Our visit to Phura and Palak

Waiting for daybreak, the roosters were literally ruling the roost. When we stepped out, visibility or rather the lack of it was quite surprising. The heavy misty dew was settling around us. While we fumbled along the path to our tea stall, my orange Ayappa lungi was the only element spottable from a distance. My embarrassment at having ditched the less conspicuous alternative was long lived,  but never owing to rude stares. We could  feel a drizzle around and Nimesh patiently explained to a sleepy eyed me that it was the falling dew....the rains were still a couple of months away.

Where we stayed

This was my first stay at any part of Saiha and I was completely humbled by the sensitivity and hospitality extended by the people around. From the old chowkidar uncle who cooked for us and brought in an assortment of chutneys to an old lady who brought Raddish and Antrum (mustard leaves) from her field for us (refusing to let us buy it off her). The woman running the tea stall also was most disarmingly warm.

The village has about 200 plus households and seems almost picture perfect, with its houses of wood planks and thatched roofs, a large field , a small market place , 2 huge churches a small post office and handfull of shops excluding the make shift hawking of Burmese goods (huge lighters, blankets , shoes etc). We stayed at the forest department's guest house and were generously taken care of the by the aged but agile chowkidar uncle (pic on left).

 The homes like their Saiha counterparts bear the name of the head of the household along with his designation professionally or in the youth groups, church and other such associations. Usually blue and green boards are painted with white/black announcing the various positions/designations of the head of the household.

Along with the name/designation boards most homes also display remains of the animals they’ve caught. Tails of squirrels and feathers of various birds are very common. We also saw the skulls of something akin to a gaur , tails of civets hornbill casques etc. When I’d initially heard about hunting in these parts I’d wondered how much hunting can possibly be going on? This visit proved to be an eye opener. Wherever we went, on foot or in a vehicle we saw young men with catapults and guns. We heard a minimum of three gunshots a day and of course saw the range of trophies on the doors of homes. Infact the younger kids are often playing with beautifully put together bamboo toy guns. After visiting Palak and seeing the lively tree hopping squirrels it was a tad depressing to see three of them being roasted over the fire at our regular morning tea haunt in the marketplace.

A toy gun made of bamboo

  Late evenings were accompanied by the sounds of drums and songs. The rhythmic sounds and the excitement of our companions to join the evening song and dance at church was a regular feature once the sun was down and animated breakfast conversat

Towards Palak Dil

We visited Palak twice during our stay at Phura and I still haven’t had enough. The lake itself is mesmerizing in its simplicity added to it the long walk to get there from phura is nothing short of being the same. It’s a tad tiring 6 kilometers from the forest guest house, but worth every step of the way. Through the first 3 kilometers we have the valley on our left with its rice fields. We were four, and each was busy doing spotting of their choice, one peered at butterflies, another strained some neck muscles to sight birds and chased after the falling leaves. Nimesh has been here multiple times and was enjoying this walk after the long gap. Yours truly looks for birds and squirrels and they did reveal themselves generously to this novice. While crossing the fields at the very beginning of our walk we amongst many others saw some splendidly blue green rollers and a very clumsy descent of a coucal down some bushes.

Gradually the fields give way to slopes that have been left to their own device for some time, and then the final downhill descent which is marked by the beginning of a forest growing thicker by the step. Dense- the word now has an image association. I felt like quite the city idiot because I did spend some time wondering what the thick vines and creepers were. Were they going up or coming down? Eventually I just decided to enjoy the sight and leave deciphering for later.

A lone black trunk bearing witness to some previous Jhum

Numerous calls which most of us could not trace –to- source accompanied us throughout the way. At the descent we are also joined by the cool moist wisps of breeze. The noise made by a falling leaf is not something that I gave any thought to, till this walk. But it is something that takes me by surprise here. The forest thick green, contains within it various stages of decay and growth. Leaves -tumbling, falling, gliding towards the ground as they break their last contact with the tree. Almost each brush against a branch or trunk till the final landing can be heard. I could almost hear the wisps even when it was just floating mid air I think!

