Bandipur beckons

Dark rainclouds gather with an occasional thunder reverberating in the air as the mellow sunrays pierce through chinks in the cloud cover; rain drops beginning to fall one by one on the sun-parched trees and a flock of stunning  peacocks dance under the  grey skies. A perfect start for a spectacular drive in the Bandipur forest. The dance is a rare visual treat in a perfect setting with towering teaks trees interspersed with fiery red Gulmohar flowers, colossal  bamboo trees  and sparkling yellow labarnum flowers.

The Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta is aptly named since the peak is covered by dense fog round the year. It is also the highest peak in the Bandipur National Park. This temple was built by the Hoysala King Ballala during AD 131. Legend says that sage Agastya, performed intense penance and as a result lord Vishnu blessed this place and promised to reside here. As this was a place of worship and penance, it used to be called as ‘Hamsatheertha’, which means the lake of swans in Sanskrit.

Coming to Bandipur we realize that one should not miss the safari ride into the national park. It is the lure of a tiger sighting that had us all excited but the sanctuary is home to a large variety of flora and fauna and it is regarded as one of the best Wildlife Sanctuaries in India. The early morning ride to get to the jungle was amazing. It is freezing as we are travelling on the highway in an open jeep in the wee hours of the morning. Tracking the pugmarks and the  alarm calls of the langurs and the chitals, the accompanying naturalist and the driver were able to track the tiger drinking water from a water hole. The tiger snarls at the noisy langurs and walks back majestically into the thickets. The driver says that it is a female who has given birth to a litter of four cubs. The beauty of the tiger cannot be summarized  in words. It is an  awesome experience to  sight the tiger in a forest.

Watching an enchanting sunrise in a pristine forest is bliss indeed. The rays of sunlight enhances the beauty of the morning dew. The safari takes us through many winding roads inside the forest. Invariably we do come across other jeeps and exchange tips on the recent sightings. Many people board on the safari with the intention to spot a tiger. It is good to spot a tiger and appreciate its beauty no doubt, but there are many other interesting creatures in the forest. I see many butterflies nectaring on the lantana flowers. I recollect  Jeffrey Glassberg’s quote “Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine.” They appear in a wide array of colors and patterns, I  cannot stop wondering at the creator of  these small creatures.

The Crested serpent eagle holding a snake is spotted by a fellow birder. The snake tries to move away from the clutches of the bird. But the raptor is determined and tears into the snake and starts feeding on it. A jungle owlet is spotted with great difficulty as it is very well camouflaged in the forest. The safari yields good sightings of the Gaur, chital, deer, mongoose, jungle fowl, porcupine and many birds.

The creaking sounds of the bamboo trees, the dancing peacocks, the chirping of the birds and the cicada calls still linger in my memories.

Basking in Bheemeshwari

Driving across the countryside where the only traffic hindrance is a herd of cows crossing the road or a bullock cart moving at its own pace, I am on my way to Bheemeshwari. It is indeed a welcome change from the maddening traffic in the city. As we pass by fields and streams we stop by a stunning lake filled with water lilies. The road runs along the enticing Cauvery river. Late in the afternoon we reach Muthathi, a quaint little village in the midst of Cauvery wild life sanctuary. Folklore says that when Sita lost her nose ring in the Cauvery River, Hanuman churned the waters of the river till he found the ring. Henceforth Hanuman has been named as Muthetharaya and this place derived its name as Muthathi.

It is a perfect setting for a lazy holiday where the river flows seamlessly along the pristine forest. Sitting under a huge fig tree, I choose to soak my feet in the water. The rocks are slippery as I watch the birds. A river tern appears from nowhere, swoops down and catches a fish before disappearing from my sight. Suddenly the clouds gather and the wind sways across the trees while a faint drizzle turns into a heavy downpour leaving me drenched. Sipping a cup of hot coffee and watching the rain drops splatter down the stream is an exhilarating experience. The rain adds to the beauty of the landscape.

As the rain stops, I see a few adventure enthusiasts trying to cross a stream on a rope bridge swaying in the wind or zip across the zip line like a commando. I choose to take a coracle ride in the river. It is adventurous indeed to step into this primitive looking boat. As the coracle picks momentum the scenery keeps me spellbound. A friend points out to a crocodile basking on the banks of the river. The highlight of the ride is when the boatman swiftly rotates the coracle in a circle – it is a thrilling moment indeed.

Though the Cauvery is a gentle flowing river, at some places along its course, the river drops at a gradient which creates a frothy stretch of water with a swift, changing current making it viable for white water rafting . Inflatable rafts are launched into calm waters, and the guests are allowed to paddle through the calm stretches. The guides are seasoned at navigating the white water stretches. At the end of the 8-km stretch, the inflatables are beached and guests are ferried back to camp in a jeep. The rafting facilities are best enjoyed during the monsoons.

