Posted by
salil sharma
on
February 27, 2013
Visited Morni Hills, DistrictPanchkula, Haryana this sunday. Already famous for its varied flora and fauna,Morni is infact a tiny village located on
the foothill-zone of the shivaliks. Ametalled road connects morni with panchkula for a distance of about 20kms., onmajor district road 118 and is 3000 ft. above the mean sea level. morni hillshave two water bodies, small agricultural tracts and presence of
river ghaggar.The reserved forest limit starts just as we take a turn towards morni from nadasahib, a gurudwara. a check post has been put up by the forest department, butfound it not operating on sunday. vehicular traffic, leading to a lot of noisekeeps the
wild life at bay. i was amused to notice atlest 10 vehicles passingevery 10 minutes, with no limit to the speed and constant honking. as weentered the forest area we could find few monkeys and langoors on the road sideprobably just because of the feeding by
passers by.
Moving a little ahead we heardthe chirping of some birds and stopped to notice what it was? with muchdifficulty, because of the vehicles moving constantly,
we noticed a tree fullof berries on which some birds were sitting. to our surprise it was the
white -eared bulbul. Also known as Himalayan Bulbul and white cheeked bulbul,a scarce resident in Haryana. The bird is found in wooded areas like mornihills and kalesar forests. Its local name is
kushandra or bhooroo as told by a farmer locally
so many of them fluttering from one tree toanother managing what little they could eat, scared of the noise. we stoodlifeless for around 10 to 15 min.
So that they come to the berry treeon the road side where we were waiting for them to be clicked. after they werepretty sure we were not a threat to
them they started coming one after theother giving us a chance to click them.
We moved ahead searching for somemore birds. There was a group of some off road bikers enjoying driving on theturns of the hills. We found a
red startsitting quietly on the branch of a tree at village mandana, the largest villagein morni hills. We managed to click.
Little ahead we found the
red whiskered bulbul also known as red vented bulbul, the singerbird of India. It probably looks like a musician with a turban on the top ofthe head-the crest. It has a long tailand feeds on fruits, nectar and insects.
Morni has varied flora likebabul, kikar, bamboo, khair, amaltas, jamun trees are commonly seen on loweraltitude. As we move higher the type of vegetation changes to pines and chirtrees and temperature also falls suddenly. From
mandana, the view of the plains is breathtaking. The ghaggar river separates the tipra rangefrom morni hills. From the T-point we can turn back to chandimandir and alsotowards pinjore through thapli which also boasts of a famous nature camp.
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Posted by
salil sharma
on
February 27, 2013
Visited Morni Hills, DistrictPanchkula, Haryana this sunday. Already famous for its varied flora and fauna,Morni is infact a tiny village located on
the foothill-zone of the shivaliks. Ametalled road connects morni with panchkula for a distance of about 20kms., onmajor district road 118 and is 3000 ft. above the mean sea level. morni hillshave two water bodies, small agricultural tracts and presence of
river ghaggar.The reserved forest limit starts just as we take a turn towards morni from nadasahib, a gurudwara. a check post has been put up by the forest department, butfound it not operating on sunday. vehicular traffic, leading to a lot of noisekeeps the
wild life at bay. i was amused to notice atlest 10 vehicles passingevery 10 minutes, with no limit to the speed and constant honking. as weentered the forest area we could find few monkeys and langoors on the road sideprobably just because of the feeding by
passers by.
Moving a little ahead we heardthe chirping of some birds and stopped to notice what it was? with muchdifficulty, because of the vehicles moving constantly,
we noticed a tree fullof berries on which some birds were sitting. to our surprise it was the
white -eared bulbul. Also known as Himalayan Bulbul and white cheeked bulbul,a scarce resident in Haryana. The bird is found in wooded areas like mornihills and kalesar forests. Its local name is
kushandra or bhooroo as told by a farmer locally
so many of them fluttering from one tree toanother managing what little they could eat, scared of the noise. we stoodlifeless for around 10 to 15 min.
So that they come to the berry treeon the road side where we were waiting for them to be clicked. after they werepretty sure we were not a threat to
them they started coming one after theother giving us a chance to click them.
