Story on the Great Indian Bustard

Link to a story for children on the Great Indian Bustard.

http://www.thehindu.com/children/when-lakshman-met-godavan/article19102614.ece

Far Away in Far Pak: Blue Mountain National Park, Mizoram

My first trip to Mizoram, the last of the North-east states to visit. Am excited as always because this region is incredible in terms of biodiversity, varied cultures and of course delicious cuisine! We land at the Lengpui airport. The drive to Aizawl is 32 kilometres from here. It’s a green drive with varied vegetation.  Aizawl came to me as quite a surprise. More organised than any of the other Northeast state capitals and extremely disciplined, traffic-wise; I am yet to understand why this is so, but the traffic is so orderly and its rare to hear the horns blaring. I was there at the beginning of December and indeed Aizawl felt magical with Christmas preparations in full swing. But because of its close proximity to Myanmar, Mizoram also has quite a mix of cultures.

For me, the best was yet to come as I was visiting the Blue Mountain national park. Blue Mountain or Phawngpui as it is called in the local language is the highest peak in the state of Mizoram. A fascinating six-hour drive brought us to Sangao where we would spend the night at the Department of Tourism guesthouse and proceed to the park the next morning. The guesthouse could not be better located and accorded us a fantastic view of Sangao town and valley. We started our journey to Blue Mountain the next day. We were initially told that one needed to walk the last five kilometers to the park because of the bad condition of the road. We decided to take it as it comes and arrived at the village of Thaltlang that is at the base of the park. Snacks and several cups of tea later, we are told that it is possible to travel the last five kilometers in a four-wheel drive. And what a ride it was! The vehicle struggled up the mud track and there were a few places where we did end up walking. 

 

Local Market at Sangao

We enter the park at Far Pak. Mizoram is a land of legends. It is believed that there was a ruler of ghosts called Sangau who lived near Blue Mountain and had a son of marriageable age. Across the peaks lived another ruler with an eligible daughter. A marriage was arranged between the two. Sangau gifted a pair of Hoolock Gibbons, while the girl’s side gifted a pine tree. Far Pak means single pine and that’s how the place got its name.  There are still a few pines there and I wondered which one was the original!

Forest Guest House at Far Pak

 

After a quick cup of tea, we were taken around the park. The first stop was the edge of a deep gorge with a breathtaking view. 

Hoping to see the Gorals

View from Far Pak

There was light mist making the scenario even more exciting. We were told that there was a good chance of seeing gorals (small goat like creatures, found in the Himalayan region) and although we didn’t see them, it was easy to imagine them on that precipitous ledge. We did see falcons swooping down into the valley. The state bird of Mizoram, Mrs. Hume's pheasant as well as the elusive clouded leopard are also found here, but I guess we just needed more time in the park if we were to spot any of the two celebrities. As we stood looking down the valley, a mist came over a blanket of white covered the valley. My trip to Phawngpui was short, and I turned away with a promise to be back someday.

  

An Unexpected Bonus: Desert National Park

Rajasthan is sold globally as the land of palaces and local culture. Jaisalmer, in particular is marketed for its sand dunes. Majority of tourists (both international and domestic) go to Jaisalmer to experience the unique city located within the fort and take a camel safari on the sand dunes. The more adventurous, camp on the dunes at night. There is yet another attraction in Jaisalmer that very few people are aware of. This is the truly spectacular Desert National Park, about half an hour’s drive from the city. This area showcases one of the most beautiful and distinctive ecosystems comprising of rolling sand dunes and grasslands of sewan grass considered to be one of the finest fodder grasses in the country. The flora and fauna are both unique as they are adapted to live in extremely harsh conditions. The park is perhaps the last safe haven for the state bird of Rajasthan, the celebrated Great Indian Bustard, popularly known as GIB. Once hunted, this bird is now under strict protection here. There is also a large population of the spiny-tailed lizard here. Other fauna include the Indian and Desert fox and the Desert cat. There are also a large number of raptors that congregate here.