After lunch I lie down on the hammock to enjoy the serene atmosphere. A friend whispers and nudges me to watch a bird. It is a purple sun bird hovering in the air to drink water from a leaking pipe. The purple iridescence of this bird is a feast to the eyes .The female and the male sun bird take turns in entertaining us.

When I am eagerly watching these birds I sense some leaves falling on my head. I raise my head to see the giant grizzled squirrel, a rare sighting of the uncommon animal found here. It is delightful indeed to watch the mother squirrel manoeuvring along the branches and feeding its baby. I close my eyes for a moment and wonder what a perfect weekend getaway Bheemeshwari turned out to be.

How to Reach Bheemeshwari:

From Bangalore , it is about 120 kms. Take the Kanakpura road (via and cross Muttati to reach Bheemeshwari.

Best time to go:

Throughout the year

Netherlands – A paradise

Keukenhoff

Do dreams come true ? Yes they do . I realize  it when we are driving   across windmills , pearly rivers, sailing boats, and villages with church spires  and tulips fields . My destination is the much famed  Keukenhof Garden   which started as the small kitchen garden of a 15th-century countess and now bills itself as nothing less than the most beautiful spring garden in the world, designed to showcase the art of Dutch bulb growers. Spilling across 70 acres of wooded parkland and attracting more than 700,000 visitors annually, the garden has nine miles of walking paths that wind around ponds, a windmill, greenhouse pavilions holding indoor displays, and more than seven million bulbs planted three layers deep to ensure a blaze of color for about 8 weeks.

As I approach the Tulip gardens I wonder if there can be more tulips than those in the fields which I had just crossed . At the entrance of the park we are welcomed by the traditionally dressed Dutch couple and an ocean of tulips .Though there are clear directions in this park one gets literally lost as to which shade of tulip you want to admire .

Thousands of tulip variants in every color of the rainbow form a floral carpet  . As I wade through meadows and meadows of tulips I stumble upon a tranquil setting of crytal clear pond   lined with tulips and daffodils  where  the majestic trees bow down to kiss the water. I am at loss of words to describe the scenery when I remember  William Worsworth’s poem – As lonely as a cloud . I relish  both the visual  and the poem .

No wonder the  classic Dutch painters mastered the art of depicting flowers . I really wish I was an artist but my camera comes handy. I start clicking every possible strech of the tulips, hyacinths, narcissi, daffodils,gladioli, dahlias, and fragrant lilies.  My friend starts clicking as  I pose for some clicks highly delighted to be amongst this floral paradise.

Marilyn,Blue Heron,Fancy frills,Fringed elegance,Swan wings,Red wings,Burning heart,Monolisa ,Marriette,Elegant lady,Icefollies, Prince carnival  – the names of the tulips are as fascinating as the flowers themselves . About 93 percent of all bulbs in the world come from the Netherlands.Over nine billion bulbs are produced annually, one third of which are tulips. These three billion tulips, if planted four inches apart, would circle the globe at the equator seven times!

One other interesting bit of history, which occurred  in the early 1600s, was “tulip mania.” This sprang from the tendency of tulips to be infected with a virus, resulting in odd yet often attractive colored streaking in the flowers. These variants, called “broken” tulips, became prized, sought widely, and worth many guilders (money). This led to widespread trading, speculation, and then as most such fads sudden market collapse in 1637. These lovely tulips have remained to this day, however, depicted in the art of the Dutch masters. For this reason, similar ones today with such streaking of various colors yet without any virus are called “Rembrandt” tulips.

The majestic green crowns of the trees create a captivating colorful shadow for an absolutely refreshing walk, while the invigorating smells of these millions of flowers create an unsurpassed fragrance. We see  wooden houses that are  nestled within the gorgeous colors of the gardens and the narrow pebbly walkways. When I reluctantly leave  I vow that I will come back again soon to spend more time in this paradise.

This article was originnaly  published in The Traveller Hindu

Getting there : Keukenhof is located in South Holland in the small town of Lisse, south of Haarlem and southwest of Amsterdam. It is accessible by bus from the train stations of Haarlem, Leiden and Schiphol.

Keukenhof is scheduled to be open from 21 March to 20 May 2013.

The best time to view the tulips is around mid-April, depending on the weather.

The Swiss Alps

Pinch me I whisper to my friend to make sure that I am here amidst  the  snowcapped Alps , cascading waterfalls, verdant valleys, serene lakes, colorful meadows and chalets. I realize that I am in this splendid postcard perfect countryside. It is Lauterbrunnen the spectacular valley of Switzerland.

Our first stop was at Trummelbach falls. As we got closer, we could hear the falls making us keen to see it. Climbing up the slippery stairs where water sprays against your face, one has to appreciate the engineering feat involved in building caves along the falls. A part of the falls have been illuminated as the caves are dark and to enhance its beauty. It is an awesome experience  to be so close to the thundering falls which spirals  its way through the mountain at he rate of 20000 liters of water per second! The water does not cascade over the cliffs like other waterfalls in LauterbrunnenValley, but are funneled into the mountainside. It comprises of a series of ten glacier–waterfalls inside the mountain. The falls is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The view of the valley from the falls leaves us spellbound by its beauty. When we climb down we get to see one of the best views of the valley. It starts drizzling when we reluctantly leave the place for yet another wonder – Jungfraujoch, the heart of  the Aletsch glacier. The train  journey itself is an amazing experience. As we ascend towards  Jungfraujoch  in the cogwheel  train the soft drizzle turns into rain and then to snow . Spectacular views of the valley and the dramatic change in the greenery which changes from meadows to snow laden beech trees is so magical.

