Weekend postcards: Harmonious flight of the free willed avian (Greater Sand Plovers)!

Mumbai becomes home to many migratory bird species during the months of October through March. The moderate climate of the city brings these graceful species to make this otherwise concrete city their home. It is a great opportunity for the Mumbaikar to experience few harmonious nature moments (if we choose to do so)!

Greater Sand Plovers are a rare vagrant from Western Europe that have been found in lands as far as North America. They are known to migrate to warmer land during winters to breed.

A flock of Greater & Lesser Sand plovers rhythmically burst into a flight while many others continue to stay on course their food hunt at the sand flats of Navi Mumbai. 

The Plovers breed in the semi-deserts of Turkey and eastwards through Central Asia. They nest in a bare ground scrape. This species is strongly migratory, wintering on sandy beaches in east Africa, south Asia and Australasia.

Family Outing Tip:

Watching these beauties busy and in flight is truly a sight to behold. S2S suggests you pack a flask of steaming hot coffee, some sandwiches and a good set of binoculars for an impromptu picnic by the creeks of Mumbai. Lay out a picnic mat, put on that sun hat and enjoy the beauty around this natural habitat.

We spent the most amazing February morning with my son and my school friends who were visiting us from other parts of the world. 

More on the avian kinds at S2S Chronicles:

• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Blurring reflections, the storks flight
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose
• Postcards from kaziranga- spreading her wings

I will share more weekend postcards of this trail over the next few weeks along with destinations where you can venture for these exciting brakes in the otherwise mundane Financial Capital of India.

Xoxo,

S2S

Postcards from kaziranga- spreading her wings

A darter is busy drying its wings by the water bay while a stork prepares for its flight. Both birds look like they are mimicking the other but clearly both have very different plans.

The diverse density of the avian kind makes #Kaziranga an attractive destination for Bird-lovers.

A few more postcards of the avian kind can be followed on the next few links:

• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Blurring reflections, the storks flight
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose

Also, do read the Kaziranga Trails through the rest of the postcards in this series:

• Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel
• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river
• Postcards from Kaziranga: One horn rhino in its water-full, rich-green habitat 

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,

S2S 

Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Indian wild elephant herd cross over from one end of a river to the other in the dense Kaziranga jungles.

Kaziranga National Park has a healthy population of Indian wild elephants, sometimes seen in herds of nearly 200 at a time. Thanks to the moderate conditions combined with availability of enough food supports the growth and survival of these mamals.

We spend numerous memorable moments stalking this grand elephant herd. The baby elephants particularly caught our fancy, after all they are playful and so protected. Watching the wild in its own habitat indeed is addictive!

Also, do read about the other Kaziranga Postcards, memories collected during the North East India explorations:

• Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel
• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,
S2S

Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel.

In the midst of a cluttered and chaotic Mumbai evening (classic scene from a regular workday), Satya and I decided on our Diwali break. Spoilt for obvious choices spanning few exotic International Destination to Luxury Indian holidays the heart didn't feel content with any of these options. Almost all tabloid shouted out plastic packages that were more than a put off- one size fits all strategy!

Having had a year full of jungle explorations the need to be in the wilderness was a common emotion between us. Like that wasn't enough, I blurted out my childhood dream...Kaziranga! A classic recall from the Geography Text Book, the one horn Rhino positioned in the middle of the page with big bold text 'ASSAM' marking the heading of the chapter. Vaguely, this chapter always attracted me. A memory etched deep in my being, now was a let out secret.

Geography Text book comes alive!

Destination Kaziranga

The obvious emotion one would feel looking at the transit hours was to drop this destination; out of sheer laziness OR in a valid case- shorter holiday time.
Collectively during that evenings research our unanimous choice was to take the plunge. We booked ourselves on a early morning Mumbai-Guwahati (via Kolkata, a 45 minutes stop over) flight. The travel search dissolved into  stay and we stumbled upon a quaint resort on the banks of Diphlu river. The stilt cottages and Trip Advisor clearly helped us make our choice. We further nailed it when we spoke with the resort and they offered an Innova pickup at Guwahati Airport. A 4 hour picturesque drive was all it takes to get to the final destination.

Glimpses of Diphlu- The lotus pond, a sky full of exotic birds and the fluttering prayer flags disperesed arourn the property.

All set for the 1st safari at Kaziranga.

Effectively a whole day of transit but it is all truly worth the effort!

