Normally, every year , since 2005 i have been on overseas solo-backpacker tour or a group foreign tours while most of my local nature tours are through the "B.N.H.S(Bombay Natural History society)" of which i am a "Life Member". I was supposed to go on an "Istanbul Tour" with a tour company in May, the same canceled due to various reasons, main reason being lack of a "Tour Travel partner" as traveling "Single" means an increased cost escalation.Hence decided to go for the B.N.H.S conducted 4 days nature tour of Guhagar in the Konkan district of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra.Have visited Goa and Mangalore manny times but the "Konkan Region" of Maharashtra was a place never visited hence decided to finally get to experience the nature and culture of the Konkan region of coastal Maharashtra.Here is the "MAP LINK" of Guhagar.:-Guhagar google map
Booked my ticket for the tour on Friday(6-5-2011),almost a month in advance, paying a total of Rs5150 for the 4-day nature tour, anxious for a nature holiday, away from the bustling hectic city life of Mumbai."B.N.H.S" does occasionally cancel its tours if the participants are less or other reasons and hence was hoping that the same didn't happen on this tour.
Thanks to the internet,phone and "Facebook social website", the programme for the tour was well communicated between participants and the "B.N.H.S" tour staff and finally the tour was confirmed for Thursday(2-6-2011). Its bizarre that exactly a year ago on Thursday(2-6-2010) i had returned to Mumbai from London, having completed a hectic "Group" tour of European city's with "Thomas Cook tours" and later a weeks solo backpackers tour of London.
THURSDAY(2-6-2011):- Woke up at 0430hrs, and had my bathe, later checking my internet mail and news.Left my house in Prabhadevi at approx 0600hrs and boarded the Nos 169 bus to Dadar T.T, reaching at approx 0620hrs.Mr Vandan.Jhaveri,the "B.N.H.S" tour guide along with a few other tour participants were present opposite "Chandulal Halwai Shop", one of the city'sthe pick-up points for all "B.N.H.S Tours" in Mumbai.An elderly gentleman Mr Anil.Kunte , proprietor of "Hemaki Lab Services Pvt Ltd" befriended me and we quickly got to know each other.I have made numerous acquaintainces during my "B.N.H.S Tours", a place where nature knowledge and experiences can be shared for mutual benefit and nature conservation.Mr Anil.Kunte turned out to be an avid professional "Bird-watcher", having designed and donated a "Bird-Clock" to "B.N.H.S" office,one of the few persons selected for counting the Himalayan bird species yearly in winter months.Among the participating ladies waiting for the tour bus i noticed a familiar lady and on peeping into Vandhan.Jhaveri's tour participants list came across the name Maryann .Baptista, confirming my doubts.Maryann.Baptista was in the commerce section of "I.S.C X11" ,way back in 1977 at Christ Church School in Mumbai.I introduced myself to her,she not having recognized me as i was one of the "Back-Bencher" quiet boys in school, neither the hero nor the villain, a mediocre student!It turned out to be a small world and she introduced me to another Ex-Christ church alumni lady, Yvonne.Daniel, the daughter of my chemistry teacher,Mr Daniel.They both along with two other ladies and amateur photographer with professional photographic equipment Mr Sameer.Owlekar were travelling by an air-conditioned Qualis bus, paying a little extra for the luxury.Thanks to Maryann.Baptista to whom i later uploaded my photos of the "Konkan tour Photo album" and her own personal "Birds identification blog" sent to me that i could recollect the birds spotted and name them in this "Nature Travelogue Blog".Otherwise, my speciality is " Solo Backpacker economy travel" methods , nature tour blogs , my pets blogs and " Taboo Social causes blogs".
Our bus finally arrived and we departed from Dadar at approx 0700 hrs, the air-conditioned Qualis with its 6 occupants following us throughout the journey, a distance of approx 288 Kms by road.A few other tour travelers were picked at Chembur and finally the main tour organizer and ornithology specialist Mr Nikhil.Bhopale was picked up at Panvel.The total tour participants were 28 members, including the two "B.N.H.S" staff tour organizers ,Mr Nikhil.Bhopale and Mr Vandan.Jhaveri.
Breakfast was at approx 0900 hrs at the "Kshanbhar Vishranti hotel" opposite the Karnala Bird sanctuary in Panvel on the Mumbai-Goa road.Had a sweet lassi as i had already had a massive "Bheja-egg breakfast" at home and finally we departed from the hotel at approx 1000 hrs.It was a bright sunny day and a smooth ride as the roads were in good condition as also the tour bus which was just 2 months old.Passed by the famous "Pala Caves" and later Raigad Fort at approx 1215 hrs, a smooth drive on a sunny day.
We reached Khed at approx 1315 hrs and stopped at the "Green Village Hotel" for lunch, a picturesque open air hotel with a beautiful garden and Meadows lawn.The professional bird watchers and botanists were immediately into action, spotting a few birds, trees and flowering plants, myself improving on my mediocre bird and plant recognition knowledge.I go on "Nature treks" for the main reason of "Trekking" and mingling with nature experiencing the forest life compared to city living, as well as meeting new acquaintances and sharing knowledge.Lunch was a sumptuous vegetarian thali meal and after lunch we left Khed at approx 1430 hrs ,a scenic drive through numerous forested hillocks, the weather suddenly turning cloudy.We experienced the first monsoon drizzle of 2011 in chiplun at approx 1500hrs whilst descending the winding ghats into Chiplun city.We finally reached Guhagar at approx 1600hrs on a dull cloudy but excellently cool evening.The group tour members were put up in two hotels,Tour Group leader Mr Nikhil.Bhopale along with a few of the lady's were alloted A/C accommodation in a hotel situated in the main town centre of Guhagar, near the main city bus-stop. Most of the tour-bus passengers were allotted accommodation in the scenic hotel Nisarg, approx 10 mins drive from the main city.The "Nisarg Hotel" was a farm-house that was converted into a motel type lodging with 4 rooms built into a single large Bungalow type forest lodge.This hotel was situated in the midst of the forests with a few cultivated farms in its vicinity.The hotel was built at an elevation on a hill with terraced steps, a beautiful scenic hotel when seen from at a distance on ground level.
We were alloted 4 members to a room. Vandan.Jhaveri, Captain Logan.Rodricks his young son Elkan and myself were allotted room Nos 106.Captain Logan.Rodrigues,a ancestral resident of Bandra was a Singapore based Captain Surveyor on a short holiday to India with his family.Since we belonged to the same profession,"MERCHANT SHIPPING", had a few discussions on the same.Mr Logan.Rodricks had conducted the survey for his company on "Container Loss-Damage" of the infamous container merchant ship "MSC Chitra" that had sunk after colliding with another ship "M.V.Khalijia 3"of "Prongs Reef" in Mumbai in August 2010.The ships sinking had created fears of an ecological catastrophe to Mumbai's coastline due to the leakage of the ships oil from its ruptured tanks into the sea .Fortunately the oil leakage was controlled and the vessel re-floated, towed into the deep sea and sunk in 2011, creating a future artificial "REEF" for aquatic species."B.N.H.S" volunteers and expertise played a major role in containing and limiting the "MSC CHITRA" oil spillage off Mumbai's coastline.Ironically, the shipping Industry has been responsible for some of the World's greatest natural environment disasters. The agenda for the evening was a meeting at the Guhagar beach for a formal introduction of all the group members followed by a swim in the sea.Destiny had other thoughts and it seems we brought in the first monsoons to Guhagar with our arrival, the clouds suddenly giving way to rain at approx 1715hrs.Worst of all, i didn't carry any monsoon gear in my luggage although i had recently purchased a raincoat and had 2 umbrella's at home in Mumbai.We had already boarded the bus on our way to the beach when the sudden downpour started,preventing Nikhil's group staying at the other hotel from arriving at the beach.The evenings itinerary of beach tour and member familiarization was to be canceled and hence a evening wasted.On insistence from a few members, most of all myself,Vandan allowed members in the bus to walk to the beach,even swim if they wished, all at their own risk.Almost all participants had umbrellas or raincoats and i was the only person besides Mr Rodricks and his kid who were without any rainwear.We finally reached the beach, a short walk from the Guhagar bus terminus.My last swim was in "M.G.M.O Pool" in Mumbai in 2009, hence was just waiting to feel the sea water and wade in the sea.Guhagar Beach was beautiful and clean although the cloudy weather made visibility poor with the waves being absolutely powerful in their wake.Had a dip in the sea, the water being warmer than the cold rain temp on land.It was excellent remaining in the sea with rain pouring and the waves lashing onto the land, dangerous but thrilling.Finally , Nikhil and his group members arrived at the beach and hence the swimming stay was prolonged, an excellent memorable evening in knee deep sea waves at unspoilt Guhagar beach.Finally ,left the beach totally drenched and made our way to the hotel by bus.The hotel was just a year old, the room in excellent condition with A/c facilities and flat screen satellite t.v.Only problem was the locust like entrance of termites into our room due to the rains. The termites are attracted to lights and since this hotel was situated in dense forests, it was the main focus for all termites in the region,something bizarre and of biblical proportions.Termites are harmless, unlike mosquito's, but, they crawl all over the floor, losing their wings and messing the entire accommodation. This was the first time in my life that i experienced a "Termite Plague" although i have visited numerous forested regions in India.I had brought just 2 pants for the tour, the monsoons upsetting my entire apparel planning schedule.After a bathe, the travel wear clothes were kept for drying in the veranda lobby of the hotel, just hoping that a single jean trouser would suffice for the next 3 days!Got to familiarize with the rest of the group members staying in the hotel,couples, ladies and kids from various professions but with the single interest of experiencing wild-life and nature.
