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A Journey through the Land of Species... - By Sony. V. Mathew
When we planned for a holiday trip, the first point I insisted my wife was not to suggest any name outside the boundaries of our own state, the God's own country. She agreed to my view at the first place and we unanimously decided to explore the unique terrain of Wayanad, which is considered as a jewel nestled among the mountains of Western Ghats.
In the wee hours on Sep 20, when the dawn was eager to fall on this part of the world, we started climbing the hairpin bends amongst thick dark forests. As the twilight approached closer, the beauty of the mist-clad surroundings was getting more visible to the naked eye. For a moment I thought the clouds were down on earth to greet us to the green paradise. Amidst the mist it was a heavenly feeling, we felt as if we were floating beyond the sky on a motor vehicle.
On our way to our first destination the Pookattu Lake, we halted at various points for Photo sessions. The beauty of the nature simply compounded the visual effect of the digital SLR Nikon N series.
Sadly, the sight of a benumbed ape, guarding the corpse of its partner faintly hampered my mood. Various monkeys of its tribe were also spotted in the surrounding, cutting a sorrow figure. Yes, the chemistry between the partners is always the same whether they are humans or apes
As I was striving to get rid of the monkey thoughts another spectacle in the form of a chained banyan tree with a tiny concreted cabin at its bottom surprised me. At a distance the majestic banyan tree looked like a gigantic prisoner under custody. Going by the myths, the soul of the sanyasin who was brutally killed by the British was locked here for ever. The sanyasin's soul went on a killing spree, once he was murdered, after being used as a guide to conquer the hill top by the unscrupulous British regime. A classic example of the superstitions that still holds sway.
Later on at 10.am we reached our first destination- Pookattu Lake. Apart from the salacious weather, boating was the prime attraction here along with horse riding. After cruising around the fresh water lake for some hours we decided to go for a horse ride. Riding on the back of a three-year-old mare, we witnessed the serene beauty of the dense forests around the lake. Braving the climate and the load on its back, the mare took us around with pride. At times, it stopped at usual spots without being asked to do so. Thanks to that unselfish creature, wittingly or unwittingly the pony had allowed us ample time to capture the beauty on our cam.
Then we paid a visit to the aquarium and green house adjacent to the lake. Within the green house we witnessed almost all types of reptiles from Tortoise to King Cobra. Inside those glass walled cubicles in the aquarium, flesh eating fishes like piranhas were wildly scampering across the water in search of its prey. Some of them licked their lips and tried hard to break the glass wall. This aquarium was inhabited by almost all fishes covered under the branch of science called Zoology.
After having a short breakfast, due to time constraints, our vehicle headed towards our second destination, the picturesque Kuruva Islands. This time we halted at the spot of a Jain temple that rekindled an atmosphere akin to the ancient Indian civilization. At the Kuruva Islands, ferrymen employed there greeted us and took us to the evergreen forest on the tributaries of the east flowing river Kabani. This uninhabited area was considered as home to almost all rare species on earth, including birds, orchids and herbs.
By crisscrossing transparent lakes that reflect tiny ripples, trekking through wood bridges and dipping in the rocky lakes we enjoyed the sovereigns of this supernal kingdom sprawling 950 acres. Through the river, we enjoyed a ride on the bamboo yachts. Nothing could prevent us from enjoying the beauty. Even the nature was beginning to yield, heavy rain had settled down to sporadic drizzles. The beauty of the jungle was such that we started arguing over the best photographic spots. At last we decided to take snaps at all possible spots. As the beauty got better the photographic sessions appeared to be endless.
When earth began to tug away from the sun, we realized the need to reach our next destination. By then I made a strong emotional bonding with the island. In the form of a thorny creeper the jungle tried to call me back. It hooked my collar from the back. With great difficulty, I separated the barb from my shirt, just like the way my heart bade adieu to the jungle of Kuruva.
Then we steered the car to our next destination -Thiruneli. From the suburbs of the 'Thiruneli Thekkan Kasi' temple, which was perhaps the only surviving testimony to the architectural skills of the erstwhile engineers, one could enjoy the beauty of the green paradise from different angles. Morbid remains of a Buddha temple were also spotted, adjacent to the Thiruneli main temple.After spending some time here, we moved towards the Papanasini River to take a dip. Going by the folklore a dip in this river would wipe off all sins. People from different parts of the country were waiting in the queue, covertly competing each other to get their sins wiped off before others.. Yes, just like the urge to do a sin, men were eager to rectify them.
Before we stepped into the river two footprints etched in a rock, amidst a pond caught our attention. We didn't waste much time to capture the sight on our cam. It was believed that the footprints belonged to Sita the protagonist female character in the great epic Ramayana, who hid in this forest region to escape from the cohort of king Ravana.
After spending some time at the temple we went straight to 'Kalindi River Side Resort'. The biggest attraction of the resort was its location, on the banks of the river Kalindi.That night's stay at the two-bedroom bamboo resort was more like a dream. It took sometime for us to sink with reality. Until 8' o clock in the evening, when the night had started to become elephant-black, we spent time in the river bed, playing with the undercurrents . After that it was time for dinner. We ordered for delicious Kerala cuisines and everything was ready before 9 p.m.
Then the only sound that was clear to the ears was the rumbling voice of the river streams, flowing hard to reach its mother's lap. Spending the night in the wild was indeed a challenge. The situation appeared as if it was derived straight out from the life of the great animal lover Steve Irwin. The Puget Sound of the river was getting loud and we slowly slipped into the depths of sleep.
The next day morning, our first destination was the dam next to the resort we stayed. Chillness in the early morning hours did not reduce our spirit to play in the water. Just after 8' o clock in the morning, we moved to the Tholpetty wild life sanctuary. In the evening we had visited the Muthanga wild life sanctuary. Both these sanctuaries boast of the biggest aboad of wild animals in Malabar. At Tholpetty, we spotted species like elephant, speckled deer, bison etc.
After a spell of two hours in Tholpetty wild life, I drove towards the historic Edakal caves. At first the skyscraper caves, on Ambukuttimala, appeared to be an insurmountable peak to conquer. Walking upwards, to the caves was like a pedestrian's journey towards the sky. After few hours of trekking we conquered almost 90% of the height. By then we were too tired and our foot started to waver. Trying to emulate the balance of a gymnast, we descended down to earth.
This cave, which was more like a cleft, was home to some interesting carvings that represented human and animal figures and objects of human utilities and symbols. These carvings would speak volumes on the highly civilized people of erstwhile period and had inspired the archeologists and historians to rewrite the history of Wayanad and Kerala as a whole. Looking back, we realized that the adventurous climb was worth taking the risk. This was considered as the oldest surviving pictographic gallery of its kind.
By evening we reached Muthanga wild life sanctuary. The authorities paid heed to our request, even though they were about to put the shutters down for the day. It seemed that the elephants, deers, peacocks and bison's were all posing for us in the late evening hrs. On our way back, we saw tourists enjoying elephant rides. Sadly, we were not able to participate as the time allotted for the day was over by then . On our way to Muthanga, we found a variety of species like Coffee, Pepper, Ginger, Cocoa, Arecanut, Tea, Rubber, Vanilla etc.
Through the leaves of the teak and the sandalwood, the dusk started to impair our vision. Hence, we began our return to the world down. In retrospect, we realized that the treat that was given to us by the nature was a priceless treasure to be remained in our memory for ever. I guess another treat of this magnitude would not be possible unless we visit this land of species for a second time.
Sony V. Mathew
Manager - Corporate Communications,
Geojit Financial Services, Kaloor, Kochi
