3. A Glimpse into the Andhra Satavahanas and More

3. A Glimpse into the Andhra Satavahanas The year was 1982. Headlines of several newspapers screamed that N.T.Rama Rao (NTR) and Ramakrishna Hegde had formed non-Congress governments in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka respectively. Soon I was accosted by a few friends in the Hindu College canteen, where I was then a student. As a ‘Madrasi’, I was expected to enlighten them on developments in the two southern states. These incidents were noteworthy on two accounts; most denizens of northern part of India were unaware of southern states other than Tamil Nadu, Second, in the pre-globalisation era and before the advent of Google anyone from south of the Vindhyas was a ‘Madrasi’. In the alcoves of my memory bank names like Pallavas, Cholas and Cheras resounded, but I was clueless about the Satavahana dynasty. Indians by and large are ignorant about their culture and resplendent history and pay scant respect to it. Delving into my history books I discovered an interesting and glorious history. Governance in the Satavahana kingdom was organised on classical conformist lines. There are references to the kingdom in various Ashokan scriptures and also by the ancient Greek traveller Megasthenes. The Aitareya Brahamana classifies Satavahana beyond the pale of Aryanism. While the Nasik Prasasti lays claim to Gautami as a brahman who perhaps founded the dynasty. There is faint numismatic evidence that the Satavahana dynasty spanned present day Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Epigraphic evidence also attribute Andhra is the tribal name; Satavahana, the dynastic one and Satkarni, the patronymic. Other historians claim the Satavahanas were of Naga origin. As one sifts through the history of the Satavahanas, shrouded as it is by several foggy analyses, there are some robust literary sources which provide an insight into this kingdom. The Puranas mention thirty kings, Gunadhaya’s Brihatkatha and the literary text Leelavati refer to the majestic military exploits of a certain King Hala. The Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela refers to Gautami Balasari as the first ruler, a fact accepted at a few inscriptions in Sanchi too. After Gautami, there were astute kings in Simuka, Krishna and Satakarni, who administered the kingdom. Subsequently, principal kings like Raja Raja, Swamin and Pulamavai acquired power and the Satavahanas flourished. It became a naval power and established capital centres at Vaijayanti and Amravati. The kingdom was divided into janapadas, which were further segregated into aharas. Each ahara was under the vicelike grip of an Amatya. It is worthwhile to mention the basic unit of ahara was the grama, with the village headman, who was called gamika. The central piece of their administration was that the empire connected the northern parts of India with the southern parts, providing a valuable channel for transfer of ideas and commerce. It is quite riveting that centuries later, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana continue to play pivotal roles in modern day Indian governments, be it National Front, UPA and NDA. I wonder how many people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana would be aware of the glorious history of the Satavahana dynasty. It is perhaps our pedagogy which deprives students of awareness of this precious chapter in our glorious history. Only those who pursue history or archaeology as subjects or opt for history in the Civil Services examination are exposed to these incidents of ancient Indian history. There would be several such clans and dynasties in India about which we have little information. 4. The Story of the Telugu Language “Language comes first. It’s not that language grows out of consciousness, if you haven’t got language, you can’t be conscious,” writes the fabled British author Alan Moore. One can perhaps say prior to the onset of liberalisation and Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao occupying the exalted position of Prime Minister, every one living south of the Vindhyas was a ‘Madrasi’. I reckon even today, one would only sporadically be aware that Telugu is a vowel ending language, and is among the four Dravidian languages. This language has been acclaimed as the “Latin of East” for its mellifluous quality and is the second largest spoken language in India after Hindi. Very few know that Telugu literature has produced two Jnanpith awardees. These are Viswanatha Satyanarayana, who was decorated with the award for his traditional Kavya, Ramayana Kalpavriksham in 1970 and Dr C. Narayana Reddy for creating a lengthy poem in free verse, Viswambhara in the year 1988. These are precious nuggets which ought to be cherished by the people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other Telugu speaking people in the country. Telugu literature or sahityam is the body of works written in the Telugu language. It comprises of poems, novels, short stories, dramas, ghazals and puranas. The embellished and ornate corpus of Telugu literature has its roots going to the early 10th century period. The Prabandha Ratnavali written in 1918 describes graphically the existence of Jain-Telugu literature during 850 BC–1000BC. In the nascent phase, it was in inscriptions that the language took literary shape. Telugu has been appropriately accorded classical status along with Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada by the Government of India. As per myths and tradition the first Telugu author was Kannaiah, who lived at the court of Andhiraya. During the reign of that king, Sanskrit was said to have been introduced in the Telugu country and Kannaiah had apparently dealt with Telugu grammar after the methods of Sanskrit philologists. Alas his works are lost in the sands of time. Three of the earliest prominent writers of Telugu language were Nannaya, Tikkana and Errana. They had translated Veda Vyasa’s Mahabharata into Telugu. This work was commenced by Nannaya at the behest of the Chalukya king, Rajaraja Narendra. Nannaya wrote two and half parvas, thereafter Tikkana was to write from the fourth parva till the end and Errana accomplished the onerous task of translating the Aranaya portion. The troika are thus referred to as Kavitraya. Thus, the Mahabharata is the first comprehensive literary text written in Telugu way back in 1053 AD. One stumbles into the history of the language while studying the trajectory of its growth. The primary genre from the 11th century to 18th century was essentially – Itihasam, Puranam and Kavyam. Itihasam revolves around the ballads of kings and the myths of Gods and Goddesses. This literature pivots around the quintessential questions of truth and dharma. Puranams focussed on the narrative of the universal creator and his myriad forms, the stories of avatars, with an intention to inspire devotion and give rise to spiritual pursuit. Kavya is an amalgam of myth and fiction. The pleasing style, the syntax and grammar was to make it popular among the masses. Apart from the above three were the Sataka, Yakshagana and Padakavita, literary performing arts. The inspirational troika were to fire the imagination of 12th century poets like Palkuriki Somanatha and Nannechoda and the 14th century prodigious writers like Nachana and Srinatha and Pothana during the next century. It would be pertinent to mention that the contribution of the troika whetted the appetite of several woman poets to pen their thoughts; these included Tallapaka, Timmakka, Molla, Rangajamma, Muddu Palani, Ramabhadramba and Tharigonda Vengamamba. Meanwhile Hindu mainstream thoughts and practices were dominated by strands of thoughts emanating from Vaishnavism and Shaivism. These movements influenced the estimable corpus of Telugu literature. Miles away at Chitrakoot, Goswami Tulsidas, author of the venerable Ramcharitra Manas was deeply anguished about the rivalry and the resultant bloodshed between the proponents of Vaishnavism and Shaivism. So much so, he beseeched his Ishta Devata, Lord Ram to pay obeisance to Shiva (for peace to prevail). This finds mention in his text through the importance of the religious place Rameswaram. But people, I reckon are ignorant that Tikkana, one of the prominent members of the troika responded to a similar unabated rivalry by declaring his religion as Hariharadwaita (a combination of Shiva and Vishnu). How history is recorded, written and portrayed indeed shapes our thoughts and vision. It is a quirk of fate that folklore regales us with numerous Akbar- Birbal encounters; history does not provide the aperture for Krishnadevaraya – Tenali Ramakrishna repartees. This was the golden period of Telugu literature. The Ashtadiggajas (the eight great poets) in Telugu exemplified variety, creativity and diversity in the language. Krishnadevaraya, synonymous with Vijanagara Empire, was himself a scholar of immense repute. During his reign, not only did he patronise art forms but over saw the