Dinner was vegetarian food at the Nisarg hotels beautiful open-air garden restaurant.This hotel had a complete fruit garden consisting of a pineapple orchard, a mango tree and a jamun tree.After dinner it was back to the hotel room as wandering in the dense surrounding forest after the first rainfall was dangerous at night.Watched television, no english language news channels nor music. There were a few sports channels.Akin to most hotels, it was 2 people to a bed, and hence vandhan and myself slept on the bed while Logan and his son slept on the floor on mattresses.Had a good nights sleep as i am used to travel and lodging hotel accommodation, a result of numerous "Solo Backpacker Tours" as well as "Organized Tour Company tours".
FRIDAY(4-6-2011):-Woke up at approx 0500 hrs awaiting dawn to go out into the forests.After the normal toilet and teeth brushing activities went out into the resort forest.Explored the nearby surrounding farm land and kept a lookout for birds.The first rains had made the forests cool and pleasant, the ambient temperatures dropping abruptly.Spotted a few bulbuls, the most common birds in forests and later made my way towards a large well in the farm.Heard the loud croaking of frogs and observed a few kingfisher burrows along the sides of this deep well.Later senior Citizen and professional bird-watcher Mr Anil.Kunte joined me in the countryside exploration and we saw a cluster of quails flying and running through the barren fields.Also spotted a woodpecker going about its routine business of flying from tree to tree.We later returned to the resort rooms, changed into formal wear which for me was a single pair of denims.After teaa we boarded the bus and made our way to the forested town of Shiroli approx 26 Kms from the sea-resort of Guhagar. At Shiroli we were met by our local guide Mr Nandu.Tambe and were led by him to his under-construction bungalow situated in the midst of the "Sacred Forests" of Shiroli.In the Konkan region of Maharashtra certain forested areas are protected by the local villagers, the trees never cut but worshiped, The largest tree in the "Sacred Forest" is worshiped by the locals and a small temple built in the forested area.When that tree dies , the next largest tree is worshipped and hence the "SACRED FOREST" tree lineage of worship is maintained, also resulting in protection of wild-life , birds and reptiles living within these forests.The "SACRED FORESTS" are the rare naturally protected forests in India that are not officially designated or protected "Game reserves or National Parks".We made our way to trekker guide Nandu.Tambe's house situated in the midst of cultivated land and adjoined by dense forests.We were taken on a guided tour through the dense "SACRED FORESTS" of Shiroli and genuinely spotted some rare birds, most prominent being the "Malabar Pied Hornbill", beautifully camoufloudged in a tree, same spotted by experts in the group.It was for the first time in my life that i viewed a huge bird like the "Malabar Pied Hornbill" in the wild, a total " partial Illiterate" in the art of "Bird-watching".Thanks to the photographic skill and equipment of fellow nature-trekker Mr Samir.Ovalekar that we managed to get hold of a photograph of this beautiful rare bird in the Wild. Samir has clicked a classic photo of this bird and the same has been posted on this blog for readers to view.He has managed to click the best photograph amongst all of us, good dividends for the hard work and costly expenses involved in "Professional Photography" equipment that he invested in, akin to a costly educational degree. Thanks To Samir.Ovalekar and Amitayu.Dey who had better "SLR Camera Equipment" and were avid bird-watchers and wild-life photographers that we managed to get some beautiful and clear photos of the rare birds spotted. Later these photos were shared for viewing and a few have been downloaded on my blog, unforgettable pictures of some rare birds we spotted during our trek."Wild-Life Photography", unlike "City Tour Photo's" requires the best investment in "Camera and Photographic Equipment",besides, long hours of patience in spending hours or days in a forest to capture a rare bird photograph.The difference between a "PROFESSIONAL FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER" and a "PROFESSIONAL WILD-LIFE PHOTOGRAPHER" is akin to "DAY AND NIGHT" although both belong to the same profession! .As for me, i blog my experiences and writings with photographs to simplify descriptions and complicated technical jargon for the "COMMON READER". As they say ,"A PHOTOGRAPH TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS", besides, "A PHOTOGRAPH ALSO REQUIRES SOME LINGUISTIC CONTENT".
. Came across Jackfruit,Jambul,cashew,Kokum,Mango and Karvandah trees, plucking fresh fruits directly from some of them, a real experience to us city-dwellers unaccustomed to natures bounty.The strange aspect of these forests was that none of the edible fruits were harvested from these rich fruit bearing trees, the villagers just allowing the fruits to fall to the ground and rot, a bizarre sight to a city dweller where everything costs money, least of all fresh tasty fruit products.Some of the the birds spotted were white throated kingfisher,Common Iora,Black shouldered kite,Indian Pitta,Ashy Drongo,Green Pigeon,Indian Koel,Red Vented and Red whiskered Bulbuls,Jungle Babblers,White bellied blue fly-catcher and Brown headed barbet.This forest was known to have a few leopards in its habitat and guide Nandu also showed us some leopard scats, akin to dog or cat scats but with a larger amount of animal bones.I was familiar to "Forest Trekking and bird shooting" during my youth holidays in parents ancestral homes of Mabukala and Barkur in Mangalore District during the 1970's, hence, was reliving a past that i know would never return.Hope the leopards and wild-life of these forests are preserved for future generations to view as my generation at least knew the pleasure of "trekking" a bird for a shoot whilst previous generations in early 20th century hunted large tigers and leopards in the suburbs of Mumbai as sport, unbelievable!With every generation, forest wild-life and forests are disappearing at a rapid rate and it was really marvelous to see thick rich virgin forests protected and maintained by the local village community in the konkan region of shiroli.We also spotted the Nightjar bird whose photo is the main banner photo of this blog.Akin to a chameleon lizard this bird stood as still as a statue, just refusing to fly despite all the sound and commotion we made while photographing and discussing it.This was really a unique experience to a novice birdwatcher like me, someone who formerly just used a gun to shoot down birds for sport and as a source of jungle meal.We all humans gradually evolve with age, circumstances and environment, today, i am an avid naturalist and wild-life conservationist creating nature awareness through blogs, discussions and suggestions..My " 0-177 Bore B.S.A Airgun" that has killed numerous birds in the 1970'S is now a "Museum Exhibit" in my house, reminisces of a bygone era when nature and normal wild-life was quite common in Indian villages.After a long walkathon of the forest we returned to the forest bungalow.Local Guide Nandu.Tambe gave us a demonstration on snake-handling, displaying a non-venemous sand-boa captured by him, allowing us to handle and feel the snake, a harmless pet.Ornithologist Nikhil.Bhopale would explain us the finer details of reptiles, birds spotted and the forest habitat, a human encyclopedia on local topical forests and fauna of India.
He is co-authoring an updated book on "Indian Birds", a gentleman who carries his wild-life knowledge and practical experience with great humility.The advantage of going on wild-life nature tours and treks with the "B.N.H.S(BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY)" is that the nature tourist receives expertise guidance from some of the most knowledgeable experts in wild-life, be it butterflies,plants,birds,insects,reptiles,forest ecology and even practical forest applications.Besides, majority of "B.N.H.S" members themselves are avid photographers and wild-life enthusiasts in their own ways, a few like senior citizen Mr Anil.Kunte belonging to professional "Bird Watching Clubs" that take a census of the local bird population of the region. After breakfast which consisted of the local dish of "Pohwa Kitchdi" and a cup of tea and we underwent a self introduction of each member, finally departing by bus and car at 1230 hrs to visit the "NATURAL CAVES". . The "Natural Cave" was a deep rock hole situated next to a large mango tree, absolutely camouflaged to a common villager. Leopards occasionally inhabit such caves and the entrance to this cave was a narrow burrow opening.Local Guide Nandu led us inside in groups as all could not fit into the cave, a absolutely dark and stuffy space requiring a powerful torchlight for visibility.There were numerous "PIPISTRELLE BATS" residing in the cave roof walls who were disturbed by our presence but just flew around inside the small space, avoiding banging into us due to their highly developed sonar sensory system.Also spotted a "SPIDER SCORPION" and a "FUNGOID FROG", the rare semi-poisonous frog species in India.There was a lot of bat droppings on the floor of the cave, a very good natural fertilizer, hence also emitting a gaseous smell.After visiting the caves there was a photography session, memories for the future.We left Shiroli at approx 1330 hrs reaching "Nisarg Resort" at approx 1415 hrs> Had a sumptuous vegetarian lunch, typical local "Konkani Maharashtrian recipe", the most prominent being the "Rice Bhakri's(Rice Chappatis)".After lunch departed Guhagar at approx 1515 hrs for the boating tour of the "Vashishti River" in Chiplun.Reached Chiplun at approx 1600 hrs and headed towards the banks of the "Vashishti River" on a cloudy day, the clouds about to burst into rainfall.The 28 of us split into two boats and it was a long meandering cruise through the scenic fresh water river. It began raining while we were boating and luckily the boat had a roof cover.Spotted a young crocodile basking on the marshy banks of the river, allowing us to photograph it but couldn't spot any river otters, a rare species on brink of extinction in most natural river habitats.Spotted a large crocodile that dived into the river as our boats disturbed it, one of the quickest natural dives .