The Desert Ecosystem

A variety of raptors may be seen 

It is ironic that despite Jaisalmer being a very popular tourist destination few even know of the existence of the park. There is huge potential to develop the park for ecotourism, if combined with homestays and /or community lodges in the surrounding villages. An added attraction is the Akal Wood Fossil Park at Akal village. Communities from villages around the park are ambiguous about the park. This could change if there is a link up through tourism. Much will need to be done to develop first the park for tourism and then with local communities to help developing appropriate accommodation etc. Interpretation and capacity building will be crucial if this is taken forward.

 

Working with local communities to develop ecotourism is crucial

A Homestay in Powalgarh: Eco Harryman’s

An annual meeting was planned at Powalgarh and the great incentive was the location! Powalgarh, (Uttarakhand) was made famous by Jim Corbett for having hunted the largest ever tiger in these forests. Titled, “The Bachelor of Powalgarh”, Corbett recounted his tale of tracking and killing this tiger that took him over a decade in his famous book, “The Maneaters of Kumaon”. There were two more things that attracted me to this place. The first was the homestay where we were booked called ‘Eco Harryman’s and the second being that this was close to the Powalgarh Conservation Reserve.

We drove from Delhi and about six hours later, finally arrive at Eco Harryman’s, an old house tucked away, hidden from the main road. We are greeted by Manralji who runs this homestay and I was looking forward to chatting with him. Manralji belongs to a family where several members were part of the Indian Army. He too wanted to join the Army, but his family wanted him to look at other options. He got a diploma in electronics from Delhi and was exploring employment opportunities when a chain of events brought him back to Uttarakhand. This was the time when Uttarkhand was struggling for independent statehood. He wanted to be part of the movement and also in some ways promote the natural beauty of the state. He decided to then start a tourism initiative from his family house in Powalgarh. In the year 2000, the state Forest Department started looking at ecotourism in earnestness and Manralji’s place was best suited for this. In 2012, the nearby forest was declared a Conservation Reserve, thanks to the efforts of a group of dedicated young locals   who called themselves the Pawalgarh Prakriti Prahari (PPP). Manralji supported this group and it is his place that has now become the hub for all the PPP activities. PPP is focussed on promoting ecotourism and conservation in the Conservation Reserve. I was curious about the name of the resort and Manralji explained Eco Harryman’s is actually an acronym based on all the people who were part of the formation of the first coordinating committee.

Manralji and his colleage

Eco Harryman's Homestay

The Rooms

This resort has three rooms on the ground floor and three on the first floor with varying number of beds. The rooms themselves are comfortable and clean. There is a common set of toilets and bathrooms at the back. Across from this is another building that has on the first floor an outdoor venue for meetings. The room has also lots of books and other interesting reading material on the natural history of the region. A look at the vast collection books and the wildlife related artwork on the walls indicates that we are in the company of a true naturalist. One walks across a beautiful fruit orchard to get to the dining hall that can also accommodate quite a few people to sleep in, if required. An ideal venue for school/college camps. Manralji’s wife looks after the kitchen and serves delicious organic local cuisine.

Activities offered at the Homestay

This resort is now run in collaboration with the PPP, members of which also facilitate birding trips and nature walks for the guests. Manralji has dedicated his life to conservation of this area and it is indeed a pleasure to stay in this delightful place and be exposed to some of the natural wonders of Powalgarh. Eco Harryman’s is indeed a homestay with personal care and attention given by the hosts. The main gate of Corbett Tiger Reserve is 18 kms from here, in case one wants to venture beyond the conservation reserve.    

More Power to Women in Manipur

A recent news item that caught my eye was about the women's market in Manipur. It talked about the women demanding repair of this market after an earthquake last year that destroyed some of the shops. Ima Kheitei or Mother's Market is the largest women-run market in Asia. It was a truly inspiring sight to see this market when I visited Manipur a few years ago. To me, it was not just a market but a sign of women's empowerment. Over 5000 women here sell vegetables, fish, traditional handicrafts, sarongs and stoles. There are women of all ages and the clothes market is a kaleidoscope of colour. Besides ready-made clothes, there are also women tailors who will make the required alterations on the spot. Manorama is a grandmother who has her own stall in the market. She spends the day here while her daughter-in-law looks after the household. This market is special because it is a hub for women who also use this time to spend with their friends and get away from household chores. This market provides both economic and social security to the women. I do hope that demands of the women traders are met and this symbol of women's empowerment continues to stand strong. This market is a 'must visit' while in Manipur. 

Innovation at its best: instant Alteration

A kaleidoscope of colour

Women of all ages 

Bhutan's Tourism Dilemma

Wandering on the streets of Paro or Thimpu in Bhutan one gets the feeling of being in an enchanted Kingdom. The streets are lined with buildings built in traditional architectural style, be it residences or offices. People are seen in traditional Bhutanese attire and there is absolutely no garbage in sight. Bhutan’s brand tagline, “Happiness is a place” indeed comes to life. This is perhaps the only country in the world, where the mandate of the modern state is Gross National Happiness.  It indicates that the universally accepted goal of economic development is only a means to the real goal of happiness. Bhutan’s philosophy is that happiness can be found in simple things anywhere.   Bhutan has been a pioneer in promoting high value, low volume tourism and has succeeded in earning revenue as well as conserving its heritage. However, Bhutan is now facing a serious dilemma in tourism. There has been a drastic increase in regional tourists over the last few years. Regional tourists are those from India, Bangladesh and the Maldives and they don’t need to follow the daily tariff norms that Bhutan applies to foreigners. However, as in many other issues, Bhutan is ready to take on the challenge.

Following Traditional Architecture

I was invited to a workshop to Bhutan in April to address this issue and see how Bhutan could link up to tourism in North-east India. I made presentation on Community-based Tourism and its relevance to this region. 

Following is also a link to an article by me, recently published on the same:

 http://www.deccanherald.com/content/549535/bhutan-shows-way.html

Dzuleke: A Unique Experience in Rural Tourism

My excitement knew no bounds when I was asked if I would help set up an ecotourism initiative in a village in Nagaland. Nagaland, a place I always wanted to visit. I had no idea what to expect. I arrived in Dimapur and drove up to Kohima. I was to spend a night here and then proceed to Dzuleke, the village in question. We drove up to a charming bungalow, where I was scheduled to stay. Built in Colonial style, The Heritage is the old District Commissioner's Bungalow, now converted into a guesthouse. This three-room establishment is probably one of the nicest places to stay in Kohima. I wake up to the sound of bagpipes and wonder if I am dreaming. I look out and see someone actually playing the bagpipes. I meet this wonderful gentlemen and his charming wife and over breakfast they tell me that they have been visiting Nagaland for many years as part of the Kohima Educational Trust. 

The veterans of the Battle of Kohima (fought in 1944) established the Kohima Educational Trust in the memory of the Nagas who fought and died in this battle. This is considered as one of the fiercest battles fought involving the British.  A tribute to this battle is the Kohima War Cemetery built in the memory of the British, Scottish and Indian soldiers who fought and died in the battle during the Second World War against the Japanese Army. The Cemetery is still maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This beautifully created and maintained cemetery holds the befitting prelude to a British soldier who lay down his life with the lines etched that read, “When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today.” 

We leave for Dzuleke the next day. Only 40 kms from Kohima, and yet it takes almost two hours because of the bad road. Dzuleke is an Angami (one of the major tribes in Nagaland) village and gets its name from the river Dzuleke that originates from the eastern Khonoma mountain range and flows in a westerly direction to finally confluence with river Barak in Assam. During its course, the river goes underground once it reaches Dzuleke. ‘Dzu’ means water and ‘leke’ underground in the local language. Dzuleke is the last village of the western Angami region of Kohima. The village was established more than 200 years when a few families from the neighboring village of Khonoma came and settled here. This 33 household village has total population of 200, a number that has remained almost static for the past many years as the younger generation leaves to seek better job opportunities.