flourishing genres like Kavya, Prabandha, Purana, Yakshagana and prose genre. The prodigious works of Vemana in the 18th century ushered in satire into Telugu literature. The story of Telugu literature would be incomplete if Annamacharya’s writings (Padakavita or renditions in praise of Lord Venkateswara, Hanuman and the Narasimha Avatar), Saint Tyagaraja’s Kritis and contribution towards Kuchipudi dance and Saint Ram Dasa’s Dasarathi Satakam and Surabhi theatre are not mentioned. Life is synodic and Telugu literature went into decline for some time. It was revved up with the Bengal Renaissance, the advent of printing press and growth of English education and literature. Around this time Kandukuri Veeresalingam Panthulu emerged as a profound thinker and a colossus of Telugu literature through novels, one-act plays, essays, columns, biographies and autobiography. Alongside emerged Kanyasulkam Gurazada Apparao to write modern plays. Wordsworth, Shelley and Keats inspired the Romantic Movement in Telugu literature, where there was unalloyed focus on pristine love, dignity of women, spirituality, sentiment where lyricism was the bedrock of all writing and from the penumbra emerged writers like Rayaprolu Subbarao, Devualpally Krishna Shastry, Nayani and Nanduri Subba Rao and Gurram B Joshua. Krishna Paksham by Krishna Shastry is a monumental work of this period. The ever evolving story of Telugu literature wound its way through the nationalist, progressive, revolutionary, feminist and Dalit movements where several writers emerged. “Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts,” writes the famous author Patrick Rothfuss. 5. History of Verdant Godavari “Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,” is a captivating sentence in the Rudyard Kipling poem ‘The Ballad of East and West’. Never the Twain Shall Meet is also the title of two prominent Hollywood blockbusters, including a 1925s silent movie. Dhowleswaram is a prominent place in the Godavari delta. It is here that the majestic River Godavari assumes the shape of the geometrical figure of a triangle. The Vasishta River which is on the west delta forms the boundary between the two districts of East and West Godavari. The landscape west of Vasishta is West Godavari and locales east of it fall under the jurisdiction of East Godavari. The twain indeed do not meet, just a physical contiguity. The prepossessing Konaseema is the area between Vasishta and Gouthami rivers. This is the verdant and alluring triangle. Konaseema is an integral of East Godavari. Konaseema lies south of Gouthami and east of Vasishta. West Godavari district or Paschima Godavari Jilla is one of the 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh. The administrative headquarters of the district is the viridescent town of Eluru. The town is sandwiched by Krishna district on the west, East Godavari (on the east), the gargantuan Bay of Bengal on the south and the newly carved state of Telangana to the north. History The Chalukyas were once the potentates of coastal Andhra (700 AD-1200 AD), with Vengi as their capital. Historical evidences of the empire have been discovered in the villages of Pedavegi and Guntupalli (Jilakarragudem). It is noteworthy to mention that Eluru was then to become part of the Kalinga Empire until 1471. Later it fell under the Gajapathi dynasty. In 1515 Sri Krishna Deva Raya overran Eluru and subsequently when the Vijayanagara kingdom capitulated to the Sultan of Golkonda, Kutub Shah, the town exchanged hands once again. In modern times during the reign of the Britishers, West Godavari District was formed with Eluru as the headquarters and all the district offices and regional offices were set up at Eluru. West Godavari district was hived from the existing Godavari District in the year 1925. The erstwhile Godavari district was renamed East Godavari district and the new district was named as West Godavari district. West Godavari has a flat terrain and generally the rivers in the district move from western to eastern direction. Three rivers cut across the district, namely Godavari, Yerrakaluva and Tammileru. Paddy, banana, sugarcane, and coconut are the principal agricultural products of the district apart from the buoyant fisheries and prawn cultivation. Further, cashew nut, mango and tobacco have received impetus over the years, making them significant products from the district. Some Important Towns Bhimavaram or ‘The Gift of Bhima’, named after the celebrated Pandava is a prominent township. Legends mention that around 890 AD –918 AD, an Eastern Chalukya king named Chalukya Bheema built a famous Shiva Temple here. The town was originally called ‘Bhimapuram’ but was subsequently changed to ‘Bhimavaram’. Some important temples dotting the landscape of Bhimavaram and nearby towns are the Sri Someswara Temple, the Amararama Temple in Amaravathi, the Kumararama Temple in Samalkota and the Ksheera Rama Temple in Palakollu. The Shiva lingam at the Sri Someswara Temple is known for its unique properties. It is believed that the lingam had been installed by Lord Chandra. The colour of the linga assumes alterations as per the penetration of the lunar rays. During full moon days it dramatically transforms into shimmering white while on the day of Amavasya (no moon) it metamorphoses into black. Sri Adikesava Embermannar Swamy Temple at Narsapur is of similar architecture and design as the renowned Sriperumbudur Temple in Tamil Nadu. Interestingly this is the only temple where Goddess Lakshmi has a name attributed to a devotee of the lord; the Goddess of fortune or ‘Varaprasadi’, the one who bestows all wishes. The Aasanam (altar) of Sri Emberumanar Swamy is called Bhadravedi or Thrivedi, exemplar of authority in the triad of Sruthis namely Bheda, Abheda, and Ghataka. The Jagan Mohini Kesava Swamy temple is renowned at the township of Rayali. The exquisite idol, made of black stone depicts Maha Vishnu and Mohini on the anterior and rear respectively. The surrealistic idol is a marvel of sculptural dexterity. As per popular folklore once a flower from the plait of Mohini fell on the ground during a squabble over sharing of the Holy Divine Nectar (Amrit) and thus the town acquired the name Rayali (‘to fall’ in Telugu language). It is widely believed that unmarried girls discover a suitor by performing 108 Pradakshinams (circumambulations) on seven continuous Tuesdays, paying obeisance at the Maddi Anjaneya Swamy temple at Gurvaigudem. Worshipping the Lord unflinchingly on Saturdays diminishes the malefic effects on the devotee from demonic forces and unfavourable planetary configurations. Scenically situated at the banks of River Godavari, Rajahmundry is often described as the cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh. There are twenty-nine important temples in Rajahmundry and it is among the major Hindu pilgrimage sites in India. The bustling city is also popular for the duo decennial congregations of Pushkaralu. Rajahmundry witnesses a spectacular festival where millions of devotees throng its soil. There is the famous Kotilingeswara Temple, a prominent religious site which was built in the 10th century. This temple has bathing ghats all around it. The loftily constructed temple attracts thousands of pilgrims. The Draksharamam Temple, Mahalaxmi Gudi, Markandeya Temple, Iskcon Temple, Somalamma Temple are other significant places of worship in Rajahmundry. Only by travelling across the swathes of East and West Godavari can a tourist appreciate the pristine fragrance and unalloyed culture of the place, populated by people who are by nature highly emotive. “Whether we like it or not, we all come from someplace. And at some point in our lives, we have to make peace with that place”, writes the author Jeffrey Stepakoff. 