tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12132082747962698962024-03-18T08:30:49.400+05:30gardentropicsWelcome to my ecological garden in the tropics. Hope you find peace and tranquility here.lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.comBlogger943125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-11527173468919957632024-02-03T17:58:00.000+05:302024-02-03T17:58:35.231+05:30Chappan Dukaan , Indore<p>Chappan Dukaan in Hindi means 56 shops. In Indore Chappan Dukaan is the place for delicious street food <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwVw3-4M_aJDQCa8_XeS0nqV0Nhrzvs97qt1l6zHDPZv6xagCPwCV3qjthwt2pjuANOx0IFmxzfkLyr4PRHrgjljG9trffi01-vASSOQyhw_DcwFXXgQmD_da9jRx8luViNFG8MIdY9BQd57Lg1rHktaMTdmKgxJSS-tSkUOS2omeSMMsCJg3_burokfr/s2448/IMG_0084.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwVw3-4M_aJDQCa8_XeS0nqV0Nhrzvs97qt1l6zHDPZv6xagCPwCV3qjthwt2pjuANOx0IFmxzfkLyr4PRHrgjljG9trffi01-vASSOQyhw_DcwFXXgQmD_da9jRx8luViNFG8MIdY9BQd57Lg1rHktaMTdmKgxJSS-tSkUOS2omeSMMsCJg3_burokfr/s320/IMG_0084.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Pizzas, hot dogs and burgers stalls vie with momo, dosa and greasy stalls here, but the most popular are the chaat stalls which make mouth watering concoctions.<p></p><p><br /></p>lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-11888437654240938532024-01-25T18:10:00.000+05:302024-01-25T18:10:03.907+05:30<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsGQEZ0nnJipaWTbOmQm6oMci2kMa3oxnFV26nJ5V6MM2xPFwRZ5kAbfJqJiX9nlnfk6XpXG4wIsQhNVNStASLtyaicJEoU7Mf0gstCMO_IksK2F-RdytlaOiP-6abrZD3JE2GkxW9UPaibP7dFTox61xpywFsvu4bkqz-0tTMd6ppPdUtA4Ug5rdRKfb/s2048/101_4527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsGQEZ0nnJipaWTbOmQm6oMci2kMa3oxnFV26nJ5V6MM2xPFwRZ5kAbfJqJiX9nlnfk6XpXG4wIsQhNVNStASLtyaicJEoU7Mf0gstCMO_IksK2F-RdytlaOiP-6abrZD3JE2GkxW9UPaibP7dFTox61xpywFsvu4bkqz-0tTMd6ppPdUtA4Ug5rdRKfb/w640-h480/101_4527.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> Thadiandamol Peak in Coorg , India<p></p><p>This peak was used in the Great Trigonoical Survey of India,the first survey of Indian subcontinent done scientifically. Started in 1802 by a British officer William Lambton, the survey started at St. Thomas Mount in Madras (Chennai). Thadiandamol peak was one of the points of the Survey.</p>lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-85385309381795080482022-05-07T15:45:00.002+05:302022-05-07T15:45:48.737+05:30THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD `<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1p9a54xf0Fz06ieE4jorwIpHFYH26dqOIWHzg7BMFQ3cLxNlDR142MP0pS0aS9XHEC5im0MscJ205X180BNs0xy2FF_i520TXD6ERhBj8PhZGm7jjzvvVq3nhh7fCbE7U6TBG2Bj93YExCwVNb9Vxvcp-T3PJnoCwFmlP6YCw4p_6KW7Tcf91iCFfQ/s1080/Most%20dangerous%20road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1080" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1p9a54xf0Fz06ieE4jorwIpHFYH26dqOIWHzg7BMFQ3cLxNlDR142MP0pS0aS9XHEC5im0MscJ205X180BNs0xy2FF_i520TXD6ERhBj8PhZGm7jjzvvVq3nhh7fCbE7U6TBG2Bj93YExCwVNb9Vxvcp-T3PJnoCwFmlP6YCw4p_6KW7Tcf91iCFfQ/w690-h475/Most%20dangerous%20road.jpg" width="690" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">The road from Shimla to Kalpa in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh is rightly known as the "Most Dangerous Road" in India. On one side is the towering Himalayan peaks and on the other is the deep ravine of the river Beas. The constantly curving road becomes most dangerous to drive during the apple season in August- September, wen apple loaded trucks come from the apple orchards of Kalpa in a long cavalcade.</p>lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-59294916924563118552022-03-26T20:38:00.000+05:302022-03-26T20:38:39.849+05:30Palash- the tree which heralds the spring<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy01LRxYqUyu5u4jB8S7027dbCZgbRYB10dLY2y4uI1idHf_5LdGCCNThxdWCQPF-bvQeC3Q8ParrrGclXqkfLDWpVGxynARYmkgz7HduKi4NiZf3VgdqwJPk8lyWb5r71G_ajv3Olr3dabiHCi4obOFv5938EdFvWayQY9xj1zNLw6bih_KrkTlzO6A/s4032/618C34EB-128A-4F83-9D84-B4008074DFC6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy01LRxYqUyu5u4jB8S7027dbCZgbRYB10dLY2y4uI1idHf_5LdGCCNThxdWCQPF-bvQeC3Q8ParrrGclXqkfLDWpVGxynARYmkgz7HduKi4NiZf3VgdqwJPk8lyWb5r71G_ajv3Olr3dabiHCi4obOFv5938EdFvWayQY9xj1zNLw6bih_KrkTlzO6A/s320/618C34EB-128A-4F83-9D84-B4008074DFC6.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Justly called the Flame of the Forest, the Palash is mentioned in the Ramayana written by Valmiki Rishi 2000 years ago. It is a small , crooked tree, which grows throughout the Indian subcontinent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEYnQFgSftd7CZJmQ49XO9TTz_JHeZrghLDj9SED1gJqgY_jK8I-8IqTRQ3WHJb9Z8JUfsfMoyNqea-yeXnpHcqm-5qQLfes8Ze05p0eyIEO6RTl-2Cvqgg_P_Yz4GtOdQgXx4YvPrJ3G7Lw9gFOK95Exn11xlMsHagCzyLCZJHrDTJj3SP_SI05vqA/s1280/1BD41753-5D8B-49B7-8A52-2A5DC1F78BEF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEYnQFgSftd7CZJmQ49XO9TTz_JHeZrghLDj9SED1gJqgY_jK8I-8IqTRQ3WHJb9Z8JUfsfMoyNqea-yeXnpHcqm-5qQLfes8Ze05p0eyIEO6RTl-2Cvqgg_P_Yz4GtOdQgXx4YvPrJ3G7Lw9gFOK95Exn11xlMsHagCzyLCZJHrDTJj3SP_SI05vqA/s320/1BD41753-5D8B-49B7-8A52-2A5DC1F78BEF.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>The Palash leaves are woven into disposable plates by village folk. The tree loses all its leaves in spring and becomes resplendent with flame coloured flowers. The flowers are used to make colours to use during the Holi festival in India. During this festival, people sprinkle coloured water or dry powdered colours on their friends and relatives and exchange sweets.<p></p><p>There is also a yellow flowering Palash, which is rarely seen. Known to botanists as Butea monosperma, the Palash belongs to the Pea family. It is a very resilient tree and can tolerate drought, fire and water logging. It is called Muttuga in Karnataka and Dhak in MadhyaPradesh.</p><p>The lac insects breed on the Palash trees.A cottage industry produces shellac, a natural varnish, by breeding these insects on pollarded Palash trees.Strong, thick ropes are woven from the fibre of the bark. These ropes are used by river boats. </p>lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-38096695311208102662020-05-25T10:44:00.002+05:302020-05-25T10:44:28.280+05:30Sarnath, the place of the Buddha's First Sermon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Bamian Buddha which was destroyed by terrorists has now been recreated by the government of Thailand in Sarnath near the holy city of Varanasi.<br />
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A bell erected by the Devotees of Sri Lanka<br />
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The place theBuddha gave his first sermon. Unfortunately, it is no loonger freely accessible to visitors as it is guarded by the police.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-35056740516851025702019-08-31T11:48:00.002+05:302019-08-31T11:48:51.524+05:30Sacred Groves of the Western Ghats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wanting to visit a sacred grove in the thick forests of the Western Ghats, we started trekking from the nearby tribal village. The trail lead us through deeper and darker jungle. <br />
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Beautiful wild flowers dotted the forest floor.<br />
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It is taboo to take anything away from a sacred grove except photographs. Even a dead tree is not cleared- it will turn into humus in due course and replenish the soil.<br />
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Leeches started affixing themselves to our feet! Our guide had carried a packet of salt, which he sprinkled on the leech. Soon it fell to the ground. In these jungles it is advised to apply neem oil to your foot before venturing. The leeches obviously hate the taste of the oil. You are also advised to wear sandals because leeches can get into your shoes and create havoc.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The sacred groves have been protected and looked after by the local villagers since hundreds of years. They contain most of the native trees some of which are really old. New species of flora and fauna are constantly being discovered by scientists in these groves. In February this year, a mysterious frog which is seen only for 4 days in a year was discovered by scientists.<br />
The forest department also conserves the sacred groves. <br />
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lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-883218938771768542019-08-02T19:55:00.000+05:302019-08-02T19:55:06.684+05:30Salt of the Earth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The river Aghanashini flows unimpeded through the thick rain forests of the Western Ghats before she joins the ocean. The tides make her water saline at the estuary, where salt has been harvested for hundreds of years. This salt known as Sanekatte Salt, is prized by naturalists and Ayurveda practitioners because this salt is believed to contain special medicinal properties as the river flows through the herbs of the forest.<br />
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lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-60874563667606721392019-05-27T11:37:00.003+05:302019-05-27T12:01:51.940+05:30Rare Beauties of the Western Ghats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Kaemferia shown above has a spicy scent. It is hidden in the underground all through winter and comes to life in the beeginning of monsoon season. No wonder it is called the 'Resurrection Lily'. Its local name is <i>Nela Sampige. </i>The tubers are used in Ayurvedic medicine.<br />
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Aerides orchid shwn above is another harbinger of the monsoon season. It is known as the garland made by the mythical queen Draupadi when she had to spend 12 years in the forest. Unlike Sita, who made long garlands, Draupadi did not have enough time to make lengthy ones.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-62782799684322636382018-10-09T10:53:00.001+05:302018-10-09T10:53:27.140+05:30Garden denizens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It has been unusually rainy this year. The monsoon rains have not yet stopped, although they usually are over by mid September. Butterflies make the most of the sunny days.<br />
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I was so glad to see a frog in the garden. Hope he will not become a juicy meal to the snakes which roam in the afternoon!<br />
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My thanks to the team of Our World Tuesday.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-87455418199856681332018-07-10T22:22:00.001+05:302018-07-10T22:22:48.274+05:30Exploring Caves<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Now that all the 12 boys and their coach have been rescued from the cave in Thailand, my thoughts turned to the various caves I have visited. The Belum Caves in Andhra Pradesh is one of the most beautiful ones I have visited. Although it is dark in some places, it is lighted by sunlight streaming through the crevices in some.<br />
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Thereis a constant rickle of water in a particular spot, beyond which visitors are not allowed.<br />