First glimpses of the jungle: Mid Zone

We reached Diphlu in pitch dark of the night. It must have been 9:30PM when we finally entered the resort. A quick fresh-up followed by dinner was all we did that day. Owing to our 6:30AM safari the following day we had to hit bed at the earliest. Being in the extreme east zone of India, mornings touch you at least an hour and a half earlier. Was definitely a pattern that required getting used to! :)

All set up and ready on time the next morning we approached the patrol tower when the morning sun had just about begun lending its warmth to land. This land is unique. Largest proportion of this land is layered with miles and miles of water. The river and its tributaries are spread far and wide, hence making the land rich with plantation as well as wildlife.

The crisp Kaziranga morning. 

While we waited for our permission slip to arrive we dwelled over to the corner where the river bed was busy with the morning fishermen activity. The most unique sight to hold was to watch the mist lift off from the moving river water.

Watching the mist lift as warm sun-rays caress the cold flowing river.

Fishermen at work: 5 bamboos tied up with jute rope and it is ready for the one man show!

Smell of fresh clear air, a 10 degree nip in the air making you want to sip innumerable cups of steaming hot chai and the lifting mist; it was nature's flirtatious ways of making you fall in love, in love with mother nature and her mystic creations! Who wouldn't want to dwell here forever?

Finally the gates were ready to open for our much awaited elephant safari that will now take us into the core. Having chased tigers so far, 3 of us were quite calm on this one least expecting that even Rhino spotting would need us to scout deep and wide!

Stay tuned for the next few posts that will liven up the Rhino escapade and rural Assam.

Unfolding the One Horn Rhino escapade- next up!

Until then, do read about the other Kaziranga Postcards, memories collected during the North East India explorations:

• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,
S2S

From Kitchen Karma to Bourton-on-Water via Moreton-in-Marsh, the Cotswold countryside

One sultry May afternoon I stumbled upon the vivacious Kitchen Karma's "weekend break" blog post from the English Countryside.
Her narration clearly encapsulated the excitement of her trip and she made her adventure with her 'Girls only' escapade simply irresistible.

Cotswold now was on my most desired bucket-list!

Cotswold on the web:

As Google says: "A rural area of south central England covering parts of 6 counties, notably Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. Its rolling hills and grassland harbour thatched medieval villages, churches and stately homes built of distinctive local yellow limestone. The 102-mile Cotswold Way walking trail follows the Cotswold Edge escarpment from Bath in the south to Chipping Campden in the north." 

Well, how can one resist the enticing feeling of being amidst this magical abode!

Wish come true: Universe grants my deepest desire!

Nursing the desire to explore this personally it almost felt like Universe granted me a wish exactly a year and a half later. I was part of a special assignment at work which required for me to travel to London and spend a work week training with my colleagues in the UK. I managed to squeeze in a couple more days for a quick escapade to my deepest desire- The Cotswold!

Glimpses of UK

Planning my trip to Cotswold: 

My end destination: Burton-on-Water and my mode of transport could be nothing other than train followed by the Pulhams Bus to take me on this adventure. Afterall, feeling the countryside was critical to the overall experience.

Moreton-in-Marsh to Bourton-on-Water via Stow-on-the-Wold:

To reach Burton-on-Water I needed to travel to the closest rail station Moreton-in-Marsh, a small quaint English village that had a stunning Railway Station and a cute Bust-stop a few steps away.

My destination station as I continue to explore Cotswold.

Moreton-in-Marsh, makes me want to eat it! :)

The quaint little station after a spell of rain.

This is where I got onto my connecting Bus.

I took the First Great Western Rail to get to my destination while I enjoyed the beautiful sights of Reading and Oxford en-route. The 5th stop from Paddington landed me at Moreton-in-Marsh.

The railways are so similar to the ones in India.

View of the terrains from my train ride.

Somewhere between Reading & Oxford.

A connecting Pulhams Bus reached me to Bourton-on-Water via Stow-on-the-Wold, again another small quaint town with the most stunning winding roads interspersed with ponds and vast green meadows.

On my bus ride, the clouds made me wonder whether I'd have a wet one!

Intersection of the roads lined with luscious greens and contrasting skies!

While I traversed through God's stunning creation I also crossed 2 more little villages Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter which would eventually become part of my unplanned trek on my way back later in that day!

Each of these are little stops need an independent post to give you the experience of this amazing land called Cotswold. Over the next few stay tuned as my English adventure unfolds!

Until then...