We moved ahead searching for somemore birds. There was a group of some off road bikers enjoying driving on theturns of the hills. We found a
red startsitting quietly on the branch of a tree at village mandana, the largest villagein morni hills. We managed to click.
Little ahead we found the
red whiskered bulbul also known as red vented bulbul, the singerbird of India. It probably looks like a musician with a turban on the top ofthe head-the crest. It has a long tailand feeds on fruits, nectar and insects.
Morni has varied flora likebabul, kikar, bamboo, khair, amaltas, jamun trees are commonly seen on loweraltitude. As we move higher the type of vegetation changes to pines and chirtrees and temperature also falls suddenly. From
mandana, the view of the plains is breathtaking. The ghaggar river separates the tipra rangefrom morni hills. From the T-point we can turn back to chandimandir and alsotowards pinjore through thapli which also boasts of a famous nature camp.
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Posted by
Discovery Journeys
on
February 25, 2013
Hemis festivals remember the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, who was the creator of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. Huge contest drops on the 10 day of the Tibetan lunar 1 month. The vibrant two days of production is famous with excellent gaiety and passion. Individuals
in joyful passion keep behind all their problems and stress and interact with themselves in festivities.
A grand party of Hemis event occurs after every 12 decades according to the Tibetan season of the Goof. In the Festivals, a two-storey excellent "Thanka", illustrating Padmasambhava is on show. It is highly stitched and very eye-catching and amazing, ornamented
with pearl jewelry and semi-precious rocks. The oldest or the go lama presides over the wedding festivities. Another fascination of the Hemis Festivals is the vibrant reasonable, which shows some beautiful handcraft. Shopaholics can look for conventional handcraft
for their visitors.
The Hemis Festival is an event here we are at the natives have fun with the vibrant procession. They decorate themselves in a shiny shaded conventional garb on this event. Cure your sight with an interesting hidden dancing conducted by the Lamas, on the
beat of percussion, lengthy horns and cymbals. The wonderful dancing performance entertains the brain of every guest and persuade them to join in it.
The grand Hemis event is famous in the Hemis Monastery. It is one of the greatest Festival of Ladakh built in 1630, during the program of Sengge Namgyal. The Monastery homes the greatest Thangkha in Ladakh area, which is shown once in 12 years. There are
two sections in the monastery - the set up area on the right and the Tshogkhang forehead on the remaining. The fantastic structure of varandah is outstanding. The surfaces are ornamented with surfeit of frescoes, the Buddhist 'Wheel of life' and the lords
of four areas.
Hemis Festival 2013 - 18th-19th June 2013
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Posted by
Mount Kailash Yatra 2013
on
February 18, 2013
Kailash is ruminated the blessed mountain on earth by a number of believes, faiths and religions and Mt. Kailash is also Known as Gang Tise or Gang Rinproche in Tibet.It is reputed asdifficult yatrasin the process, found that some places radiate and elemental
energy not felt elsewhere. Mt. Kailash is the mother of all Teertha Sthala. KailashYatra is considered to be one of the most ambitious expeditions in Asia.Mt. Kailash stands south-west corner of Tibet in the Himalayan Mountains and raising at an ridge
of 6638 m (21778 ft) it is one of the highest parts of the Himalayas and serves as a source of some of the longest rivers in Asia.The narrative in the Puranas, Mount Kailash's four faces are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis lazuli.
It is the conclusive destination of inspiration and the holy center of the world. It is a pretentious and outstanding commensurate peak which is made up of black rock. Mt Kailash is aawesome and amazing diamond like shaped mountain that is surrounded by
beautiful landscape which is bumpy or rugged and dry.With great divine pleasure we invite and welcome all the Shiv Bhakts to one of the most sacred pilgrimage of
Mount Kailash Tour. The time for yatra is from June to September as during the winter months all mountains and river lakes are frozen.
According to Hindu legends, Shiva, the god of desolation and rebirth, resides at the pinnacle of this famous mountain named Kailasa. Mount Kailasa is considered in many sects of Hinduism as heaven.