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My thanks to the team of <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/">Our World Tuesday.</a></div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-82501279160614257382018-06-29T09:44:00.001+05:302018-06-29T09:44:32.610+05:30Himalayan Skies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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You can never be sure when it is going to rain while trekking in the Valley of Flowers in the Himalayas. Fortunately for us, it was fine most of the time. The rugged path becomes too slippery when it rains, making walking a challenge.<br />
My thanks to Fiona at Skywatch Friday. <br />
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lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-50001060311163852302018-06-19T11:49:00.001+05:302018-06-19T11:49:30.919+05:30Monsoon Magic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Monsoon is the time when India gets rainfall. It is a time of joy for everyone, in spite of the muggy weather. It is also the flowering time of some plants and the mating season of some creatures. <br />
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The painted ginger which flowers during the monsoon season is a valuable medicinal plant. Its leaves are used in the treatment of diabetes. Most people know it as "Diabetes Plant".<br />
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The frogs keep up a serenade to their mates through the night. <br />
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The Butterfly Ginger has a heady scent. It opens in the night to attract night flying moths.<br />
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This beautiful butterfly is called an "Eggfly". The male has these egg like parkings, while the female is not so attractive.<br />
After years of drought, the monsoon has stated with a bang, and most rivers are full. The waterfalls of the Western Ghats are attracting thousands of visitors.<br />
My thanks to the team of<a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/"> Our World Tuesday.</a></div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-46510422793850265362018-05-08T11:07:00.001+05:302018-05-08T11:07:23.705+05:30Orange is the Colour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The rains have started early this year and the plants and trees are bursting into flower now. The predominant colour everywhere seemss to be orange this season. <br />
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I don't know the names of the two flowers above, though they are blooming in my garden.<br />
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The early rains seem to have hastened the mating season of butterflies. <br />
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My thanks to the team of<a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/"> Our World Tuesday.</a></div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-17205857190349964402018-03-13T12:00:00.001+05:302018-03-13T12:00:17.661+05:30My Garden in the Dry Season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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March and April are very dry and hot in this part of India. Water lilies seem to like this weather.<br />
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The light blue floers look cool in the heat.<br />
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A moth is resting on a ruella.<br />
Many thanks to the team of <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/">Our World Tuesday</a>.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-76218367299090082672018-02-07T10:40:00.001+05:302018-02-07T10:40:24.039+05:30The Valley of Flowers in the Himalayas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have always been fascinated by the Himalayas, which I visit every year. These are some of the photos of the abundabnt wildflowers in the Valley of Flowers where I trekked in August 2015.<br />
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Innula with a bee.<br />
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The valley- when you trek farther, you come to the grave of the British botanist Joan Margaret Legge, who lost her balance while trekking and died.<br />
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The blue poppy in its natural habitat.<br />
Many people are daunted by the rather difficult trek into the valley and come away without seeing any flowers. Some others expect a flower show like the tulips of Amsterdam !The Valley of Flowers is a naturalist's delight.<br />
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My thanks to the team of Our World Tuesday.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-65596289981797942672018-01-16T10:36:00.001+05:302018-01-16T10:36:14.826+05:30Lonar- the Secret Lake Made by an Extra-terrestrial Object<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Although it is the only lake in the world made by the collision of a meteorite hitting the lava basaltic rock , nobody seems to be interested in it but scientists and naturalists. We drove to this wonderful place when I was in Aurangabad last month, as I had always wanted to see it. The crater was made 50,000 years ago in the Pleistocene Epoch when a blazing meteor weighing over one million tons , travelling at an incredible speed of 90,000km/hour crashed into the basaltic rock .It gouged the earth and made a depression 1.8 kilometres wide and 150 metres deep.It erupted and spewed molten rock all over its rim, which has turned into a beautiful crest. Over the years, the jungle has taken over the crest. <br />
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The Lonar lake supports a unique bio- diversity, not found in the flat land surrounding it. We had to walk through this jungle to reach the shores of the lake.<br />