Xoxo
Sensuous2Spiritual

  

Ranthambore Chronicles: Meeting Krishna and her 3 cubs

15 minutes into our first Ranthambore Safari we were in for the time of our lives! We had just begun commenting and soaking in the graceful dance of tall jungle grass that swayed against the backdrop of water and hills. The play of nature was beyond compare.

MOVEMENT AGAINST THE SWAYING GRASS FOLIAGE, WE SPOT OUR FIRST CAT.

Suddenly, in a split of a moment, a few of us spotted a patch of moving stripes. Guess it was the odd move of black n yellow against the green velvet grass-bed that caught our attention. In no time, she emerged. Krishna revealed herself to the open grass bed clearly inspecting the morning air. She stretched her limbs, moved a few strides and sat herself down near the tall grass foliage while some of the water birds did a cautious distance adjustment. After all, the cat did make her presence felt!

KRISHNA SITS HERSELF DOWN ON THE VELVET GREEN PATCH TO INSPECT HER SURROUNDING. 

Our naturalist, Satish Upadhyay undoubtedly one of the best in his craft, informed us that Krishna is not alone. She is trailed by her 3 cubs and they will emerge in the open soon. We were too excited about spotting our first cat and were totally trigger happy, almost like we were in a time wrap! As this happened, 3 young cubs playfully emerged out in the open and completely livened up the scene. The mother continued to sit around while the 3 playful cubs leaped, jumped, chased, purred, rolled and flaunted themselves against their estate.

SLOWLY HER CUBS EMERGE OUT OF HIDING AND LIVEN UP THE SCENE WITH THEIR PLAYFUL ACT.

FINALLY THE WHOLE FAMILY CAPTURED IN A SINGLE FRAME.

As we continued to enjoy this scene many more safari jeeps began to pile up where we were parked. The excitement just kept on rising among fellow tourists, most of whom seemed to be professional photographers and film makers. After a good 20 odd minutes of playfulness, the family began walking towards our gypsies. The moment of excitement was absolutely indescribably euphoric. All of us got ready to capture the next few eventful moments with this happy young family romping towards us.

FINALLY THE FAMILY BEGINS THEIR WALK TOWARDS OUR GYPSIES.

THE TIGER STRIDES CAUTIOUSLY PACED, EVALUATING EACH GYPSY IN SIGHT.   

SCHEMING THEIR DAY WHILE THEY MOVE TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF RAJBAUGH RUINS

One by one, each majestic cat crossed our jeeps while they continued to entertain us with their playfulness. Experiencing the tiger family on the 1st drive itself was a memory etched in our minds for this lifetime. Here are some more shots from this part of the morning. Enjoy your browse while I move on to write the family story that unfolded in the 2nd half of the morning.

TRAINING THE CHARGE THROUGH PLAY.

LEARNING THE PLAY OF SOUNDS

MULTIPLE MOODS OF THE TIGER FAMILY

QUENCHING HER THIRST

THE TIGER LEAP!

AS THEY JOURNEY TOWARDS THE 2ND HALF OF THE MORNING...

We continued to trail this family until late morning but from this point on the family disintegrated. Each tiger cub chose a safe distance from the mother to explore the territory while the mother continue to map her zone with multiple rests and strolls.

Read more on #Ranthambore in the following few blog posts.

• Ranthambore Chronicles: The royal orange Ranthambore morning
• Ranthambore Chronicles: Peacock blues amidst the rustic hues
• Ranthambore Chronicles: Zone-3 is all about mystic ruins, water bodies and the wild.
• Ranthambore Chronicles: Trailing Krishna till the Rajbaugh ruins

You may also find the story on 'Queen of Damdama- #Bandhavgarh' an interesting read. We almost encountered 3 cubs and the young mum but had to be satisfied with just Hiami and her presence. :)

Signing-off...

Xoxo,
Sensuous2Spititual 

Ranthambore Chronicles: Peacock blues amidst the rustic hues

Brown, beige, pastel yellows and rustic reds interspersed with the striking blues of the Peacock strutting along the forest foliage. Truly a sight to behold in the dry summer jungle of Ranthambore...

Found in plenty, the bird was a pleasure to click. With a backdrop of the Fort, the presence of this bird added to not just drama but kindled quiet a romantic mood through our drives. It was quiet an eye relief from the scorching summer heat.

The forest filled with intermediate hoots of the peacocks and sometimes with the rather heavy flutter of its flight that could make you flip a heart beat if caught unaware!

