When the jackals came calling in Kipling's Mowghli-land

Rudyard Kipling is said to have written 'The Jungle Book' based on his stay in India and his imagination of the Central Indian forests. His story 'Hunting-Song of the Seeonee Pack' is based on the jungles around Seoni town, that include Pench Tiger Reserve.

I visited the well-known Kanha Tiger Reserve in Central India from the 19 to 24 of this month to attend a WWF-India meeting and also to see our work there. Flying in to Jabalpur from Delhi on Monday, we drove through the beautiful forests of Satpura - Maikal landscape. The forests are of teak as one drives from Jabalpur on the highway to Raipur City (Chattisgarh), through Jabalpur and Mandla territorial divisions. The teak slowly gives way to sal as one crosses the Narmada River at Mandla Town. About 40 km south-east of Mandla is Kanha Tiger Reserve.

During the week we managed to get into the park a couple of times. Tourism here is very visible unlike many of the parks down south like Dandeli or Mudumalai. There are hordes of Maruti Gypsy vehicles lined up at the entrance to the park, as early as 5 AM, waiting for their chance to enter the forest. All seems organised and well-oiled until you meet this guy driving a Gypsy towards you and says where they saw a tiger a few minutes ago. Your driver races down the dirt track and as you near the site where the tiger was sighted, you see tens of Gypsies lined up along the road to catch a glimpse of the King. Hyper-excited kids, childish adults, awe-struck videshis...a wide spectrum of the audience awaits you, much of which is noisy.

As tourism is important to the economies of many small villages and towns around Kanha and since Kanha is one of 'The' places to see a wild tiger, the forest department is under tremendous pressure to cater to the needs of different sectors. Despite these factors, the forest department and the Government of Madhya Pradhes have done an excellent job in protecting Kanha and its wildlife. I guess some one up the chain needs to be firm and restrict the number of gypsies approaching a tiger. Till then it's literally a rat race, even in Kipling's Jungle Book country.

Near roof of the world: Panzi La

Penzi La or Pensi La, at 14,000 feet, is the highest point along the Kargil - Padum road in India's Jammu and Kashmir state. The word 'La' in Ladakhi language means pass.The pass is located close to Drang-drung glacier.

 

The scenic drive from Rangdum to Penzi La takes about an hour.

The route ascends up and one runs into many glaciers.

Buddhist prayer flags form the foreground to a panoramic vista of the landscape around Penzi La.

Cattle grazing amidst glaciers and snow-capped peaks around Penzi La.

Looking back at the road from Rangdum from Penzi La, surrounded by towering glaciers and barren mountain bases.

View of the Drang-drung glacier through the vehicle's wind shield.

Approaching the Drang-drung glacier.

Drang-drung is the most formidable of all the glaciers along the Kargil - Padum road journey. The melting ice feeds the Indus river that runs into Pakistan.

Rangdum, its landscape and wildlife

Rangdum is a small hamlet inhabited by a handful of Ladhaki families. The place lies along the Kargil - Padum road and is a favourite halting place for many who travel along the road. Located, as it is, near glaciers the temperatures are freezing at night even in summer. Access to the place by road is blocked in winter due to the snow.

A rock formation near Rangdum. The Himalayas are considered to be relatively young mountains. According to plate tectonics theory, they were formed by the clash of the Indo-Australian plate with the Eurasian plate.

Early morning view of the glaciers and peaks surrounding the Rangdum tourist bungalow

Rangdum offers sweeping views of the tall valleys and peaks.

The area around Rangdum thrives with wildlife. The area is rich in birdlife like this Horned Lark.

Among the many birds that breed in the meadows around Rangdum are the Yellowheaded wagtail.

The Longtailed Marmots are the most visible wildlife in the region. They bask in the sun early morning and late-evening and hide in burrows when approached. Hundreds of them adorn the landscape here.

The drive to glacier country

Green pastures besides the road to Parkachik village from Tangole village. Beyond Parkachik village, the road ascends steeply into glacier country.

Grazing in a sub-alpine meadow near Parkachik village. This is also the site of sub-alpine camping by Dept of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir Government.

Rangri glacier originates below Nun peak and lies just besides the road. It melts into River Suru.

The steep, rugged road beyond Rangri glacier towards Rangdum.

Melting glaciers feed a stream of River Suru beyond Rangri glacier.

Beyond Shafat Glacier the valley gets wider and one can see sweeping views of the mountains.

A view of Shafat glacier.

Grazing horses besides the road on the drive up to Rangdum.

Along the way, the road passes through many beautiful sub-alpine meadows.

The road is narrow at many places and cuts through boulders.

Wide valley and tall cliffs along the road to Rangdum.

A signpost indicating the distance to Rangdum.

The sun sets over the tourist bungalow and huts at Rangdum

Beyond Paradise: Villages in Kargil Dist's upper Suru Valley

A handful of small villages and hamlets are located in the upper part of the Suru River valley. The Nun-Kun peaks over look much of Upper Suru valley and together with the many glaciers form a spectacular backdrop to these habitations - Tai Suru, Panikhar, Tangole and Parkachik among others.

Below are some images of the drive from Purtikchay to Tangole - the village that provides climbers access to Nun - Kun.

A gushing stream fed by snow-capped peaks (above).

The valley suddenly opens vast vistas at Purtikchay village (above).

From Purtichay the first clear view of the Nun-Kun peaks (above).

Nun-Kun peaks dominate the landscape in the Upper Suru valley (above).

A Government primary school amidst the Himalayas (above).

The landscape is simply spectacular and some of the views hit your sense very hard. These views are too hard to forget and hang-over of the trip lingers on in a visitor's mind for years. A barley field with the backdrop of Parkachik glacier seen in the above and below picture.

