Mount Abu Adapting to the Environment Abu Birds

Adapting to the Environment

Nature’s Awakening: Environmental Adaptation

As I set out on my usual early morning stroll, I had no idea I’d be witnessing a wonderful exhibition of adaptation in the natural world. Rose-ringed parakeets, famed for their vivid colours and energetic personalities, stole the show with their refreshing bath in a dew paradise. It was a divine scene, but as I looked closer, these bird bathers were sending a subtle message amidst the droplets: a warning about the worth of water in a year of scarcity.

Morning Ritual with Rose-ringed Parakeets

The Rose-ringed parakeets’ early morning feats were nothing short of spectacular. These typically active birds took their time to enjoy a nice bath in what appeared to be dew. In a world with limited water, the parakeets served as a reminder to conserve it. Each droplet, including dew on leaves, became a valuable resource, and the birds were telling us, in their own way, to conserve and treasure every drop.

Rose-ringed parakeet

Rose-ringed parakeet heavenly bath

Rose-ringed Parakeets care to join me for an aerial bath

 Rose-ringed Parakeets twosome more fun

 Rose-ringed Parakeets hush a taste of morning dew and warmth from the sun god

 Rose-ringed Parakeets dizzy with elation

Rose-ringed Parakeets The world looks upside down from here

Rose-ringed Parakeets Gosh it feels so good

Rose-ringed parakeet

Survival Strategies of the Tawny Eagle

On my way to Guru Shikhar, I noticed another example of adaptation, this time in the shape of a Tawny eagle. This beautiful bird, known for its ferocious hunting abilities, has altered its dietary habits in the wild. It kept a sharp watch on the world below while perched high on the mountaintops. What piqued my interest, however, was its evening ritual.

As I observed, the Tawny eagle, known for its hunting prowess, was clearly facing challenges in locating food. Instead of exclusively relying on its hunting skills, the eagle decided to visit a waste dump. 

I deduced that food scarcity led to this surprising behaviour, and the eagle adapted by relying on carrion discarded by the corporation. It was a harsh reminder of nature’s determination and the extent to which animals will go to survive in changing settings.

In her infinite wisdom, nature continually reminds us of the need to adapt to our ever-changing surroundings. The Rose-ringed parakeet and the Tawny eagle are only two illustrations of how wildlife adapts to adversity. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from these feathery animals as we traverse our own world of uncertainties—a lesson in perseverance, ingenuity, and the skill of flourishing in the face of adversity.

Tawny Eagles overlooking the Abu dumping grounds

Tawny Eagle at the Abu dump

Tawny Eagle at the Abu dump, feeding on scraps

Scavenging Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) at a trash dump

Tawny eagle and Red-wattled lapwing at the Abu dump.

Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax)sitting on a tree stump

Some more snaps of migratory birds and others taken in December.

Coots and various on the way to Achalgarh

Dropping In water body on the way to Achalgarh

Indian Roller in poor shape

Common Myna on the way to Gyan saravor

Shikra on my Nakki lake round

Snipe army firing range stream

Mount Abu –‘Decision-Making’ “Farce or Facts”????

Mount Abu Nakki Lake

I wonder what this is all about, Meetings after meetings, notifications after notifications, State Government blunders or some schema to pluck some sort of mileage out of a situation gone wrong since by gone days.



The greatest danger before us today is that we live in an era where forces can package and standardize our lives for us—steal it from us and sell it back at a premium. First it was our local bodies that bled the public at large by stacking up so much red tapeism that out of sheer desperation people had to resort to grease palming to get their work done, now with Abu being pushed into an official sanctuary status more rules and more frustrations for minor jobs to be performed as now one would have to run from more pillar to post for permission to get ones work done. In between Abuites were given to understand by the State Government that the town of Mount Abu would not fall under the preview of the sanctuary laws, it seems there was a blunder on the part of the State Government as it did not follow protocol i.e. work through proper channels, the State Government first had to get clearance by the Ministry of Environment and Forest of Mount Abu, and then clearance from the Headquarters department situated in Lucknow.