I had seen a shadow of a squirrel on our first visit and was thirsting after a better opportunity. No sooner had I expressed this desire that Nimesh glanced up and there was one on a large not very leafy tree. Here one second and scurrying on to the next branch the next. I saw it leap from one giant trunk to the neighboring one in its entire bushy splendor and had to stifle a whoop of pure delight. The second trip was dotted with many sightings of these. Small ones, large ones, playfull ones and calm ones, later looking them up in the field guides I realized they are called, the Hoary Bellied Himalayan Squirrel, Stripped Himalayan Squirrel and the Orange Bellied Himalyan Squirrel.

At Palak

Finally we pass a gate which must be there for some ornamental value as it really does not close the entry into anything nor open up to anything. Two pillars and a gate on it and open space all around, a bit amusing I must say. The sun was bright and harsh so the amateur’s (that’s us) camera’s and binoculars weren’t given the most conducive environment. From a small clearing on the bank aided by these we watched the pond herons, egrets and the moorhens in action.

The viewpoints (mini watch tower like huts) were not accessible so I spent the better part of my second visit on a larger clearing on the bank, while the trio trained their binoculars from a smaller better covered patch. I’d had enough of binoculars and guides for the day and was looking forward to some quiet time. Like a lazy birdwatcher cum reiki practioner (which I’m not) I fancied myself sending out non threatening vibes to all the bird and animal life around , hoping that the vibes would be read as friendly and some would come to have a dekho at me while I get a glimpse of them. Looks like my fancy was turning true, for in a while I had some spotted doves pecking in the leaf litter some meters way, followed by a gorgeous emerald dove, I kept straining to hear the flap of the wings of the hornbills, with no luck. Two egrets headed straight to the banks where I was planted. I think they spotted me too and changed course just before landing. The moore hens also wandered around not too far.

On our way back my perfect content was slightly punctured by the fact that I had missed the hornbills. No sooner had I said this out loud that Nimesh pointed out to the clear expanse in front of us and there……about 5- 7 of them were gliding across the lake into a thicket on the bank. One after the other large black wings passed my vision and I was stunned into silence (a rare occasion Nimesh would say!!).

My content was finally perfect I walked back sighing and smiling to myself.

Kawlchaw once again

Visited Kawlchaw again in the the third week of January. I was still semi ticklish about the thermocol balls instance. This time around I was left to my own device and had the camera as a companion. Kao has been reduced to the trickle of large bladder but the ruckus it creates in the flow is almost equivalent to the stone crushers around. Kaladan still flows almost akin to my last visit. 

The trickle of the Kao

Spent some time sitting at a spot where the two meet and watched boys cast their tattered nets and bring it up empty. But they seemed to just enjoy just rowing up and down the shores.

Fishing in Kaladan

Took a walk along the bank and through the market on one side, quietened my growling hunger with some Chow and walked across the bridge down the other bank and settled myself in a manner where I was out of sight for the bathing shrieking children. Sat around trying to decode the camera’s features and then just watched the to and fro rowing.

The bridge across the Kaladan

The tripod attracted too much attention from the children some of whom ran about heralding my arrival shouting ‘ Tv ‘ ... ‘TV’ ...‘TV Camera’. Sufficiently embarrassed I put the eye sore away. The water as usual was soothing to the nerves , regretted not taking a dip but the full -bladder -trickle of Kao couldn’t tempt me enough , while the Kaladan had already been claimed by a boat and the bathing children. Watching the action from the sidelines is just as enriching.

Gulaal and what followed

Watched Gulaal last year about this time and loved the film. The charector played by Piyush Mishra had me enthralled.  Wrote this after watching the film.


What separates the voice of mania from normalcy?
They dwell under one roof
Offspring’s of the same womb
Sisters conjoined

Normalcy hears her other's wailing song,
Is habituated (or so she thinks) ….to her lament
Smiles and humors her
Benevolent and feeds her
Then annoyed, threatens her

Mania in her rapture unaffected by these affections and afflictions bestowed
In seeming rapture, but she watches and reads -speaks truths that her kin won’t hear
In her crazed songs she weaves
Images that normalcy fears to see
Her intonations echoing the alternate truths , those that her sibling doesn’t perceive

They turn up- discomforting her -reminding her that all demons are not to rest
Like the many coffee mugs in my house, no matter how many I wash, there are more that my patience test

9th Jan - Drawing

One of the activities we'd thought of while the children continued to visit us was drawing. This again was something Nimesh and John took up with the schools around as a part of conservation education. The group visiting us was definitely on leave from school and we thought ideas like the film and drawing sessions would not only entertain them but also provide an opportunity to talk about wildlife and forests.

About ten children came in to draw and  magazines were scattered around for them to pick up images they would like to copy. There was no pressure to draw anything in particular.  Most children over the eight years tried to attempt at a picture from the magazines while the younger ones were more comfortable drawing homes!

Remrem at her focussed best.

We had  had about an equal number of children outside the house peering and peeking inside but hesitant to walk in despite our invitation. Many came up to the door giggled and sprinted away. It was quite festive, the colours, excited chirpy voices inside and out!

A child called Zuali has been a regular in her visits. I was surprised when she declined paper and crayons saying she didn't want to draw, but even more pleasantly surprised when I saw her rushing around from one child to the other giving suggestions and comments, bringing our attention to broken pencils and the need for sharpeners or erasers . I don't remember ever having such classmates or friends, who'd not only be happy in not participating (voluntarily) but also derive joy by actively helping the others. As far as my interactions as a child or my informal interactions with a group children are concerned this was a fairly new and delightful experience.

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                                              This is Zuali studyting the drawing of Puipuia.

When all were done with the never ending finishing touches we wrapped up by putting up the drawings on the wall and door.

Since then we've had many young visitors pass by to take a look at the drawings. The group also bring in their friends for a dekho.

Its a film today!

7th January

The visits from the young ones have been quite regular much to my glee. It follows a pattern. The first knock on our door is at 6:30 in the morning. A little chatter and morning tea together they are on their way only to return at about 11 and then again between 2 to 4.

Since they flip through the wildlife magazines with great pleasure, we felt they might also enjoy watching some films on it. Nimesh and his colleagues have been working through schools on conservation education and film screenings and discussions have been one of the means used, so organizing this was not difficult.

The group was here as has been their routine at about 2:30 and they were in for a surprise. Tables and chairs were being re arranged for them and the laptop was being set up speakers and all. They comfortably ran to the seats and observed all of this wondering what was in store.

The film was Point Calimere and since I’ve seen it before it was good to sit with the kids as audience and watch them discreetly instead. Mild mannered Marin kept her eyes firmly on screen, an attention seeking senior kept shushing and correcting the others, while Vidya seemed to be commenting on most things on screen and off it. Jenny came in a bit late but fresh from a bath and was very concerned when a friend pointed out that she had some mud on her sleeve. The group seemed to be enjoying the experience.

My language handicap hit me quite hard today. It would have been wonderful to truly be privy to their discussions. Since that was not to be, I watched John interact with them in his soft tones and warm eyes.

Next they looked at the field guides and were talking about whatever they recognized. John later shared that the discussions were indeed quite colorful. The children informed him that somewhere close a pig had given birth to an elephant and while the elephant kept growing the pig obviously had died in the process. Pointing to a picture of a dead elephant Vidya claimed it that it was killed in Aizwal , Puja was quick to point out that the people standing around were not Mizo so it couldn’t be in Aizwal! We gathered Remrem gets quite creeped out by snakes. A book on snakes was lying open, she flipped a page accidentally and jumped back and fell down in fright when her hand touched one of the images! She did get bak to the book but shuddering at every page. Nimesh went through the pages with her.

Vidya ran through the bird book with great interest pointing to birds he’d shot at with his catapult. He also took on the role of explaining to the younger girls the different categories of birds which I think broadly were parrots, ducks and pigeons. I had noticed him on a previous occasion weave stories about the birds in a magazine to the younger ones I now realize some of it may have been autobiographical encounters!