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The water in the lake is both saline and alkaline. One of our friends dipped his gold wedding ring in the water of the lake and wiped it. The ring shone like it had just been polished! During drought years, the water of the lake recedes, and the jungle makes a valiant effort to claim the land. When there is a good monsoon, the waters get back their lost territory, killing the jungle trees.The micro-organisms found in the lake are quite rare.<br />
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As we walked in the jungle to reach the shore of the lake, we came across many ancient broken down temples to Shiva. <br />
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The white circle in the water is an ancient man made well. Our guide told us that the water taken from the eastern rim of the well is sweet, but the water from the western rim is salty. The well is named "Saas-Bahoo Well", (Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law well).<br />
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I am joining<a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blospot.com/"> Our World Tuesday </a>where you can read many interesting stories.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-64517483088623411122018-01-08T12:08:00.000+05:302018-01-09T20:38:45.801+05:30A Breath of Fresh Air : The Native Biodiversity Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I met Katy Rustom through this blog, and took the first opportunity to visit the wonderful biodiversity garden her organization CERE has started at Tanveera near Alibaug in Maharashtra together with the Shapoorji Pallonji Group and the Raigad Zilla Parishad .Named Shapoorji Palonji Native Biodiversity Garden, this piece of greenery in a semi-urban situation is literally a breath of fresh air and a serene place full of beauty and information. The entrance gates have sculptures of local butterflies ,and when you enter, you are greeted by the tall Deepmala- a traditional welcome by lamps.<br />
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The one acre garden has more than 700 varieties of plants collected from all over India. They are arranged in sections like sensory, medicinal, wetland, butterfly etc. There is a pond ecosystem comprising a beautiful lily pond. Although it was not the season, many plants were in flower like the Holmskoldia below .<br />
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I was surprised to see a ground cover of Melastoma , whose cuttings Katy graciously gave me.This is a flower of the Western Ghats.<br />
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Katy showing a rare tree in the garden. The garden nurtures and propagates many endangered native plants. <br />
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Large white flowers of the Vajradanti, which is used in Ayurveda for treatment of dental problems.<br />
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One of the most unusual trees I saw was Ficus benghalensis var. Krishnae, with the leaves forming pockets! <br />
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School children thronged the touch screen to find out about the plants and animals in the garden.I was happy to see so many school children visiting the garden and evincing keen interest in biodiversity.<br />
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Boys were more inerested in running through the mini maze hung with bells. Boys will be boys!<br />
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After a wonderful walk through the garden, we sat in the shade of a Bauhinia tree and wondered at the amount of hard work which must have gone into making this beautiful place.I hope there will be many more gardens of this kind.<br />
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I am joining<a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/"> Our World Tuesday</a> where you can read about many interesting things of our world.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-9681539553179671412017-11-28T11:35:00.001+05:302017-11-28T11:35:17.474+05:30Wild Flower of the Season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Blue Tiger butterfly on the yellow rattlepod.<br />
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Tanner's Cassia flowers profusely. It is also a medicinal plant.<br />
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A morning glory.<br />
It is a joy to find wild flowers in an urban situation!</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-22273244318163988572017-11-09T12:07:00.000+05:302017-11-09T12:07:09.633+05:30Wonderful Western Ghats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Western Ghats were thickly forested in the beginning of the 20th century, but now there are only pockets of the dense rain forests remaining. I visited one such spot near Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district last week. A beautiful wild flower can be seen in the photo on top.<br />
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A gurgling brook called Shalmala flows in the dense forest. A hanging bridge is constructed to connect the sparsely populated villages.<br />
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We wereastonished to see hundreds of shiva lingas carved on the rocks in the brook. According to legend, a childless chieftain of the area in ancient times was advised by a sage to do so. After getting the lingas carved, the chieftain was blessed with many children.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-53259348410010356952017-10-05T18:06:00.001+05:302017-11-09T12:10:12.735+05:30Around Valparai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Valparai is a hill station in Tamilnad, where you find unending spread of tea gardens. The Nerar dam near Valparai has a beautiful, serene waterbody. After seeing miles of tea gardens the lake was a sight for sore eyes.<br />
