The Cloud Kingdom

The Cloud Kingdom

Meghalaya trip was planned at the end of the Mizoram trip. A couple of months ago, we finalized the program and booked our tickets. For some reason the trip seemed jinxed from start. Drop outs began and a week prior to the trip we were only 6 and a couple of days prior to boarding the plane, the number came down to 3. Gowri and me from Bangalore and one from Mumbai.

On the morning of the trip, the jinx continued. I reached the bus stop only to realize that I had forgotten my wallet at home. Rushed back home to pick up the wallet and we reached the Airport only for Gowri to forget his ATM card in the machine. Soon after making calls to his wife to have the card blocked, we checked in and settled in for the 3 hour flight to Guwahati. The flight was uneventful and we landed at Guwahati on time. The participant from Mumbai landed half an hour later and we left together towards Shillong.

Enroute to Shillong, we stopped at a wayside shop to sample some fruits. Pineapples were heavenly and the bananas that we thought were overripe were actually still young. Our driver did the work of basic translation since he was Nepali. However communication was really not needed as the lady understood what we needed and made them available to us. @ Rs.20/- a pineapple the cost was very reasonable....atleast to us city dwellers. With the stomach pangs passified, Gowri focused on the Knife used by the village folks to harvest pineapples and bamboo shoots.

A short-while later, we stopped at Nongpoh village for lunch. The lunch was a neat affair with rice staple and veg curry, dal for vegetarians, while the carnivores had a veritable buffet laid out with a choice of pork, beef, chicken, mutton, or fish. We drove on towards Shillong and caught up with some local archers who were headed to a competition. All of them were piss drunk and one of them was sweet talked into selling his bow and 3 arrows.

Accompanied by beautiful vistas we continued to drive on towards Shillong stopping enroute to shoot landscapes. The sad part though was the indiscriminate mining which was rampant in many places. Mining for Granite, sandstone and coal was creating havoc on the landscape. Whole mountains were being torn down and devastated.

We reached Shillong early evening and checked into our lodging for the night. Later that evening we were picked up by Dion and went to catch up with Saipari Sailo who had just recently delivered a bonny baby boy. On the way back, we explored the nearby places before hitting the sack.

Early next morning, the vistas were beautiful and misty. Shot some macros of flowers and after a quick breakfast we drove to the Sacred Grove. 

Located in Mawphlang, the groves are held in reverence by the locals and thus protected. The Groves are supposedly home to King cobras and Pit Vipers among a host of other flora and fauna. Sadly for us though,we were the only ones at the Sacred Groves literally and figuratively. The Groves were absolutely sanitized. Not sight or sounds of any life. No ants, no leeches, no grasshoppers, no katydids, no frogs, no birds and ofcourse no herps. As evidence of life, we sighted a snail and a fleeting glimpse of a squirrel.Guess we just happened to be there at the wrong time, since the guide/ guard "McDuff" was able to confidently point out sightings of snakes such as the King, the Vipers and Kukris. McDuff insisted that the animals can be found deep in the forest far from human movement. However the niggling doubt remains - Why were there no insects to be found? Conceded that we did not venture too deep into the forest, since we did not have a guide. On the positive side though, the wooded area has a thick cushion of humus accumulated over centuries and supports a dense growth of Castanopsis kurzii trees which in turn support a variety of epiphytes such as aroids, pipers, ferns, and orchids - Many species being found nowhere else.

We moved on from the sacred groves towards Cherrapunji where we were scheduled to camp over the next 2-3 days. We stopped enroute for lunch and moved on only for me to realize that I had fogotten my notebook at the restaurant. The kindly folks at the place let the book remain where it was till our driver picked up the same on his way back. We stopped enroute to shoot the landscape which is best described in pictures. The downer though was the presence of a large number of youngsters in their cars with stereos blaring and bottles of alcohol of every shape and size. Remarkable though was their otherwise civil behaviour.
We reached Sohra around 15:30 hours and stopped to click the Wah Kaba waterfalls before driving off to the Cherra Resort which is about 19km from Sohra and located near the Laitkynsew village. Enroute we saw a roadkill - A Whitelipped Pit Viper. It was a huge specimen atleast 2.5 feet long. Considering its size, it may have been an female since female vipers are longer. Sad though it was, the sighting filled us with anticipation of what could be. We checked in around 16:30 and immediately our minds were brimming with anticipation of what we would see over the next few days.