6. Resplendent Rayalseema: Temples and More The year was 2004. It was the first day of November when I alighted from a train at Guntakal in the Rayalseema area of the undivided Andhra Pradesh to take charge as the Senior Divisional Operations Manager at Guntakal Division. Guntakal is a bijou town known primarily for its railway establishment. The Divisional headquarters provides preeminent connectivity from Chennai towards Mumbai, Howrah and Bengaluru. The region is endued with high-priced minerals and metals like dolomite, bauxite, quartz, limestone, and iron ore. There are important cement factories that dot the landscape. My brief in operations was to enhance iron ore exports to China (the country was building stadia across its landscape) by ensuring efficient loading from a host of terminals spanning from Bellary to Guntakal West. Apart from mineral deposits, there is the Rayalseema Thermal Power Plant at Muddanur that generates power to illuminate the area; Temples of Modern India, to quote Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. Rayalseema is an arid and sun-baked region by day and as the sun sinks into the western skies, an unexpected chill sets in and a cool breeze wafts across the desiccated landscape. I distinctly recall that potable water was in short supply and the railway establishment imported cans of water from Nandaluru, another nanoscopic almost vest-pocket size town in the region. I hurriedly freshened up and reached my new office. However my personal secretary had other ideas. He declared in a rather supplicant manner, “Saar, you have to pay obeisance to Lord Hanuman who had wrecked havoc over the diabolical and demonic Ravana.” Thus pell-mell we made our way to the Sri Nettikanti Anjaneya Swami Temple, the famous Lord Hanuman temple in Kasapuram, barely 4km from the railway station. Little did I know that our religious sojourn would not terminate there. In quick succession I was chaperoned to the Buggasangala Sivalayam, Jambudweepachakra at Konakondla, Sri Venkateswara Temple and eventually to the Sri Guntakallappa Temple (the presiding deity of Guntakal). I well nigh wondered whether such a delay would be viewed in proper spirit by my new boss. However the effervescent Divisional Railway Manager, Mr. Carmelius parried my doubts. Waving his hands affectionately, he mentioned that he too had undertaken a parikrama of these holy shrines upon joining the coveted post. Later I realised, it was almost an unwritten ukase for all railwaymen joining Guntakal Division. Officers of all faiths, castes and creeds undertake this peregrination to ward off the baleful eye. I was quintessentially impressed with the plurality and facileness of the denizens of Guntakal. The Rayalseema is a geographic entity in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It includes the southern districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Anantapur, an area of 67,526 km2. Although Rayalseema is a piffling region compared to the rest of Telugu-speaking areas, its contribution to Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Urdu arts, culture and literature is unparalleled. The well-known suzerain of the Rayalseema region was Sri Krishnadevaraya. It was also the original home of the Eastern Chalukyas, who gradually expanded their sway over Karnataka under pressure from the Chola kings. During the British era, the Nizam of Hyderabad ceded this area to the British, and the area came to be known as the ‘Ceded Districts’. Around the time of the freedom movement, the area was renamed as Rayalseema; an amalgamation of the words ‘Rayala’ (from the title ‘Raya’ or ‘Rayalu’ used by the Vijayanagara kings) and ‘seema’, which was an administrative unit of the Vijayanagara Empire. Rayalseema is larger than several states in India and borders Tamil Nadu to the south, Karnataka to the west and Telangana to the north. The region contributes 52 assembly segments to Andhra Pradesh state legislature and 8 parliamentary constituencies. These Telugu-speaking districts were part of the Madras Presidency until 1953, when Telugu-speaking districts of the Presidency were carved out to form Andhra State. From 1953 to 1956, the region was part of Andhra State. In 1956, the Telangana region too was merged with Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh State. Earlier, Bellary district too was part of Rayalseema. With the formation of states based on languages, Bellary was joined to Karnataka though the city continues to have large numbers of Kannada and Telugu speaking people. It would be singular to mention that signs and symbols play a role in all the world’s religions as objects on which thoughts and prayers can be focussed. Spiritual and religious symbols point a way through the numinous world of religious belief, acting as badges of faith, teaching tools and aids on the pilgrimage towards appreciating complex philosophies. The landscape of Rayalseema is dotted with a humungous number of temples and pilgrimage spots which provide sanctuary to the faithful. The most prominent is the Lord Venkateswara Temple, the Lord of Seven Hills at Tirumala. There are several others too. Important among these is the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjana Swami temple at Srisailam, the only temple in India revered as a Jyotirlinga and Shaktipeeth. The fabled Khadiri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Kadri and Tallapaka the birthplace of the legendary Annamayacharya are significant spots. In modern times the devout make a beeline to the Raghavendra Swami Mutt at Mantralayam on the banks of Tungabhadra River. Raghavendra Swami is believed to be in a state of live samadhi over here. At Puttaparthi is Prashanti Nillayam, where Bhagwan Satya Sai Baba lived and cast his mortal self. The abode of Jiddu Krishnamurthy, erudite scholar and philosopher is located at Madanapalle near Horsley Hills. The region of Rayalseema is replete with history, historical places, ancient historical sites like the Belum caves and an array of temples. It is a must visit area for agnostics, theists and atheists alike. “Your daily life is your temple and your religion. When you enter into it take with you all,” wrote Khalil Gibran. The inhabitants of Rayalseema adhere to this principle in letter and spirit. 7. Vijayanagara- The Many Splendoured Empire Bahubali, the talismanic film captured the imagination of cinemagoers across India and the globe for its sheer grandeur, majestic sets, scintillating music and riveting storyline. Meanwhile, one hears the news that the epic, Mahabharata, embellished with some of the finest troupers of the Indian film firmament is being currently filmed and is slated for a 2020 release. The geometry and the architecture of Bahubali and the epic Mahabharata-in-the-making force my mind to delve into the planning and construction of Vijayanagara republic. The domain, span and politics of the period is merely one aspect of the empire, but what is noteworthy and even more spectacular is the administrative policies and contribution to art, architecture, literature and in particular poetry. The state was bifurcated into several provinces to facilitate administration. There were apparently 200 in number and superintended by viceroys called Nayaks. At the bottom of the pyramid was the village administrative units called agraharas. While working on Guntakal Division of South Central Railway, I would tear away to the Tungabhadra Dam and also to Hampi, where some of the most resplendent and transcendental temples have been constructed from single cut rock pieces. I was transfixed, in absolute awe as my travel guide used his dexterous fingers to generate the notes of classical Indian music from stone pillars. Anyone would be transported to an ethereal world, listening to the seven swaras (notes) – Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa- emanating from the pillars of the temple. The figurative drama was embellished in stone. I was in tranquillity as I embraced a few moments of symphony in my cacophonous mind. The Vijayanagara Empire was an offspring of the latitude and ideology of the resurgent populace of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka regions, who usurped power from the decadent Sultanate confederation. There were waves of uprisings and mutinies triggered and fashioned by the King of Kampili across present day Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, circa 1327. The year 1334 was momentous. It was a triumphant victory when the Sultanate was overthrown by two brothers, Harihara and Bukka. The progenitors of Sangama of the Hoysala dynasty, the brothers were deployed by Mohammed bin Tughlaq to vanquish the Sultanate. It is believed they briefly turned apostates and were converted to Islam and subsequently were proselytised to Hinduism. The high noon of the kingdom was maritime connectivity with Europe. The republic of Vijayanagara was endowed with several rulers, but singular in expanding the frontiers and stamping its authority across the Tungabhadra basin and peninsular India was the talismanic sovereign, Krishnadevaraya. Krishnadevaraya was a precocious poet who wrote in Telugu and Sanskrit. It is a travesty that only two of his works (Amuktama in Telugu and Jamvati Kalyanam, a Sanskrit drama) are extant. Tragically, the remaining works have been lost in sands of time. Nevertheless historians akin the period to the Augustan age of Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Sanskrit literature. Vijayanagara art, despite its Dravidian roots had a distinctive characteristic. It was a period of renaissance where ceremonial observances were pronounced by anthropomorphic attributes of the presiding deity. The opulent classes were known to live a life of reverie and indulgence. Polygamy was practised widely. However, there were prominent women such as Ganga Devi and Tirumalamba Devi who authored Madhura Vijayam and Varadambika Parinayam in Telugu. Reams can be written about this fascinating chapter of medieval South Indian history. Without doubt it was a dramatic phase in the history of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Youngsters today should not only watch Bahubali, but pore over this glorious chapter to enhance their vistas.

