Bharatpur

Bharatpur is full of water this year. Good rain and water coming from all the available sources makes birds and birders happy this year. Unfortunately the bird nesting is not in that good numbers as I was expecting. First time I visited Bharatpur was in 1979,I was sent their  by my employer on a 2 week tour to learn more about birds. That year Painted Storks were breeding on every available tree. Trees around Shanti Kutir and Forest Lodge were full of them. Now one has to walk almost up to the last end of the straight road to reach nesting site, just before the temple junction. 
I was disappointed with the weather. I reached Bharatpur on a sunny afternoon and got up next morning to a gloomy-cloudy day. Wet weather put all the butterflies away. There was hardly any photographable butterfly seen during my two days visit. 
Other thing that disappointed me most was the growth of Parthenium hysterophus, a very invasive weed from latin america. It's leaves are like carrot so locally it's known as Gajar ghaas. White flowers equivalent to the size of floss flower makes it a truly nuisance for any kind of wildlife habitat. I wonder why this plant is
not uprooted in the beginning of monsoon. Now it will take minimum two years to remove it completely from the area. Other thing what I saw was other weeds growing in the area that was burnt last year. Fire needs to be used as a tool otherwise its side effects on grassland are always negative. Mr H S Panwar, ex Director Project Tiger wrote a complete guide book on grass burning when he was Director Kanha National Park. 
I hope my next visit in December will be better than previous few years.

New Cattle Class in Indian Railway

I boarded the Gondwana express train in third A/C from Agra Cantt for my onward journey to Katni. I had a second A/C  RAC ticket for 9th September but cut short my stay in Bharatpur due to rain. 

I wanted to get my ticket upgraded to second a/c but TC confirmed me NO ROOM while two attendants assured me to get a seat in second A/C. One of them did gave me a hint about his plan. I refused to accept his plan and came back to my seat in third a/c. 

so here i give you the account of this compartment.

There is a family in our block who is travelling only up till Jhansi from Agra. Train has not even passed Agra station, I am waiting for people to give me some space to put my bag underneath and this person asked his wife to bring out some Namkeen. Poor woman has to do what she was told so she opens the bag takes out some namkeen, in the mean time kids saw biscuit packet so they demanded the biscuit. Husband asked her to pour some masala on it, she opens the jar of sainda namak,(rock salt). Instantly it reminded me my school days, standing in chemistry lab and our teacher Mr Dey describing the smell of SO2. Now man is happily munching his namkeen and kids are dropping the biscuit everywhere.Neither of them dare to pick those biscuit pieces from the floor.

My bag is too fat to go under the seat. I asked one of the kid to move his feet so i push it underneath. He asked me Uncle why it's not going? It becomes too fat at the time of journey back home, I replied. His cute answer was You must be wearing winter clothes that,s why it becomes so fat. Swiftly I agreed to him. He felt very proud by his findings.

Next cabin is turned in to a theater by a gentleman who is showing fellow passengers some film on full volume so everyone can hear and understand the dialogue. Even he put the extra speakers on it.  

In third cabin all six people are playing rummy and their voice is disturbing the people watching movie and their argument is disturbing half of the coach passengers. 

Linen bags are scattered all over in the compartment. Tea cups with tea bags are still sitting on table. I think this is Indian male habit who expects women to clear the rubbish and house women rely on House maid. So the place is never clean. This morning I was sitting in my brother in law's house in Agra. Their house maid moved the brush on floor without checking that how much rubbish she is leaving behind. Her major attention was on the kitchen call for tea. On first call she dropped the broom to have her long awaited tea.It took her more than twenty minutes to clean a room of not more than 100 sq ft. So we rely on our women and we (Indians) are use to of sitting with rubbish next to us.

A two year old kid wearing choon choon shoes is running all over in the passage. Parents are telling their co passenger that how cute she / he looks in this shoes.

We have just passed Dholpur. By now most of the passengers are settled in their seats. Women are busy in serving the food to kids and their husbands. Someone is complaining about AC. It makes cold food even more colder and another man is asking the attendants that his ailing mother is feeling cold in this airconditioner. Please ask the ac attendant to increase the temperature or put the blower. Someone suggested to provide her another blanket. Most of the Indian passengers in Third a/c or in some cases in second a/c do not have air condition in their house. They feel cold in train. 

Food smell in the coach at this minute can beat any pickle factory. It's all pickles what we taste while eating our food. I wonder how many of them know the taste of Bottle Gourd (Lauki)? A vegetable rich in minerals. 

Most of the rubbish is being pushed under the seats. So we have to now sleep with pickle smell. A lady is looking for her flip flop? They walked themselves for more than 20 feet from the spot where she put them, she blames passengers for not taking the notice of her flip flop but refuse to accept  her own fault that she did not put them carefully tucked under the seat.

Thanks god, the a/c operator did not put the temp. up. It's nice and cool on upper berth. 

I am waiting for better connectivity of reliance dongal to post this. At last I posted it after reaching home.

  

Janmashtami, it could be last for pilgrimage.

This year Janmashtami was a very low profile celebration in Bandhavgarh. Pilgrims were allowed to go to temple only up till mid day and they had to return before sunset. That was routine even in previous years.
Bandhavgarh witnessed heavy rain on Janmashtami night and morning. Pilgrim rush was low in the morning but increased by 10-1030 AM. But it was too late for many. Once the forest deptt shut the gate at 12 Noon may of pilgrims were looking for an alternate temple to prey. One local person Bramhan by caste just saw the opportunity and started the prayer under Banyan tree near Tala gate where a Shivling is based on a platform. Within minutes he was performing the duty of a priest. That was a great excuse for many pilgrims to offer their prayer. He console many souls.

What I found this year was that there were not more than 5-7% devotees in the crowd rest were picnickers who came here to visit the park / temple because it is free. Most of them were trying to go through shortcuts and trying to have bath in the park. They thought it is a good theme park but were controlled by watchman. I walked with my wife Kay and had to literally (physically) teach the lesson to minimum 3 boys. I came back with a broken umbrella.
I doubt things will be the same next year. Gopalpur pool is not even half full.Chakradhara still looks dry. No Kaans flowers in Chakradhara this year and nor at Thauni. No Tiger was seen by pilgrims this year. It was more or less dry. I didn't see any Chital either. Langur and Chital alarm calls from Ramtalaiyya were probably for Vijaya and her cubs. 

Tala in monsoon.

Tala is a Tourism village. Most (99%)of the families survive on income from tourism industry. Even the people who work as daily wage labour find tourism related work.
 One morning in july second week I just went through Tala village. Most of the shops are closed. Samosa's are not made till 9 AM Vegetable shops are closed since July 1st due to park closure a day before. No Gypsies queued up at main road near barrier or in market.
Village looks very relaxed.
Shopkeepers stop buying new supply in mid June. A huge stock will be complete loss for next 3 months. Small items such as Cornflakes is out of stock in monsoon while in summer one can buy muesli cereal here. Villagers has to rely on Umaria 35 km or Manpur 13 km for vegetables. One shopkeeper found Tala a better option than district town Umaria so he shifted his shop to Tala where he gets business only for 9 months.
If tourism stops the life of these villagers will stop automatically. They wont find any alternate job that easily. Here their savings were high. Living at home and whole family working locally is beneficial to all. Some families have 2-3 people working as guide. Young university pupil find easy job as guide to work in summer and winter holidays. One of them is all set to join the clan, if don't find any other job. This is an easy option, he said.
All these happy living are going to vanish with closure of Tourism industry.

 This is how Tala village will be till 16th of October. Almost dead village without tourism. Think about these Chat thela,s. Poor people has to spend more money on all the decoration and painting again.
But the best was this Tiger who was leaping in air to look for Tourists.

Python surrounded by Peafowl and Lesser Adjutant.

Tala zone in summer is a nightmare for Tourists. We entered the park and saw all the jeeps on that route queued up for a glimpse of Vijaya who was sitting some where behind the grass opposite siddhbaba temple. We pass it coolly to pass some time in Siddhbaba meadow or Gopalpur. What we saw at Gopalpur was a flock of Peafowl along with some Lesser Adjutant making noise. A python must have come for a drink in the morning and got his timings wrong. All these birds attacked on him. He curled up initially but when a Lesser Adjutant pulled his tail he decided to move back to a safer place. This is the time when we started photographing him. Peafowl were interested but scared while young Adjutant were very  interested in attacking on him.

Python, even though it's small but still a very big prey to tackle by Peafowl or Adjutant Stork. Slowly slowly Python found the way to a safe place in a bamboo clump. 

Why locals gets menials job in Hotel Industry.

This is a big question. Many people complaint about this but hardly ever try to understand it. In-fact one cant understand it until you face it. Same question I asked the local Hoteliers and one of them told me the truth. I agree with him and I also have the same opinion about them. Hoteliers claim that 70% of their staff is local. Yes it will be because 70% jobs of total staff strength are always goes to lower staff that comes under House Keeping, Kitchen and Restaurant-Room Service. (Waiter, Kitchen helpers, sweepers Gardner's,watchman etc.) Rarely locals are employed on managerial posts.
Major complaint against the staff is about their habit of holiday. A simple function at home is more important for them than their job. Other thing is their loyalty. They never respect their own work. That's the reason for complaints in House keeping and Restaurant. Never follows the working guidelines. Booze and smoking are hard to give away.
A hotelier wants smooth operation of services at his place. He doesn't wants any hassle in his business. Management wants staff to be present on all working days except their weekly off day. 
So in nutshell I want to say that people show lots of sympathy with the villagers and think they are very simple and honest people while the reality is altogether different. One can realise it only by facing them. 

Tigers in Buffer zone of Bandhavgarh National Park

A part of sky on eastern horizon was bright blue this morning. I thought this could be a good day to explore the Buffer Zone area of Bandhavgarh National Park. Tala village was still a sleep. No reason for them to be up. Most of activities in Tala village dies on 1st july morning. Dhaba's dont open in the morning and neither the samoasa's are fried till 0930 - 10.00  in the morning. After passing the park road junction on main road I saw a glimpse of something yellow behind the bush. I said to myself that it can't be here so to clear my doubts I just turned left and to my surprise surprise, yes he was there. Quickly I lift the camera took a picture to move on.
Jungle has become lush green. Every pit in the jungle has turned in to a perfect water hole. Spotted Deer are all scattered here and there as they don't have to face any competition for food for few months.  I heard some alarm calls between Siddhbaba and Thauni. If it's not a leopard that this could be Vijya, Bamera or Mukunda male. Spotted deer , Langur monkey and Muntjac calls were confirming the presence of a predator. I left after I heard calls moving further away. Thauni meadow has turned in to a good habitat in the monsoon. We saw not one or two but three male Spotted Deer preaching. They are all in rut.  
Bhadrashila pool has attracted lot of birds in the monsoon. Black Ibis must be nesting near by as they are collecting nest material from the pool bank. 
Badhaini hill looks very close to Mahaman village. This village comes under buffer zone. Village dogs are chasing doves and other birds in the field. Some boys are playing near tamarind tree. there is no sign of any tiger movement here. No pugmarks but a tiger is standing on a platform.
I just went to Khitauli and believe it or not I photographed another Tiger there.
So when you will see these pictures you will realise that these are the Tigers we see at present in Buffer zone and they are there all the time.

e