Once settled in we set out for an exploratory walk. Though limited to insects, the frequency of sightings suggested a healthy population of prey species. This meant that we had a healthy chance of spotting some predators. With those happy thoughts, we had dinner before heading off to bed. The next morning's plan was to head out to the nearby area to explore the surrounds, however the resort owners suggested that we avail the services of a guide and explore a region further away from human habitation, to have a better chance of sighting snakes. The guide Batman was supposedly an expert who know the forest well. So we were dropped off about 4 km from the resort.

David Scott's Pony Trail

We walked on the road for a while looking for fauna all around and then hit the Pony trail. The Pony trail was created by David Scott, a British Colonial administrator and political agent from 1802 - 1832 for the express purpose of moving British Troops into Cherrapunji from Bangladesh. This road was to cause a war between the Khasi people ably led by U Tirot Singh who was the King of Khadsawphra Syiemship and the British. The Khasi were finally defeated by the superior weaponry and strength in numbers, however the defeat came after a 4 year guerrilla warfare. U Tirot Singh was ultimately captured and imprisoned to Dhaka where he died on 17th July 1835.

The Pony trail between Ladmawphlang and Mawphlang villages is roughly 16km long and runs through picturesque landscape and is a popular day hike. At places a clear stream runs parallel to the path. Although we were focused on looking for herps and other fauna and were disappointed by the lack of any sightings of note, the trek itself was an excellent experience. Later that day we went down to a small root bridge which was a prelude to the trek to the Double Decker.

 
Returning from the trek, we passed through a local village. It was a delightful experience interacting with the locals, it was nice to have every villager passing by greeting you. So refreshingly different from the indifferent sullen faces that we get to see back in the cities. We also managed to finally track down a Gliding Frog after missing out several times during the previous outings. The Racophorus cf.Htunwini was a visual delight and pretty happy to pose for pictures. This village has a beautiful view of the Bangaladesh plains.

Racophorus cf.Htunwini

Racophorus cf.Htunwini

Bangaladesh Plains

 Back at the resort dining area, we had some surprise visitors - a huge Owl Moth, and a myriad of other smaller moths. So we got busy clicking much to the amusement of other visitors.

The Atlas Moth

Post dinner, we headed out for a walk and got some decent sighting of insects and a sleeping Calotes, but yet again no snakes. So it was the end of yet another eventful day....delightful for trekkers and tourists but not so for snake lovers.

The next day we planned to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, the bridge is essentially a tangle of thick roots which have been trained to entwine with each other and form extremely strong bridges. The trees chosen are the Ficus elastica which produces a series of secondary roots.These bridges are not built but grown. Each bridge may take 15-20 years to become practically usable. But once there, these bridges are strong enough to hold several men with loads. We packed our bags and bid good bye to Cherra Resort and drove down. The DD Bridge or the Umshiang Double Decker Root bridge is a full day's drive and trek.

We had just started out of the resort when we had our first sighting of a living herp....

 Thank you god for answering our desperate prayers...We saw a White barred kukri snake (Oligodon albocinctus) crossing the road ahead of us. It is amazing how difficult it would be to spot the snake in the thick undergrowth even if it were to be 2 feet in front of you, so the road crossing was indeed very fortunate. So if we did not see more of them, its not because they are not there, but because we did not know where to look.

Once we reached the Tyrna village (I hope I got that name right!) we got off the car and wore our boots for the trek. For the record the trek is about 2000 stone steps down hill, followed by a relatively flat surface walk of about 2 km, then a short climb of about 500 feet to reach the village. From the village it is a hop skip and jump considering what you've just experienced. The trek in mountaineering terms is probably a medium in levels of toughness, however it is not for the faint hearted.

