Imprints of my wandering: Nature in its ruthless fury
Nagpur; 8/03/2013
Today evening, I returned from Mel-ghats two days trip, a short and sweet one. Melghat forest ecosystem is indeed unique and charming and is key to my fascination as I began my service travail from these forests, on probation. It is indeed a unique mix of nature in its prime best, topography, landscape and local tribal in more or less symbiotic relation with its surrounds. A vast stretch of forested tract along Satpuda Hills owes its existence to its topography and korkus – the local tribal communes – the natural beings, knowing well how to tread light on this beautiful blue planet. Diversity and richness of vegetation and dependent life forms add beauty and color to its awesome natural beauty and expanse. Over five years of experience in these forests during 1990's has colored my vision green and focused my thinking and actions to seek clean and green options for life to move in harmony with nature.
During my formative years in service, I have undertaken a few trials that have been fruitful to guide my endeavors for seeking sustainable livelihood options with low ecological footprints. Korkus are very simple, innocent and peace loving, by nature. They live in present and do not bother much about very next moment or the day. Their life style is in harmony with nature and its surrounds. Though, the modern development approach, greed and hunger have dented their psyche deeply, yet their basic values and traits are true to their soil and close to the nature. As a consequence, we see vast expanse of natural forests in its prime whereas forests tracts in it’s adjoins along Satpuda hills have vanished due to non sustainable practices of their neighboring brethren They are poor, illiterate and backward but they know how to live in peace and harmony with nature and its beautiful beings.
Mel-ghats has tremendous eco-tourism potential that may become a boon for opening up anew options for sustainable livelihood. It provides an ideal sylvan setting for naturo-cultural immersion and experiential learning for people of Vidarbha for promoting practices and values that bring us more close to nature and cultural roots. However, due care shall be taken for not over exposing local communities to outer influences so that it may affect their basic nature, as custodians of natural forests.
Natural forest systems are saviors of life on this planet. They are, in fact, the pilgrim centre’s of humanity for seeking moksha as well as solution of our unending trail of riddles. ‘Nisargam Sharnam Gachhami’ ~ Let’s go to nature and seek solution of our problems. It appears to be only way to seek and sustain peace and harmony life and universe.
Mel-ghats do attract me to the core. Whenever, I find chance to visit this beautiful gift of nature, I do try to make most of it. Each dip of immersion soaks me and my soul in its calm, serene and dusky environs.
It is said that if you love with true intent nature reciprocates and conspires to make things happen for more such experiences. An earlier experience, a few months ago [on 26th October 2012], at Kolkaz Guest House that shook me within and kept me confined in the rest house for over five hours about how nature responds your love and longings is yet unfathomable for me. On the penultimate day, I was scheduled to visit Kolkaz, for a short while, en route my inspection to ecotourism sites at Chikhaldara, Semadoh and Kolkaz. It was clear day, as I left Nagpur for Chikhaldara. Weather, at Chikhaldara was cool and cozy. I decided to have a glimpse of ecotourism facilities, at Semadoh and Kolkaz before settling myself for the night, at Chikhaldara. I kept my bag at Chikhaldara and left with staff for Semadoh in the afternoon. After an hour of exposure at Semadoh, we left for Kolkaz.
In the afternoon, sky was clear and there were no signs of clouds anywhere near. Kolkaz is hardly 20 km from Semadoh. As we approached close to gate of Kolkaz complex, clouds begin to build up. Before leaving, we decided to take tea at main guest house, at Kolkaz. As we reached Main Guest House weather begins to turn windy, dark and fogy drizzle. We took shelter in hall of guest house. As we were waiting for tea, weather turned nasty and violent, dark clouds with lightening spread around and rains begin to pour with hails storm. Wind was so ferocious and violent and hail storm was so fierce that it shook us within and made us feel unsafe under the shaky roof of guest house. It appeared that roof would be wiped off by fury of wind and we would be at mercy of nature in windy and lightening rains. The front lawn was looking white in darkness due to heavy deposition of frozen raindrops in shape of hails. Stormy wind uprooted trees and put it across approaching road to the guest house blocking it from all side. In darkness of night, situation was dreadful and tense for about quarter an hour that made me realize how helpless we become, if nature goes berserk. It was indeed an off season storm that took shape of violent whirlwind causing damage to shallow trees and weak buildings. I have never seen such violent storm in my life and that too in off season period, in Mel-ghats.