Kailash Yatra by Helicopter has its own exotic experience.Lake Mansarovar situated about 2000 kms from Lhasa is world’s highest freshwater lake. This huge lake with the mirror like image of snow capped mountains in its crystal clear waters is just fabulous.
The lake is located at the southern foot of Mount Kailash, stretching up to 55miles (88kms) in perimeter it goes 330 feet deep and about 120 sq mi of total area.
The best to visit the lake is during springs as it is during this time the lake melts and allows people to bathe in its holy water this holy lake is one of the considerable pilgrimages for Hindus and Buddhists which attracts thousands of tourists towards
itself every year from not only India but also various parts of the world. Mount Kailash Mansarovar is the perfect destination of all the pilgrimage. Kailashparikrama is a dream
of everyone who has faith in Hindu culture. Kailashparvat is a place where the soul merges in the purist Mansarovar Lake and gives peace and holy experience for whole life.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is not easy path to travel.
Some special attraction at
Mount Kailash Yatra
- KailashParikrama
- Lake Mansarovar
- GauriKund
- Rakshas Tal
- OM Parvat
The world-famous and Kailash Mansarovar Tours have been, the source of inspiration for many religions and beliefs. Despite many difficulties and long distances, people are keen to go there at least once
in their lives.
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Posted by
Discovery Journeys
on
February 18, 2013
Monsoon season has thundered to aclose, meaning India’s national parks are once again open for business. KanhaNational Park, one of the country’s
finest safari spots, is a world pluckedstraight from Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book.” Giant Indian elephantsrumble through bamboo thickets “in a military. The mainly two types of forestsof this national park: Sal and mixed deciduous.
Style”, peacocks fluff their brightlyadorned feathers, and while visitor swon’t catch Mowgli swinging about, theymayspot India’s fierce Royal
Bengal tiger prowling in the brush. The 1,945 sqkm wildlife preserve also shelters many other exotic and endangered nativeanimals. Rescued from near extinction, herds of swamp deer feast upon the tall,dry grassland, now threatened more by tigers than poachers.
Kanha’s alsopopular and lightning fast black bucks sometimes zip by at an incredible 100kph, enthralling spectators and exhausting predators. Of course, the area’smain draw is its elephant-back tiger safaris, which put open-air jeeps in theirparking place.
In fact, with its vast stretches of open meadows and closelyguarded borders, the preservation is the perfect site for tiger tracking. Manycan see tigers behind bars at a zoo, but few can come within meters of thebeasts’ uncaged brilliance while sitting atop
one of the globe’s largestmammals. Mowgli would be proud.
ShergarhTenting
Threekilometers from Kanha’s quiet, less touristy Mukki Gate, eco-conscious
Jehanand Katie Bhujwala have taken “luxury” outdoors with six top-end tents. Thesespacious canvas quarters offer a relaxing retreat from the day’sgame drive andconnect to private, permanent bathrooms delivering hot water, heated by astoked fire. After a superbly
guided safari, guests can pedal through the locallandscape on one of Shergarh’s exciting new cycling treks. Personal toucheslike tasty, packed safari lunches or preheated beds on chilly nights ensureeach stay feels special.
Flameof the forest
Cloaked in the forest and fauna ofKanha National Park lies the sought-after Flame of the Forest Safari Lodge.Owners and caregivers Isa and
Karan warmly welcome adventurous visitors, makingtheir jungle abode feel like home. This luxurious lodge offers foureco-friendly cottages, thoughtfully designed with nature and relaxation inmind. Each cottage exudes an aura of authenticity and has a patio
that peeksdown at the banks of the bubbling Banjar River. Venture out early for a trekthrough the nearby tribal villages or accompany seasoned naturalist Karan on aheart-pumping tiger safari. Twilight dinner on the Banjar sands will have youseriously considering
Making the switch from the “concretejungle”.
