A Wandering Mind

“I have never seen so many cameras at once!” was my first thought as I entered the Old Magazine House at Ganeshgudi, near Dandeli. I already knew of Ganeshgudi as a haunt of ardent birdwatchers, but even that hadn’t prepared me for their cameras or the size of the telescopic lenses which greeted us on our arrival! I wondered if I would be able to see any birds with my humble camera, and if I would even be able to take it out amidst such magnificent specimens! As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. While most of the ardent birding enthusiasts were indeed focused on getting the perfect images, there were enough birds around for us to see, and close enough for even me to get some decent clicks! However, the best part of Ganeshgudi was that we didn’t have to go to see the birds – they came to us! All we had to do was sit quietly and observe!

On the occasion of Earth Day , I am sharing with you, some of my images from Dandeli, in Karnataka.

This is a bird I have seen often. It is quite a common bird, and yet, it is always fascinating to watch, especially when it plucks insects out of the air!

The Malabar Giant Squirrel or Indian Giant Squirrel is described as “an upper canopy dwelling species, which rarely leaves the trees. It is a shy, wary animal, not easy to discover; it is active mostly early in the mornings and evenings, resting in the midday.”

The Kali River is the lifeline of Dandeli. It flows through the town, not just providing water for all its needs, but is also a haven for the flora and fauna of the area. Rapid urbanization once threatened the river, and all its inhabitants, but the efforts to preserve it seem to be working, if the lush greenery and abundance of birds around are any indication.

A flock of birds pecking at something on the ground caught my attention. They looked like sparrows, so I turned my attention instead to a Little Green Bee Eater plucking out insects from the air. It was only when the tiny sparrow landed nearer me that I realised it wasn’t a sparrow – or at least, it wasn’t the common House Sparrow I see everywhere.

Hornbills, Giant Squirrels, interesting people, more birds and loads of fun – that’s what my Dandeli trip was like! It was the perfect start to a year which I hope will bring lots more travel and many more such experiences. Detailed posts are coming up soon, but meanwhile, for all those of you who have been asking me what it was like… and also for those who asked me what there was to see in Dandeli, here is a glimpse –

2014 is finally here, and it seems to be starting off on the right note. There are some interesting things happening, but you will have to wait to find out what they are. After all, there is nothing as wonderful as surprises, is there? Right now, the good news is that I am off again, on an unexpected trip!! 

A view of a cottage and tent at Kali River Lodge, Dandeli I have been thinking and thinking about my next blog post. “Which place shall I write about?”- That is the question. Now, you might think I have visited so many places, that it is difficult to choose one of them to write about, but that is not the case. I have always wanted to travel. I remember cutting up travel articles from magazines and newspapers, wanting to go there sometime; reading about a place in a book and imagining myself there; wanting to see everything, from the ruins of ancient civilizations, to the modern mega-cities. I have yearned to visit the deep jungles of Africa, as well as the modern amusement parks and zoos of the world…. All this was just a distant dream , one of the many dreams that I had, but this dream is at least coming true, if only up to a point- For, one of the few interests that my husband and I share is traveling. We both love going to new places. Of course, there are differences-- I love his...