As rains and storm begins to subside we came out to find that our way has been blocked from all sides. In the dark night it was not possible to move on. Being deep in jungle, it was not possible to seek early help and support. Later, we learnt that it was unusual cloud burst that caused major damage to standing trees uprooting and cutting them in halves and snapping electric wires and poles. Such phenomenon is unheard even in monsoon rains, in this region. I have not seen nature in such nasty mood before during my service life in these areas.
As we could not move out, I asked the staff to seek local help to clear roads and call additional staff for help from Semadoh. Weather was cold and my clothes were soaked in rain. I slipped under a blanket to seek some warmth. My eyes begin to get drowsy and after a while I was in deep slumber. A loud voice of guest house staff made me wake up from deep slumber, at about ten in night with news that a walk-able way to road have been made and we can move, if I like. As my clothes were wet and I did not carry my bag along so we decided, to take chance. After an arduous walk and endeavor through fallen trees and electric wires for half an hour we reached the main road to Semadoh and, thereafter, to Chikhaldara at about mid night. So as cold would not grip me I changed my wet garments and slipped in straight to bed, sparing introspection on this strange happening, on some other day.
I become busy in day to day happenings until, the day before, when I visited Kolkaz site again, incidence flashed back in my mind. The uprooted trees in the area refreshed my memory of strange incidence occurred five months ago. It begins to itch me within to seek cause or coincidence, if any, of my presence at the point of incidence and exhibition of fury of nature, as if it was angry with me for remaining away from it, so long.
I have been a frequent visitor of Kolkaz during my tenure in Melghat forests in 1990s and Kolkaz and its surrounds have given me many insights and deep experiences that helped me while I was away on my travails and wanderings to unknown areas.
Alike us, it appears to me, nature is live and conscious. It responds our feeling and calls in the same way as we respond to other living beings. It loves if we love and care; and gets angry if we discord love and harmony. In this instant event, nature perhaps conspired to detain me for some more time, than I have planned, to seek more insights of immersion and learning and to be one with each other for some time, after a long while. And, it was angry as I was not in touch with it for long to care for or soothe its soul for getting apart.
Nevertheless, nature is mysterious, full of awe and wonders. We are part of it and it is indeed part of us, within. Thus, getting apart makes it break within and hence sets in chaos in shape of furious whirlwind and rainstorm. After a while, it cools down itself, alike a loving mother to give love and shelter to her children.
Nature immersion is like diving deep to seek reality and taste its bliss by personal experience.
Nagpur; 8/03/2013
Today evening, I returned from Mel-ghats two days trip, a short and sweet one. Melghat forest ecosystem is indeed unique and charming and is key to my fascination as I began my service travail from these forests, on probation. It is indeed a unique mix of nature in its prime best, topography, landscape and local tribal in more or less symbiotic relation with its surrounds. A vast stretch of forested tract along Satpuda Hills owes its existence to its topography and korkus – the local tribal communes – the natural beings, knowing well how to tread light on this beautiful blue planet. Diversity and richness of vegetation and dependent life forms add beauty and color to its awesome natural beauty and expanse. Over five years of experience in these forests during 1990's has colored my vision green and focused my thinking and actions to seek clean and green options for life to move in harmony with nature.
During my formative years in service, I have undertaken a few trials that have been fruitful to guide my endeavors for seeking sustainable livelihood options with low ecological footprints. Korkus are very simple, innocent and peace loving, by nature. They live in present and do not bother much about very next moment or the day. Their life style is in harmony with nature and its surrounds. Though, the modern development approach, greed and hunger have dented their psyche deeply, yet their basic values and traits are true to their soil and close to the nature. As a consequence, we see vast expanse of natural forests in its prime whereas forests tracts in it’s adjoins along Satpuda hills have vanished due to non sustainable practices of their neighboring brethren They are poor, illiterate and backward but they know how to live in peace and harmony with nature and its beautiful beings.
Mel-ghats has tremendous eco-tourism potential that may become a boon for opening up anew options for sustainable livelihood. It provides an ideal sylvan setting for naturo-cultural immersion and experiential learning for people of Vidarbha for promoting practices and values that bring us more close to nature and cultural roots. However, due care shall be taken for not over exposing local communities to outer influences so that it may affect their basic nature, as custodians of natural forests.
Natural forest systems are saviors of life on this planet. They are, in fact, the pilgrim centre’s of humanity for seeking moksha as well as solution of our unending trail of riddles. ‘Nisargam Sharnam Gachhami’ ~ Let’s go to nature and seek solution of our problems. It appears to be only way to seek and sustain peace and harmony life and universe.
Mel-ghats do attract me to the core. Whenever, I find chance to visit this beautiful gift of nature, I do try to make most of it. Each dip of immersion soaks me and my soul in its calm, serene and dusky environs.