Carrying Construction material down the hill

 The trek itself is filled with enchanting sights...the path is like a walk in a butterfly park. You keep stumbling into them everywhere, then there is the epiphytic banana growing on anther tree. We came to a steep descent, which overlooked the valley. 

If you look at the picture below, the small specs towards the bottom left was our destination enroute to the root bridge. 

 After crossing a couple of rope bridges, a small root bridge, we finally made it to the DD Root Bridge.

What we saw took our breath away!! The trek was worth every bit.... (I'm jumping the gun here!) After a short while sitting and admiring the bio engineering fete, we took pictures. It did not occur for one minute for us to pose with the bridge as a backdrop.

Take a look at the picture below with Gowri. This should give you an idea of the size of the bridge and the tree itself.


We then sat down to eat and rest our aching muscles for a while before commencing on the trek back to the base camp. My aching knees and desperately protesting ligaments ensured that every step was an agony. Gowri took my bag to reduce the load on the limbs and we managed to get back to the cab in one piece. The drive back to Shillong was a silent sleepy affair.

No further activity that day except for some hot showers which ensured that the aching muscles were refreshed and the cramps relaxed and it was lights out soon after dinner.

The next day at Shillong, we were tourists... it was museums, especially the Wankhar Butterfly museum which houses an amazing collection of preserved specimen of butterflies, moths, dragonflies, bettles and other insects. The specimen were collected over a span of 3-4 decades and denote the lifetime work of Dr.Sarkar who began collecting them in 1939 and was continued by his son. Unfortunately both have passed on to a better world and have left behind a priceless legacy. This collection is the only known display in India dedicated to butterflies and moths. We then visited local animal park. The highlight of the park was the amazing ability of the hill mynas to imitate human sounds....they greeted us and also set us on our way with an amazing likeness to the human voice. That evening was spent shopping for local knick knacks and amazingly, I managed to get a lens cap for my 18-55.

The next day being August 15, was traditionally a black day in Meghalaya - A throw back to the days of insurgency. The tradition continues despite there being no obvious reason and hence shops, transport remain shut and a holiday becomes a "bandh". However we were treated to a sumptuous lunch by Saipari Sailo and Dion at their home and we then went to the campus of the North Eastern Hill university where Sailo and Dion did their education and insisted that there have been several sightings of snakes. However after an hour of searching in vain, we drove back to the hotel and had a quiet dinner. It was the last day at Shillong and we were driving back to Guwahati to catch our flights back home, the next morning.

Shillong scape

The past week was full of some exhilarating sights and sounds. Meghalaya is an excellent destination for hardcore trekkers as well as armchair tourist who can just rest in the comfort of the cosy resort and give their minds a break. So with the vacation coming to an end, we packed up and flew back to our regular lives with our minds full of the week that was. What could have made the trip better?..... The presence of buddies who unfortunately had to miss out for various reasons and ofcourse the sight of a few more snakes... but then Que sera sera..... whatever will be will be!! The future is not ours to see! Afterall there will be no fun if we had to know everything in advance....

Thanks so much for being with me on this journey... as they say in Meghalaya... Khublei! Shibun.... Thank You and See you soon!!!

Agumbe - A Slice of Heaven on Earth



Riverside - Near the Camp

The Camp Site

Stress builds up in the system causing major deviations in performance and efficiency! This is something most of us workers have heard sometime or the other! So what do we do about it? 

Most of us do nothing and continue with our mundane meaningless lives driven by the Rat race. Some head into the mountains or to the seaside for a break and there is the last group of freaks who head out into the Jungle.

One such escape was the 

Rainforest Rendezvous at the Agumbe Rainforest.

Organized by Darter Photography. This was a weekend getaway and the timing was ideal for me to "Blood" my kid, since it would be her first trip and I wanted desperately to know first hand how she would react to the rigors of such a trip.

Mind you this is not for your typical armchair loving couch potatoes who think that they can order room service no matter where they are and they will be served. The jungle is a place for true to nature individuals who truly love and appreciate nature in original - rugged, harsh, stark, beautiful and dangerous - and are prepared to face all she can throw with equanimity and courage. The Courage to accept and live in the conditions thrown at them; rather than try to change the circumstances to make life easier for themselves at the cost of lives of countless other lives. 