We stop at a viewpoint not far from the village where one loses phone network. I will get used to not being connected on phone during my stay at Dzuleke. Not a bad experience at all! We drive into the village and approach a beautifully maintained house, surrounded by flowers. Two Naga women come out to receive us. These two sisters, I am told are going to be my hosts during my stay here. Both of them speak Angamese, the local dialect and some Nagamese (pidgi that is a mix of Bengali, Assamese and Angamese). I of course speak none of these, but we make ourselves understood through sign language. As my stay progresses I realize what wonderful cooks they are and I am in heaven. My favourite is the traditionally cooked pork along with the freshwater crab and chilli chutney. Mouthwatering is also the fresh ginger, chilli and herb chutney eaten with the traditional rice beer. The two sisters and I spent many evenings sitting by the kitchen fire sipping rice beer and licking this chutney. A truly fiery, yet wonderful combination. If in season, there is an amazing array of vegetables available and cooked with local herbs are simply delicious.  The Dzuleke river has the rare snow trout. Fishing of this is regulated. I was fortunate to sample some of this, cooked in traditional style. 

Dzuleke presents an ideal location for visitors to get a feel of rural life in Nagaland. Despite being relatively close to Kohima, it is yet untouched by the rigors of modern civilization. With its quaint houses and beautifully laid out stone walkways and surrounded by forests and rice fields, Dzuleke lets you experience village life and also enjoy nature in its relatively pristine form. Walks through the village provide a glimpse of Angami culture. It is common to see men sitting by their houses weaving baskets of cane and bamboo. Women can be seen weaving cloth on their looms. If one is lucky, you can partake in some of the traditional games. Christianity was introduced in this region in the1890s and Sunday gave me a chance to visit churches and listen to sermons and hymns sung in local Angamese. My hosts also took me to their home garden where vegetables are grown completely organically.  It was such pleasure to be able to pluck fresh corn and then roast it on the kitchen fire.

Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, along with natural bamboo and cane plantations, surround Dzuleke. Traditionally a hunting community, Dzuleke is special because the elders decided to ban all hunting here in the year 1999 to ensure that the wildlife in the area is conserved for generations to come. The community has also decided to set aside some of the forest as a Community Conserved Area (CCA) where collection of all forest produce will be restricted. The Stump-tailed Macaqu , Barking Deer  and the Mountain Bamboo Partridge are some of the attractions of this place. The state bird of Nagaland Blythe’s Tragopan, found only in Nagaland can also be spotted in the forests of Dzuleke. These forests provide great opportunities for bird and butterfly watching; nature walks and trekking. 

Basket Weaving in Dzuleke

A trek was planned during my second visit with the idea to try and explore trekking routes for tourists.  Perhaps the one of the toughest treks of my life, we walked up a 45-degree incline without a path. Our Naga guide hacked away on the bamboo and undergrowth as we climbed. I am indebted to my two Naga lady friends who accompanied me and quite literally pulled and pushed me up the mountainside. The scenery was spectacular and made up for the all the pain and discomfort. By the time we reached the campsite at lunchtime, the tents had been pitched and fires were burning. Lunch consisted on cold pork that had been sent by the villagers. Dinner was memorable with chicken and pork and also a roast mole that had been picked up dead on the way. This one was not for me! The way down on the next day was a far gentler walk and quite a contrast to the ascent. It appeared that the ascent had been more to test my endurance! I seem to have passed with flying colours because this trek earned me the respect and love of all the Dzuleke residents and I was affectionately given the name, ‘Kezha Le- U” that means, “One who brings a lot to the village”. I was touched and felt completely accepted by the people of this wonderful Naga village. 

After extended visits to Dzuleke, several discussions with the village people and explorations in and around the village, I came up with a feasibility plan and strategy to develop it as a pilot ecotourism destination. Some of the homestays are already up and  running and it is indeed a place worth visiting.