Mookanamane falls & Hoysala temples

A quick visit to Gandikota was on the cards but as always, with only few people confirming and the long distance overwhelming us, we rather chose to explore few Hoysala temples around Hassan as well as visit the Mookanamane Abbi falls near Sakaleshpura.

Impromptu decisions and next morning me, Prashanth (Payaniga) and Avinash were off towards Sakaleshpura in search of the Mookanamane falls. Prashanth had a vague idea of the location of the falls having visited it few years ago. Sakaleshpura town was very quiet considering that the Shiradi ghat roads were closed for repair and also that the tourist flow is low during the rainy season. We were happy with the almost non-existent crowd and had a heavy breakfast at Surabhi restaurant, right next to Hotel Ashritha where we planned to stay for the night. With packed lunch we proceeded towards the falls but it turned out to be trickier than expected as we lost sight of the route and had to scout for people at many crossroads on where to go. Google maps assisted to an extent but considering the patchy network, it was not very reliable.

The landscape changes as soon as you cross over Hassan and being monsoon time, it was all shades of green everywhere all along the route and the smell of the earth after the rains is infectious. Cool breeze, drizzling rain and the shades of green along the countryside kept us company throughout the day infecting us with some wonderful vista views, pure air and dollops of energy to keep us going.

Sometimes, asking the locals for directions can actually detour you as we experienced this and after losing a couple of hours of going around, we finally reached closer to the falls. Rains were reluctant to leave and stayed with us and those umbrellas we carried came to our rescue as we embarked on the path to the falls being half a kilometer away. We could hear the roar of the falls getting louder as we moved closer and finally we reached the upstream area navigating ourselves on the slippery track all along. The water flow was heavy, strong currents, muddy water (due to soil erosion) and it did look scary at first sight but then, monsoon is the only time when you get to see a waterfall in full glory.

We had to navigate through the bushes, rocks holding on to them dearly and watching every step or lunge we took to finally reach the downstream or rather bang in front of the mighty falls. The umbrellas we carried became defunct as we were all drenched due to the rain and the splashing water from the falls. I was mighty impressed by the size of the falls being very wide and the water gushing down from a decent height to create the roars we were hearing. We were thrilled to be there enjoying the nature’s beauty in its rawest form but were also skeptical in staying long in front of the falls as a heavy gush of water would be trouble for us standing exposed in front. At times we had to shout to communicate to each other in front of deafening sound of the falls.

After the customary photo shoot and with growling stomachs, we cautiously made our way back to the parked car where the packed food was devoured in a flash. Manjarabad fort remains unseen as the delays during the day ensured we would be late and the gates locked. Back to Ashritha hotel, we spent the evening chatting through the night and making plans for the next day.

(Kondajje temple and below Chennakeshava temple, Saalagaame)

Early next day, we left early as we had quite a few places to cover and the intention to see the historical Hoysala temples that are spread around the Hassan region. We did manage to see the Kondajje temple near Belur followed by Chennakeshava temple located in Saalagame near Belur and then Boocheshwara temple located in Koravangala and finally the Aanekere Chennakeshava temple near Channarayapatna (CR Patna) before heading back to Bengaluru. Of all the lot, the Kondajje temple presents a sorry state of affairs to such an extent that you cannot make out that it’s a temple of the Hoysala era.

(Boocheshwara temple, Koravangala & below Aanekere Chennakeshava temple)

Aero India 2017 - Aero Show

A few years back or a few editions back, when I first visited the Aero show held in Bengaluru, I was enthralled no end and those mean machines launching up and their acrobatic displays left me pleasantly impressed. The impact of a MIG or the Sukhoi or the F16 whizzing above you with deafening sound would leave many a lot covering their ears or just allow you to gasp at them in awe.

This event that unfolds in Bengaluru at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka once in two years draws huge crowds and the traffic management is a chaos every time with no solution in sight however best the authorities plan in advance and execute. This is one kind of an event where you can get up and close with those wonder machines that you always see up above in the horizon vanishing even before you have a proper look at it. Also to say, you get a peek sneak into the capabilities of various countries and the aerospace technologies that is on offer inviting potential customers to their stands.

I'm yet to get a chance to visit the stalls but the crowds, traffic and chaos has kept me away and I rather chose to sneak in early to watch the displays and sneak out before the traffic goes haywire.