We reach Junfrajoch around one pm – I was famished. We were thrilled to see the Bollywood Restaurant which offers Indian cuisine in such a spectacular setting. Besides the restaurant, an interesting thing to note is that the eateries had their food items also labeled   in Hindi too.

This is the most chosen destination for many Indians as Switzerland has been featured  in Indian movies quite extensively. Almost every third  person I saw was an Indian. We ventured to see the famed IcePalace. It is a cavernous area carved out of a glacier and featuring permanent ice sculptures on display.  The snow plateau was quite inviting with many tourists playing with snow. I was apprehensive too, to play with snow but seeing an Indian  lady clad in saree slide down the snow in a tube changed my mind. I learnt that she was a part of an exclusive ladies  contingent from Gujarat.

The child in me was awakened when we played throwing snowballs at each other! We clicked some pictures in the panoramic setting. One always thinks that bright colors appeal but Alps disproves this. It is indeed a wonder as to how shades of white, grey and black  can be so beautiful.

We went to the Sphinx Observation Terrace overlooking the Aletsch Glacier, one of Switzerland’s most impressive landmarks is not only a favorite tourist attraction but also a useful indicator of climate change. At some 23 kilometers  in length, the Aletsch glacier is the largest in the Alps, and a major part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn UNESCO  World Heritage site.

At the end of the trip  I promised to myself that I will come back again soon as possible and will spend more time here in the Alpine wonderland.

This article was published in The traveller – Hindu 

Ganeshgudi article in The Traveller – Hindu

Malabar whistling thrush

It is definitely a paradise, where else would you be woken up early in the morning by the call of the Malabar whistling thrush. Yes, it is the Old Magazine House forest camp in Ganeshgudi, the birders pardise located on Londa – Dandeli Road. The history of the camp can be traced back to the late seventies, when the mega Kali Hydro Electric Project in Supa came up. This was built for the purpose of storing of ammunitions and dynamite used for the blasting of rocks for the construction of the hydro electric dam. The camp is surrounded by some of the finest moist deciduous forests. These forests support a wonderful assortment of wildlife. One could get completely immersed in the layers of Sal,teak, mango and rosewood trees complemented with shorter trees and evergreen foliage. The forest is filled with fruit bearing trees which provides food for the birds. It is a biodiversity hotspot more known for armchair birding where you do not have to strain yourself for spotting birds. An ideal location for a family outing where there is so much greenery and wild life around.

Vernal hanging parrot

 

The bird baths near the dining area is the main attraction. A  flock of stern looking dark fronted babblers come and have a dip in this bath. When suddenly there are hushed tones of whispers and you turn around to see a white rumped Shama makes an appearance the smaller birds dissappear then the Shama steps in to take a dip. It is interesting to observe how some birds wait for their turn to have dips in the bird bath. Community bath is also prevalent here where different species of birds come together to have a dip.

Ruby throated bulbul

 

The Racket tailed drongo, Blue naped monarch, Indian pitta, Emerald dove,Vernal hanging parrot,Ruby throated bulbul and Blue capped rock thrush are regular entertainers in the migrant season.Birding is complete when one sights the Malabar trogan couple . There is excitement in the air when the Malabar squirrel jumps from one tree to the other. All this drama can be observed by just sitting on a chair sipping tea or having lunch. The kids get excited when a green vine snake slithers down a tree. A colorful caterpillar keeps them occupied when the elders are busy watching birds and butterflies. The malabar pit viper on one of the trees offers enough distraction to feed a child who otherwise would be glued to the television.

Malabar Banded Peacock

 The tarantula spider’s nest is indeed fascinating as to how it has managed to scoop out a hole on one of the side walls away from the ground. One manages to get a peep of this scary spider.Lying on the hammock after lunch one can savour the sounds of the Woodpecker and the gentle rustling of the leaves. One could keep gazing at the magnificent  ceylon oak tree with different shades of red glistening leaves. When a Red Helen and the Southern birdwing flies past you gracefully, the hammock is abandoned as one does not want to miss out any drama that happens in this place. The Blue mormon which could be easily mistaken for a bird by its size enthralls one when it chases its pair and disappears in the greenery to suddenly appear again.

Tamil lacewing

The Lacewing’s stunning wing pattern sets one to ponder about the intricate patterns in butterflies. It is indeed a wholesome experience where one gets to experience wildlife at such close quarters in the pristine forest.

The link to the  article on Ganeshgudi which appeared in The Traveller – Hindu.