The Aquatic birds spotted were cormorants,Grey/purple pond herons,cinnamon Bittern,Woodynecked Stork, Brahminy kites and Swallows. Our boating tour of the river in rainy weather was over by 1730 hrs and made our way to the bus in heavy rains.Luckily, i just got partially wet, my last trouser being saved from total drenching by skillfully seeking shelter in the side-walks.Reached "Nisarg Resort" at approx 1930hrs and after a bathe thought of relaxing in the room with a beer, the ultimate "Siesta".The resort didn't allow drinking, strange for a holiday resort and hence i realised the reasons for the popularity of Goa as a foreign tourist hub,simple, cheap booze along with nature and sea-sports.According to me, the "Konkan Region" of Maharashtra is absolutely scenic and unspoiled virgin forested land, yet , it fails to attract a booming tourist crowd unlike most sea-side forested regions, most tourists being local Indians.Dinner was late at approx 2200 hrs with dessert being an unlimited quantity of "Alphonso mangoes(Happus)". After devouring the maximum mangoes had a good nights sleep, immune to the termite nuisance, a part of forest life
. SATURDAY(4-6-2011):-Woke up at 0500hrs, washed myself and went out for an early morning detour of the resort forest whilst everyone was asleep. It was still dark and my torchlight was too dim for a walk in the forest and hence returned back awaiting daylight.Went out again at approx 0530 hrs at the onset of dawn and heard peacocks cooing in the forests close to "Nisarg resort".Conducted an early morning video photo shoot of the "Nisarg Resort", a scenic forested hotel resort, something a city dweller can never experience, irrespective of the modern day city luxuries available at the click of a computer "Mouse" or satellite "Phone".Logan's son Elkan developed some insect bites or allergy on his body as had Logan, a result of the termite ingression into our room.Strangely, Vandhan and myself were not effected although i am a prime target for mosquitoes and bugs in any place or country!Later, after a cup of tea departed by bus at approx 0700 hrs to the "MODKA AGAR DAM" vicinity.As usual, it was a beautiful forested area with a trail along the "MODKA AGAR RESERVOIR DAM".Spotted the rare "WHITE BREASTED FISH EAGLE" for the first time in my life, a huge raptor whose nest can accommodate an average human.While walking along the forested trek spotted a beautiful dead "RUSSELLS WIPER" lying at the side of the road, its head crushed, an apparent victim of humans.Agreed , this snake is highly poisonous,considered the second most venomous snake in Asia, but, it makes no sense just killing a venomous snake on sight when it means no harm to the human.That's the tragedy of snakes in India, both venomous and non-venomous, are just killed on sight rather than allowing the snake to make its own way into the forests.Snakes are the best natural pest controllers of the rodent population that destroys crops and grains in villages.A venomous snake like a "Russel's Viper" will never attack a human to kill unless accidentally disturbed or stepped upon, the most common reasons for fatal snake bites in villages of India.Agreed, its easy for me as an "Arm-Chair Naturalist" living in the safety and comforts of metropolitan Mumbai to comment and write on "Snake Conservation" to villagers living amidst these dangerous reptiles.A average city bred "Wild-Life Tourist"conservationist would never understand the facts of living in forests or villages as the same applies to villagers unaccustomed to city living and thinking.Yearly, numerous deaths occur in Indian villages and forests due to fatal snake bites of which the "Russel's Viper" and "Cobra" are the main culprints. Ultimately its "Snake Education" to local villagers and a willingness of forest dwelling villagers to accept and learn to live with these poisonous and non-poisonous snakes as a part of their forest environment that guarantees the survival of these reptiles in forests.
Saw a unique sight of a "WOOD SHRIKE WITH ITS CHICKS" nestled on the branch of a tree.The nest was in a hole on the branch and resembled a part of the tree to the "UNTRAINED EYE" or a non-bird-specialist like me, something unique, natures own way of "SELF-DEFENCE"..Among mammals, spotted the huge "HANUMAN LANGUR" gliding amongst the dense forest branches of trees.Spotted tailor birds, oriental Magpie Robin,Indian Robin,Jungle Mynah,Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher,Sunbirds, all a result of expertise bird-watching guidance from fellow-trekkers.After a complete walk of the surrounding "Modka Agar Reservoir" we returned back to our resort at approx 0900 hrs for breakfast.Breakfast consisted of "Upma Sohjji", a typical local cuisine.After breakfast made our way by bus to Dapoli.En-route,Passed through Anjanwel where the famous "Dabhol Power Project" is located, a company that was always in the news since its inception in the sleepy village of Dabhol, a source of employment to the local Industry.It was one of India's most commercially controversial power projects now renamed "Ratnagiri Gas And Power Plant(RGPPL)" after the collapse of the former Fortune 500 U.S.A firm "Enron Power", one of its chief promoters.Finally reached the "Ferry Terminus" and boarded the ferry "Sonia", a miniature "Ro/Ro Ferry" that made the trip across the channel in approx 20 minutes.After alighting the ferry it was a long meandering drive through a small hill as Dapoli is situated on an elevation of approx 240 metres(800 feet) above sea-level, called the "Mahableshwar of Konkan" because of its pleasant climate.Reached our destination at Asud at approx 1130 hrs parking our vehicles on the main Asud Bag road for visiting the "SHREE KESHAVRAJ TEMPLE".It was a steep downward trek through "Stepped Gradients" passing lush plantations of betel nut ,jack-fruit , Cashew and coconut trees.We finally reached the bottom of a hill and had to cross over a bridge which had a narrow stream passing below,definitely a swollen river in peak Konkan monsoon.From the base of this bridge it was another upwards climb through a series of rock steps to the Vishnu temple of Keshavraj.All the tour trekkers didn't make it to the top, a tedious and stressful climb, manny preferring to rest near the shallow stream bridge and explore the nearby forested vegetation.The Keshavraj Temple was small externally and i didn't enter the temple, relaxing under a tree outside and observing the numerous monkeys on the trees above.One of the monkeys dropped a freshly eaten honeycomb below and i picked up the same, wondering the method in which the monkey avoided the bee stings while extracting the honeycomb.After a brief rest at the temple precincts and a drink of "Cocuum Juice" began our descent to the base, a real stress on the legs.Finally we all met at the bridge base,sighting birds and exploring the vegetation.As for me, i enjoyed the "Trekking" part of this walk to the peak of Keshavraj temple.We finally began our ascent to Asud, a steep walk on terraced steps in-between plantations of betel nuts and jackfruit trees.We finally reached our "Lunch-House " destination, the private residence of a local maharashtrian family situated just next to the main road of Asud Bag.Lunch was served at 1400 hrs on the floor on banana leaves, a traditional recipe of Hindu vegetarian food.As mentioned previously, the staple "Rice Bhakri" was a unique preparation and here i discovered another recipe, the "Konkan Modak". This sweet dish was similar to the Manglorean "Patholio"(Konkani word), a stuffing of jaggery/coconut put into a rice wrapping shaped in the form of a top and steamed in a steam oven akin to idlis.After a sumptuous lunch we went to the ground-floor of this country bungalow and purchased some local "Dapoli Eatables" from the shop.
It began raining again and to my good-luck, it didn't always rain heavily while we were in the open forests or trekking, hence managed to avoid getting totally drenched.Boarded the bus and headed towards the "PANHALEKAJI CAVES", a distance of approx 20Kms. On the way had to stop at a nearby hospital as Mr Logan.Rodricks son Elkan had developed a severe body rash, a result of insect bites or allergy at the hotel residence and his dad wanted to get him examined and treated by a local doctor.This is one of the advantages of "Group Travel", there is always a combined help from the "Tour Organisers", and group tourists for any mishap, sickness or unforeseen disaster to any of the tour members.The doctor prescribed some medication and later the young kid was hale and hearty.We finally reached Panhalekaji caves situated on the banks of the river Kotjai which itself further meets with the "Dabhol Creek" at approx 1630hrs.There are a total of 29 rock cut caves and these caves are believed to be over a 1000 years old.There are both, Hindu as well as Buddhist sculptors in these caves, most in disfigured form due to age and lack of restoration maintenance of these sculptors.
One of the caves was infested with bats, a classic sight in the darkness. Also saw a pair of huge "ROCK GECKO" inside the caves, As for "Bird-Watching", the professionals were busy rattling bird names on sight or ny sound. The caves are located in a very scenic forested region with a dense growth of "Queens Flowers", the State flower of Maharashtra on the banks of the river.There were a few barren fields on the opposite side of the Kotjai river bank.The freshly arrived monsoon rains meant resumption of the cultivation season and a farmer was ploughing his field with oxen on the opposite bank.The birds spotted in this vicinity were White breasted kingfisher, stork breasted kingfisher,Blue Eared Kingfisher(A record spotting for this region, observed by ornithologist Nikhil), tailor birds and water boatman.
We finally began our homeward journey to Guhagar at approx 1730 hrs, a long return journey.On reaching the ferry terminal at Dabhol we were warned about a change in tidal conditions hence difficulty in offloading the bus at the exit pier point on the opposite bank. The warnings turned prophetic and sure enough the driver almost damaged aft of the bus while reversing it ashore from the ferry, the "Ro-Ro Ramp" being too deep due to a difference in sea tide.We finally managed to get the bus ashore by providing wooden blocks as support for the aft wheels while reversing, hence avoiding the stern of the bus from hitting the pier floor whilst reversing.All these unforeseen troubles are a part of the attractions as well as precautions during trekking voyages or tours.We finally reached Nisarg resort at approx 2000 hrs.Had a quick bathe and was lucky to watch the "EPSOM DERBY" live on t.v, a wonderful nail-biting race where the over-confident 19 year old winning jockey Michael unwittingly stood on his stirrups in victory mood, much before the finish of the race.What if his horse had lost?It was an end to a busy hectic day and finally "DINNER-TIME".
A few of us had requested for "Non-Vegetarian Dinner", a bit bored of continuous vegetarian food, although the same was delicious.We all were driven to the main bus stand at Guhagar and non-vegetarians were guided to a local restaurant "Hotel Annapurna", one of the few Non-Veg hotels in Guhagar.The lack and demand for Non-Veg food in Guhagar can be gauged by the fact that there was a long "Waiting List" at "Hotel Annapurna", something i haven't experienced since ages.We had to sit outside and it was rainnig heavily, our turn finally arriving after approx half an hour!I wanted to try some of the local "Konkan Fish Delicacy" but none of the fish cuisine i preferred was on the menu, hence opted for a "Mutton Biryani".Dinner was good, not very expensive, the bill for 4 of us paid by Mr Ranjit.Bhonsle, a criminal lawyer by profession on his first 'Nature Tour" with "B.N.H.S" who refused "Dutch Billing" as the amount was meagre. Having spent most of my adult life in the "Shipping Profession", i always have the habit of seeking "Dutch Billing", unless the dinner, lunch or outing is on invitation from the other person or persons.After dinner we went back to the A/C hotel for the "Mango eating competition"!Ate alphonso mangoes to the maximum and finally departed to Nisarg hotel by car, a journey of approx 10 minutes.Our hotel room was well cleaned of all the insects and myself and Vandhan slept on the floor mattresses while Logan and his son slept on the bed.
SUNDAY(5-6-2011):- Woke up at 0500 hrs as usual, brushed my teeth, had a bathe and later went out for a morning walk in the hotel forest estate.After a quick breakfast at "Nisarg Resort" packed up our luggage and carted the same into our tour bus.Bid goodbye to the exotic and scenic "Nisarg Resort" of Guhagar and made drove to Shiroli for a re-visit to the "SACRED GROVE FOREST".Local Shiroli guide Mr Nandu.Tambe met us at Shiroli and guided us to the forest trekking path. It was drizzling intermittently with a cloudy overhead sky, reminding me of the typical unpredictable "London Weather" that i experienced exactly a year ago.Destiny and fate could be stranger than fiction!It was a beautiful cool morning due to the unexpected rainfall and intermittent drizzle showers.Nandu spotted the rare Sirkeer Malkoha bird running for insects in the barren field approx 50 metres away from us.It gradually went about hunting its breakfast while we were busy observing and photographing it.It finally flew away, utterly disturbed by us and we made our way further into the dense forests spotting "LEOPARD SCAT" and "LEOPARD PUG MARKS".We visited the "Sacred Forest Temple" area and as usual i made a video of the forest vicinity.Finally we were led to local guide Nandu's forest bungalow for a cup of tea and demonstration of a "SNAKE RESCUE" from a forest well. A green keel back snake had fallen into the well, same observed by guide Nandu and hence we were fortunate to be at the "RIGHT PLACE AT RIGHT TIME" to witness the rescue.Nandu,Vandhan,Nikhil,Amitayu, Sameer and myself made our way towards the well while the rest of the group remained at Nandu's forest bungalow. On reaching the well a bizarre sight awaited us, a massive "BULL FROG" had seized the "GREEN KEEL BACK SNAKE" by the head and in the process of eating it, a rarest of rare real life nature encounter.Sameer must have got the best photograph with his SLR zoom lens as also Amitayu with his better lens camera.As for me, it was "Videography", the same posted on "YOU TUBE", a once in a life-time rare spectacle.After a few minutes, the frog released the snake and we were under the impression that it had bitten off the snakes head as it was floating motionless on the wells surface.As we were about to depart, having witnessed natures normal cycle of prey and predator reversals of fortune we suddenly observed the snake swimming.The frog had either found the snake too big to eat or must have been disturbed by our presence at the well, hence releasing the snake from its vice-like jaws.The authentic "WILD-LIFE DRAMA" enfolding before our eyes was better than any movie,theatre or wild-life telivision serial as it was happening before our very own eyes.Nandu finally decided to rescue the snake as "Green Keel Back snakes" are land snakes and would drown in water if kept too long.Initially Nandu tried removing the snake with a long forked stick but the snake was a slippery customer, evading the stick.Finally Nikhil opted to go rappelling inside the deep well and physically catch the snake, a dangerous adventure , common among "MOUNTAIN AND ROCK CLIMBERS".
Nandu had all the "RAPPLING KIT" as he also organises "Rock Climbing Tours" in the local forests and the same was attached to ornithologist Nikhil.Bhopale, a genuine all-rounder in wild-life and nature subjects.The whole process of the "SNAKE RESCUE" has been videotaped and photographed, a classic real-life demonstration, a first time experience to most of us .The snake was finally extracted from the well, a totally harmless creature that usually feeds on small frogs and in fact it had ingested some prey in its stomach before itself becoming a victim of the monstrous bull-frog.It was a bizarre case of the "HUNTER BECOMING THE HUNTED"We released the unharmed snake into the nearby uncultivated paddy fields, the snake showing no indications of stress, having closely avoided becoming a meal for a bull-frog.After a cup of tea we made our way back to the tour bus, a walk along the forested path.On the way some members spotted the headless body of a large non-venomous "SAND BOA".The harmless "SAND BOA", a absolutely non-venomous snake is held in great superstition by some people, considered a part of "BLACK-MAGIC" ritual for attaining prosperity or wishes. There is a great demand for these snakes by some "TANTRIKS",one even being stolen from Mumbai's zoo just before our tour to Guhagar, the first such incident of reptile pilferage amongst the zoo exhibits. Nandu had brought along the small sand boa that he had held captive for display and demonstration to us, releasing it back into the wild.We got the chance to compare the sizes of the dead and live sand boa, a huge difference, the larger snake resembling a small python.The sand boa is an utterly harmless snake, the same demonstrated by Nadu who got bitten while handling it, one of its fang tooth embedded in his finger. This huge headless and dead "Sand Boa" would be worth a lakh of rupees in the black-market trade for its demand amongst "Tantriks" and superstitious individuals that its possession guarantees wealth and success.The very fact that this non-venomous large snake was killed proved the fact that most villagers are absolutely scared of snakes and many do not even know the commercial illegal value of some of these snake species. This dead sand-boa would have been worth Rs 1,00,000 alive rather than a absolutely wasted carcass and a loss to nature.Hope more snake awareness is created amongst village tribals and normal village folks as to the necessity and importance of living in harmony with these villified reptiles for the benefit of human farming.Regarding eradication of superstitious beliefs about snakes, its a matter of human thinking and education. Nandu.Tambe earns his livelihood as a guide in these well preserved forests as do others through the ancilliary tourist Industry. Hope these forests are preserved along with its wild-life for future generations and as a source of tourist employment.Finally bid Nandu.Tambe goodbye and departed on our long homeward journey to Mumbai at approx 1215hrs.
It was drizzling and raining as we approached Chiplun for lunch at approx 1330 hrs. It was a sumptuous vegetarian lunch at "Sukhsagar Hotel" in Chiplun. After lunch we began our onward journey to Mumbai at approx 1430 hrs later stopping at "Jhopda" restaurant for tea at approx 1700hrs.The uniqueness of "Jhopda Restaurant" was its unique "Wild-life design", a rustic forest lodge in a city.After tea we were directly driven to Mumbai, various co- tour members alighting at various junctions.Finally reached "Dadar Chandu Halwai" junction, the last stop at approx 2130 hrs, an end to a contended, busy and hectic four day nature tour of Guhagar ,Dapoli and the surrounding towns and forests.
"Konkan Bounty tour with "B.N.H.S(Bombay Natural History Society"
Booked my ticket for the tour on Friday(6-5-2011),almost a month in advance, paying a total of Rs5150 for the 4-day nature tour, anxious for a nature holiday, away from the bustling hectic city life of Mumbai."B.N.H.S" does occasionally cancel its tours if the participants are less or other reasons and hence was hoping that the same didn't happen on this tour.
Thanks to the internet,phone and "Facebook social website", the programme for the tour was well communicated between participants and the "B.N.H.S" tour staff and finally the tour was confirmed for Thursday(2-6-2011). Its bizarre that exactly a year ago on Thursday(2-6-2010) i had returned to Mumbai from London, having completed a hectic "Group" tour of European city's with "Thomas Cook tours" and later a weeks solo backpackers tour of London.
THURSDAY(2-6-2011):- Woke up at 0430hrs, and had my bathe, later checking my internet mail and news.Left my house in Prabhadevi at approx 0600hrs and boarded the Nos 169 bus to Dadar T.T, reaching at approx 0620hrs.Mr Vandan.Jhaveri,the "B.N.H.S" tour guide along with a few other tour participants were present opposite "Chandulal Halwai Shop", one of the city'sthe pick-up points for all "B.N.H.S Tours" in Mumbai.An elderly gentleman Mr Anil.Kunte , proprietor of "Hemaki Lab Services Pvt Ltd" befriended me and we quickly got to know each other.I have made numerous acquaintainces during my "B.N.H.S Tours", a place where nature knowledge and experiences can be shared for mutual benefit and nature conservation.Mr Anil.Kunte turned out to be an avid professional "Bird-watcher", having designed and donated a "Bird-Clock" to "B.N.H.S" office,one of the few persons selected for counting the Himalayan bird species yearly in winter months.Among the participating ladies waiting for the tour bus i noticed a familiar lady and on peeping into Vandhan.Jhaveri's tour participants list came across the name Maryann .Baptista, confirming my doubts.Maryann.Baptista was in the commerce section of "I.S.C X11" ,way back in 1977 at Christ Church School in Mumbai.I introduced myself to her,she not having recognized me as i was one of the "Back-Bencher" quiet boys in school, neither the hero nor the villain, a mediocre student!It turned out to be a small world and she introduced me to another Ex-Christ church alumni lady, Yvonne.Daniel, the daughter of my chemistry teacher,Mr Daniel.They both along with two other ladies and amateur photographer with professional photographic equipment Mr Sameer.Owlekar were travelling by an air-conditioned Qualis bus, paying a little extra for the luxury.Thanks to Maryann.Baptista to whom i later uploaded my photos of the "Konkan tour Photo album" and her own personal "Birds identification blog" sent to me that i could recollect the birds spotted and name them in this "Nature Travelogue Blog".Otherwise, my speciality is " Solo Backpacker economy travel" methods , nature tour blogs , my pets blogs and " Taboo Social causes blogs".
Our bus finally arrived and we departed from Dadar at approx 0700 hrs, the air-conditioned Qualis with its 6 occupants following us throughout the journey, a distance of approx 288 Kms by road.A few other tour travelers were picked at Chembur and finally the main tour organizer and ornithology specialist Mr Nikhil.Bhopale was picked up at Panvel.The total tour participants were 28 members, including the two "B.N.H.S" staff tour organizers ,Mr Nikhil.Bhopale and Mr Vandan.Jhaveri.
Breakfast was at approx 0900 hrs at the "Kshanbhar Vishranti hotel" opposite the Karnala Bird sanctuary in Panvel on the Mumbai-Goa road.Had a sweet lassi as i had already had a massive "Bheja-egg breakfast" at home and finally we departed from the hotel at approx 1000 hrs.It was a bright sunny day and a smooth ride as the roads were in good condition as also the tour bus which was just 2 months old.Passed by the famous "Pala Caves" and later Raigad Fort at approx 1215 hrs, a smooth drive on a sunny day.
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| "GUHAGAR" got its name due to this caves along the forest hills. |
We reached Khed at approx 1315 hrs and stopped at the "Green Village Hotel" for lunch, a picturesque open air hotel with a beautiful garden and Meadows lawn.The professional bird watchers and botanists were immediately into action, spotting a few birds, trees and flowering plants, myself improving on my mediocre bird and plant recognition knowledge.I go on "Nature treks" for the main reason of "Trekking" and mingling with nature experiencing the forest life compared to city living, as well as meeting new acquaintances and sharing knowledge.Lunch was a sumptuous vegetarian thali meal and after lunch we left Khed at approx 1430 hrs ,a scenic drive through numerous forested hillocks, the weather suddenly turning cloudy.We experienced the first monsoon drizzle of 2011 in chiplun at approx 1500hrs whilst descending the winding ghats into Chiplun city.We finally reached Guhagar at approx 1600hrs on a dull cloudy but excellently cool evening.The group tour members were put up in two hotels,Tour Group leader Mr Nikhil.Bhopale along with a few of the lady's were alloted A/C accommodation in a hotel situated in the main town centre of Guhagar, near the main city bus-stop. Most of the tour-bus passengers were allotted accommodation in the scenic hotel Nisarg, approx 10 mins drive from the main city.The "Nisarg Hotel" was a farm-house that was converted into a motel type lodging with 4 rooms built into a single large Bungalow type forest lodge.This hotel was situated in the midst of the forests with a few cultivated farms in its vicinity.The hotel was built at an elevation on a hill with terraced steps, a beautiful scenic hotel when seen from at a distance on ground level.
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"PANHALEKAJI CAVES" near Dapoli.A total of 29 caves along the river estuary. |
We were alloted 4 members to a room. Vandan.Jhaveri, Captain Logan.Rodricks his young son Elkan and myself were allotted room Nos 106.Captain Logan.Rodrigues,a ancestral resident of Bandra was a Singapore based Captain Surveyor on a short holiday to India with his family.Since we belonged to the same profession,"MERCHANT SHIPPING", had a few discussions on the same.Mr Logan.Rodricks had conducted the survey for his company on "Container Loss-Damage" of the infamous container merchant ship "MSC Chitra" that had sunk after colliding with another ship "M.V.Khalijia 3"of "Prongs Reef" in Mumbai in August 2010.The ships sinking had created fears of an ecological catastrophe to Mumbai's coastline due to the leakage of the ships oil from its ruptured tanks into the sea .Fortunately the oil leakage was controlled and the vessel re-floated, towed into the deep sea and sunk in 2011, creating a future artificial "REEF" for aquatic species."B.N.H.S" volunteers and expertise played a major role in containing and limiting the "MSC CHITRA" oil spillage off Mumbai's coastline.Ironically, the shipping Industry has been responsible for some of the World's greatest natural environment disasters. The agenda for the evening was a meeting at the Guhagar beach for a formal introduction of all the group members followed by a swim in the sea.Destiny had other thoughts and it seems we brought in the first monsoons to Guhagar with our arrival, the clouds suddenly giving way to rain at approx 1715hrs.Worst of all, i didn't carry any monsoon gear in my luggage although i had recently purchased a raincoat and had 2 umbrella's at home in Mumbai.We had already boarded the bus on our way to the beach when the sudden downpour started,preventing Nikhil's group staying at the other hotel from arriving at the beach.The evenings itinerary of beach tour and member familiarization was to be canceled and hence a evening wasted.On insistence from a few members, most of all myself,Vandan allowed members in the bus to walk to the beach,even swim if they wished, all at their own risk.Almost all participants had umbrellas or raincoats and i was the only person besides Mr Rodricks and his kid who were without any rainwear.We finally reached the beach, a short walk from the Guhagar bus terminus.My last swim was in "M.G.M.O Pool" in Mumbai in 2009, hence was just waiting to feel the sea water and wade in the sea.Guhagar Beach was beautiful and clean although the cloudy weather made visibility poor with the waves being absolutely powerful in their wake.Had a dip in the sea, the water being warmer than the cold rain temp on land.It was excellent remaining in the sea with rain pouring and the waves lashing onto the land, dangerous but thrilling.Finally , Nikhil and his group members arrived at the beach and hence the swimming stay was prolonged, an excellent memorable evening in knee deep sea waves at unspoilt Guhagar beach.Finally ,left the beach totally drenched and made our way to the hotel by bus.The hotel was just a year old, the room in excellent condition with A/c facilities and flat screen satellite t.v.Only problem was the locust like entrance of termites into our room due to the rains. The termites are attracted to lights and since this hotel was situated in dense forests, it was the main focus for all termites in the region,something bizarre and of biblical proportions.Termites are harmless, unlike mosquito's, but, they crawl all over the floor, losing their wings and messing the entire accommodation. This was the first time in my life that i experienced a "Termite Plague" although i have visited numerous forested regions in India.I had brought just 2 pants for the tour, the monsoons upsetting my entire apparel planning schedule.After a bathe, the travel wear clothes were kept for drying in the veranda lobby of the hotel, just hoping that a single jean trouser would suffice for the next 3 days!Got to familiarize with the rest of the group members staying in the hotel,couples, ladies and kids from various professions but with the single interest of experiencing wild-life and nature.
