Landscapes Of The Mind
  • Home
  • Musings & Reflections
  • Glimpses Through The Lens
    • The Feathered Beauties
    • I Saw,I Clicked... >
      • Vishnupur
      • The Tantalizing Landscape Of Uttaranchal
      • Amidst The Sand Dunes Of Khuri
      • Chatris Of Shekawati
      • Havelis Of Shekawat
    • I Saw, I Clicked Part II >
      • Hosaholalu
      • Pristine Havelock
      • Pichavaram
      • Chidambaram
    • I Saw I Clicked Part III >
      • Yosemite
      • A Day At The Vatican Museum
      • Norcia
      • Moscow
    • Butterflies & Flowers
    • Close Encounters At Corbett
    • Bijapur & Beyond
    • Enchanting Athirapalli
    • Splendours of Seatlle
    • Monet's Garden
  • Glimpses Through The Lens: II
    • Poetry in stone >
      • Brihadeeswarar Koil
      • Gangaikondacholapuram
      • Dharasuram
      • Thanjavur Art Gallery
    • In The Land Of Enlightenment
    • Charming Chitrapu
    • Exploring Orissa >
      • Mesmerizing Mangalajodi
      • Bewitching Bhetnoi
      • Daksa Prajapati Temple
    • Birding Down Under >
      • Parrots Galore!
      • Lyrical Lyre Bird
      • Honey Eaters
      • Kingfishers, Wrens, Wagtails, Warblers...
      • Orioles, Golden Whistlers
      • Cockatoos, Kookaburras & Magpies
      • Pigeons, Doves
      • Birds Of Prey, Bower Birds
      • Water Birds & In Flight
      • Others
    • Murals of Pundarikapuram
  • Contact Me

In Search Of An Iconic Bird . . .

2/24/2015

23 Comments

 
After completing the workshop LGB Regional Institute Of Mental Health at Tezpur, I headed to Nameri National Park in the company of Sobhana. The Eco Camp was flush with tourists and thanks to Sonia Deuri, I was given an accommodation in the guesthouse which is usually reserved for visiting scientists! We were fervently searching for Sushil the young and talented bird guide at Nameri. To our dismay we found that he was away, taking his 10th Standard exams! A hurried call to dear friend Manju Barua ensured that we could get in touch with the forest guard Minaram Gogoi. Unfortunately he was going on a preassigned trek that afternoon and promised to be with us the whole of next day. So we decided to do some river rafting that afternoon.

One of the birds I was keen to have a glimpse was the Ibis Bill. Ibis bill is often considered among the "most-wanted" birds in the world. It is often considered the "bird of the trip"!  They breed at quite high elevation which adds to their allure. In winter, they come down to riverine shingle-banks and islets between.

We drove in a jeep for about 20Kms and then got into a rubber dingy to raft down the Jia-Bhoroli river. I wore the life jacket and stepped gingerly into the swaying dingy with a bit of trepidation as it was my first experience in rafting! The soothing sounds of water flowing around soon assuaged all my concerns. As we rafted down, the river rose all around rocking us with seamless energy, suddenly swelling into form eddies.

And there it was… a greyish bird, so beautifully camouflaged among the grey boulders along the edge of the river. Unaware of our presence, it slowly made its way among the pile of rocks foraging for food.  I was totally mesmerized by its presence and struggled to keep my balance in the swinging dingy to grab my camera to freeze this moment.

As I was watching this iconic bird, Kabir’s poem “Tell Me Oh Swan, Your Ancient Tale”, resonated deep within me…

Tell me, O Swan, your ancient tale.
From what land do you come,
O Swan? to what shore will you fly?
Where would you take your rest,
O Swan, and what do you seek?


Suddenly there was drop of water….and more of them, in trickles and torrents. We were caught in the midst of river in pouring rain! The dingy started swaying more precariously as it negotiated boulders in the river. It became quite windy and extremely chilly. There was no place to take shelter as the river bed was shorn of tree cover. The young boys, who were steering the dingy adeptly, suggested that we get onto the rocks and turn the dingy upside down to take cover. And that’s what we did till the rain petered down to a manageable trickle!

Undeterred by the sudden onslaught of the rain, we continued to raft down the river for more than an hour and a half till we reached the safe embankments near the Eco Camp.

It was a sublime experience, of being immersed in the oneness of nature.