Now that Abu has been declared an Eco-sensitive zone, it has been argued by the CEC, That since the State Government has not followed protocol the declaration made by them that the town of Abu would be exempted from the sanctuary status was illegal and that the town of Abu would also be included within the sanctuary, hence the people of this town would now have to adhere to the Sanctuary laws.


I really wonder where Abu is heading with all this hype of Abu being an eco-sensitive zone and following the norms laid down by the Law of the land where its directives over the years have been blatantly disregarded in connivance with the highest officials placed at the helm to look after the affairs of the state. A Supreme Court directive came out some years back banning construction of all sorts, well construction is rampant, add to that encroachment. The authorities turn a blind eye to everything, it’s pretty obvious, you pay and get your job done. If Government Offices have to be constructed, if homes have to be made for Government officials well that doesn’t affect the environment. If an Abuite owning an old building wants to plaster the walls with cement, because it’s falling apart, well that rapes the environment, the poor man has to run from pillar to post for permission to do it and yet he doesn’t get it. Compare this to the new Government buildings coming up, these don’t affect the environment. Well that’s 22nd century humour for you.


Can you imagine this scenario, the government had banned the use of plastic bags in this little hill station over a decade ago and today when one looks around, all one sees is heaps of rubbish and the majority of it is plastic bags. The “Love lake Nakki” as referred to by a host of authors and poets is today a dead lake, its catchment area is all chocked up its full of thrash, walking around the lake is like passing a stinking swamp.


I wonder what will be gained by declaring this small town Eco-Sensitive. Some good will come off it I’m sure, no more commercial buildings only commercial government projects will be seen in the near future. It’s all about money, all about control, it’s all about power. Life will go on, buildings will be built, the poor and honest will suffer, and the encroachers will have a ball.


The people of Abu have called umpteen meetings to put forward their views and their objections with a valid cause. Why should we the people of Abu living in the greatest democracy be subjected to rules pertinent to tribals who have no say in their favour.


The Government should be broaching crucial issues, like drinking water scarcity. The Salgaon dam project that is meant to provide drinking water to the hill town is lying in Limbo for over three decades over the issue of acquiring the permission from the forest department a meager 100-acre land. When there is no clarity over whether what should be done for the betterment of this hill station amongst monitoring committees Abu is doomed to becoming another puppet in the hands authority that works only towards its own end and not for the betterment of the people of Abu, and its future generations.

ONCE UPON A TIME LEADERSHIP MATTERED, NOW DEALERSHIP RULES THE WORLD.

Mount Abu “The Cat Man”

“The Cat Man” Walter

Walter After the accident

What I’m about to venture into is the charmed life of my brother-in-law Walter also known as Peter after the fabled “Peter the Rock” a disciple of Jesus Christ. Walter within his circle has been dubbed “The Cat Man” he’s an individual who seems to lead a charmed life a man who possesses ‘Nine Lives’, over the years this man has led a charmed life, from his youth to the present day on the verge of his retirement from the post and telegraphic office, this man has cheated death or neigh death by a cat’s whisker.



Here are the near-death episodes this man has survived over the years, if there are any other ones I’ll request him to enlighten me or post them on this blog directly.


While in school Walter and Eddie another of his classmates were driving down the steep road via Paddy’s bridge on a bicycle. They lost control and crashed into the boundary wall and were flung into space to land 10 to 15 feet below on the rocks. They were so fortunate that they escaped with only bruises and shock and no broken bones. It was a day to be remembered as it was Brother O’Neal’s Feast day. Even today the ex-students recall this extraordinary accident that took place in the year 1965.


From the humble cycle to the next accident on a motorcycle outside the residence of the CM house Rajasthan on 14th Jan 1971. Walter and his friend were racing down the road at a speed of over 80 km per hour when they crashed into a stray dog Walter who was the pinion, was thrown into the air and propelled like a missile to land on the tar road with his head between his clasped hands and drawn up knees. Here again, he escaped with no major complications only bare bones on his forearms elbows’ and knees.


