Chennai:

Bandipur is situated at the southern edge of Karnataka, and the National Park located there has drawn its fair share of visitors. Sharing its boundaries with three other national parks — Nagarhole, Mudumalai and Wayanad — which together form the Nilgiri biosphere reserve, Bandipur makes the ‘must-see’ list for most nature lovers. This belt is considered an eco-sensitive region and is also a part of the Project Tiger scheme since it has a considerable tiger population.

Bandipur’ s biggest lure is its promise of wildlife sightings. The reserve is home to a variety of species, including tigers, leopards and sloth bears, which is the reason for visitors to come. Bandipur National Park is amongst the most beautiful and oldest national parks in the country. Declared as a National Park in 1974, it once served as a hunting ground of the Mysore Maharajas. Bandipur National Park covers an area of 890 sq km, housing some of the most exotic species of flora and fauna along with Nagarhole National Park, it is the largest protected area in south India and a part of the Nilgiris, which is located 560 km from Chennai and 80 km from Mysore, Karnataka.

Bandipur lies in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats and hence the vegetation is rather dry and deciduous but this lack of forest cover increases one’s chances of spotting wildlife. The yellowish-brown grass and scrub that covers the land is reminiscent of the African savannah and the occasional tree with its widespread branches seems like the perfect location to spot a wild cat lounging around. When we visited Bandipur, it was just before the monsoons, the weather cool in the evenings only.

This is the route we took when we drove to Bandipur and Mudumalai from Chennai: It was Chennai — Ranipet — Chittoor — Bangalore — Mysore — Bandipur, a journey of about 560 km that took us eight hours, with stops at Chittoor, Bangalore and Mysore.

The four of us set out at 11pm from Chennai. We stopped at Chittoor for coffee. By 4 am we were in Bengaluru, where we stopped for about 15 minutes before going on to Mysore. The weather was pleasant, perfect for driving without an AC. By 7 am, we were on the last leg of our journey from Mysore.

We were stopped by security when we reached the forest area for the toll fee and for safety and environment conservation tips. This was a strictly plastic-free zone and the speed limit 30 km. There was pin drop silence in the forest. We spotted a deer and peacock the moment we began our slow drive through the 13 km to the resort where we were going to stay.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Travel / DC / by S. Somasundaram / May 15th, 2014

Kokkarebellur, a small village in Maddur taluk of Mandya district of Karnataka is named after the painted storks.

The word ‘kokkare’ means crane in kannada. Apart from Painted Storks, the spot-billed pelicans are also found here and it is rather disheartening to know that these birds have been classified as the “near threatened category” in IUCN Red List of 2009. Incidentally, this village is one of the 21 breeding sites existing in India and unlike any other bird sanctuary you may have visited.

A bird’s haven

For starters, Kokkarebellur is not a reserved forest sanctuary but a small village where the storks and pelicans coexist freely among the villagers and mostly in tamarind trees in the middle of the village.

The villagers are used to regular visits by tourists and photographers and can help you find the trees where the birds nest. The painted storks and pelicans are found in big herds during the migratory season. And make no mistake, these birds are huge. The painted storks have snow-white plumage with patterned bright pink and black stripes and have a yellow tapering bill. The pelicans have grey and white plumage, short stout legs, large webbed feet, flat and an enormous bill with an elastic bag of purple skin hanging below the throat that helps them collect fish from water.
The uniqueness in Kokkarebellur is the long established bonding between the birds and the villagers who have adopted this bird as their heritage, since they consider the birds as harbingers of good luck and prosperity to the village.
The happy co-existence of the villagers and the birds is because the villagers actually look after the birds, train them till they fly back to their nests. The spot-billed pelicans are protected by the law in India. In Kokkarebellur, a community-based project has been instituted to carry on the historical links of the pelicans with the villagers.
With increased nestling activity in recent years, efforts to conserve these birds have been fruitful and are also being hailed as a “role model” for replication at other places. Birds are seen nesting in clusters of 15 to 20 pairs per tree and the strange part is that they use the same set of trees every year.

The birds typically arrive after monsoons in September. They then make their nests, lay eggs from October to November and fledge around for three months till March, after which they tirelessly feed their hatchlings through the summer season.

As summer peaks in May, they re-migrate. Apart from the painted stork, you can also find little cormorants, black Ibis, grey herons, black-crowned night herons, ring necked parakeets and Indian pond heron.

Kokkarebellur is a must visit simply because this is probably the only place, where you can spot these winged beauties at such close quarters.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by Bindu Gopal Rao / April 15th, 2014

On how the pundits of Mathur set an example.

Mathur, the Sanskrit speaking village in Shimoga, Karnataka, is not new to the readers of these columns. This is an attempt to share my experience during a visit to the village where a three-day festival took place.

The annual utsavam for Lord Chenna Kesava Murthy and His Consort, Mahalakshmi, was a grand affair with all the elements of tradition in place.

This festival started on a Poornima day with the utsava murti getting a bath in the waters of the Tunga to the background of Vedic mantras chanted by scholars.

The deity was brought in a palanquin to a chariot, beautifully decorated. It was 10 a.m. and the deity was placed on His mount Garuda and installed in the chariot, which set off in a procession led by nagaswaram players, bhajan singers following them.

Chanting of Vedas

The pitch perfect chant of the Vedas is something unique to the place. The unhurried and harmonious rendition in flawless diction transports one to a different world. .

The car was taken around the four Maada streets. Approximately half way through, around 1.30 p.m., the procession was halted for a sumptuous feast at the village community hall. Pundits and their families and scholars from the neighbourhood, who had gathered for the festival partook of the lunch.

The procession was resumed at 7 p.m. to complete the circumambulation of the Mada streets and it was around 2.30 a.m.

On the next day, again the deity was bathed in the Tunga and the chariot began its run. It was called Rathotsava and the deity with His consort was seated on a horse.

The final day was set aside for the chanting of the Vedas. An interesting highlight was the smearing of holy powder on all gathered. Everybody then went to the river to have a bath. The three-day festival closed with dinner but not before bhajans were sung early in the evening.

Right from the cleanly swept streets that are decorated with marvellous kolams to the conduct of festivals that combines hospitality, the pundits of Mathur showcase heritage quietly. What is more they show that it is possible to make tradition a way of life.

Wish to visit the village and stay in the agraharam? Chenna Kesava Dikshitar is the person to approach. Several foreigners stay in Shimoga and visit the village to learn Sanskrit.

(The writer can be contacted at sbpl@airtelmail.in )

Meet the pundits

The Kalyana Nagar Association, Mandavelipakkam, (No. 29, West Circular Road) has arranged the sambhashanam of the Sanskrit Pundits of Mathur, 9.30 a.m. onwards tomorrow, Saturday, at the Association premises.

For details contact 24952997 and 24611674.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Faith / by  T. S. Viswanathan / April 17th, 2014