2. Valley of Flowers and More

2. Valley of Flowers and More “We can only climb the mountains because there’s a valley that makes the mountain a mountain,” writes the noted psychologist Craig D. Lounsbrough. A valley is a low area of land lying between hills or mountains, usually with a river or a stream flowing through it, much akin to the landscape of our lives, populated as it is with peaks and valleys. People dream that one day each valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain will stretch out to caress victory, the rough places will be made straight and the glory and bounty of divinity will be revealed in their lives. Without doubt, the one place where a walk through a valley will bring rapturous contentedness is a trek through the Valley of Flowers - a World Heritage Site- in North Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Neatly nestled among the snow clad peaks of the Himalayas, the state has abundant places of scenic beauty which also offer a bouquet of amazing opportunities for trekking. For those with a religious or spiritual bent of mind Kedarnath, Badrinath, Joshimath, Gangotri and Yamunotri offer ample scope. The Valley of Flowers trek is usually planned over 4-6 days and is a lifetime chance to witness stunning natural vistas. The valley is populated with estimable meadows of alpine flowers and a variegated spread of flora and fauna. The rich bio-diversity of the area is also home to recherché and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, the snow leopard, the atypical brown bear, scarce red fox and the blue sheep. Birds inhabiting the park include the rare Himalayan monal pheasant and other high altitude birds. At about 3,352m to 3,658m above sea level, the gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National park to the east. These landmasses encompass a sui generis transition zone between the Zanskar mountain ranges and the robust great Himalayas. The park itself stretches over an expanse of 87.50km2. Though place has been recognized internationally only since about a century back, it finds a pre-eminent place in the mystique of Hinduism. Since aeons local denizens have visited the valley. Indian rishis and yogis are known to have visited the valley to meditate. Adi Shankara, who established the Advaita School of philosophy, at a tender age traversed all the way from Kaladi in Kerala to the pristine hills and established the celebrated and venerated temple at Badrinath. Possibly he too visited the Valley of Flowers. In 1931, Frank S.Smythe, Eric Shipton and R.L Holdsworth, all British mountaineers, lost their way while returning from a successful expedition to Mt. Kamet and happened to stumble upon the valley, which was blazing with radiant flowers. The magnetic charm of the area allured them and it was christened the Valley of Flowers. In 1939, Joan Margaret Legge, a botanist deputed by the Royal Botanical Garden, Kew arrived at the valley to examine the rich tapestry and abundance of flowers. While traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, tragedy struck as she slipped-off and a precious life was snuffed out. Her sister later visited the valley and erected a memorial near the spot. The valley has variegated and colourful flowers, taking on various shades of colours with the passage of time. Prof. Chandra Prakash Kala, a botanist deputed by the Wildlife Institute of India, carried out a research study on the floralistics and conservation of the valley for a decade, beginning in 1993. As one footslogs over peaks and treacherous precipices, the tipper pays obeisance at Sri Hemkund Sahib, among the holiest pilgrimage sites of the Sikhs. The expeditionary also witnesses natural splendours throughout the grandiose trek. The trek usually begins from Govindghat, about an hour away from Joshimath. From Govindghat the trekkers move to Ghangaria, about 3km away from the valley. Along this route one would find many devout Sikhs on their way to Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib. At Ghangaria one needs to obtain a permit to actually visit the Valley of Flowers. The trip to the valley is permitted only during the day. The adventurous can plan their itinerary to include more destinations like Haridwar, Joshimath and Rishikesh. Besides undertaking the arduous yet fascinating trek and rafting on the waves of the Ganges near Rishikesh or Haridwar, there are several other standout points and vignettes in the vicinity. Tour operators and tourist agencies make arrangements for travel to Haridwar. The fascinating itinerary is indicative of what could be possible. The tailor-made holiday packages cater to the specific interests of guests. To leave an indelible impression on the minds of the travellers there are several interesting places to visit. These include a visit to Har-ki-Pauri, witnessing the consecrated evening Ganga Aarti at Haridwar, trips to the Panch Prayag, (Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag, which are five points of confluence of the Alaknanda River with other rivers), sightseeing in Rishikesh and its environs. These are some jaw dropping vignettes to which travellers are exposed and carry with them sublime memories as clouds waft across the panoramic view of swathes of land. A trip to the Valley of Flowers and other splendid locations would make one firmly believe in the words of American author, John Burroughs, “You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you

PART II Wondrous India: Discovering the Lesser-known Trails

PART II Wondrous India: Discovering the Lesser-known Trails 1. Kailas Mansarovar Yatra “Shiva Tattva is where there is no mind and the moon signifies the mind. When there is no mind then how can this ‘no-mindedness’ be expressed? You need a little bit of the mind to understand, experience and to express. The no-mind, infinite consciousness requires that little bit of mind to express itself in the manifest world. So, to express that inexpressible, that little mind (crescent moon) is on Shiva’s head. Wisdom is beyond the mind, but it needs to be expressed with a tinge of mind and this is symbolized by the crescent moon,” says the spiritual master H.H. Sri Ravi Shankar. There was once a blue stock student who passed out with distinction from an estimable college in Delhi University. Numerous opportunities beckoned him -the Civil Services examination, joining a corporate house, or turning to journalism among others. Instead he embarked on a peregrination to the lofty peaks of Mt.Kailasa. Meanwhile a friend who was well ensconced in the hallowed portals of Rail Bhavan, commanding humungous power was unexpectedly diagnosed with osteoporosis. In order to overcome the pain of the condition, the doughty fighter enrolled herself at the Bihar School of Yoga, which did ameliorate her condition. She learnt that some of her course-mates planned a trip to the majestic Mt.Kailasa and a dip in the Mansarovar Lake. The brawny warrior ignored all aches and witnessed the grandiose peaks of Mt.Kailasa. A third friend, himself a mini czar in the travel and tourism business and living life king-size awoke one morning with a seizure and slumped into his bed. A chord struck in his mind and he resolved to “feel pristine nature” after he was sufficiently recovered. They all faced existential crises and sought a certain fulfilment in life; they were determined to experience something out of the ordinary. Though all 3 were at different stages in their lives, by merely gazing at the sheer majesty of Mt.Kailasa, they experienced true celebration in their mind and soul; something they had never experienced in the ho-hum existence of everyday drudgery. The pristine snow clad peaks of Mt.Kailasa stand tall at a dizzy 6,638m. This august Kailash Range (part of the Gangdisê Mountains), is nestled in the Trans Himalaya in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. This undefiled peak is located near the holy Lake Mansarovar and Lake Rakshastal, in the vicinity of the interminable Asian rivers like the imposing and exalted Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmaputra, and the Karnali (also known as Ghaghara, a tributary of the Ganges in India). It is noteworthy to mention that Mt.Kailasa is considered to be the sacred cradle of four prominent oriental religions, namely Bon, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. The mountain itself derives its name from the word ‘kelasa’ or crystal. Preeminent authors of Tibetan-English history and literature have also mentioned the word ‘kai la sha’ for this towering mountain, which essentially is a Sanskrit word. The Tibetan name for the mountain is Gangs Rin-po che. Gangs or Kang is the Tibetan word for snow peak, analogous to alp or hima; rinpoche is an honorific meaning ‘precious one’. So the combined term is loosely translated as ‘precious jewel of snows’. Tibetan Buddhists refer to it as Kangri Rinpoche or Precious Snow Mountain. Bon texts have christened the peak as Water’s Flower, Mountain of Sea Water and Nine Stacked Swastika Mountain. For those professing Hinduism, the peak is the home of the Hindu God Shiva and it is widely believed that Lord Shiva resides there; for Jains it is where their first leader was enlightened; for practising Buddhists it is the navel of the universe; and for adherents of Bon religion the mountainous range