Few tips (for future planners) from me before I share some pictures from there...
If you intend to visit the stalls as well as watch the airshow:-
i. Leave early and reach the venue early. This year you could collect your tickets beforehand that I realized made it more easier avoiding the queues at the counter to collect tickets
ii. Carry a hat, sunshades, plenty of water, camera with sufficient batteries/cards and a sunscreen lotion if you prefer to use them to avoid getting sunburnt and water to keep you hydrated during the hot day. If with family, carry a picnic mat, huge umbrella to help yourself sit under its shade while enjoying the air display
iii. Adequate food counters were set up this dishing out variety of food. Be responsible and dispose the trash in the designated places. Unwanted thrash can attract birds that can affect the air show
iv. the air show display area where the general visiting crowd stands is an open area and people tend to dispose leftover wrappers, plastic bottles, etc etc everywhere that is not a good sign. This inspite of having plenty of bins and designated places to dump the trash. We never learn, do we!
v. Leave the venue just before the event ends to escape the traffic and the subsequent pile up of vehicles
vi. Look up the timings for the bus services that would be put up for this event and use them if you can. I failed to figure out their timings and ended up commuting in my car
vi. All people can watch the air show from kids to elders. Just have some preparation and enjoy the event

I personally, reached early and left just a bit early and escaped getting caught in the traffic snarls.

Next time around if it happens in Bengaluru, I plant to visit the stalls and also watch the air displays. Hoping!

The Yakolevs Aerobatic display team from UK enthralled the crowds

The US Lockheed Martin F 16 enthralling the crowds with a maneuver

The Swedish Air Force Saab Grippen 262 in full throttle

Our very own 'Suryakirans' displaying some formations

The Indian and the US para-jumpers had a live display for the crowd jumping of their aircrafts and landing amidst heavy cheers

The stealthy US Air force's C-17 Globemaster had a short take-off and landing displaying its capabilities

The agile warhorse - Sukhoi - Su30MkI of the IAF

more displays from the Yakovlevs enthralled the crowds

Our pride - LCA 'Tejas' showcased its flying capabilities amidst the loudest cheers

 The French Dasault Rafale 4-FF firing up the skies

The best of the lot was from the Skycat Wingwalkers -Scandinavian airshow aerobatics team that had the crowd hooting for more

Until the next event...Ciao! #Aeroindia #Aeroindia2017

Lava, North Bengal birding

view of K2 mountain range

I have traveled to the Kutch in the West, Ladakh in the North and most of the South region but never got an opportunity to explore the East beyond Kolkata. With a couple of spare days in March, I zoomed in on the place Lava located in North Bengal, a birder’s hot spot, for my next journey hoping this trip would be a gateway for more exploration of the East. Nishcay and Prabhu teamed up with me for the first time on this journey in search of some birds and wildlife.

I was pretty excited for the fact that many of the species I would be seeing would be lifers (i.e., never seen before) and while browsing through the internet, I stumbled upon Joseph Lepcha from Lava who agreed to be our host, guide and also plan our entire trip schedule.

We took the Indigo flight from Bengaluru to Bagdogra via Kolkata. Our car was ready at the airport to ferry us to the small village of Lava, about 120 kms away. Lava can be reached either via Gorubathan or Kalimpong from Bagdogra. We traveled via Gorubathan as the route via Kalimpong is unpredictable and caters to heavy traffic towards Sikkim. It took us about 4 hours to travel the distance with some good roads and also missing roads in between but our drive was comfortable owing the modified shocks of the WagonR that took on the rough stretches with ease.

We reached after nightfall and soon realized that we were in for a very cold surprise, it was cold owing to the higher altitude. Lava is also the entry point to the Neora Valley National Park. We then met Joseph Lepcha who showed us our place of stay and then we ended the long day with a hot supper and met few other birders who were there. Joseph also briefed us about our plan for the next 3 days.

Next day, we hit out early with Guru, our guide and driver for the day to cover the Rachet trails. We parked the vehicle at the start of the trail and started hiking on the Upper Rachet trail in quest of seeing as many species of birds as we could. Golden-naped Finch, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Whiskered Yuhina, a whole lot of Babblers and Warblers kept us entertained. As we progressed we realized that we had traversed a long distance and decided to descend down to Lower Rachet trail skipping going back to Lava for the brunch. It turned out to be a wise suggestion by Guru as we got to see a lone brilliant red colored Scarlet Finch as well as the Fire-tailed Sunbirds, Himalayan Blue Tail and many more of those colorful species.