On 1979 Christmas Eve, Walter the acrobat was atop a 15-foot ladder fixing decorations for the holiday session, he lost his balance and came plunging down head first like a torpedo ready to strike the floor below, to his good fortune his better half was below she caught him in midair breaking his fall in the nick of time. If she had not been there it would have been “Angels We Have Heard on High”


Then in the year 1994, my cousin Bubbles from England and a few others from Ajmer had come to the family home in Abu to condole with us on the demise of our loving father earlier in the year. After spending the day and a late afternoon lunch they all decided they would drive down to Ajmer that night. As all of them were very tired I suggested that they should all spend the night at Abu and leave early in the morning. My suggestions and protests fell on deaf ears; I told them they were taking a very big risk as the road via Beawar was very dangerous for night driving. Walter our hero also volunteered to go with them.


They left Abu Road pretty late on the 12th May 1994 heading for Ajmer, Bubbles who was sitting up front in the jeep requested Walter to change places with him while on the highway as he was feeling sleepy. After stretching their legs and rearranging their seating positions they once again sped towards their destination. “Some destination”, 13th Friday, May 1994, the dreaded ringing of the phones a little after 1.30 am left us all traumatized more so Walters’s wife. She was told that the jeep just outside Beawar had met with a headlong accident with a truck. In the accident, the driver was pinned to the wheel, and Bubbles who had swapped places with Walter died on the spot when his head hit the middle bar in the centre of the jeep. Peter Lee from Ajmer who was sitting on the side was flung sideways out of the jeep, his skull up front had been smashed on the impact of the rod above, and Walter who was up front was propelled through the windscreen to land under the truck. The people who conveyed the message to Abu said in all probability Peter would not survive as he was in bad shape. Aurelia Walters’s wife was in total shock as she thought ‘Peter’ (Walter's nickname) had also passed away or was on his way. To calm her down I literally dosed her with a generous amount of sleeping pills. It did pacify her but did not put her to sleep on our way to Beawar.


The government causality ward at Beawar was full of accident victims when we landed there. The Peter who was referred to was not Walter but Peter Lee, Lee was in bad shape as a piece of his skull had snapped off. Walter was also in a pretty ugly state, his face had been pitted with glass shrapnel which had been removed, besides some ugly bruises and a lacerated face Walter had no other major injuries, ‘Some Cat’.


In the year 2005, Liz and I headed for Goa to spend a short holiday with Walter and family at their Goa home in MudGaon. While there we really had a ball, it was January and the climate was fabulous, fish was plentiful and ample il-vino to quench our thirst. While we were there Walter had to make a run into Bombay on some urgent work. On his return from Bombay on the 26th of January his bus a Volvo while speeding hit an embankment and turned turtle. Can you imagine the plight of the passengers, quite a few of them were pretty badly injured but our ‘cat man’ makes it through this tragedy with minor cuts and bruises.


I had come home on the 5th of 2009 deadbeat after spending a wonderful two days at the Lair. Walter was to accompany us but he had some work in Ahmedabad, hence we missed his witty company. Being abs tired I flaked out around midnight, and then through my mushy grey matter I heard the tinkling of my mobile, with sheer determination and apprehension I reached for my mobile. I heard Aurelia’s voice on the other end and she seemed desperate she wanted a Taxi pronto to go to Ahmedabad as Walters bus which was returning from there had met with a headlong accident with an oncoming truck on the wrong side of the road. It was 1.30am in the morning.


The accident occurred just outside Himmatnagar at a place called Prantij. The truck driver and his assistant were killed on impact; the injured passengers from the bus were rushed by the 108 ambulance to the Prantij Referral Hospital for first aid treatment and then transferred to the Civil Hospital Ahmedabad. Walter had passed out when his head impacted with the seat in front of him. He only came to the Referral Hospital when his head had been sewn in two places he must have been in limbo for at least 35 to 40 minutes. His younger daughter who is doing her hotel management course in Ahmedabad had reached the accident spot along with a colleague an hour later. Walter did not leave with the injured who were rushed to the civil hospital Ahmedabad as he said his wife had left home with a cab to pick him up.


