Avalanche Biosphere Reserve, the Nilgiris

Date: September 20, 2008

Area: The Kundah East Forest (Madurai Range), Avalanche Biosphere Reserve (Estd: 2006), 10 km from Emerald and 36 km from Ooty near the Badaga Settlement

Temperature: 15–20 degree Celsius in the morning; 2–4 degree Celsius at night fall

Camera: Sony Cybershot with Zeiss M2B Lens Modifier DSC-H 50 10.1 MP, 18x OZ

Time: Early morning 5:00–7:00 o’clock; Late noon 4:30–6:00 o’clock; Late night 1:00–3:00 o’clock

Conditions: Drizzling, cloudy, misty and wind blowing at 40–60 miles/hr at the foothills

Height: 6526 Feet ASL

NOTE: This presentation includes the photos of a rare mountain tiger, a wild fox, a spotted deer (on the run) and a cliff vulture. © WWF-Ooty © The Nilgiris Wildlife and Nature Conservation Asscociation, Charring Cross, Udhagamandalam © Arunava Das (Fellow of WWF-Ooty).

I had been on a project visit to our base, called the Avalanche Biosphere Reserve, 36 km from Ooty. The place is named after the famous and the oldest hydel power plant of the Nilgiris, Avalanche Indo-Canadian Hydel Power Plant, strategically set up just on the steep foothills of the Doddabetta; it leads to the picturesque Avalanche Lake covered on all three sides by the Nilgiris dotted with Shola and Pine varieties of exotic plantations.

I am a part of the project entitled “The Study of Invasion of Exotic Varieties of Shola in the Nilgiris Grasslands” under Dr. Srinivasan from the University of Kentucky under the sponsorship of IUCN.

The temperature of the region was around 2–15 degree Celcius when I visited this place for research purpose. It is an untouched and unspoilt location in the Nilgiris. Here tourists are not allowed and that has come a long way in preserving the serenity of this area.



Fig: 1 A rare mountain tiger; I had shot this at the foothills of Doddabetta (Highest peak of the Nilgiri Mountain range). It had taken away a buffalo from the Avalanche Village (I was put up here) the previous day. There were little chances of finding it that day as it was already 2:00 o’ clock in the afternoon. Next day, at 5:00 o’ clock in the morning, braving the cold, mist, clouds and strong breeze, I set out for the forests. Luckily I saw the young male tiger in its early teens just a kilometer away from the dense undergrowth.


Fig: 2 The same tiger, getting finicky as I was approaching it.

Fig: 3 Sounded a roar, a warning as I went nearer.


Fig: 4 A wild fox shot at around 1:00 am on 21st September, 2008 on a Sunday.


Fig: 5 Cliff Vulture shot at dusk.


Fig: 6 A Spotted Deer on the run. Incidentally, it was being chased by a pack of wild dogs.

By Arunava Das

HAPLESS BENGAL, If Not HOPELESS

This is in response to the “Brilliant Article”, People!!! No Thank You by Vijai G, put up on the EmPower Research blogsite. Nice to know that Bangalore also had mills that were regarded as spearheads of industry yesteryears. I come from a place known as Chandernagore (It’s a French Town on the banks of the Ganges, 30 km upstream from Kolkata). It’s famous for Red Curd (Laal Doi) and once also boasted of the erstwhile Gondalpara Jute Mills that along with Tribeni Tissues was a common name in every household not only in Bengal, but also in India. Now the former has been shut down and the latter is running in the midst of losses.

Bandel, 20 km from Chandernagore and 52 km from Kolkata by train, once boasted of the world-renowned Dunlop Tyres and Industries. Now it is in shambles.

Perhaps you have heard of Hindustan Motors that manufactures the Ambassador, still the most sought after car for its hardiness and extra comfortability, which is also running under losses. It is located at Hindmotor, a place 19 kms downstream Chandernagore.

The people of Bengal are frustrated because whenever she (Bengal) has tried to stand on her feet, she has been pecked by unwanted political vandalism. First it was the CPM, then came the Congress, briefly, and finally it is now a tug of war between Trinamool Congress and CPM.

God has given us one earth and we had drawn lines on it and divided the land into entities that belong to you and me. I am thankful of the fact that the moon is the satellite of the earth and is far away from us. If it would have been on earth, we would have divided it too.

Such articles bring out the disgust that the people of Bengal are facing. Sourav Ganguly recently pointed out that he wants his daughter to grow up and settle in Bengal only, but is doubtful as he says “I don’t want Sana to grow up and see there are no jobs in Bengal”.

And CPM-led coalition government in West Bengal is dreaming out of no-where of Sourav becoming the BRAND AMBASSADOR of HAPLESS BENGAL, IF NOT HOPELESS.

By Arunava Das

Fade Away…

Drops pelting down a broken pane
Leaves falling down an empty lane

Green fading away, Black creeping in
Good wilting away, doors open to sin

Empty stomach, makes no sound
The hungry heart cries out loud

Cry no more, these walls don’t hear
Shout no more, No one’s near

A drop of water, a sea of blood
The smell of sweat, the taste of mud

Soul searching within a crowd ? Don’t
There’s no music, there’s just sound

People moving fast, out of sight
Days drowning away into night

Yes, there will come the day I fear
Yet I don’t move, I stay right here

Tears pouring down withered eyes
Body lives on, soul dies...

Niyad