Dinner was vegetarian food at the Nisarg hotels beautiful open-air garden restaurant.This hotel had a complete fruit garden consisting of a pineapple orchard, a mango tree and a jamun tree.After dinner it was back to the hotel room as wandering in the dense surrounding forest after the first rainfall was dangerous at night.Watched television, no english language news channels nor music. There were a few sports channels.Akin to most hotels, it was 2 people to a bed, and hence vandhan and myself slept on the bed while Logan and his son slept on the floor on mattresses.Had a good nights sleep as i am used to travel and lodging hotel accommodation, a result of numerous "Solo Backpacker Tours" as well as "Organized Tour Company tours".
FRIDAY(4-6-2011):-Woke up at approx 0500 hrs awaiting dawn to go out into the forests.After the normal toilet and teeth brushing activities went out into the resort forest.Explored the nearby surrounding farm land and kept a lookout for birds.The first rains had made the forests cool and pleasant, the ambient temperatures dropping abruptly.Spotted a few bulbuls, the most common birds in forests and later made my way towards a large well in the farm.Heard the loud croaking of frogs and observed a few kingfisher burrows along the sides of this deep well.Later senior Citizen and professional bird-watcher Mr Anil.Kunte joined me in the countryside exploration and we saw a cluster of quails flying and running through the barren fields.Also spotted a woodpecker going about its routine business of flying from tree to tree.We later returned to the resort rooms, changed into formal wear which for me was a single pair of denims.After teaa we boarded the bus and made our way to the forested town of Shiroli approx 26 Kms from the sea-resort of Guhagar. At Shiroli we were met by our local guide Mr Nandu.Tambe and were led by him to his under-construction bungalow situated in the midst of the "Sacred Forests" of Shiroli.In the Konkan region of Maharashtra certain forested areas are protected by the local villagers, the trees never cut but worshiped, The largest tree in the "Sacred Forest" is worshiped by the locals and a small temple built in the forested area.When that tree dies , the next largest tree is worshipped and hence the "SACRED FOREST" tree lineage of worship is maintained, also resulting in protection of wild-life , birds and reptiles living within these forests.The "SACRED FORESTS" are the rare naturally protected forests in India that are not officially designated or protected "Game reserves or National Parks".We made our way to trekker guide Nandu.Tambe's house situated in the midst of cultivated land and adjoined by dense forests.We were taken on a guided tour through the dense "SACRED FORESTS" of Shiroli and genuinely spotted some rare birds, most prominent being the "Malabar Pied Hornbill", beautifully camoufloudged in a tree, same spotted by experts in the group.It was for the first time in my life that i viewed a huge bird like the "Malabar Pied Hornbill" in the wild, a total " partial Illiterate" in the art of "Bird-watching".Thanks to the photographic skill and equipment of fellow nature-trekker Mr Samir.Ovalekar that we managed to get hold of a photograph of this beautiful rare bird in the Wild. Samir has clicked a classic photo of this bird and the same has been posted on this blog for readers to view.He has managed to click the best photograph amongst all of us, good dividends for the hard work and costly expenses involved in "Professional Photography" equipment that he invested in, akin to a costly educational degree. Thanks To Samir.Ovalekar and Amitayu.Dey who had better "SLR Camera Equipment" and were avid bird-watchers and wild-life photographers that we managed to get some beautiful and clear photos of the rare birds spotted. Later these photos were shared for viewing and a few have been downloaded on my blog, unforgettable pictures of some rare birds we spotted during our trek."Wild-Life Photography", unlike "City Tour Photo's" requires the best investment in "Camera and Photographic Equipment",besides, long hours of patience in spending hours or days in a forest to capture a rare bird photograph.The difference between a "PROFESSIONAL FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER" and a "PROFESSIONAL WILD-LIFE PHOTOGRAPHER" is akin to "DAY AND NIGHT" although both belong to the same profession! .As for me, i blog my experiences and writings with photographs to simplify descriptions and complicated technical jargon for the "COMMON READER". As they say ,"A PHOTOGRAPH TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS", besides, "A PHOTOGRAPH ALSO REQUIRES SOME LINGUISTIC CONTENT".
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| SACRED FORESTS. |
. Came across Jackfruit,Jambul,cashew,Kokum,Mango and Karvandah trees, plucking fresh fruits directly from some of them, a real experience to us city-dwellers unaccustomed to natures bounty.The strange aspect of these forests was that none of the edible fruits were harvested from these rich fruit bearing trees, the villagers just allowing the fruits to fall to the ground and rot, a bizarre sight to a city dweller where everything costs money, least of all fresh tasty fruit products.Some of the the birds spotted were white throated kingfisher,Common Iora,Black shouldered kite,Indian Pitta,Ashy Drongo,Green Pigeon,Indian Koel,Red Vented and Red whiskered Bulbuls,Jungle Babblers,White bellied blue fly-catcher and Brown headed barbet.This forest was known to have a few leopards in its habitat and guide Nandu also showed us some leopard scats, akin to dog or cat scats but with a larger amount of animal bones.I was familiar to "Forest Trekking and bird shooting" during my youth holidays in parents ancestral homes of Mabukala and Barkur in Mangalore District during the 1970's, hence, was reliving a past that i know would never return.Hope the leopards and wild-life of these forests are preserved for future generations to view as my generation at least knew the pleasure of "trekking" a bird for a shoot whilst previous generations in early 20th century hunted large tigers and leopards in the suburbs of Mumbai as sport, unbelievable!With every generation, forest wild-life and forests are disappearing at a rapid rate and it was really marvelous to see thick rich virgin forests protected and maintained by the local village community in the konkan region of shiroli.We also spotted the Nightjar bird whose photo is the main banner photo of this blog.Akin to a chameleon lizard this bird stood as still as a statue, just refusing to fly despite all the sound and commotion we made while photographing and discussing it.This was really a unique experience to a novice birdwatcher like me, someone who formerly just used a gun to shoot down birds for sport and as a source of jungle meal.We all humans gradually evolve with age, circumstances and environment, today, i am an avid naturalist and wild-life conservationist creating nature awareness through blogs, discussions and suggestions..My " 0-177 Bore B.S.A Airgun" that has killed numerous birds in the 1970'S is now a "Museum Exhibit" in my house, reminisces of a bygone era when nature and normal wild-life was quite common in Indian villages.After a long walkathon of the forest we returned to the forest bungalow.Local Guide Nandu.Tambe gave us a demonstration on snake-handling, displaying a non-venemous sand-boa captured by him, allowing us to handle and feel the snake, a harmless pet.Ornithologist Nikhil.Bhopale would explain us the finer details of reptiles, birds spotted and the forest habitat, a human encyclopedia on local topical forests and fauna of India.
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| Dabhol Ferry Service. |
He is co-authoring an updated book on "Indian Birds", a gentleman who carries his wild-life knowledge and practical experience with great humility.The advantage of going on wild-life nature tours and treks with the "B.N.H.S(BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY)" is that the nature tourist receives expertise guidance from some of the most knowledgeable experts in wild-life, be it butterflies,plants,birds,insects,reptiles,forest ecology and even practical forest applications.Besides, majority of "B.N.H.S" members themselves are avid photographers and wild-life enthusiasts in their own ways, a few like senior citizen Mr Anil.Kunte belonging to professional "Bird Watching Clubs" that take a census of the local bird population of the region. After breakfast which consisted of the local dish of "Pohwa Kitchdi" and a cup of tea and we underwent a self introduction of each member, finally departing by bus and car at 1230 hrs to visit the "NATURAL CAVES". . The "Natural Cave" was a deep rock hole situated next to a large mango tree, absolutely camouflaged to a common villager. Leopards occasionally inhabit such caves and the entrance to this cave was a narrow burrow opening.Local Guide Nandu led us inside in groups as all could not fit into the cave, a absolutely dark and stuffy space requiring a powerful torchlight for visibility.There were numerous "PIPISTRELLE BATS" residing in the cave roof walls who were disturbed by our presence but just flew around inside the small space, avoiding banging into us due to their highly developed sonar sensory system.Also spotted a "SPIDER SCORPION" and a "FUNGOID FROG", the rare semi-poisonous frog species in India.There was a lot of bat droppings on the floor of the cave, a very good natural fertilizer, hence also emitting a gaseous smell.After visiting the caves there was a photography session, memories for the future.We left Shiroli at approx 1330 hrs reaching "Nisarg Resort" at approx 1415 hrs> Had a sumptuous vegetarian lunch, typical local "Konkani Maharashtrian recipe", the most prominent being the "Rice Bhakri's(Rice Chappatis)".After lunch departed Guhagar at approx 1515 hrs for the boating tour of the "Vashishti River" in Chiplun.Reached Chiplun at approx 1600 hrs and headed towards the banks of the "Vashishti River" on a cloudy day, the clouds about to burst into rainfall.The 28 of us split into two boats and it was a long meandering cruise through the scenic fresh water river. It began raining while we were boating and luckily the boat had a roof cover.Spotted a young crocodile basking on the marshy banks of the river, allowing us to photograph it but couldn't spot any river otters, a rare species on brink of extinction in most natural river habitats.Spotted a large crocodile that dived into the river as our boats disturbed it, one of the quickest natural dives .
