Valparai Visit - Dec 2008

I won't go into the gory details on why 2008 was and probably will (be barring a total annihilation of the planet by a meteor or WWIII or the act of some weird ass terrorist who decides to nuke Bangalore) be the worst year of my life! Too many tragedies but life still moves on. I am so fascinated by Homo sapien sapiens response to traumatic and life changing events and the species' ability to carry on with life! That topic is perhaps for another post.

December was the best part of 2008 and I got to spend a couple of relaxing days at Valparai and the expense of my dear friend and wonderful host Mr. Ashok Pandey. If anyone has ever tried to follow this blog (99.999999999999999999999% that this is highly unlikely) he/she will know how lazy I can be (average of say 5 postings a year!) so I'll let the pictures paint a thousand words!

Picture 1:The Elusive Lion Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus)

We spent 2 days looking out for these guys and one day Aditya and me decided to give one last chance and what did we see? A group of 20 LTM's! For those who dont know these guys number only about 2000 and are found only in the Western Ghats

More Info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion-tailed_Macaque

Date Captured: December (err dont know when)
Camera: Canon EOS 300 (ISO 200 Film, Auto Exposure, 28-85mm Canon EF Lens)



Picture 2: Sunlight Streaming Through the Shola Forest Canopy

This was an awesome shot of the jungle in all its glory (minus the asphalted road that was running in-between). This is the road from Valparai to Athirapally Falls in Kerala. Awesome (and tiresome!) drive


Date: December 2008
Camera: Canon EOS 300 (ISO 200 on Auto Mode, Canon EF 28-85mm Lens)



Picture 3: I say Whattay Place!

The Tamil Nadu Forest Departments shed at Konalar on the Eravikulam/Grass Hills Range and 10 kms from the nearest human being.

Date: December 25, 2008
Camera: Canon EOS 300 (ISO 200 on Auto Mode, Canon EF 28-85mm Lens)




Picture 4: Bos gaurus Alert!

Here were were walking around the tea estate when I suddenly see a family of 5 bisons happily chewing away at the vegetation about 5 feet to my left!

Date: December 24, 2008
Camera: Canon EOS 300 (ISO 200 on Auto Mode, Canon EF 70-300mm Lens)



Picture 5: Tahrs Ahoy!

A herd of Nilgiri Tahr at Grass Hills (Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary), Valparai in the way to Konalar Hut. Taken at about 8 am in the morning. I can't stop admiring these creatures. Seeing them tip toe across cliffs and see the speed with which they can climb in such a treacherous terrain is indeed inspiring!

Date: December 25, 2008
Camera: Canon EOS 300 (ISO 200 on Auto Mode, Canon EF 70-300mm Lens)



Picture 6: Grass Hills

The pic says it all!

Date: December 25, 2008
Camera: Canon EOS 300 (ISO 200 on Auto Mode, Canon EF 28-85mm Lens)



Picture 7 Sambhar

Saw this beautiful female Sambhar (Cervus unicolor) standing on the road to Manampally (Valparai again) power station and we were lucky to see her since the road is not open to the public. But thanks to Mr. Pandey we could get permission to see the place.

Date: December 24, 2008
Camera: Canon EOS 300 (ISO 200 on Auto Mode, Canon EF 28-85mm Lens)



More snaps in the next post (otherwise I probably will not post for another year!)