Wildlife Week Lawngtlai - Behind the Scenes I - More than welcome

In complete agreement  with Mr Tlana when he shared that homestays were the highlight of the visit to the villages. I am humbled by the generosity extended by families in sharing their homes and meals with absolute strangers and am reminded repeatedly of my adolescence where visitors were people you had to grit your teeth and tolerate.

Our Hosts Home in Cheural

We stayed with two beautiful families in Cheural and Lungpher. Over dinner , at tea between the programmes we had the opportunity to talk to the families. I have found these interactions very interesting. While running through some wildlife magazines and field guides and photographs there is space for discussions on the village,forests and wildlife around or of Samrakshan's work in Saiha etc. Rarely have these interactions that I've been part or witnessed disappointed in their content, especially when there are people over 50 around and often even with younger people. Sometimes , you can feel almost tangibly the intimate connect they share with the forests around , the wealth of knowledge that comes with the dependence and so much more. 

Lunch at Cheural

Coming back to the hospitality , it is usually assumed in most households that Nimesh and I are vegetarians and there is such care taken to ensuring that there is plenty for us to eat. From pumpkins to cabbage and carrots..... i cringe with embarrassment when I see the effort. When its time to leave , I'm at a loss. Do not know how to tell them that we're touched and grateful. It usually is a handshake with a sincere invitation to visit us in Saiha and Kalome  i.e thank you.

Unfortunately (or maybe not ) we had such a blast with the children of our hosts in Lungpher that the camera was all forgotten about. Being higher than Saiha, Lungpher was cold and after a walk in the rains we warmed ourselves beside a lovely family (kids , parents , grandma and neighbours!)  and i remember thinking its we've been lucky to receive such warmth of home and hearth in a places so far away from home.