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| Boating on the Vashishti River. |
The Aquatic birds spotted were cormorants,Grey/purple pond herons,cinnamon Bittern,Woodynecked Stork, Brahminy kites and Swallows. Our boating tour of the river in rainy weather was over by 1730 hrs and made our way to the bus in heavy rains.Luckily, i just got partially wet, my last trouser being saved from total drenching by skillfully seeking shelter in the side-walks.Reached "Nisarg Resort" at approx 1930hrs and after a bathe thought of relaxing in the room with a beer, the ultimate "Siesta".The resort didn't allow drinking, strange for a holiday resort and hence i realised the reasons for the popularity of Goa as a foreign tourist hub,simple, cheap booze along with nature and sea-sports.According to me, the "Konkan Region" of Maharashtra is absolutely scenic and unspoiled virgin forested land, yet , it fails to attract a booming tourist crowd unlike most sea-side forested regions, most tourists being local Indians.Dinner was late at approx 2200 hrs with dessert being an unlimited quantity of "Alphonso mangoes(Happus)". After devouring the maximum mangoes had a good nights sleep, immune to the termite nuisance, a part of forest life
. SATURDAY(4-6-2011):-Woke up at 0500hrs, washed myself and went out for an early morning detour of the resort forest whilst everyone was asleep. It was still dark and my torchlight was too dim for a walk in the forest and hence returned back awaiting daylight.Went out again at approx 0530 hrs at the onset of dawn and heard peacocks cooing in the forests close to "Nisarg resort".Conducted an early morning video photo shoot of the "Nisarg Resort", a scenic forested hotel resort, something a city dweller can never experience, irrespective of the modern day city luxuries available at the click of a computer "Mouse" or satellite "Phone".Logan's son Elkan developed some insect bites or allergy on his body as had Logan, a result of the termite ingression into our room.Strangely, Vandhan and myself were not effected although i am a prime target for mosquitoes and bugs in any place or country!Later, after a cup of tea departed by bus at approx 0700 hrs to the "MODKA AGAR DAM" vicinity.As usual, it was a beautiful forested area with a trail along the "MODKA AGAR RESERVOIR DAM".Spotted the rare "WHITE BREASTED FISH EAGLE" for the first time in my life, a huge raptor whose nest can accommodate an average human.While walking along the forested trek spotted a beautiful dead "RUSSELLS WIPER" lying at the side of the road, its head crushed, an apparent victim of humans.Agreed , this snake is highly poisonous,considered the second most venomous snake in Asia, but, it makes no sense just killing a venomous snake on sight when it means no harm to the human.That's the tragedy of snakes in India, both venomous and non-venomous, are just killed on sight rather than allowing the snake to make its own way into the forests.Snakes are the best natural pest controllers of the rodent population that destroys crops and grains in villages.A venomous snake like a "Russel's Viper" will never attack a human to kill unless accidentally disturbed or stepped upon, the most common reasons for fatal snake bites in villages of India.Agreed, its easy for me as an "Arm-Chair Naturalist" living in the safety and comforts of metropolitan Mumbai to comment and write on "Snake Conservation" to villagers living amidst these dangerous reptiles.A average city bred "Wild-Life Tourist"conservationist would never understand the facts of living in forests or villages as the same applies to villagers unaccustomed to city living and thinking.Yearly, numerous deaths occur in Indian villages and forests due to fatal snake bites of which the "Russel's Viper" and "Cobra" are the main culprints. Ultimately its "Snake Education" to local villagers and a willingness of forest dwelling villagers to accept and learn to live with these poisonous and non-poisonous snakes as a part of their forest environment that guarantees the survival of these reptiles in forests.
Saw a unique sight of a "WOOD SHRIKE WITH ITS CHICKS" nestled on the branch of a tree.The nest was in a hole on the branch and resembled a part of the tree to the "UNTRAINED EYE" or a non-bird-specialist like me, something unique, natures own way of "SELF-DEFENCE"..Among mammals, spotted the huge "HANUMAN LANGUR" gliding amongst the dense forest branches of trees.Spotted tailor birds, oriental Magpie Robin,Indian Robin,Jungle Mynah,Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher,Sunbirds, all a result of expertise bird-watching guidance from fellow-trekkers.After a complete walk of the surrounding "Modka Agar Reservoir" we returned back to our resort at approx 0900 hrs for breakfast.Breakfast consisted of "Upma Sohjji", a typical local cuisine.After breakfast made our way by bus to Dapoli.En-route,Passed through Anjanwel where the famous "Dabhol Power Project" is located, a company that was always in the news since its inception in the sleepy village of Dabhol, a source of employment to the local Industry.It was one of India's most commercially controversial power projects now renamed "Ratnagiri Gas And Power Plant(RGPPL)" after the collapse of the former Fortune 500 U.S.A firm "Enron Power", one of its chief promoters.Finally reached the "Ferry Terminus" and boarded the ferry "Sonia", a miniature "Ro/Ro Ferry" that made the trip across the channel in approx 20 minutes.After alighting the ferry it was a long meandering drive through a small hill as Dapoli is situated on an elevation of approx 240 metres(800 feet) above sea-level, called the "Mahableshwar of Konkan" because of its pleasant climate.Reached our destination at Asud at approx 1130 hrs parking our vehicles on the main Asud Bag road for visiting the "SHREE KESHAVRAJ TEMPLE".It was a steep downward trek through "Stepped Gradients" passing lush plantations of betel nut ,jack-fruit , Cashew and coconut trees.We finally reached the bottom of a hill and had to cross over a bridge which had a narrow stream passing below,definitely a swollen river in peak Konkan monsoon.From the base of this bridge it was another upwards climb through a series of rock steps to the Vishnu temple of Keshavraj.All the tour trekkers didn't make it to the top, a tedious and stressful climb, manny preferring to rest near the shallow stream bridge and explore the nearby forested vegetation.The Keshavraj Temple was small externally and i didn't enter the temple, relaxing under a tree outside and observing the numerous monkeys on the trees above.One of the monkeys dropped a freshly eaten honeycomb below and i picked up the same, wondering the method in which the monkey avoided the bee stings while extracting the honeycomb.After a brief rest at the temple precincts and a drink of "Cocuum Juice" began our descent to the base, a real stress on the legs.Finally we all met at the bridge base,sighting birds and exploring the vegetation.As for me, i enjoyed the "Trekking" part of this walk to the peak of Keshavraj temple.We finally began our ascent to Asud, a steep walk on terraced steps in-between plantations of betel nuts and jackfruit trees.We finally reached our "Lunch-House " destination, the private residence of a local maharashtrian family situated just next to the main road of Asud Bag.Lunch was served at 1400 hrs on the floor on banana leaves, a traditional recipe of Hindu vegetarian food.As mentioned previously, the staple "Rice Bhakri" was a unique preparation and here i discovered another recipe, the "Konkan Modak". This sweet dish was similar to the Manglorean "Patholio"(Konkani word), a stuffing of jaggery/coconut put into a rice wrapping shaped in the form of a top and steamed in a steam oven akin to idlis.After a sumptuous lunch we went to the ground-floor of this country bungalow and purchased some local "Dapoli Eatables" from the shop.
It began raining again and to my good-luck, it didn't always rain heavily while we were in the open forests or trekking, hence managed to avoid getting totally drenched.Boarded the bus and headed towards the "PANHALEKAJI CAVES", a distance of approx 20Kms. On the way had to stop at a nearby hospital as Mr Logan.Rodricks son Elkan had developed a severe body rash, a result of insect bites or allergy at the hotel residence and his dad wanted to get him examined and treated by a local doctor.This is one of the advantages of "Group Travel", there is always a combined help from the "Tour Organisers", and group tourists for any mishap, sickness or unforeseen disaster to any of the tour members.The doctor prescribed some medication and later the young kid was hale and hearty.We finally reached Panhalekaji caves situated on the banks of the river Kotjai which itself further meets with the "Dabhol Creek" at approx 1630hrs.There are a total of 29 rock cut caves and these caves are believed to be over a 1000 years old.There are both, Hindu as well as Buddhist sculptors in these caves, most in disfigured form due to age and lack of restoration maintenance of these sculptors.
One of the caves was infested with bats, a classic sight in the darkness. Also saw a pair of huge "ROCK GECKO" inside the caves, As for "Bird-Watching", the professionals were busy rattling bird names on sight or ny sound. The caves are located in a very scenic forested region with a dense growth of "Queens Flowers", the State flower of Maharashtra on the banks of the river.There were a few barren fields on the opposite side of the Kotjai river bank.The freshly arrived monsoon rains meant resumption of the cultivation season and a farmer was ploughing his field with oxen on the opposite bank.The birds spotted in this vicinity were White breasted kingfisher, stork breasted kingfisher,Blue Eared Kingfisher(A record spotting for this region, observed by ornithologist Nikhil), tailor birds and water boatman.