Floraand Fauna of Kanha National Park with
Wildlife Tours
Kanha National Park is mixture of greatfloras and faunas. The main fauna in the park are tiger, gaur, wild dogs,chousingha, nilgai, sloth
bear, sambhar, chital, hard ground Barasinga-(12-horneddeer), barking deer, hyena, jungle cat and leopard. It is also the ecstasy ofbirds like Racket-tailed drongo, Magpie Robin, two species of hornbill seen inlarge numbers.
Other attractions around this nationalpark are: Kanha Museum, Elephant Safari, Bamni Dadar,
TigerSafari India National Parks, (bird’s eye view of the National Park),
Bird WatchingTours India and many more.
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
February 03, 2013
"While pictures of nature and wildlife are valuable when contributed to conservation causes, images that depict the destruction of nature are vital for creating change. Unfortunately, most nature photographers in India do not even consider taking “conservation
photographs” such as road kills, mined slopes, deforested hillsides, ugly constructions within forests, or other manmade disasters inflicted on nature. Yet, pictures like these, with a record of the location, date and time, can help conservation immensely.
If you’ve only been photographing nature so far, taking “conservation pictures” will definitely require venturing outside your comfort zone. However, in the interests of India’s wildlife, it’s time for all nature photographers to add this genre of photography
to their repertoire. The good news is, nature and conservation photography are not mutually exclusive and can be practiced side-by-side.
The advantage with conservation photography is that, unlike nature photography, it is not dependent on sophisticated and expensive equipment, or great technical skill......."
Read More at
http://www.conservationindia.org/resources/beyond-the-pretty-picture
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
February 03, 2013
"Most of the conservation focus in India is on protected areas, based on the idea that people and wildlife cannot coexist. But while peddling this theory to try and push for more human-free areas, conservationists are writing off the majority of wildlife
that live out of protected areas and alongside people. This is also closely linked to the history of the conservation movement in India and other parts of the world, and the urban elite now dominating it.
It’s time for NGOs and state forest departments to stop imitating western conservation ideas, and look at what our own culture has to offer. A good starting point is to perhaps start incentivising tolerance, whereby communities are possibly subsidised
for not planting conflict-prone crops, or better protecting their immediate surroundings from animals.
..................
Our research attempted to understand the differences between communities, all living in the same region (within 500 m of the boundary of the Mudumalai tiger reserve) and interacting with the same wildlife. We interviewed 250 people from three tribal communities"—
..................
Read More at
http://www.thesholatrust.org/an-elephant-in-my-garden/
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Posted by
Shashi Kant Sharma
on
January 31, 2013
That beautiful animal is near extinct - its numbers reduced to 20-40 in Corbett National Park( a park many think of as the first to start a Tiger Conservation effort......exhibiting some good management practices over the years though as of now they seem
to be focussed more on denying people accommodation inside Dhikala/FRHs inside the Park.....story one has heard is it is invariably 100% booked for Government officials............of course there is also the story about tourist resorts outside the Park doing
good business though they do not necessarily focus on the health of the Park and its animals)
The Hog Deer found only in Ganjetic plains and Kaziranga has fallen prey to essentially the pernicious practice of grasslands being burnt every year. It is reported that 500 of them perished in the Kaziranga floods last year.....could the Park there have provided
them passage to higher ground (that is all they would need to survive and not really expect you to take Noah's Ark there....after all floods in the Kaziranga are'nt a surprise/unexpected event
The story written by Ananda Banerjee in the Mint of 01 February, 2013 brings out detail and touches you to the quick. Can we start a petition to Corbett National Park to take up a campaign for saving the Hog?
You will see a beautiful Photograph of the beautiful animal..........Looks so VULNERABLE...Read the story by visiting
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/D4wEw5qfD7l8vQWhe2HmTN/Hog-deer-trapped-and-nowhere-to-run.html#comments_box
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Posted by
Shashi Kant Sharma
on
January 27, 2013
Have been visiting the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary since the late 70's. Today, the 27 January, 2013 we visited it again to spend some time birding in the company of some old colleagues and friends - all retired/semi-retired.
A much anticipated outing since this is the time for many migratories being seen at the sanctuary. Experienced mixed emotions - driving on roads much improved from the old times and getting to the Sanctuary in much less time than in the old times. We noticed
how a new Manesar-Dwarka Expressway has resulted in miles and miles of lands being taken over by Colonizers, big and small. Drive to Sultanpur was almost entirely through an already congested/inhabited area. Gone was the romance of driving to the place on
muddy roads, raising clouds of dust in the wake of my car as used to be the case in the 70's. Today it felt as if we were in Sultanpur, having hardly got out of the urbanised/much colonized area (an extension of old/new Gurgaon thanks to the Manesar-Dwarka
Expressway).
We were among large groups inside the Sanctuary itself as well and the parking place provided was choc-a-block with the latest models of cars. families inside the sanctuary wielded the latest DSLR cameras (one with each member of the family) .................In
the 70's I recollected having gone to Sultanpur from Delhi and stayed in the tourist huts for a weekend...the experience was that of visiting a Sanctuary far from the madding crowd and stay in the hut was in sync with that feeling....................Today
things have changed, smoother roads, flyovers providing access, lots of festive tents both sides of the roads (sales/marketing offices put up by Colonizers for prospective buyers).......... So did I expreience the quietitude and peace of old times while driving
to the sanctuary or walking around the lake inside. We did see many more birds and also a Cobra and took many photographs.......our mood fluctuated from happy, relaxed, worrisome, 'happy-sad' not 'happy-happy' ...............the large groups were too noisy,
the walking trail inside had too many plastic wrappers, visitors were all over the place. We remained in touch with the fear that as colonizers construct all the way to the gates of the sanctuary, will it survive? Number of birds coming will surely go down
since the fields/trees and vegetation on both sides of the road has nearly disappeared already (with agricultural lands usage having been converted to urbanised area already).....so fewer trees/bushes for them to pearch on and more people engaged in the business
of life----more vehicles, lots of electric lights, Mobile Towers.....Radiation...........
Given the pressure of numbers, will it renew and regenerate itself..Have my doubts. Do we wish to eliminate the probability of our children/grand children having some place to experience Nature and Unspoilt Surroundings at their healthiest and least spoilt
state of being......Of course there was plenty of water in the Lake, lots of birds were there but there was also an old/very ill-looking blue-bull. Did it pick up an infection something from the domestic cattle that were roaming around the Sanctuary in plenty.
.................I continue to believe that we have to save some islands of peace and quietitude away from constructed areas ----merely designating an area a Sanctuary will not ensure that. We as a society will have to persuade ourselves to not monetise every
inch of land that we see around us
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Posted by
Shashi Kant Sharma
on
January 24, 2013
It is'nt just about sustainable living.
Saving Greens is necessary for our very survival - be it the essential for species survival bio-diversity, the 'basic' water of life, life-regenerating climate (weather cycles) or the beautyof nature which heals minds and brings smiles to the most harried amongst
us. Every little bit that any one does will help
Good News is that some Institutions are working to make a difference
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) have added their weight to save the Aravalis in and around Gurgaon-Faribadabad belt.
As reported in the Times of India of January 25, 2013, NGT have passed an order prohibiting non-Forest Activity in three villages in the Gurgaon-Faridabad belt. These are Kot, Mangar, Roz-ka-Gujjar and Sikandarpur (of Marble Market and Wine shops fame)
Some of us have been agitated about the Aravalis being sold off to developers by fobbing off the transaction as a step for developing tourism...........This was a move for destroying the Mangar Forests - a 500 acre grove of the Dhau Tree held sacred by the
locals. The effort of the people there is comparable with the Chipko movement of yore in Uttrakhand. A group of 5-6 residents of Mangar Bani literally moved mountains to create awareness about their forest and what that sylvan surrounding was doing to sustain
the Gurgaon-Faridabad belt By the way the sale of Forest land was happening in the garb of 'consolidation of land' (misuse of that policy was reported when the Haryana IAS Officedr Khemka was in the news)
For details on the struggle for saving Mangar Bani and Photographs of this Forest visit http://www.indianwildlifeclub.blogspot.in/2012/07/mangarbani-sacred-grove.html
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