It is said that if you love with true intent nature reciprocates and conspires to make things happen for more such experiences. An earlier experience, a few months ago [on 26th October 2012], at Kolkaz Guest House that shook me within and kept me confined in the rest house for over five hours about how nature responds your love and longings is yet unfathomable for me. On the penultimate day, I was scheduled to visit Kolkaz, for a short while, en route my inspection to ecotourism sites at Chikhaldara, Semadoh and Kolkaz. It was clear day, as I left Nagpur for Chikhaldara. Weather, at Chikhaldara was cool and cozy. I decided to have a glimpse of ecotourism facilities, at Semadoh and Kolkaz before settling myself for the night, at Chikhaldara. I kept my bag at Chikhaldara and left with staff for Semadoh in the afternoon. After an hour of exposure at Semadoh, we left for Kolkaz.
In the afternoon, sky was clear and there were no signs of clouds anywhere near. Kolkaz is hardly 20 km from Semadoh. As we approached close to gate of Kolkaz complex, clouds begin to build up. Before leaving, we decided to take tea at main guest house, at Kolkaz. As we reached Main Guest House weather begins to turn windy, dark and fogy drizzle. We took shelter in hall of guest house. As we were waiting for tea, weather turned nasty and violent, dark clouds with lightening spread around and rains begin to pour with hails storm. Wind was so ferocious and violent and hail storm was so fierce that it shook us within and made us feel unsafe under the shaky roof of guest house. It appeared that roof would be wiped off by fury of wind and we would be at mercy of nature in windy and lightening rains. The front lawn was looking white in darkness due to heavy deposition of frozen raindrops in shape of hails. Stormy wind uprooted trees and put it across approaching road to the guest house blocking it from all side. In darkness of night, situation was dreadful and tense for about quarter an hour that made me realize how helpless we become, if nature goes berserk. It was indeed an off season storm that took shape of violent whirlwind causing damage to shallow trees and weak buildings. I have never seen such violent storm in my life and that too in off season period, in Mel-ghats.
As rains and storm begins to subside we came out to find that our way has been blocked from all sides. In the dark night it was not possible to move on. Being deep in jungle, it was not possible to seek early help and support. Later, we learnt that it was unusual cloud burst that caused major damage to standing trees uprooting and cutting them in halves and snapping electric wires and poles. Such phenomenon is unheard even in monsoon rains, in this region. I have not seen nature in such nasty mood before during my service life in these areas.
As we could not move out, I asked the staff to seek local help to clear roads and call additional staff for help from Semadoh. Weather was cold and my clothes were soaked in rain. I slipped under a blanket to seek some warmth. My eyes begin to get drowsy and after a while I was in deep slumber. A loud voice of guest house staff made me wake up from deep slumber, at about ten in night with news that a walk-able way to road have been made and we can move, if I like. As my clothes were wet and I did not carry my bag along so we decided, to take chance. After an arduous walk and endeavor through fallen trees and electric wires for half an hour we reached the main road to Semadoh and, thereafter, to Chikhaldara at about mid night. So as cold would not grip me I changed my wet garments and slipped in straight to bed, sparing introspection on this strange happening, on some other day.
I become busy in day to day happenings until, the day before, when I visited Kolkaz site again, incidence flashed back in my mind. The uprooted trees in the area refreshed my memory of strange incidence occurred five months ago. It begins to itch me within to seek cause or coincidence, if any, of my presence at the point of incidence and exhibition of fury of nature, as if it was angry with me for remaining away from it, so long.
I have been a frequent visitor of Kolkaz during my tenure in Melghat forests in 1990s and Kolkaz and its surrounds have given me many insights and deep experiences that helped me while I was away on my travails and wanderings to unknown areas.
Alike us, it appears to me, nature is live and conscious. It responds our feeling and calls in the same way as we respond to other living beings. It loves if we love and care; and gets angry if we discord love and harmony. In this instant event, nature perhaps conspired to detain me for some more time, than I have planned, to seek more insights of immersion and learning and to be one with each other for some time, after a long while. And, it was angry as I was not in touch with it for long to care for or soothe its soul for getting apart.
Nevertheless, nature is mysterious, full of awe and wonders. We are part of it and it is indeed part of us, within. Thus, getting apart makes it break within and hence sets in chaos in shape of furious whirlwind and rainstorm. After a while, it cools down itself, alike a loving mother to give love and shelter to her children.
Nature immersion is like diving deep to seek reality and taste its bliss by personal experience.