We finally began our homeward journey to Guhagar at approx 1730 hrs, a long return journey.On reaching the ferry terminal at Dabhol we were warned about a change in tidal conditions hence difficulty in offloading the bus at the exit pier point on the opposite bank. The warnings turned prophetic and sure enough the driver almost damaged aft of the bus while reversing it ashore from the ferry, the "Ro-Ro Ramp" being too deep due to a difference in sea tide.We finally managed to get the bus ashore by providing wooden blocks as support for the aft wheels while reversing, hence avoiding the stern of the bus from hitting the pier floor whilst reversing.All these unforeseen troubles are a part of the attractions as well as precautions during trekking voyages or tours.We finally reached Nisarg resort at approx 2000 hrs.Had a quick bathe and was lucky to watch the "EPSOM DERBY" live on t.v, a wonderful nail-biting race where the over-confident 19 year old winning jockey Michael unwittingly stood on his stirrups in victory mood, much before the finish of the race.What if his horse had lost?It was an end to a busy hectic day and finally "DINNER-TIME".
A few of us had requested for "Non-Vegetarian Dinner", a bit bored of continuous vegetarian food, although the same was delicious.We all were driven to the main bus stand at Guhagar and non-vegetarians were guided to a local restaurant "Hotel Annapurna", one of the few Non-Veg hotels in Guhagar.The lack and demand for Non-Veg food in Guhagar can be gauged by the fact that there was a long "Waiting List" at "Hotel Annapurna", something i haven't experienced since ages.We had to sit outside and it was rainnig heavily, our turn finally arriving after approx half an hour!I wanted to try some of the local "Konkan Fish Delicacy" but none of the fish cuisine i preferred was on the menu, hence opted for a "Mutton Biryani".Dinner was good, not very expensive, the bill for 4 of us paid by Mr Ranjit.Bhonsle, a criminal lawyer by profession on his first 'Nature Tour" with "B.N.H.S" who refused "Dutch Billing" as the amount was meagre. Having spent most of my adult life in the "Shipping Profession", i always have the habit of seeking "Dutch Billing", unless the dinner, lunch or outing is on invitation from the other person or persons.After dinner we went back to the A/C hotel for the "Mango eating competition"!Ate alphonso mangoes to the maximum and finally departed to Nisarg hotel by car, a journey of approx 10 minutes.Our hotel room was well cleaned of all the insects and myself and Vandhan slept on the floor mattresses while Logan and his son slept on the bed.
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| "ALPHONSO(APPUS) MANGO FESTIVAL" :- Devoured the maximum number of delicacy Alphonso mangoes. |
SUNDAY(5-6-2011):- Woke up at 0500 hrs as usual, brushed my teeth, had a bathe and later went out for a morning walk in the hotel forest estate.After a quick breakfast at "Nisarg Resort" packed up our luggage and carted the same into our tour bus.Bid goodbye to the exotic and scenic "Nisarg Resort" of Guhagar and made drove to Shiroli for a re-visit to the "SACRED GROVE FOREST".Local Shiroli guide Mr Nandu.Tambe met us at Shiroli and guided us to the forest trekking path. It was drizzling intermittently with a cloudy overhead sky, reminding me of the typical unpredictable "London Weather" that i experienced exactly a year ago.Destiny and fate could be stranger than fiction!It was a beautiful cool morning due to the unexpected rainfall and intermittent drizzle showers.Nandu spotted the rare Sirkeer Malkoha bird running for insects in the barren field approx 50 metres away from us.It gradually went about hunting its breakfast while we were busy observing and photographing it.It finally flew away, utterly disturbed by us and we made our way further into the dense forests spotting "LEOPARD SCAT" and "LEOPARD PUG MARKS".We visited the "Sacred Forest Temple" area and as usual i made a video of the forest vicinity.Finally we were led to local guide Nandu's forest bungalow for a cup of tea and demonstration of a "SNAKE RESCUE" from a forest well. A green keel back snake had fallen into the well, same observed by guide Nandu and hence we were fortunate to be at the "RIGHT PLACE AT RIGHT TIME" to witness the rescue.Nandu,Vandhan,Nikhil,Amitayu, Sameer and myself made our way towards the well while the rest of the group remained at Nandu's forest bungalow. On reaching the well a bizarre sight awaited us, a massive "BULL FROG" had seized the "GREEN KEEL BACK SNAKE" by the head and in the process of eating it, a rarest of rare real life nature encounter.Sameer must have got the best photograph with his SLR zoom lens as also Amitayu with his better lens camera.As for me, it was "Videography", the same posted on "YOU TUBE", a once in a life-time rare spectacle.After a few minutes, the frog released the snake and we were under the impression that it had bitten off the snakes head as it was floating motionless on the wells surface.As we were about to depart, having witnessed natures normal cycle of prey and predator reversals of fortune we suddenly observed the snake swimming.The frog had either found the snake too big to eat or must have been disturbed by our presence at the well, hence releasing the snake from its vice-like jaws.The authentic "WILD-LIFE DRAMA" enfolding before our eyes was better than any movie,theatre or wild-life telivision serial as it was happening before our very own eyes.Nandu finally decided to rescue the snake as "Green Keel Back snakes" are land snakes and would drown in water if kept too long.Initially Nandu tried removing the snake with a long forked stick but the snake was a slippery customer, evading the stick.Finally Nikhil opted to go rappelling inside the deep well and physically catch the snake, a dangerous adventure , common among "MOUNTAIN AND ROCK CLIMBERS".
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| THIS FROG HAD BITTEN MORE THAN IT CAN CHEW ! Has the water snake in its grip but too big to eat . |
Nandu had all the "RAPPLING KIT" as he also organises "Rock Climbing Tours" in the local forests and the same was attached to ornithologist Nikhil.Bhopale, a genuine all-rounder in wild-life and nature subjects.The whole process of the "SNAKE RESCUE" has been videotaped and photographed, a classic real-life demonstration, a first time experience to most of us .The snake was finally extracted from the well, a totally harmless creature that usually feeds on small frogs and in fact it had ingested some prey in its stomach before itself becoming a victim of the monstrous bull-frog.It was a bizarre case of the "HUNTER BECOMING THE HUNTED"We released the unharmed snake into the nearby uncultivated paddy fields, the snake showing no indications of stress, having closely avoided becoming a meal for a bull-frog.After a cup of tea we made our way back to the tour bus, a walk along the forested path.On the way some members spotted the headless body of a large non-venomous "SAND BOA".The harmless "SAND BOA", a absolutely non-venomous snake is held in great superstition by some people, considered a part of "BLACK-MAGIC" ritual for attaining prosperity or wishes. There is a great demand for these snakes by some "TANTRIKS",one even being stolen from Mumbai's zoo just before our tour to Guhagar, the first such incident of reptile pilferage amongst the zoo exhibits. Nandu had brought along the small sand boa that he had held captive for display and demonstration to us, releasing it back into the wild.We got the chance to compare the sizes of the dead and live sand boa, a huge difference, the larger snake resembling a small python.The sand boa is an utterly harmless snake, the same demonstrated by Nadu who got bitten while handling it, one of its fang tooth embedded in his finger. This huge headless and dead "Sand Boa" would be worth a lakh of rupees in the black-market trade for its demand amongst "Tantriks" and superstitious individuals that its possession guarantees wealth and success.The very fact that this non-venomous large snake was killed proved the fact that most villagers are absolutely scared of snakes and many do not even know the commercial illegal value of some of these snake species. This dead sand-boa would have been worth Rs 1,00,000 alive rather than a absolutely wasted carcass and a loss to nature.Hope more snake awareness is created amongst village tribals and normal village folks as to the necessity and importance of living in harmony with these villified reptiles for the benefit of human farming.Regarding eradication of superstitious beliefs about snakes, its a matter of human thinking and education. Nandu.Tambe earns his livelihood as a guide in these well preserved forests as do others through the ancilliary tourist Industry. Hope these forests are preserved along with its wild-life for future generations and as a source of tourist employment.Finally bid Nandu.Tambe goodbye and departed on our long homeward journey to Mumbai at approx 1215hrs.
It was drizzling and raining as we approached Chiplun for lunch at approx 1330 hrs. It was a sumptuous vegetarian lunch at "Sukhsagar Hotel" in Chiplun. After lunch we began our onward journey to Mumbai at approx 1430 hrs later stopping at "Jhopda" restaurant for tea at approx 1700hrs.The uniqueness of "Jhopda Restaurant" was its unique "Wild-life design", a rustic forest lodge in a city.After tea we were directly driven to Mumbai, various co- tour members alighting at various junctions.Finally reached "Dadar Chandu Halwai" junction, the last stop at approx 2130 hrs, an end to a contended, busy and hectic four day nature tour of Guhagar ,Dapoli and the surrounding towns and forests.
"Konkan Bounty tour with "B.N.H.S(Bombay Natural History Society"
