Brownian Movements

 Nal Sarovar is a large freshwater lake of about 120 sq kms, located 64 kms west of Ahmedabad and is during winter, home to more than 250 species of birds, many of them water birds that migrate long distances from the frigid northern parts of Asia and can be viewed at close quarters in the many boats that used to ply on the lake. It was declared as a bird sanctuary in 1969 and was included as a Ramsar site in 2012. I had been wanting to visit Nal Sarovar since long but it was only recently that I managed to do so as part of a meticulously planned trip by Nature India under the able leadership of Adesh Shivkar. Nal Sarovar had always been a tourist hotspot as it is proximate to Ahmedabad, with delightful boating on the expansive lake and outlets that serve delectable Kathiawadi cuisine. Serious birding has been a latter development, fuelled by the growing numbers of birders and by the proliferation of numerous professional guides who take their work most seriously. I was a ta...

  A LANDMARK, A PLEASANT SURPRISE & CHARCUTERIE Recently I completed sixty-five years of existence in this world. It is a landmark for most people, and for me as well. Although I do not intend to stop working, I have resolved that from now on I will work only when it is pleasurable and stress-free. I have also made a few resolutions as I begin this new phase of life—chief among them is training myself to notice the small things that bring joy. No celebration was planned and my wife and I were to have a quiet evening at home with the youngsters (my son and daughter-in-law). While we expected them in the evening, I was taken aback when they arrived, heavily loaded with bags of goodies, each carefully sourced after meticulous research to prepare and serve a Charcuterie! Food has always been a source of pleasure for me. I was more of a gourmand in my earlier years; with age, I find myself becoming a gourmet instead. This thoughtful surprise was therefore the perfect bir...

  NINETY MINUTES IN PARADISE:  Dzuleke village, Nagaland. I was in Nagaland on a birding trip organized by Nature India with Mandar Khadilkar as our group leader and tour organizer. Our ‘all male’ group of eight was housed in the village of Khonoma, which has the apellation of being the first eco friendly, 'Green' village in India following the adoption of eco-friendly policies by the villagers which includes a total ban on hunting (which was part of the culture of the Naga people), and eschewing plastic articles which has paved the way for sustainable eco-tourism. Our first day there was a trifle disappointing because of unseasonal rain during the night and fog throughout the morning that made birding difficult and photography unfeasible in the poor light. Worse were the numerous leeches that pervaded the undergrowth and were abundant even on the tarred road! We were to visit Dzuleke the next day and left at 5 30 am with a little trepidation as it had rained in the morn...

  Far from Home, Relics of a Ship Long Gone: The Lifeboats of Havrim A few weeks ago, I went on a birding trip with friends to Mamachi Wadi , a beach in Virar about 50 km north of Mumbai. This quiet stretch of coast lies just north of the more touristy Arnala Beach , which faces the Isle of Arnala —home to an old Portuguese fort .  Our birding spot included mangroves , small creeks, and a pond dotted with lovely water lilies . Scattered around were small houses and flower farms that supply blooms to the Mumbai markets.  Small houses with gardens that grow flowers     Water lilies in bloom  A narrow road led about a kilometer further down to the beach, a haven for hundreds of waterbirds that we had come to watch and photograph. On the way, a small creek caught my attention. Several boats were pulled up along its clay banks. At first, I only glanced at them, distracted by a bird that had just flown across the water. But something about those boats stayed...