is the abode of the Sky Goddess Sipaimen. There are numerous sites in the region which are associated with Padmasambhava, whose tantric practices in the consecrated sites around Tibet which are credited with finally establishing Buddhism as the main religion of the country in the 7th-8th century AD. Years back on account of hostilities between India and China, the pilgrimage to the legendary abode of Shiva was curtailed (from 1954 to 1978). Thereafter, a limited number of Indian pilgrims have been allowed to visit the place, under the supervision of the Chinese and Indian governments, via a lengthy and hazardous trek over the Himalayan terrain, travel by land from Kathmandu or from Lhasa where flights from Kathmandu are available to Lhasa and thereafter travel over the great Tibetan plateau by car. The voyage spans over four night stops, finally arriving at Darchen at an elevation of 4,600 m, a small outpost that swells with pilgrims at certain times of the year. Despite the existence of minimal infrastructure, modest not opulent guest houses are available for foreign pilgrims, whereas Tibetan pilgrims generally sleep in their own tents. A small regional medical centre serving far-western Tibet and funded by the Swiss Ngari Korsum Foundation was built here in 1997 to house pilgrims. Circumnutating the mountain, of which a part is an official park, is to be executed on foot, by pony or by domestic yak. It takes around three days of trekking, going past the Tarboche (flagpole) to cross the Drölma pass at 5650m. An interesting facet for all pilgrims, troupers, mountaineers and those pining for inner peace to absorb is that Mt. Everest stands erect at m 8,848m in height, with the summit being scaled by over 4,000 people. The awe-inspiring Mt.Kailasa is 6,638m and yet its summit is yet to be conquered. It is said that in 1926, Hugh Rutledge, an English Civil Servant and mountaineer studied the north face, and proclaimed that it was ‘utterly unclimbable’ and thereafter considered an ascent of the northeast ridge, but gave up the plan. In 2001, reports emerged that the Chinese government had accorded permission for a Spanish team to climb the peak, which caused an international backlash. Chinese authorities disputed the reports, and stated that any climbing activities on Mt.Kailasa were strictly prohibited. Reinhold Messner, an explorer and mountaineer unequivocally condemned the reported Spanish plans, and was to remark that, “If we conquer this mountain, then we conquer something in people’s souls. I would suggest they go and climb something a little harder. Kailasa is not so high and not so hard.” “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves,” was to remark the icon Edmund Hillary. The trip to Mt.Kailasa and Lake Mansarovar fall in that category. 1. Kailas Mansarovar Yatra “Shiva Tattva is where there is no mind and the moon signifies the mind. When there is no mind then how can this ‘no-mindedness’ be expressed? You need a little bit of the mind to understand, experience and to express. The no-mind, infinite consciousness requires that little bit of mind to express itself in the manifest world. So, to express that inexpressible, that little mind (crescent moon) is on Shiva’s head. Wisdom is beyond the mind, but it needs to be expressed with a tinge of mind and this is symbolized by the crescent moon,” says the spiritual master H.H. Sri Ravi Shankar. There was once a blue stock student who passed out with distinction from an estimable college in Delhi University. Numerous opportunities beckoned him -the Civil Services examination, joining a corporate house, or turning to journalism among others. Instead he embarked on a peregrination to the lofty peaks of Mt.Kailasa. Meanwhile a friend who was well ensconced in the hallowed portals of Rail Bhavan, commanding humungous power was unexpectedly diagnosed with osteoporosis. In order to overcome the pain of the condition, the doughty fighter enrolled herself at the Bihar School of Yoga, which did ameliorate her condition. She learnt that some of her course-mates planned a trip to the majestic Mt.Kailasa and a dip in the Mansarovar Lake. The brawny warrior ignored all aches and witnessed the grandiose peaks of Mt.Kailasa. A third friend, himself a mini czar in the travel and tourism business and living life king-size awoke one morning with a seizure and slumped into his bed. A chord struck in his mind and he resolved to “feel pristine nature” after he was sufficiently recovered. They all faced existential crises and sought a certain fulfilment in life; they were determined to experience something out of the ordinary. Though all 3 were at different stages in their lives, by merely gazing at the sheer majesty of Mt.Kailasa, they experienced true celebration in their mind and soul; something they had never experienced in the ho-hum existence of everyday drudgery. The pristine snow clad peaks of Mt.Kailasa stand tall at a dizzy 6,638m. This august Kailash Range (part of the Gangdisê Mountains), is nestled in the Trans Himalaya in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. This undefiled peak is located near the holy Lake Mansarovar and Lake Rakshastal, in the vicinity of the interminable Asian rivers like the imposing and exalted Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmaputra, and the Karnali (also known as Ghaghara, a tributary of the Ganges in India). It is noteworthy to mention that Mt.Kailasa is considered to be the sacred cradle of four prominent oriental religions, namely Bon, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. The mountain itself derives its name from the word ‘kelasa’ or crystal. Preeminent authors of Tibetan-English history and literature have also mentioned the word ‘kai la sha’ for this towering mountain, which essentially is a Sanskrit word. The Tibetan name for the mountain is Gangs Rin-po che. Gangs or Kang is the Tibetan word for snow peak, analogous to alp or hima; rinpoche is an honorific meaning ‘precious one’. So the combined term is loosely translated as ‘precious jewel of snows’. Tibetan Buddhists refer to it as Kangri Rinpoche or Precious Snow Mountain. Bon texts have christened the peak as Water’s Flower, Mountain of Sea Water and Nine Stacked Swastika Mountain. For those professing Hinduism, the peak is the home of the Hindu God Shiva and it is widely believed that Lord Shiva resides there; for Jains it is where their first leader was enlightened; for practising Buddhists it is the navel of the universe; and for adherents of Bon religion the mountainous range is the abode of the Sky Goddess Sipaimen. There are numerous sites in the region which are associated with Padmasambhava, whose tantric practices in the consecrated sites around Tibet which are credited with finally establishing Buddhism as the main religion of the country in the 7th-8th century AD. Years back on account of hostilities between India and China, the pilgrimage to the legendary abode of Shiva was curtailed (from 1954 to 1978). Thereafter, a limited number of Indian pilgrims have been allowed to visit the place, under the supervision of the Chinese and Indian governments, via a lengthy and hazardous trek over the Himalayan terrain, travel by land from Kathmandu or from Lhasa where flights from Kathmandu are available to Lhasa and thereafter travel over the great Tibetan plateau by car. The voyage spans over four night stops, finally arriving at Darchen at an elevation of 4,600 m, a small outpost that swells with pilgrims at certain times of the year. Despite the existence of minimal infrastructure, modest not opulent guest houses are available for foreign pilgrims, whereas Tibetan pilgrims generally sleep in their own tents. A small regional medical centre serving far-western Tibet and funded by the Swiss Ngari Korsum Foundation was built here in 1997 to house pilgrims. Circumnutating the mountain, of which a part is an official park, is to be executed on foot, by pony or by domestic yak. It takes around three days of trekking, going past the Tarboche (flagpole) to cross the Drölma pass at 5650m. An interesting facet for all pilgrims, troupers, mountaineers and those pining for inner peace to absorb is that Mt. Everest stands erect at m 8,848m in height, with the summit being scaled by over 4,000 people. The awe-inspiring Mt.Kailasa is 6,638m and yet its summit is yet to be conquered. It is said that in 1926, Hugh Rutledge, an English Civil Servant and mountaineer studied the north face, and proclaimed that it was ‘utterly unclimbable’ and thereafter considered an ascent of the northeast ridge, but gave up the plan. In 2001, reports emerged that the Chinese government had accorded permission for a Spanish team to climb the peak, which caused an international backlash. Chinese authorities disputed the reports, and stated that any climbing activities on Mt.Kailasa were strictly prohibited. Reinhold Messner, an explorer and mountaineer unequivocally condemned the reported Spanish plans, and was to remark that, “If we conquer this mountain, then we conquer something in people’s souls. I would suggest they go and climb something a little harder. Kailasa is not so high and not so hard.” “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves,” was to remark the icon Edmund Hillary. The trip to Mt.Kailasa and Lake Mansarovar fall in that category.

19. A Long Haul

19. A Long Haul “Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God,” wrote Kurt Vonnegut who pioneered post modernism in literature. This stellar American has authored fourteen books. One would wonder whether travelling by Vivek Express from Kanyakumari washed by the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal to Dibrugarh in far-east of Assam would be a propitious decision. Pat comes the answer in the quote by Ed Hanley, “If all journeys are teachers, it may well be that a journey to India is the greatest teacher of all and it was in search of a new dance that I purchased a one-way ticket on the longest train in India.” This 4,000km peregrination is certainly an effort to be undertaken as a traveller is exposed to the basket of variegated cultures traversing from the depths of Southern India to one of the extreme corners of North Eastern India. As someone from South India and having worked on North East Frontier Railway, headquartered at Maligaon, in Guwahati, Assam, one can seamlessly establish the connect. Dibrugarh is part of Lumding Division, an archetypal railway town. Lumding town itself is a crucial junction which provides connectivity to other North-Eastern states like Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur. There is a station on Lumding - Badarpur line called Jatinga, which is lionised for the hordes of Jatinga birds which commit hara-kiri. This is a breathtaking site. Now back to the long haul between Kanya Kumari and Dibrugarh travelling by Vivek Express. Ed Hanley is a Toronto-based multi-dimensional and multi-faceted artist who doffs numerous hats - photographer, creator, performer, producer, cinematographer, recording engineer, video editor, writer, and above all a tabla player. The journey is sheer music and in the long haul as iron strikes iron sounds of the rhythmic tabla resonate in the mind as one witnesses visages of the wondrous hinterland across several states. Indian Railways’ train number 15906, the Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express, traverses 4,273km as it winds its way from the north-eastern corner of Assam to the southernmost tip of mainland India. It is an 85-hour journey which provides it the prestigious title of the longest train in the country both in terms of time and distance covered. Indeed a test of patience and temperament. The journey commences in the cover of darkness and as the sun rises over the only ‘male’ river in India, the Brahmaputra, travellers observe the picturesque hill station of Diphu, emerging from a thicket of fog. The train consists of 21 coaches which ferries over 1800 people several times more than the capacity of a modern jetliner. It is segmented into different types of accommodation, including AC 2 tier and AC 3 tier, sleeper class and the ‘unreserved’ coaches. Gandhiji always travelled third class and was often asked why he did so. His repartee was as there was no fourth class. The train is served by a pantry car providing delectable dishes to tickle the travellers’ palate. As part of Prime Minister’s mission clean toilets are being provided across the hinterland and on trains too. The train is equipped with bio-toilets to overcome the earlier versions which stank and were extremely filthy. Tea is ritual in India, and savouring the garam-garam chai on the train and the platforms is an integral part of the experience. Trippers lose track of chai consumed. As one enters southern India from, tea is soon replaced by coffee. Eastern dishes get replaced by south Indian staples like vada, idli, dosa , upma washed down with spicy sambar. The romance of this train travel is unique as passengers witness the three sunsets from their widows. Travellers whip out their smart phones and click the images, preserving them for posterity. The largest employer in India with 1.3 million employees, Indian Railways is one of the largest railways in the world with over 115,000km of track over a route of 65,808km and 7,112 stations, carrying a staggering 23 million passengers a day, with freight and passenger revenues of US$24 billion. The infrastructure is both gargantuan, and prepossessing. One can only marvel at the infrastructure created by Indian Railways and admire the unity in the diversity of this land while travelling over such a vast distance, almost as though traversing a continent. The train winds its way west through Assam on the first day, then south overnight through the Siliguri Corridor or ‘Chicken’s Neck’, a thin strip of West Bengal at times only 20km wide between Nepal and Bangladesh. The next morning finds one in Dubrapur, West Bengal, crossing into Odisha after a heavy lunch, and passing through Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh when one prepares to retire for the day. The train then enters Vijayawada Junction after crossing the Krishna River. One can also see the famous Dr NTR Thermal Power House (a 1760 mega watt imposing structure) in Andhra Pradesh. Vijayawada is the 2nd busiest railway station in India (after Mumbai Central). On the third morning, passengers have lunch near Nellore. Nellore is now home to India’s fast developing modern port called the Krishnapatnam port. Once the train crosses Gudur junction one enters the splendorous state of Tamil Nadu in time for afternoon tea. And overnight the train angles west to cross into lush, coconut-laden Kerala. The final sunrise of the trip is around 6:30am as passengers enter Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. The train makes its entry into Kanyakumari and finally drops anchor around 11am.