So we were off from the heat and dust of Bangalore to the relatively cooler environs on the overnight "slow" Bus service - Not much of a choice since this is the only  direct service from Bangalore. We reached the campsite after a short drive over some tough terrain. The vehicles stop some distance away and the last part of the journey has to be completed on foot. The walk is sure to wake you up if the drive did not....

Once everyone was freshened up and ready, we assembled at the dining hall for the briefing ahead of the day. Soon we had our first encounter.... The Draco came calling. Draco dusimieri or the Southern Flying Lizard landed on an arecanut tree close to the dining hall to catch the early morning sun for a recharge. The next few minutes were a constant clicketyclick as the shutters went wild. Soon we had the briefing by Gowri Shankar and Shreeram, followed by a delicious Malnad breakfast before setting out.

 

Draco Dusimieri displaying

Hill Myna

Butterfly basking in the early morning Sun

As soon as we set foot outside, we were greeted by the racous calls of the Hill Myna - a bird whose intelligence and copycat ability have resulted in the bird being hunted for the pet trade. It is often the smallest in nature that have the power to influence the environment. Most oohs and aahs were drawn by the small creatures - Nymphs, spiders, damselflies, grasshoppers, crickets etc.

Note the amazing venation on the wings



We moved further on and busied ourselves with filming the flora and fauna. Meanwhile my wife who was not carrying a camera, decided to walk ahead with our daughter. Couple of times, I had to call them back to ensure that they did not stray too far. Little did anyone imagine the surprise that awaited us at the next turn.



My wife had decided to take a breather while she waited for us and decided to rest on an exposed root of a large tree by the side of the path. She set down and relaxed while our daughter explored nearby. Soon she was lost in thoughts and started to imagine that she was seeing a King Cobra on the path. She had been hearing about the King so much from me that she decided to be a part of the trip just to see if all I said was true.

A spider with Camouflage

A Signature Spider on its prey

Grasshopper - Note the leaf its resting on.
The thorns are a protection against being grazed.

After a while, (Time has a different pace at Agumbe) still lost in reverie, she picked up a few of the dead leaves near her foot and started to play with them. She heard some rustling and realized that the leaves in her hand could not have caused that sound. She looked at the direction of the sound and saw movement about 3 feet behind her. With her heart pumping, she turned in the other direction  and was stunned.....

What she saw was beyond her comprehension for a few seconds and it slowly started to sink in to her that she was seeing the World's largest venomous snake - Live and in Person. A 12 foot long snake was crossing the path so close behind her and in her excitement to call the rest of us, she started to get up. The small movement was enough to cause the snake to turn back on its path and charge towards her. 

The speed of the u-turn and movement shocked her and she froze in the middle of her movement from sitting down to getting up. Once she stopped moving, the snake stopped and went back to his business. 

At this point, she began calling to us in a low voice; not being sure if the snake could charge again. Not being loud enough, none of us responded and continued to shoot other interesting subjects. My daughter being nearby could hear her mother and responded to my wife's calls only to freeze with a single "maaa".

Not getting any response from us and being so close to such a large snake brought desperation into my wife's voice and she started to shout "Snake".

King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah)Male contemplating "to climb or not". He crossed just 2-3 feet behind my wife resting on a tree root

The desperate note in her voice finally penetrated my thick head and I looked up . Simultaneously Shreeram and another participant also reacted and what we saw was stuff of our dreams. I was trembling inside and fear froze my legs for a while caused by the knowledge that there is no Anti venom for the Indian King Cobra and there in front of me was a King just feet away from my wife. Gowri Shankar was also away on some errand, which meant that we had to take charge. So while multiple instructions were being shouted to her, Krithika was desperately looking to me for guidance.