Wasn’t it Byron who wrote, "Are not the mountains, waves and skies a part of me and of my soul, as I of them?"

Picture
23 Comments
malathi swaminathan
2/23/2015 10:55:20 pm

Wow Sir!! Thank you a ton for making me view literally "arm chair"
i can just think of this happening as - for the determined heart nothing is impossible!! Time and again I enjoy this in you!!
Thank you a heap again!!
Your travelogues are as rich as texts as those captured in you lens

Reply
Mohan Raj
2/23/2015 11:19:29 pm

the Narration took us in along in the river raft. Hope to go there sometime with you.

Reply
Sobhana
2/23/2015 11:42:52 pm

Sir, I had a fantastic time.. learned a lot... what a beautiful picture of the Ibis.. Beautiful description of the trip too :)

Reply
Ravi Shankar Rao
2/23/2015 11:55:49 pm

Ragu, what a rewarding adventure- expanding your consciousness into the beatific surroundings!

Reply
MK SUDARSHAN
2/23/2015 11:57:52 pm

Hearty congratulations. Wonderful and delightful sighting.

Reply
Usha Akka
2/24/2015 01:34:18 am

Indeed it is great to watch your favourite bird Ibis Bill. Your long wish too. Congratulations.

Reply
Soudhamini Shastry
2/24/2015 01:14:03 am

Sir, congratulations on spotting the very bird you were hoping to find. The photograph has captured the camouflage so very well, the magnificent creature hiding in plain sight!

Reply
vivek
2/24/2015 01:51:44 am

Sir, spotting the Ibis,rafting, it must have been an experience. Glad to know you enjoyed the rafting.

Reply
Saranya
2/24/2015 02:13:22 am

What an appropriate poem........
It is the travelogue more than the bird.

Reply
Sheeba
2/24/2015 05:17:33 am

Hello Sir! Thank you for sharing..it's beautiful.

Reply
Ashok
2/24/2015 06:00:06 am

Thanks Sir! This was an enjoyable read even for a non-bird watcher!

Reply
Barry Lancaster
2/24/2015 06:43:47 am

Prof - Great bird and the experience beautifully described. I saw the bird in Bhutan near Thimphu

Reply
Deepa Mohan link
2/24/2015 07:44:40 am

Took me back to the days when I too, sighted the Ibisbills on the banks of the Jiabharolli river...thank you for the evocative post!

Reply
V Ravisankar
2/24/2015 09:39:23 am

Respected sir
Words can scarcely do justice to express my awe for ...the poem..the travelogue...and the captivating snap of the ibis. Thank you for taking me the lap of mother nature.
best respects and regards
Ravi

Reply
Chitra Nagaraj
2/24/2015 11:43:05 am

Soothing and beautiful

Reply
Ajay
2/25/2015 03:31:57 pm

As always fantastic pics and wonderful writing!

Reply
Nalini
2/25/2015 10:23:07 pm

Sir thanks for the privilege. It was a feast for the eyes and food for thought. A refreshing journey through your lens and pen which took me away from the mundane world.

Regards.

Reply
S.P.Chaukimath
2/26/2015 05:48:52 pm

Sir,reading through the narration I felt as if I was part of this journey !

Reply
Malathi Swaminathan
2/26/2015 08:16:43 pm

Sir, reading each reply we are each filled with such cheer
"For in making others happy
we will be happy, too.
For the happiness you give away
returns to shine on you"
Each of these travel and photo you share make me see the value of the Chinese proverb "Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come." Thank you a heap again for getting me to see nature in all her beauty. Thank you a ton for these multi-sensorial feasts!

Reply
Vasudeo Paralikar
2/27/2015 01:48:24 am

Wow! This must be the harshest editor of the Avian Journals, with the nonpareil beak! Most amazing, thanks ..

Reply
Sundar
2/27/2015 08:52:59 am

A very narration and and splendid picture, coming from our own "Birdman"! Well done Ragu. May you continue to enthrall us and we get the benefit of your effort just by sitting in front of our computers-:)

Reply
Dr Raguram
2/27/2015 03:16:44 pm

Images may fade, but experiences continue to have a hold...
A heartfull (of thoughts) thanks of your appreciative notes,,,

Reply
Ajay
3/1/2015 09:31:08 pm

Congratulation sir ! Wonderful pic

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Dr Raguram

    Someone who keeps exploring beyond the boundaries of everyday life to savor and share those unforgettable moments....

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    May 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly