Tranquil Hills

Himalaya always been attracting me since my childhood. I feel all the time an unusual bonding with Himalaya. The green carpeted forest floor, orchid lamented tree trunk, rocks, mists, fogs, clouds and the chirping birds are the jewels of Himalaya.
This photograph is captured in Lepchajagat, Darjeeling in the early morning. Lepchajagat is a place you may call paradise on earth. The people the forest the birds the insects are as a whole a bio-diverse package for Nature lovers. The serene and pristine beauty of Lepcha took my soul away. I was amazed to witness the Land of  Leopards for so many days in a village wood hut with almost zero electricity and meager water.

The mysterious forest of Pine and Fern lamented forest floor starts little after Ghoom and continues up to Sukhiapokhri.

During monsoon the beauty intensifies as the green is being enhanced by the heavy rain. Best time to witness this forest is in July when its drizzling a little. You just need a big umbrella to cover yourself and your camera. The hairpin loop of the roads and uncanny forests will surely provoke you to walk into the woods for day long. And your thirst for Nature will increase due to the magical power of Lepcha.

A Step to Bhutan...

Bhutan - the land of Dragon and large stone Manson. Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan which can be approached from Buxa, Jalpaiguri. Phuntsholing is the first town of Bhutan while entering from India. The stone tools, weapons, elephants, large stone structure are the evidence that Bhutan is inhabited around 2000 BC. In the 18th century Bhutan invaded and occupied Kingdom of Coochbehar and in 1772 Coochbehar appealed to British East India Company to attack Bhutan and reestablishing their territory.
Bhutan Border clearly separates the people and culture of  Jaigaon the loud and bustling town of West Bengal from Phuntsholing the Bhutanese essence.
Landscape as well as Urbanscape totally changed when we entered The Royal Bhutan.

We tasted Bhutanese cuisine with Shamu Datsi, brown rice, aloo fry with red chilli and onion and bhutanese dal. Shamu Datsi means Mushroom with Cheese.
Few other Bhutanese dishes -

1. Kewa Datsi (Potato with Cheese)
2. Ema Datsi (Chilli with Cheese)
3. Ribs Pa (Pork Ribs)
4. Pork Pa (Pork Leg)
5. Fresh Fish Pa
6. Yak Skin (Kebab)
7. Ema Pa
8. Beef Liver Fry
9. Gep Pa
10. Shatam Datsi (Beef with Cheese) etc.

Dooars means Door to Bhutan. Bhutanese culture seemed to me very interesting. Their tradition and heritage is protected inside the folds of Himalaya. So they are very unique in all respect food, clothing, lifestyle, spirituality etc. Dzongkha and Sharchop, the principal Bhutanese language are closely related to Tibetan. Both Tibetan and Bhutanese revere guru Padmasambhaba who is the founder of Himalayan Buddhism in 8th century. Approximately 75% of Bhutan population is Buddhist and 23% Hindu and very few are Muslims. And a surprising thing of Bhutanese society is Bhutanese women have more rights than men traditionally. You will witness while stepping into Bhutan, women working in petrol pump, shops, parking area etc. with confidence more than men.
We came back from Bhutan with a craving heart to visit again to this serene country and to see Bhutan more closely with a spiritual eye view.

Buxa Tiger Reserve

Buxaduar is the gateway to Bhutan from India. According to last tiger census Buxa has 17 tigers left. The latest tiger census just completed in 26th feb 2013. Lush green Buxa forest started from Rajabhatkhawa near Alipurduar, West Bengal and stretched to extreme north and continued upto Bhutan. The major villages across Buxa forest are Santarabari, Chunabhati, 28 basti, Jayanti, Bhutiabasti, Buxa fort etc. We observed a mixed religious culture in this area like Bihari Hindu, Bhutia, Muslim, Christian Tribal people, Nepali are residing together. So, no distinct cultural heritage developed and this is reflected in their house making, food habit, behavior and overall mentality.
 A day long 15 km (up and down) trek to Mahakal Cave added adventure and spirituality to our Photo Tour. The first 5 km trek through the river bed of Jayanti then a very steep climb to the Cave.
Buxa is famous for its Butterfly and we selected winter to visit Buxa that is most dry season for Butterflies. Though we got more than 70 species of identified Butterflies.

A checklist was made by me as follows:

1. Chestnut Tiger
2. Glassy Tiger
3. Plain Tiger
4. Blue Tiger
5. Dark Blue Tiger
6. Five Bar Swordtail
7. Orange Oakleaf
8. Common grass yellow
9. Common grass blue
10. Peacock Pansy
11. Common Bushbrown
12. White Orange Tip
13. Yellow Orange Tip
14. Plain Orange Tip
15. Marbelled Map
16. Grey Count
17. Blue Baron
18. Common Mormon
19. Purple Saphire
20. Circe
21. Common Mime
22. Common Silverline
23. Great Mormon
24. Common Raven
25. Common Bluebottle
26. Chocolate Albatross
27. Blue Crow
28. Common Crow
29. Stripped Blue Crow
30. Common Jay
31. Veined Jay 
32. Lesser Gull
33. Red Spot
34. Pea Blue
35. Palmfly
36. Angled Castor
37. Knight
38. Common Castor
39. Pioneer
40. Common Sailor
41. Common Sergeant
42. Color Sergeant
43. Common Lascar
44. Common Jester
45. Clubtail
46. Bhutan Sergeant
47. Staff Sergeant
48. Common Nawab
49. Brown Pied Flat
50. Broad Spark
51. Short Banded Sailer
52. Chocolate Grass Yellow
53. Dark Banded Bushbrown
54. Lepcha Bushbrown 
55. Commander
56. Painted Jejebel etc.

Wandering through the woods, aroma of dense forest, chirping birds, dancing stream, dry riverbed, blue hills and wilderness will engulf you soon after entering Buxa.
We sighted Asian Elephant and Great Hornbill which were two added gift to us. An tasker elephant with its full family and a baby elephant were breaking trees and munching leaves together - was an amazing moment for us. While clicking photographs one of them got angry and chased us few steps. This was an lifetime experience I guess.
I went to Buxa with a dream to see Great Hornbill and it was too fulfilled. This bird is such a giant one you wont believe unless you witness it. The sound of its wings and calls are very much thrilling. No words can express my feelings for this mighty bird.

Dooars - lap of Himalaya

Dooars is the gateway of Himalaya from West Bengal. It is a densely forested and rich in Biodiversity both flora and fauna. Dooars can be approached by several entry points. We entered through New Mal Junction station.

Camping inside Gorumara National park core area was just a dream for me. The camp site was Kalipur Eco Village. It is well protected by electric fencing and forest guards. Our main motto was bird watching though we spotted mammals too. The added gift was One Horned Rhino sighting within 10 feet. It was a Rhino couple having their breakfast inside electric fence. I saw for the first time Barking Deer so close to us, was munching grass peacefully. The call of Barking Deer is so significant just like a dog.

We made a check list of Birds spotted in Gorumara National Park. Here it is –

1. Indian peafowl
2. Rudy shell duck (Migratory)
3. River Lapwing
4. Black Stork
5. Grey headed pygmy woodpecker
6. Lineated barbet
7. Blue throated barbet
8. Common hawk cuckoo
9. Indian Roller
10. Chestnut tailed starling
11. Spangled drongo
12. Red- Vented Bulbul
13. Jungle mayna
14. Common Pied mayna
15. Red whiskered bulbul
16. Alexandrine Parakeet
17. Bay backed shrike
18. Oriental pied Hornbill
19. Black kite
20. Oriental Magpie robin
21. Rufous Treepie
22. Verditar flycatcher
23. Black drongo
24. Racket tailed drongo
25. Golden fronted leafbird
26. Fulvous Breasted woodpecker
27. Spotted dove
28. Blue rock thrush
29. Scarlet minivet
30. Black ibis
31. Crimson sunbird
32. Black hooded oriole
33. Rose ringed parakeet
34. Red breasted parakeet
35. Grey headed parakeet
36. Creasted serpent eagle
37. Yellow footed green pigeon
38. Hill mayna
39. Black headed yellow bulbul
40. Canary flycatcher
41. Common merganser
42. Lesser cormorant
43. Purple heron
44. Common krestel etc.

There are four routes to trek into the core area forest – Chukchuki, Jaldhaka, Medla High forest and Murti Riverside trail. Among these Jaldhaka trail is most adventurous through my eyes. We crossed River Murti and Jaldhaka six times bare feet. The icy cold water, smooth pebbles, gurgling sound of river, sandy bank and never ending grasslands gives us a feel of Savana in Africa.

The last day morning trek to Medla tower gifted us a view of snow clad mountains which was completely unexpected. The flowing Murti River, stretching grasslands, hill upland, high forest, grazing land, salt pit, chirping birds – totally a refreshing package for us.

Altogether Dooars is a place of never ending exploration. Our voyage continues..... Coming up Blogs on Dooars - " Dreamland " and "Buxa - where meets Nature with Culture"

Manglajodi

Manglajodi is one of the oldest village of Odisha, situated 75 kms from Bhubaneswar. Approximately 10 sq km area of marshy land or a fresh water estuary connected to the Chilika Lake (lagoon) through several channels is all about Manglajodi Biodiversity Hotspot. During winter it becomes the paradise for bird watcher and a temporary home of more than 80 species of Migratory birds. At a time u may witness more than 200 species of birds in this area – Migratory as well as resident birds.

This wetland is recognized by Ramsar Convention, which is a global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem for wetland conservation and wise use of wetland and its resources.

Manglajodi is significant and internationally acclaimed for its unusual waterfowl habitat and declared as “International Bird Area (IBA)”.

The first day of our boat trip to this wetland we spotted –

1. Mud Sandpiper
2. Grey wagtail
3. Large pied wagtail
4. Little grebe
5. Black headed Ibis
6. Puple Moorhen
7. Common coot
8. Black tailed Godwit
9. Asian openbill stork
10. Purple Heron
11. Cattle Egret
12. Large egret
13. Red wattled lapwing
14.  Grey headed lapwing
15. Black kite
16. Bhraminy kite
17. Black winged stilt
18. Pied Kingfisher
19. White breasted kingfisher
20. Ruddy shelduck
21.  Black drongo
22. Bronze winged Jacana
23. Grey Heron

Second day we spotted –

1.      Small blue kingfisher

2.      River tern

3.       Pheasant tailed Jacana

4.      Gadwall

5.      Northern Shoveller

6.      Northern Pintail

7.      Indian shag

8.      Little cormorant

9.      Pond heron

10. Bush Lark (Unidentified) etc. 

The marshy landscape and half dip grassland and reeds and muddy islands and boat ride through the channels and a huge biodiversity gave us immense pleasure and tranquility. The serene and pristine natural beauty and breath of fresh oxygen boosted up and kept our spirit high with lots of energy and mental peace.

Apart from Birding we got a fresh breath of Village in the core Odisha which was refreshing. Village Manglajodi is comprised of fisherman communities their main profession is fishing, boat making, net making, basket weaving – all such small cottage industry related to fishing. If one can enter the core culture of Manglajodi people it can produce a very good research work on Tribal people and ancient rituals.

Overall Manglajodi is a mixed bag of Nature and Culture.

Pakke -The Untouched Beauty

Pakke is now claimed as a Tiger Reserve located at Arunachal Pradesh. This untouched wilderness is situated in East Kameng district that is very close to Assam. We started our journey from Guwahati to Pakke by road. It’s a long car journey but the pristine beauty of Assam eases all our fatigue and made us energetic.

We reached Pakke in the evening starting our journey in the late morning. The only accommodation in Pakke is Eco Tourism Resort run by Help Tourism Pvt. Ltd. The cottages are magnificently made up of timber and dry leaves just like a tree house. It is really an awesome concept in wilderness. And the food was fabulous to recall.

The resort is on a hilly upland few meters away from Pakke river bed. Sunset at Pakke River is an unforgettable experience. Pakke is called the Land of Hornbills. Four  species of Hornbill found here - Rufous necked Hornbill , Great Hornbill, Oriental pied Hornbill and Wreathed Hornbill.

The other vibrant birds we watched inside the forest are huge number of Scarlet Minivet. The mammals we sighted are Malayan giant squirrel, Hoary Bellied Squirrel and Asaamese Macaque. And the major variety saw in Butterfly. You may say it is a Land of Butterflies during November. We got a very rich collection of butterflies in Pakke. A rare giant Birdwing butterfly made our mood that time. The officials told us that 150-200 species of butterflies are spotted here every year during summer and monsoon season. We spotted at least 80-90 different species altogether.

A significant phenomenon happened to me during our stay “Music of Sicada”. It is a small insect but a very sharp music or call they produce.Clear starlit sky and music of Sicada will be your guide at night and chirping of birds, roosting of hornbills during sunset, cold fresh breeze, serene and pristine greenery and dancing river will soothe your soul and give you eternal calmness in Pakke for sure.

Mighty Patalsu

Patalsu Peak (4200 meters or 14,500 feet approximately) – situated in Solang valley region, Manali, Himachal Pradesh. It’s a trekkable summit for beginners of Mountaineering and is the best trek to acclimatize for high altitude remote trek.

Solang Valley is the birthplace of various adventure sports in Himachal like white water rafting, river crossing, trekking, camping, horse riding, para gliding, zorbing etc.

Patalsu trek or summit starts from Solang valley after crossing the Solang Nala. The path is all through lush green dense forest and spiral steep up. You will see few huts of local cattle grazer at the beginning but no village and habitation at all. It will take a whole day almost 8 hours to up and down from Solang. It’s best to take enough food with you for a day.

Pine, Cedar, Deodar will attract you as they only witness your presence. And the mesmerizing enchanting view of mountains will paralyze your senses with their giant size, vastness and beauty. After crossing the tree line you will find a vast ocean of uphill grassland with a few exotic Himalayan flowers mainly Lily. They are bloomed unnoticed and without any care and human touch. In this grassland there is high possibility of loosing track. So it’s better to take a local boy from Solang with you as a guide.

After reaching the top when you will have a look at the surroundings, you will certainly feel the presence of Almighty and a heavenly adrenaline rush within you. That will let you spellbound and emotional for sure. The breathtaking glimpse of Hanuman Tibba, Seven Sisters, Mount Ladakhi, Friendship Peak, Brighu Peak etc. from the top will surely give you the feel of Paradise on Earth.