In my best calm voice, I repeated to her what is absolutely the right thing to do with Kings and Cobras - Freeze or move slowly. So I asked her to stay put and move slowly in-case she wanted to. Placing absolute trust in me, she followed the instructions and started to relax. Soon it was business as usual for the gang. Shutters clicked and flashes popped while we got images of a lifetime. Soon Ashwini the intern got Gowri to rush back. The King who had been looking for a convenient place to get across the path soon realized that there was too much commotion for his comfort and started to move back into the slope from where he had come. By the time Gowri reached the spot, the snake took position in the thick undergrowth looking at us.

The King giving us an audience

Till this point, my wife had stayed rooted to the same spot where she had been when she first saw the snake. I called her over to take a look at the King who had by now settled in the small opening in the undergrowth. After granting us photo ops for a few minutes the King decided to move on. We spread ourselves along the path hoping to see him cross again. However the wait was in vain. After a while it was time to regroup for lunch and we headed reluctantly back to the camp chattering about what we just experienced.

Lunch was followed by a session on Rainforest conducted by Shreeram and supported by Gowri Shankar. Post lunch we headed out in a different direction and it was essentially macro time. Plenty of birds were in attendance, though they were too far to be able to get a clear shot. Malabar Trogons, Yellow browed bulbuls, Racket tailed drongos, Hill Mynas, Jungle Crows, White Cheeked barbets, Yellow fronted leaf bird etc.

Later that afternoon, we headed out in the vehicles hoping to see a rescue in a drive filled with anticipation. Every phone call to Gowri's phone was looked at with a hope of a rescue call. Unfortunately it was not to be and we headed out to Kundadri Hills to capture the spectacular sunsets. The hill is home to a Jain temple and a small pond. The pond was well stocked with fish and where there is prey; there is bound to be a predator. Before long, Gowri spotted a checkered Keelback swimming in the pond. We kept ourselves shooting landscape while waiting for the sunset. I also tried some timelapse shots - not with any degree of success though :(

Sunset At Kundadri 

Landscape from the hilltop

Post the sunset shots, we headed back to camp for dinner and a night walk. Soon Gowri called out snake and there it was..... a Cat Snake (My first one). The group was responsible enough to ensure that flash was used judiciously and did not affect the snake's night vision.

Cat Snake - Boiga Beddomei

Amboli Bush Frog

Then it was Amphibian time....The Yellow Bush Frog, Amboli Bush Frog, some Toads and then it was bed time. Although the weather outside was pleasantly cool, the tents were warm enough to sleep in without covering us with blankets.

Yellow Bush Frog

At about 05:30 am I woke with a start thinking that someone was whistling early in the morning. It took a while to sink in that it was infact one of the most melodious calls in nature - The Malabar Whistling Thrush. An amazing start to the day with the beautiful calls resonating through the camp. Then it was more Dracos, Sunbirds, Drongos and babblers. With the birds above, we walked along a stream and were greeted by damselflies - Forest Glories this time. A little further on, we discovered the "Spiderman" - a Katydid who was probably nocturnal and was catching up on beauty sleep. Further along, we came upon a partially dried up stream with interspersed pools of water. These pools were home to the Skittering frogs who were on the prowl for a meal.

One of the group members had a close encounter with a Skit hunting a mud puddling butterfly. The frog was so fast that all the participant could manage was a blur of a shot of the moment when the frog caught the butterfly and disappeared into the water.

Forest Glory

Forest Glory

Katydid - Spiderman

Rat Snake

Scorpion

Soon it was back to the camp for a quick bite and back out for the last outing of the trip. Gowri then sighted a juvenile Rat snake out prowling. The last sighting of the day was a scorpion who was probably disturbed out of his hideout by a carelessly placed foot. With the scorpion bidding us goodbye, it was time to pack our bags back to "Civilization".  

This actually seems to be a contradiction in terms especially after encountering the Regal King, the Courteous Cat Snake, the melodious Whistling Thrush and other fauna that we had the fortune to encounter during our stay at the camp. 

Yet we say.... we are heading back to Civilization although all it means is that we are back in the midst of a cacophony of vehicle horns, exhaust smoke, crowded streets and traffic jams. Yep... Its called "Civilization"!!