After some steep downhill descent and navigating rocky stretches, we hit a trail from where we continued birding while Guru went on to fetch the vehicle. Evening time and the sun quickly fades out and hence we decided to end our session and travel back to Lava. Happy with our day’s bounty, we gulped down an early dinner and sat around Joseph to identify the birds we had seen.

Next day, we were out by 6:30 on our way towards Neora Valley National Park. We were to visit the Chaudapheri camp and Zero point inside the park and Joseph had procured the necessary permits beforehand. We just did not hit the camp but did a fair bit of walking on the trail to the camp birding while the vehicle followed. The weather in Neora valley was all cloudy and foggy, being located at a much higher altitude and as a result the bird activity were also low, they were around and audible but just not visible. Yet, we managed to sight the Green-tailed Sunbird, Scarlet Finch again, Brown Bullfinch, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Mountain Bulbul, Rufous-vented Yuhina and many more.

We halted at a place for the much needed breakfast and a breather while a Streaked Spiderhunter whizzed above us not wanting to perch anywhere. Neora valley also hosts the engendered Red Panda as well as the highly elusive but brilliantly colored Satyr Tragopan, but as with our luck we couldn’t sight either of them. Next time!
Chaudapheri camp located inside the park is the place where most of the tourists end their journey, have a cup of chai or some food and return back. It’s also the place where you can easily sight the Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Black-faced Laughingthrush and Eurasian Wren that come on to feed on the food waste put out for them. So, while the food is getting ready at the camp, you just sit out and watch them move around.

After the sumptuous simple lunch, we headed towards the Zero Point beyond which the core area falls and you are not allowed without additional permits. The weather here was foggier and visibility very low at many stretches and so was the bird activity. We came back to the camp to sight a flock of Yellow-billed Blue Magpie’s and were also treated to the calls of the Hill Partridges that were very vocal but not visible. We reached back Lava after dusk for some piping hot tea and snacks and went on a stroll around the village. Next day would be our final day at Lava.

Next morning, we waited for the sun to come out before heading out as it was a little foggy and ventured around the village for some birding. Grey Bushchat, Golden Bush Robin, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Green-backed Tit and many others were added to our list of birds sighted. After a productive session and some breakfast, we headed out towards the Pipeline trail. It’s a walk track next to the pipeline amidst thick vegetation that hosts a whole lot of birds. Having said that, hearing them is easier but not sighting them owing to the vast area and the dense foliage. The calls of the Great Barbet resonated through the valley while the Streaked Spiderhunter teased us flying high above while a Black Eagle soared just above our heads.

Next, we headed back to Lava for the much needed lunch and set out towards Alagarh road thereafter. The stretch until a couple of years ago was a birders dream stretch that housed many varieties and bounty sightings all along the single lane road stretch. But, currently as the road is being widened as it is a strategically important highway leading to Nathu La and the China border, the bird activity has reduced drastically owing to the work in progress. Rusty-fronted Barwing, Great Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Whiskered Yuhina were the highlights from the stretch.

Next, as a final attempt on sighting the Red-billed Leoithrix, we headed towards Rishop, a village on the hills hoping to catch the common species that we had missed all along but alas we were not lucky enough to sight them. Next time, hopefully! We also missed the view of Kanchendzonga peak owing to cloud cover. Rishop has a whole lot of hotels, homestays that offer window views of K2 peak and it looked like a popular tourist getaway place.
Back at Lava, we went to the Monastery only to find it closed. Dinner time and conversations with Joseph Lepcha over various topics and recapping the hits and misses of our short stay at Lava. Next morning, we left Lava early in the same WagonR towards Bagdogra picking up some Darjeeling tea on the way at Siliguri.

Closing notes:
It was a short but productive trip and I enjoyed great company with Nischay and Prabhu. Joseph Lepcha was a very good host and good at birding. He guides people and groups on birding trails while not at his contractual duty with the forest department. Happy to have known him and hope more such local talent grow and prosper. He can be reached at +91 99320 95242 and the best time to contact him would be in the evenings when he would be back home.