We had a swell time! We must do it again.

 

 

More the merrier

6th Jan

They were back, but in hoardes! A commotion outside our front door made me take a peak. In a semi constructed house just opposite our own there were about 15 children! I then noticed that at the point most visible from our door, they had set up kitchen again, and were handling the task in manner which took care that I had almost unobstructed view! I think, they thought of the activity as bait! What they also wanted I got a sense of was to introduce their new friends. The ones who were known to me yelled out my name in greeting and soon it was a chorus of sorts, Vidya made some vague gestures which I thought meant camera and I promptly obeyed him. By the time I got back with the camera the kitchen play had been abandoned and a group song was in process!

The half built house across our own serving as stage.

We couldn’t do much shouting across to each other so they decided to come over to where I was. A few found the prospect uncomfortable and about 10 of then turned up including a three month old strapped to the back of a nine year old! They looked around office and seemed to love the posters made out of drawings of children. The original four lead the others around the place, supplied all with magazines, chatted a bit. Then we sat outside and there were impromptu performances of song and dance and I gather that for my benefit they picked English songs to sing and Hindi songs to dance. The sensitivity extended really took me by surprise as did the spur of the moment fashion show! Then like the last time (yesterday) they raced out yelling bye-byes and thank you way promising to drop by tomorrow.

Making friends - How we met.

5th Jan

A strange phenomenon is unfolding these days and we're caught in the midst of it all. Children aged 3 months to 14 years have descended into our lives and taken over my days. Here is how it started and more in later posts on how it is catching up.

While returning from a delicious but taxing walk I met a couple of children, playing house (or should I say playing kitchen?) . This seems to be a popular game with children all around. The game has rarely held any fascination for me apart from when i went visiting to Kerela and on another occasion in Dungarpur, Rajashthan. I’ve now added Saiha to my list.

Here, with half a piece of blade, the little ones were cutting cabbage and beetroot (I think!) remains. Mixed with water these were served/displayed in the lids of wee little tobacco containers. An empty fruity bottle stood by many other such beautifully colored proxy meals in surrogate crockery.

The kids aware of my curiosity moved aside for me to have a dekho. I asked them if I could click and to their nods of assent I took out my camera. The eldest ran away yelping spotting it and the younger ones carried on their game semi conscious of the gadget.

We tried to learn each other’s names and I failed miserably and their success was unknown to me till today morning when they yelled out for me from the road opposite my home!

A little later the foursome plus a new addition marched into office and began their explorations of the area. Pictures of tigers, tortoises, and snakes etc on the walls seemed to hold their fancy. Egged on by their hyper curiosity I offered them seats around the office table and put a bundle of magazines at their disposal. Hungrily, the turned from page to page scanning the colorful images of animals and birds. I was scared of questions as I wasn’t equipped with enough knowledge on the same. But they seemed to be happy looking at these images and  V charmed the baby of the group  with what I thought were stories of various birds that she was looking at, slowly slowly she moved closer to him completely mesmerized by the tale she was hearing.

Wanting to be hospitable I offered them some aval a Kerala snack made with beaten rice, jaggery and coconut. I asked them to try a spoon each and eat only if they thought it was ok. They kept it thoughtfully in their mouths and I gathered …mmm maybe not and left the room to give them privacy for exclamations. My return found one of them furiously spitting out the vile stuff in her mouth out of the window! I fell into a helpless pile of laughter and pleaded with the others to spit it out if they so detested it!! As though waiting for the go signal they all but leapt out of their seats and spitting it all out with a ferocity that made me feel terrible for having put to them this taste. So it was bananas next and this was received with great joy!!!

Bananas and their curiosity for the animals were almost done, when one of them spied the dustbin in office and nudged the others too into throwing their peals in it. V, the big brother gathered all the magazines from the table including the table’s original contents of diaries and notebooks and arranged them all on the rack. They were done for the day and ran  out the door with loud byes-byes , leaving behind the echo’s of their chatter and a beaming me!