A glacier fed stream beyond Panikhar village, before it joins the Suru River (above).

Plantations besides road with the back drop of glaciers (above).

Villagers farming below glaciers along Panikhar - Tangole stretch of the road (above).

Panikhar village as seen from the Panikhar - Tangole road (above).

Upper Suru valley & Panikhar village as seen from the Panikhar - Tangole road (above).

The Nun-Kun massive as seen from the Panikhar - Tangole road (above).

Upper Suru valley & Panikhar village as seen from the Panikhar - Tangole road (above).

A wooden bridge over Suru River at Tangole village (above).

A view of glaciers feeding farmland around Tangole village (above).

A panoramic view of Upper Suru valley & villages of Panikhar and Tai Suru, as seen from the Tangole - Tai Suru road (above).

A panoramic view of Upper Suru valley & villages of Panikhar and Tai Suru, as seen from the Tangole - Tai Suru road (above).

Looking back at Parkachik Glacier along the Tangole - Tai Suru road (above).

Another panoramic view of Upper Suru valley & villages of Panikhar and Tai Suru, as seen from the Tangole - Tai Suru road (above). Beyond this is the Parkachik village and the views are of glaciers as one ascends to Rangdum beyond Parkachik.

The road south from Kargil town

There are two roads that lead away from Kargil as one enters this sleepy town from Srinagar via Drass. The one south-east leads to Leh and is a very popular one, with many people these days driving or riding from Leh to Srinagar or vice versa. There is another road that goes south and then turns east and south again. That road leads to Padum, an important town in Ladakh region.

Please see the region's google map here
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For most part of the drive south, the road is along the banks of Kargil River. The River Suru is a tributary of River Indus and dominates much of Kargil District's landscape. The road is not as winding as roads generally are in the mountains untill it turns east into the Upper parts of the Suru Valley. The soil is loose and it might have helped the authorities in building the roads easily. All along the river bank are a string of small hamlets, that extend till it gets very cold up in the mountains. The lower valleys are cultivated while the peaks are permanently capped with snow.

Please see images below of the drive from Kargil village till Khar Pokhar hamlet.

Drive from Zojilla Pass to Kargil Town

Friends,

I visited Kashmir Valley and Kargil district in Jammu and Kashmir state from July 6 - 11.

Below is the first series of pictures. These were taken during the drive from Zojilla Pass (where the Kashmir Valley ends) to Kargil town.

The landscape of Ladakh is totally different from that of Kashmir Valley. The drive below is through some spectacular landscape. The landscape is dotted with 'Bakarwals', the nomadic grazers of Kashmir, as well as picturesque villages with the backdrop of glaciers and snow capped peaks. Along the way one can also see Tiger Hill, which was scene of fierce war between two subcontinent neighbours in 1999.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is vast and diverse. Even a week was not enough for me to capture the beauty of even its tiny part.

If you observe, I have captured the town of Kargil both under sunlight and moonlight. Hope you enjoy the images as much as I did taking them.

In conservation,
Ameen

Friends of Ranthambore

WWF-India has been working for quite a few years now with people around Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. It has been helping wean people of marginal communities from depending on forest resources. There have been many positive results with many villagers willing to walk with WWF-India to conserve Ranthambore's forests.

A large number of people enter Ranthambore National park every day, mainly for religious purposes.

Outside the park a large no: of people are dependant on it mainly for fuel wood. Seen here is a view in Dungri village, Khandar Tehsil, Sawai Madhopur District.

Camel carts on a road adjoining the park boundaries.

A women's self help group in Dungri village, Khandar Tehsil, Sawai Madhopur District. The group makes paper bags from used newspaper and sells it to newarby market. This way they save some money to use for domestic purpose. Earlier they used to cut fuelwood from forest and sell it to make money. Also, they are planning to buy subsidised LPG cooking stoves and cylinders with the money they make from the paper bags. Currently they use fuelwood for their fuel needs.

A beaming Guddi Yogi, a leading contributor to this self-help group proudly shows off her work.

Noori has been among the ones to encourage her fellow villagers to start the alternative livelihood.

A group of enthusiastic villagers at Dungri Village.

Lima Rosalind, has been heading the livelihood project of WWF-India in Sawai Madhopur District for a long time now. Here she is with Guddi Yogi, a self-help group member of Dungri Village.

A family that wants to shift to horticulture from agriculture to prevent crop depradation. WWF-India will be helping these villagers to fence their farm land till the trees are mature and can withstand crop raids by wild herbivores.

WWF-India staff inspecting a farmland whose owners are being helped.

The WWF-India team visiting the field. From left: Diwakar Sharma, Ameen Ahmed, Sukeerti, Pradeep Singh. In the back ground are the forests of Sawai Mansingh Wildlife Sanctuary.

With temperatures around 45 degree centigrade, an effective way to prevent sun stroke is to cover one self from head to toe and leave little for sun to directly sap the heat.

The 'Khush Haar' women's self help group at Falodi village in Sawai Madhopur District is doing excellent work again. These women were also earlier dependant on the forests of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve adjoining their village. Now they make cloth bags, small mats, table clothes, cushion covers and ropes which are marketed to tourists visiting Sawai Madhopur Town. Seen above is Begum, a leading member of the group.

Begum at work

Begum, proudly displaying fruits of her hard work.

Another product by the self-help group of Falodi village.

Of Ranthambore's Monitor Lizards and Crocodiles

Apart from tigers and birds, there are many things that can be seen with ease in summer in Ranthambore National Park. Like, Crocodiles and Monitor Lizards. Below are some images of the same.

Some birds of Ranthambore

Although Ranthambore National Park is known world over for its wild tigers, the park is also a haven for birds. Many of the birds here can be seen and photographed from close distances. This is particularly true in summers around water holes.