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Lion tailed macaques can be seen in the forests far from the tea gardens.<br />
I hope these tropical forests will not be razed to make more tea gardens.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-79780152523643585732017-08-28T12:20:00.001+05:302017-08-28T12:20:39.187+05:30Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My daughter took me to Kyoto, Japan for my birthday. We visited the Fushimi Inari shrine the day we landed. The place was quite crowded as it was the time of the Gion festival in Kyoto. The shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god Inari, who is the god of rice. The torii gates are a brilliant orange colour. They make long tunnels which go a long way up the wooded mountain.<br />
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People write their requests to the god in paper, fold it into a face of fox and keep it on a stand.Foxes are considered to be the messengers of the god Inari.<br />
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The forest stretches all around the shrine. The same colour is used for the fences too.<br />
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My thanks to the team of <a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/">Our World Tuesday</a>.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-82055407444915898582017-06-05T19:08:00.001+05:302017-11-09T12:09:08.782+05:30A Hidden Valley in the Himalayas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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To escape the sweltering heat of May, people escape to the hills. Unlike Shimla and Manali, Tirthan Valley in Himachal Pradesh is still unknown to most people. Its charm lies in the hills and thick deodar forests surrounding it , the turquois tinted Tirthan river, and the gentle people who inhabit the valley. I was in the Tirthan Valley last week, and I would like to share some pictures with you.<br />
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A typical house in the valley with slate roof., surrounded by wheat and vegetable patches.<br />
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The harvested land is being prepared for the next crop.<br />
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Wild Himalayan irises carpet the mountainsides.<br />
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A wooden bridge which leads to the Great Himalayan National Park. Tirthan valley is a part of the National Park, which is a World Heritage site.<br />
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Thick forests on both sides of the fast flowing Tirthan river.<br />
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Thanks to the team of<a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/"> Our World Tuesday</a> for giving us the joy of reading so many interesting posts.</div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-7848014048943009182017-05-16T12:15:00.001+05:302017-05-16T12:17:27.955+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The pre monsoon showers and hailstorms seems to have encouraged the Pereskia to put out its beautiful orange blooms. The long , ferocious looking thorns in the bush is a bit scary!<br />
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The Barbados lily has also come out with a surprise. Spring time was obviously too hot for it to flower.<br />
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My thanks to the team of<a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/">Our World Tuesday</a> for making each Tuesday a special day! </div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-53608461610154165052017-04-04T12:07:00.001+05:302017-04-04T12:07:39.474+05:30Royal Purple<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Most of the flowers are blooming in my garden in spite of the intense heat and water shortage. It is the purple ones which look cool and inviting like the Petria above. The vine has started invading the sandalwood tree next to it. I have to prune it.<br />
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I have mulched the flower beds with fallen leaves, which seems to be appreciated by the purple ruellia.<br />
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My thanks to the team of<a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/"> Our World Tuesday.</a></div>
lotusleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02725791780240334964noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213208274796269896.post-49892163834195837602017-03-06T11:41:00.001+05:302017-03-06T11:41:34.806+05:30Kuppali- A Poet's Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The home of the beloved Kannada poet K.V.Puttappa is in the midst of a dense rainforest in the Western Ghats. The lush greenery and the smells and sounds of the forest must have inspired him to write his beautiful poetry.<br />
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The Karnataka state government has hept the ancient homestead in good repair , and has turned it into a museum. <br />
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It was quite common for large families to live in the middle of the dense forest in the last century. People grew their own rice and vegetables, kept cows and hens, and grew spices, coffee and betelnut which brought them money.<br />
My thanks to the team of Our World Tuesday.</div>
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