18. India Wildlife Travel

18. India Wildlife Travel “Every creature was designed to serve a purpose. Learn from animals for they are there to teach you the way of life. There is a wealth of knowledge that is openly accessible in nature. Our ancestors knew this and embraced the natural cures found in the bosoms of the earth. Their classroom was nature. They studied the lessons to be learned from animals. Much of human behaviour can be explained by watching the wild beasts around us. They are constantly teaching us things about ourselves and the way of the universe, but most people are too blind to watch and listen.” Thus writes Suzy Kassem, daughter of an Egyptian mystic and a popular American author and poetess. The deafening roar of carnivores shatters the hush and shush in verdant jungles. Humans would perhaps like to listen to the quieter creatures, rather than those species on the prowl. The gargantuan national parks such as Ranthambhore or Bandhavgarh are prodigious places, where jungle cats and other animals move with sheer majesty in the midst of strewn ruins. The Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam, houses two-thirds of the world’s one-horned rhinos. National and international tourists throng the place in humongous numbers. Certainly it is an ‘Aha!’ moment when they capture images of the rhinos on their glitzy mobiles. Globe trotters also traverse less-fancied fauna hangouts, such as the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary or Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in Kerala or the Gir National Park in Gujarat where Asiatic lions yawn at the lesser beings. These lions, in a statuesque manner cross the tracks of the Bhavnagar- Gondia line as the petrified gang man hurries for cover! India is a Brobdingnagian hub for many variegated types of birds. Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan is of course one of the most famous ones. This is an entirely different other world of natural and cultural heritage which is to be seen to be believed. The park was a hunting ground for the maharajas of Bharatpur, a tradition dating back to the 1850s. Duck shoots were the order of the day in honour of the British potentates. The year was 1938, when over 4,273 birds such as mallards and teals were killed by Lord Linlithgow, then Viceroy of India, in one devastating shooting expedition. A Few National Parks that Enthrall Bandhavgarh National Park For several trippers, this is the toast among bestial beauties in India and is often included on the Delhi-Taj circuit. Rugged, arid landscapes combined with dense forest trails, a gamut of gorgeous wild cats (including the white and Bengal tigers and leopards), sambar, nilgai, and gaur makes it an enthralling experience. Several of these animals take refuge in the rocks and ruins around the centuries old Bandhavgarh Fort. Large numbers of tourists traverse to this authentic location. Gujarat The Little Rann of Kutch is where wild asses, chinkara, desert foxes and striped hyenas move around the mirage of shimmering saline deserts. Another choice for a tourist is the Velavadar National Park with its blackbuck beauties and of course the Gir National Park where the suzerainty of Asiatic lion is indisputable. Kanha National Park The map of this Indian tiger habitat is enchanting, as if a red carpet were laid out for the lethal cat to elegantly stroll across the length of the country. In the epicentre is the Kanha National Park where tigers and leopards ingeniously stroll through the grassy plateaus, misty plains and bamboo forests. Like accomplished paparazzi, a tripper can camp to await these and other prepossessing starlets of this animal kingdom -sambar, chital, monkeys and mongoose. Keoladeo National Park Among the interesting dichotomies of our country, is the vast expanse of wetland in the middle of a desert state. This had been flooded purely for delectation of the Maharajas and erstwhile Viceroys who with great gusto shot birds out of the sky. It is bountiful grace of the nature that over 360 species still thrive here. These range from kingfishers to coots, from storks to birds of prey. Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary Kumbalgarh is the place for concentration of leopards and their exploits. The word ‘sanctuary’ will perpetually seem infinitesimal as this wild cat races with alacrity and feasts on its prey with remarkable speed. The animal’s habitat stretches for almost 600km across Rajasthan’s Aravalli Hills and assumes its name from the magnificent fortress that dominates the area. Further backpackers can have a visual treat looking out for hyenas, wolves, nilgai, the debonair golden chinkara and the chausingha, a four-horned antelope. Snow Leopards in Ladakh Ladakh, now one of the newest Union Territories of India, extends from the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram Range to the Great Himalayas to the south and is inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent. This is virtually the roof of the world; absolutely a surrealistic place to be in, where one experiences one of the finest wildlife encounters in the world - a glimpse of the grandiose snow leopard. Pench National Park Apparently this park fired the imagination of Rudyard Kipling and compelled him to write the much celebrated ‘The Jungle Book’. Far divested from fiction this is now a land of Bengal tigers, which enjoy the habitat around the Satpura Hills or the Pench River valleys. While it is also called the Pench Tiger Reserve, the striped beauties are extremely elusive to spot. A traveller can however see herds of gaur (Indian bison), chital, sambar and nilgai as well as sloth bear and civets. Periyar National Park This park is a veritable visual treat for lovers of nature. Neatly nestled in Kerala’s Western Ghats, this is not only a tiger reserve but also habitat for elephants, monkeys, wild pigs and hundreds of species of bird. Furthermore animal lovers can gaze at the Indian bison, which gather with their fellow fauna at the Periyar Lake. Ranthambore National Park Ranthambore is home to the Bengal tigers. There are jungle covered ruins where leopards and wild cats are easily camouflaged. Beside the Chambal and its tributaries, sloth bears and black bucks gather. There are vast open plains, claimed by the likes of chital, nilgai and chinkara. Sariska National Park This is a popular resort and national park in the valorous state of Rajasthan. It is a tiger reserve, although not many have survived the vicissitudes of life in the arid forests and rocky cliffs of the Aravalli Hills. Besides, the place is also home to leopard, jungle cats, hyena, chausingha and sambar. These species are found sauntering around an ancient temple complex and 16th century Kankwadi fort. These ten national parks provide an aperture to the animal kingdom which astonish the novice enthusiast and professional wildlife watchers alike. Yes, the more ferocious is man…who has ravaged nature to fulfil his capricious demands. “The only good cage is an empty cage,” wrote noted environmentalist and conservationist Lawrence Anthony.

18. India Wildlife Travel

18. India Wildlife Travel “Every creature was designed to serve a purpose. Learn from animals for they are there to teach you the way of life. There is a wealth of knowledge that is openly accessible in nature. Our ancestors knew this and embraced the natural cures found in the bosoms of the earth. Their classroom was nature. They studied the lessons to be learned from animals. Much of human behaviour can be explained by watching the wild beasts around us. They are constantly teaching us things about ourselves and the way of the universe, but most people are too blind to watch and listen.” Thus writes Suzy Kassem, daughter of an Egyptian mystic and a popular American author and poetess. The deafening roar of carnivores shatters the hush and shush in verdant jungles. Humans would perhaps like to listen to the quieter creatures, rather than those species on the prowl. The gargantuan national parks such as Ranthambhore or Bandhavgarh are prodigious places, where jungle cats and other animals move with sheer majesty in the midst of strewn ruins. The Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam, houses two-thirds of the world’s one-horned rhinos. National and international tourists throng the place in humongous numbers. Certainly it is an ‘Aha!’ moment when they capture images of the rhinos on their glitzy mobiles. Globe trotters also traverse less-fancied fauna hangouts, such as the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary or Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in Kerala or the Gir National Park in Gujarat where Asiatic lions yawn at the lesser beings. These lions, in a statuesque manner cross the tracks of the Bhavnagar- Gondia line as the petrified gang man hurries for cover! India is a Brobdingnagian hub for many variegated types of birds. Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan is of course one of the most famous ones. This is an entirely different other world of natural and cultural heritage which is to be seen to be believed. The park was a hunting ground for the maharajas of Bharatpur, a tradition dating back to the 1850s. Duck shoots were the order of the day in honour of the British potentates. The year was 1938, when over 4,273 birds such as mallards and teals were killed by Lord Linlithgow, then Viceroy of India, in one devastating shooting expedition. A Few National Parks that Enthrall Bandhavgarh National Park For several trippers, this is the toast among bestial beauties in India and is often included on the Delhi-Taj circuit. Rugged, arid landscapes combined with dense forest trails, a gamut of gorgeous wild cats (including the white and Bengal tigers and leopards), sambar, nilgai, and gaur makes it an enthralling experience. Several of these animals take refuge in the rocks and ruins around the centuries old Bandhavgarh Fort. Large numbers of tourists traverse to this authentic location. Gujarat The Little Rann of Kutch is where wild asses, chinkara, desert foxes and striped hyenas move around the mirage of shimmering saline deserts. Another choice for a tourist is the Velavadar National Park with its blackbuck beauties and of course the Gir National Park where the suzerainty of Asiatic lion is indisputable. Kanha National Park The map of this Indian tiger habitat is enchanting, as if a red carpet were laid out for the lethal cat to elegantly stroll across the length of the country. In the epicentre is the Kanha National Park where tigers and leopards ingeniously stroll through the grassy plateaus, misty plains and bamboo forests. Like accomplished paparazzi, a tripper can camp to await these and other prepossessing starlets of this animal kingdom -sambar, chital, monkeys and mongoose. Keoladeo National Park Among the interesting dichotomies of our country, is the vast expanse of wetland in the middle of a desert state. This had been flooded purely for delectation of the Maharajas and erstwhile Viceroys who with great gusto shot birds out of the sky. It is bountiful grace of the nature that over 360 species still thrive here. These range from kingfishers to coots, from storks to birds of prey. Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary Kumbalgarh is the place for concentration of leopards and their exploits. The word ‘sanctuary’ will perpetually seem infinitesimal as this wild cat races with alacrity and feasts on its prey with remarkable speed. The animal’s habitat stretches for almost 600km across Rajasthan’s Aravalli Hills and assumes its name from the magnificent fortress that dominates the area. Further backpackers can have a visual treat looking out for hyenas, wolves, nilgai, the debonair golden chinkara and the chausingha, a four-horned antelope. Snow Leopards in Ladakh Ladakh, now one of the newest Union Territories of India, extends from the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram Range to the Great Himalayas to the south and is inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent. This is virtually the roof of the world; absolutely a surrealistic place to be in, where one experiences one of the finest wildlife encounters in the world - a glimpse of the grandiose snow leopard. Pench National Park Apparently this park fired the imagination of Rudyard Kipling and compelled him to write the much celebrated ‘The Jungle Book’. Far divested from fiction this is now a land of Bengal tigers, which enjoy the habitat around the Satpura Hills or the Pench River valleys. While it is also called the Pench Tiger Reserve, the striped beauties are extremely elusive to spot. A traveller can however see herds of gaur (Indian bison), chital, sambar and nilgai as well as sloth bear and civets. Periyar National Park This park is a veritable visual treat for lovers of nature. Neatly nestled in Kerala’s Western Ghats, this is not only a tiger reserve but also habitat for elephants, monkeys, wild pigs and hundreds of species of bird. Furthermore animal lovers can gaze at the Indian bison, which gather with their fellow fauna at the Periyar Lake. Ranthambore National Park Ranthambore is home to the Bengal tigers. There are jungle covered ruins where leopards and wild cats are easily camouflaged. Beside the Chambal and its tributaries, sloth bears and black bucks gather. There are vast open plains, claimed by the likes of chital, nilgai and chinkara. Sariska National Park This is a popular resort and national park in the valorous state of Rajasthan. It is a tiger reserve, although not many have survived the vicissitudes of life in the arid forests and rocky cliffs of the Aravalli Hills. Besides, the place is also home to leopard, jungle cats, hyena, chausingha and sambar. These species are found sauntering around an ancient temple complex and 16th century Kankwadi fort. These ten national parks provide an aperture to the animal kingdom which astonish the novice enthusiast and professional wildlife watchers alike. Yes, the more ferocious is man…who has ravaged nature to fulfil his capricious demands. “The only good cage is an empty cage,” wrote noted environmentalist and conservationist Lawrence Anthony.

17. The Majestic Nilgiri Mountain Railway

17. The Majestic Nilgiri Mountain Railway A tourist can discover the thrill of riding a wondrous toy train, which provides an aperture to panoramic vistas during the three and half hour journey from Mettupalayam to Ooty. The voyage offers an exotic and unparalleled train travel experience. Ooty is a paradise for travel enthusiasts desirous of basking in a tranquil place packed with myriad landmarks. Ooty, a fabled travel getaway can be reached by road or rail. However boarding the toy train provides a singular experience as there is an abrupt romance in the air and a spring in the step. It is veritable love at first sight as a tripper travels from Ooty to Ketti, crisscrossing the celebrated Nilgiri Mountains. The train navigates tunnels, curves and bridges. Traversing a distance of 46km from Mettupalayam at the foothills to Ooty on the lofty peak, a tripper carouses breathtaking views of terraced, green, tea plantations, steep valleys and towering, swaying trees. For its sheer majesty, this enthralling expedition has been appropriately designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the only heritage train which motors at the highest elevated place in Southern India. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a railway in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, was initially operated by the Madras Railway. It is a tribute to the robust mechanical and civil engineering departments of the British rulers that the railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. This promptly connects the globetrotter to the past and the rich heritage bequeathed to us. The toy train service first commenced operations between Coonoor and Mettupalayam during 1899 (certainly seems aeons ago). This was to link the army establishment of the sovereigns based at Wellington. The railway system provided transportation and crucial supplies to the British army. The bulwarks of the conquerors over natives were the civil administrative system, railways, police and the postal system. The foreign rulers were shaken to their core on account of the challenges posed by the First War of Independence in 1857 (also called the Mutiny of 1857). However, commercial reasons weighed on the minds of the railway mandarins and this alluring and spellbinding line was extended up to Ooty in the year 1908 to cross subsidise railway operations and also to extend the empire beyond Coonoor to Ooty. The maiden passenger service was initiated on 15 October, 1908 between Ooty and Coonoor. Ooty, also known as Udhagamandalam in Tamil, is a hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is encircled by dense forest cover and a gargantuan population of swaying eucalyptus trees. The liquid extracted from the trees acts like a magic potion for a person suffering from the pestilence of cold and fever. Ooty was a largely British town in pre-independence India, far from the heat and humidity of the Madras Presidency. Alfred Tennyson referred this place as the “sweet half-English air of Neilgherry”. For Lord Lytton, Viceroy of India, Ooty had “Hertfordshire lanes, Devonshire downs, Westmoreland lakes, Scotch trout streams and Lusitanian views” which reminded him of being home in the cool climes of England. There are several attractions to witness- a spectacular mountain range, a hop at Coonoor and eventually visit Ooty while travelling by the amazing rack and pinion rail system. A few years back there was a change in traction from steam to diesel as the train traversed between Coonoor and Ooty, which led to protests by the local denizens. Tippers did not wish the snapping of the umbilical cord of the past heritage. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) is a major tourist attraction. Approximately 5 lakh people travel every year by this toy train. Tourists depart from Mettupalayam at 7.30 am and the train moves across the serpentine bends and curves. This train covers a distance of 46 km in five hours snaking through Hilligrove, Coonoor, Wellington, Aruvankadu, Ketti and Lovedale stations, eventually terminating at Udhagamandalam or Ooty. Whenever the train abruptly comes to a grinding halt, passengers pluck flowers from trees with glee. During every start on the hill slopes the engine invariably gives a jerk while gaining momentum to push the train from the rear. After travelling three or four kilometres in the hills, occasionally the train comes to a sudden halt as a lofty eucalyptus tree would have fallen on the tracks and the process of cutting and salvaging work to restore traffic would be in progress. After a brief halt of 15 to 20 minutes the journey resumes. This is quite a regular feature and adds spice to the rail journey. Vintage steam engines ply on part of the route. Coaches are small in size with multiple coupes, each with doors on either side. The average speed barely touches 10-12 km/ hr and no one seems to be in a hurry, rather luxuriating in the slumber where time appears to have frozen. Much of the journey by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway feels like travelling in British India, before the advent of the frenzied, frenetic pace. The first two stations, Lovedale and Ketti, are buried deep in the woods. Tall, thick eucalyptus trees surround the idyllic stations. The compact station houses virtually appear as log cabins. Snatches of birdsong fill the air. It isn’t merely the town names which are evocative of the British Raj. Different old semaphore signals are fixed on the route, and not the modern electric signals. Drivers hand in a bamboo hoop with a metallic tablet at every station—this “token" is a testimony to ensure the arrival of the train. Coonoor which also houses the Wellington Staff College reminds the tripper on the route that they are connected with modern day India. This is the bijou town where passengers alight, and witness the steam engine attach itself to the train. Inside the distinctive black chamber are gauges, pipes, knobs and analogue metres distinctively out of a 19th century science fiction book. Post a relaxed chugging on the plain, the train crawls into the station premises of Ooty sometime in late afternoon. The sightseer looks back at the misty silhouette of the Nilgiris in the distance which by now have carved an indelible impression on the mind. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end,” writes Ursula K. Le Guin.