The National Bird of India, true to its expression, the Peacock embodies qualities of beauty, grace, pride and mysticism. Often found in Indian mythology with dominance in Krishna Avataar and various Royalties, the peacock continues to rule the beauty quotient among the bird families.

I cannot but agree more and this trip at Ranthambore only deepens my love for this bird multifold.

More experiences wait to be chronicled as I move on from the National Bird to more wilderness in the following few posts. 

Xoxo,

Sensuous2Spiritual

Ranthambore Chronicles: The royal orange Ranthambore morning

This summer, our destination was to explore the wilderness of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. The official game reserve of the various Royal's of Jaipur (Chauhans and the likes) until India attained its independence.

Our first few moments that introduced us to this heritage laden national park

The expedition began with most amazing warm orange sunrise that contrasted against the scanty yet dense foliage of thorny plants and huge mountain ranges at a distance. Not a single cloud in sight; just a clear orange skyscape that had only one large dominant golden globe- the hot summer sun, staring down at us and making its heat evident with every passing moment.

View of the Park from the National Highway at 5:45AM

The Main Gate which opens access to the Park for zones 1 to 5.

Cool forests and winding roads interspersed by stone gates indicates the presence of Royal Heritage that engulfs this park:

Beautiful winding tar roads nestled by reddish brown loose soil invited us to the forest terrains of the Jungle Zone. Clearly cooler than the otherwise barren drive up to the main gate of the Park, the heat continued to overwhelm us with its harsh dry warm whiff  that touched our skin and left us quiet uncomfortable for a while.

 
Cooler roads invite us deeper into the jungle.

Obvious historic relics keep us busy while we just can't seem to stop admiring the blend of man and wild.

With this panorama unfolding before our eyes we continue our journey into the next 3 days filled with excitement, awe and bewilderment of the beauty of this Royal UNESCO Heritage Site called Ranthambore National Reserve lined along the picturesque Ranthambore Fort in a small town called Sawai Madhopur.

More on #Ranthambore in the following few blog posts.

• Ranthambore Chronicles: Peacock blues amidst the rustic hues
• Ranthambore Chronicles: Zone-3 is all about mystic ruins, water bodies and the wild.
• Ranthambore Chronicles: Meeting Krishna and her 3 cubs
• Ranthambore Chronicles: Trailing Krishna till the Rajbaugh ruins

Xoxo
Sensuous2Spiritual

Farmers' Market came to town!

Its not that often for a Farmers' Market to come to a Suburban locality like mine. And when it does, we don't miss!

Last Sunday was exactly one of those beautiful summer mornings. My Son's school closed for the long summer break and there was no better way than to begin the holidays with the Farmers' Market. Though a hot and humid day, we spent a lot of time enjoying the open air under thatched roofs that saved us from the direct sun and the sweet flavorful fresh sugarcane juice.

The market was flooded with fresh farm produce and household products. There were fashion products woven from natural material and a whole lot of activities with potters, eco-planting kits and fanfare to add to the fun elements of the fair.

Not to mention, the neighborhood added to the festive feel. Lots of chit-chat on cane beds placed under the shade of large Gulmohor trees and make-shift swings added to the rustic festivities.

Here are some captures of this fun day with the family at the Farmers' Market.

We were perfectly timed for breakfast and what better than feast on freshly made sumptuous Indian grub!

Coconut water was available in abundance. The natural thirst quenchers.

Fresh juicy fruits that one just couldn't have missed!

The mouth watering farm fresh vegetables. They always have such a distinct flavor and taste.

The farmers ensured they stock up lentils at the sale...

So the next stop was obvious. It was time for condiment shopping. Fresh tamarind, onion, ginger and garlic all stacked up around the corner.

Farmers market without honey is not a market at all! :)

The grapes were worth its weight!

Beautiful terracotta art being taught by a fine artist.

Some more cooler terracotta indulgences- mishti doi (sweet curd) in a bhadh (clay pot). Unique to the fair and made me want to run back to Kolkatta!

Some greens to encourage the crowd to begin planting a home garden...

The sweetest stall at the fair! The juice was simply the best I have had in years...

The art n craft under the thatched roof!

The little patient hands!

Some home decor ideas...

With so much of action packed in one half of the day we were exhausted and yearning to crash land at home. :)

So we bid adieu to the Farmers' market and its fluttering buntings and wish that there are many more such beautiful experiences packed through our summer break.

Signing off on that fluttering note... :)

Xoxo,
Sensuous2Spiritual