Aurelia his wife picked him up at around 4:30 a.m. and headed back home, she should have rushed him to Ahmedabad which was closer and had an MRI performed on him. She had a CAT scan done later that day at the Trauma Hospital at Abu Road. As nothing turned up in the scan they returned home. It was early morning when I received an SOS call from Cresentia Walters second daughter, she told me “Uncle Dad last night threw some convulsion and he behaved rather strange” I was now worried my sleep vanished I immediately rushed to his house met him and then phone my family Dr. Dr. Sharma told me to immediately rush him to Ahmedabad to a Neurologist Dr.Ajit Soowany in Ahmedabad. I made arrangements for an ambulance and took him to Dr Ajit Soowanty He’s now on the good Doctors medication. Walter will have to go back in the New Year for an MRI.


Till then this “Cat Man” is under observation. When I look into the crystal I see the hazy image of a cat that has outlived its six or so lives. A question mark keeps popping up, has he other lives? Would he have further adventurers after this one?


Take a look at the snaps of the hospital and the vehicles of this ill-fated accident.

The Ill-fated truck

Gujarat travels bus

Referral Hospital Prantej

Referral Hospital Prantej ward

Referral Hospital Prantej dressing room

Consulting room

Discharge cert

Rosy Starling Ahmedabad station

My Bera Trip to the Leopards Lair

A Reflective journey, to The Leopard Lair Bera

When my friend Bob from England mentioned he wanted to visit The Leopard Lair in early December with his friend Trevor, I couldn’t resist suggesting a little barter. “How about a bottle of good old Scotch instead of your room tariff?” I asked. Bob, always one to watch his budget, seemed hesitant, but the idea lingered. A litre of Scotch in exchange for a night or two at the Lair—who could resist such a tempting offer?

Bob, Trevor, my cousin Terrance from Panchkula, and I were all scheduled to arrive at the Lair on the 2nd of December, and I was eager to join them. We arrived around lunchtime on the 3rd, where Mr. Devi Singh, an old friend and gracious host, welcomed us. He led us to the dining room where Bob and Trevor, to our surprise, had already introduced us to their partners. It was a pleasant start to what we hoped would be an adventurous stay.

The evening safari, however, did not go as planned. Despite the Lair’s excellent track record—with a over 90% chance of sightings this season—we saw neither hide nor hair of the elusive leopards. My cousin Terrance experienced disappointment, a common feeling among guests when they fail to glimpse the animals they hoped to see. Yet, I reassured him, reminding him of the Lair’s impressive 95% success rate for those staying two days.

As the sun set, we settled in for the evening with the Scotch that our British mates had brought, paired with a delicious BBQ prepared by Kunoo (Mr. Singh). The camaraderie, laughter, and shared stories more than made up for the earlier disappointment on the safari.

But enough of my musings—look at some photographs we captured during our stay at The Leopard Lair. They tell the story better than I ever could.

Taken by the host Mr Devi Singh with his handy cam last month

Zara’s cubs are now grown, a constant thrill to all the visitors who visit the Lair

Don’t they look the picture of innocence?

The hills of Bera  1st week December

Bera in all its glory

Bob, Trevor and cousin Terrance at the lair

Bob is as young as ever...

Shrike (the butcher bird ...)

Devil's eyes click, they will hypnotize you

L to R

Terrance, Bob and Trevor

 The Lair hangout

Some good old yearns of by-gone days

Feeling All there "Relaxed"

B B Q at the lair

Is that for Real?

Remembering the old days...

Pond Heron

Brahminy-myna Bera

Indian myna Bera

Indian Myna

Koel at the lair ...

Koel at the lair ...

Ringneck Doves Bera...

Striated Babbler

Striated Babbler

Hoopoe at the lair...

Penning the guest book before departure