12T13:51:00.001+05:30

Cattle Terrific

Herd crossing River Moyar (near) Tengumarada a predominant pastoral village.
However they have taken more towards agriculture now as cattle
herding is discouraged by the forest department as they annihilate the shrub growth in the surrounding forest area where these herds are taken for grazing.

2007-11-11T11:18:00.001+05:30

And the Winter is here !!!!

Mukurthi Peak with Ooty perspective.
Winter mornings dawning with frosted window panes,
and harsh Sun rays filtering thru Cyprus branches.

2007-11-09T14:53:00.000+05:30

Nilgiris (un) limited

The mention of Nilgiris evokes the thoughts and memories of mountainous ranges, the nilgiri mountain railway, salubrious weather and tea gardens
but then even this is Nilgiris as well!! you bet?
A beaten scenario in most of the south Indian villages in the lower altitudes.
A herder in the road leading to Thengumarada.
This is why Nilgiris is a unique hill district, encompassing diverse land mass of ever green forest, grass lands, dry deciduous shrubby forest vegetations and culturescapes.

2007-11-07T15:57:00.001+05:30

The life line of Tengumarada

This! the world of Thangan, the humble courteous coracle contractor
of Thengumarada, coracle is the sole means of transport
for 1000 odd people living on the other side of the river.
They have to cross the River Moyar to reach the motorable road
to Bhavani Sagar.

2007-11-06T16:48:00.001+05:30

Downstream Moyar

The River Moyar - in its monsoon vigours gunning for
Bhavani Sagar Dam.Thengumarada NBR

2007-11-05T11:44:00.000+05:30

Cash (not enough) cropping

A proper subsistence farming. A small patch of paddy cultivated
in the outskirts of Thengumarada for the farmer consumption with
the water scarcity and resource being concentrated in cash
crops this is all he can manage.

2007-11-04T13:28:00.001+05:30

The Mysore Halla

Shrubby tropical expanse with the River Moyar (not seen) cradled
in the valley below, uniquely named the Mysore Halla.
near Shanda Mattam Sigur Ghats NBR.

2007-11-03T13:01:00.000+05:30

Walking the Wild Gaur Way

The wild gaur herd shying away from us near Blumeen Kadaavu
these stock have much lesser exposure to the human presence as
they dwell in the core area of Sigur Forests
NBR

2007-11-01T16:57:00.001+05:30

Zillionth Drop.

again a take on the monsoon. Ooty Eithalar Road

2007-10-31T18:06:00.000+05:30

The Monsoon Moods

for 4 running years we have been seeing Emarald and Avalanchi Dam over flowing the tell tale signs of climate change.

2007-10-25T14:20:00.000+05:30

Claspin Clouds

The Ebbanad Range as viewed from Annaikatti, in a clasp of clouds. wonder why they call it
The Blue Mountains.

2007-10-18T19:12:00.000+05:30

The Elephant search.

Shyam, Adarsh and Bhojan from Aanaikatti (near Masinagudi) on the Elephant trial. NBR

2007-10-10T17:25:00.001+05:30

Habitat Homo sapien

Irulas in the fringes of Annaikatti village Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

2007-10-08T13:58:00.000+05:30

Monolithic Rock Carving

a monolithic rock carving near Annaikatti village depicts pastoral ways and life's
Nilgiri Bioshere Reserve

2007-10-07T12:30:00.001+05:30

Moving Mountains

the Kalhatty Range as seen from Masinagudi, with a MSL of 3000 ft it is a rapid ascent to MSL of 7000 ft to reach Ooty.

2007-09-28T14:01:00.001+05:30

The Red Wiskered Bulbul.

Shot in GBR (Government Botanical Garden. Nilgiris) a nice birding Opps in the mornings.

2007-09-21T13:20:00.000+05:30

The Sigur Plateau

As seen from Kotagiri Road the Sigur Plateau and the Bhavani Dam back waters. This is a crucial Elephant corridor on the eastern slopes of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

2007-09-21T11:21:00.000+05:30

The Tantalizing Tentacles

The hues of greens in coexistence - the moss brings the vivid thoughts of monsoon in all its essence ....
place GBR Nilgiris

2007-09-19T13:15:00.001+05:30

Brand Image for Nilgiris

So much has been written in this regard, protests demonstrations what not- seems to have hit nowhere. It has been the curse of Nilgiris for tourism and for public transport alike.
Hope are Diminishing

2007-08-21T19:20:00.003+05:30

Plasticky Patriotism

It is really unnerving to see the spurt of Plastic Flags spring up around you in the eve of national days and events. It finds the mantle for couple of days then it is discarded to the garbage littered on the waysides and around garbage cans are we honouring our flag? more over it is a environmental hazard.
The next time you like to exercise your Patriotism think !

Give in to the Greater Common Good

2007-08-03T16:57:00.000+05:30

An open letter to

The Ministry of Railways and The Ministry of Environment

We place before your ministry a humble request to call off the proposed RAILWAY LINE between Chamarajanagar to Sathyamangalam, cutting across the Nilgiris Eastern Ghat Elephant Reserve, part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and proposed Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary. As the government is aware of the facts - about the importance of this area, beaming with natural wealth of fauna and flora that are endemic to this region. All the more this railway line cuts across the vital elephant migratory path from Mayor plateau to Attapadi and Silent Valley this corridor is already disturbed by the roads, hoardings, fencings and other human interventions. This disturbance is very evident in the recent months with the Elephants straying into unheard of places and damaging crops and being threat to human lives to the extant the Coimbatore PCC Mr.Thyagi had pressed in the service of Kumki (trained elephants) to beat the retreat of these elephant herds, back to where the threat to human interest is not at stake, the long term adverse impact of this proposed rail line will be unimaginable, with repeated aggression like this can be heard more so in the future - if the proposed railway lines comes up. Eventually one day the elephant stock in this vicinity will vanish. In the demographic convergence of Western and Eastern Ghats it is important for us to isolate this forest from any human activities, as it is heaven to many endangered species as well, like the black buck, vultures and The Indian giant squirrel to name few. The department Railways and the Ministry of Environment have to take in to the notice of the repeated occurrence of trains running over Elephants and Tigers in various rails sectors that have wildlife habitat in the proximity to name few The Gulma Forest Range in Kolkata, About 11 elephants have been killed in the last two years on the tracks connecting New Alipurduar and New Jalpaiguri. A few days ago, a tiger was run over by a train on the same railway track. Similar incidants have been reported along the 18-kilometre stretch of railway track between Chilla and Motichur that runs through Rajaji National Park and in the Siliguri and Alipurdar sectors. Apart from the man animal conflict the advents of this rail line will open up the forest of spurious wholes to poaching logging - there by the entire ecosystem going haywire. Hence we urge the government to call of this railway line for the greater common good. On the one side we hear efforts taken by the government to conserve the wildlife vis in EDAYURVAYAL more than 50 people have been moved to alternative settlements to facilitate a six-km elephant corridor connecting Kerala's Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and Brahmagiri reserve in neighboring Karnataka. It is assuring that the government will come out in favour of the last few remaining habitats of these humble beings.

Lords of the kitchen

2007-07-29T11:37:00.001+05:30

Kandhal in Udhagamandalam looks like any other rundown locality in a hill station. Garbage lies strewn around, wannabe guides lurk, spouting tourist-savvy lingo, and cows graze placidly on the road oblivious to the honking cars that whiz past. All th ese almost effectively push to the background Kandhal’s uniqueness — it is home to most of the region’s celebrated cooks, golf caddies-turned-coaches and horse riders.

I go out hoping to meet grand old men who will talk of cooking for the mems and memsahibs, and the transition from idli and upma to bakes and pies, even while puffing at their pipes. Turns out most of them have fallen prey to just that — tobacco and alcohol have taken quite a toll on the more celebrated cooks who hailed from here.
Spicing up lives

Still, I end up meeting a bunch of people who have touched the lives of so many, just by their sheer skills in the kitchen. And, somewhere in the corner of their hearts, the past lingers on.

Take Jomani a.k.a. Jo, a balding, 73-year-old who cannot walk without support. “What language you want me to talk? Main Hindi mein baat karta. I talk in English too,” he challenges me in what has been popularly nicknamed “Butler English”. A brand of English the locals are very proud to be associated with.

The list of the people he has worked for in his long innings as chef is impressive, from officials of the Raj to his last assignment at a top corporate guesthouse. He started working at 15, and till he retired at 63, whipped up a storm in whichever kitchen he worked in — British or Indian — turning out grand pies and bakes and meringues with as much élan as he turned over a dosai. Ask him how he entered the profession, and he says he has to thank a long line of pre decessors for that.
Hoary tradition

For, as long as anyone can remember, the men of this village have almost always ruled the kitchen. Outside their homes, that is. Ask S. Antony’s wife. As the spouse of the area’s 64-year-old culinary whiz, she has to do a whole lot extra to meet her husband’s expectations in the kitchen. And, she usually falls short. “He is so good in the kitchen, and can just put up with my food,” says Philomina Antony. But, she beams that his employers keep calling him year after year to entertain their guests during the golfing season.

Antony loves South Indian food, but his folks back home will not even be able to pronounce the various Continental dishes he is so famous for. He specialises in salted beef, mutton delicacies, fish cutlets, bakes, the works, most of which were picked up when he apprenticed under a Goan chef. Jo, renowned for his cauliflower and chicken bakes, is known in the village for his love of dal and rice, a far cry from the fancy fare he whips up in others’ homes.
Winning ways

Why are Kandhal men so popular in the kitchen? Old-time residents of the Nilgiris say what has worked in their favour is their attitude and demeanour. Agrees Jo. “By nature, we are very silent, non-inquisitive people. Employers love having us around,” he explains. And, short-cuts are a no-no, when it comes to food preparation. “Actually, there is not much difference between us and doctors. We ensure that our employers and guests are as comfortable as possible,” insists Antony, even as he gets ready to cook a dinner of spaghetti meat ball curry for some foreign guests.

G. Nathan, an eager lad, demonstrates the local’s ability to pick up languages, talking in Hindi and English with an impeccable accent. “That is one reason why we are sought-after guides,” he says. The training starts from an early age. Children hawk caps and eatables during the summer break, learn a language or two, and earn a couple of hundreds to fund their education, say locals.

If Jo and Antony trod a familiar path, M. Augustine was a trailblazer of sorts. As a child, he stood near the sprawling golf course, watching players tee. His sincerity caught the fancy of a foreigner, who taught him golf. For 40 years, Augustine, in his sixties now, has raised his family with that knowledge. He is not in great health, but a few wealthy businessmen in Mumbai still insist that he visit, and teach them and their kids golf, and pay him handsomely. Like the others, Augustine now has only trunkloads of memories to dip into. Dust-ridden certificates and dog-eared photographs are proof of his high standing.

Horses and ponies are a vital part of Kandhal too. Almost every other equine that moves about in the hill station is managed by a resident of Kandhal. But, they stop with handling others’ horses, and teaching people to ride; buying their own pony is a no-no.
Changes under way

Though many generations of Kandhal’s citizens have made a living out of assisting people, there is subtle change taking place. If the earlier generations learnt on the job, the present is doing so in colleges. And, moving away from the very jobs that brought food to the table. Will anyone be left to take Kandhal’s hoary tradition forward?

Antony has his doubts. He is saddened by the development, but accepts it as part of the change that is blowing across Kandhal. “No one fathomed the present demand for catering,” he rues.

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary notified as Tiger

2007-04-25T13:55:00.000+05:30

What tigers mean to nilgiris

The new development is welcomed by the wildlife enthusiast of notifying the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Nilgiris along with The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in Annamalais as Tiger Project Reserve by the state government.

The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment had in principle approved the proposal in August 2006. Declaring the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary will help conserve other endangered species such as Loin-tailed macaques, panthers, Nilgiri langurs, Leopards, rusty spotted cats and giant squirrels.

earth day what can we do ?

2007-04-20T15:04:00.000+05:30

we can

one earth, it is said that you will know how dearer and precious it is once you are deprived of it this earth is no different

Startling yet another Siriska!

2007-04-16T13:44:00.000+05:30

Tigers there please

the information’s are trickling in from kallakadu mundanthurai tiger reserve in tamilnadu about the dubious tiger populations, as claimed in the census 2001-02 the tiger population in K&M was 27 source:http://projecttiger.nic.in/populationinstate.htm whereas the indigenous and adivashis living inside forests haven’t sight tigers for years together. so is the reports by wildlife expert from America who have been camping in the sanctuary for more then 6 months and have not found of any convincing trace of tigers like scats, pugmarks or sightings, however the forest officials stand the ground on the presence of tigers. info in this regard will throw more light on tumbling of yet another siriska we hope it is not so

India, China will talk border again, in the Nilgiris

2007-04-15T11:42:00.000+05:30

NEW DELHI, APRIL 13: Within three months of the last round of boundary talks, India and China have decided to hold another round of negotiations between the two Special Representatives next week. And this time, plans are afoot to take the Chinese delegation led by Vice-Minister Dai Bingguo to the Nilgiris.

postscript is that it is nice to know that nilgiris is getting it share of limelight on the political map as well, a significant one at that too.

for thamil sake

2007-04-15T11:37:00.000+05:30

En Iniya Tamizh Natpukkaley,

Iniiya Sarvasithu Puthaandu NalVaazhthukkal.

Innanaalil ella nalangalum, valangalum, kudumba

Santhosamum pera inaivanai vendukirom.

Vaazhga Valamudan,

"ahhh you are from oooty"

2007-04-05T12:01:00.000+05:30

this thought kept ringing back at me? why is there so much of hullabaloo's when it comes to nilgiris! i mean what is so unique that this place is in limelight and seen with curiosity, to answer all this the rich history of this place is to be known

lights on

2007-04-04T13:47:00.000+05:30

a humble beginning for something dearer to my heart coming days and years will see me filling up these pages with notes on Nilgiris...................