My jaunt around Abu these last few days

The heat has been really oppressive this last fortnight and I could not make up my mind to brave the direct scorching heat of the summer sun. I did venture out after 6 pm. I wanted to see how the water holes were fairing this summer, the situation is grim , all water bodies that serve as watering spots for the animals have run bone dry ,there is just enough water in one or two spots to last for may be another 10 days. The pictures I’m posting will give you an idea of what the bleak future for the wild animals will be in another few weeks if the monsoons are delayed.

The water level at the Trevor Tank in the heart of the sanctuary is only 50%

Another few days to go before the Dhoondai stream runs dry

The Minni Nakki lake bone dry

The lake on the way to Achalgarh Bone dry

The minni Nakki Lake "Some Lake"

The Jawai Catchement area on the way to Guru shaker

Another few days to go and a village with depleated water supply

The Nakki lake a sight for sore eyes

A lake with all its ribs exposed

Tankers waiting in line at Oria

Another lot at another fuitful water well Oria

Nakki Lake Mount Abu

The legendary Nakki Lake Mount Abu

Even though I’m An Abuite, I should be well aware of the origins of this fascinating lake at the heart of the city, but I’m not. I believe that it was dug out by the fingernails of some legendary character as a herculean task so that he could marry his lady love. Another theory is that this lake is a very sacred lake for the fun-filled Gracia tribe. This tribe visit the lake by the hundreds on their festival in Shukla Paksha in April or May to worship and remember their ancestors, and consecrate their nails, hence I feel this would be a more realistic reason for the name Nakki.

They say it’s a man-made lake. All along, I thought it was the cradle of an extinct volcano. If one observes the hills of Abu, one can only see fascinating larva-shaped rocks. Heck, I have gone off on a tangent. I was to give you an update on the critical water situation prevailing here in Abu. Have a look at some snaps I took a few weeks ago of the lake, it’s not a pretty sight.

Nakki Lake 29,April 2010

Another View of the lake

At a different Angle Nakki Lake 29,April 2010

Pathetic state At a different Angle Nakki Lake 29,April 2010

Graylangur escaping the summer heat

The playing field for the geese Nakki Lake

Gulmohar tree at the lake

The Prowling Leopard Mount Abu

Leopard on the prowl

Mrs Stephen Moyer took this beautiful photo while a guest at the Lair in February 2010. 
She used a Canon EOS 500D, 

I have spent many a sleepless night hoping to snap the leopard that has been on the prowl for the last month or so in our area of Kumārwāla. Liz, who had over two dozen cats has now only a few remaining, as this wily carnivore picked most of them up for a late-night snack. It was in late Feb when I first saw this elusive Leopard; I cursed myself for not taking my camera with me. He was sitting on a rock behind the house near our water tank a distance of 20 feet. He had obviously come for some easy prey, our domesticated cats that hang around the house at night.

He has attacked and mauled two of Walter’s dogs that sleep outside in the church compound. Three days ago, he picked up a bitch full-time from Walter's house. By the way, Walter is my brother-in-law, and we know him as the dog man in Abu–He takes care of more than a dozen and a half Pariah dogs and had some classy ones at home. These Pie dogs are the caretakers of the church properties. Last week the leopard paid a visit to my daughter’s house near the Neel Kant Temple, he caught hold of her half-breed Alsatian by the throat, his squealing woke her up and she immediately put on all the lights and began shouting at the top of her voice. The panther left the dog and scooted, which seemed like an inexperienced animal. Probably a mamma's boy.

My next blog will be on the sloth bears of Abu. 

May Day celebrations St.Mary’s School Mt. Abu

How many of you celebrate May Day. Well I went to good ole SMS and found the boys busy as bees doing chores that normally would never be done at home. Even the teaching staff were there putting an all out effort at helping the boys. Now one might wonder what I’m getting at well it’s like this every year the working staff in all fields like the chief cooks, bottle washers, carpenters and overseers, etc get a holiday and go on a picnic as a bonus, this year they have gone to” Sundamata” a place close to Revdar . The teaching staff and school borders take over their jobs for the day.


Groups of boys along with the class teachers and Brothers busy themselves with brooms, pitchforks, dustbins and mops. The work is very well distributed among all present on the premises. One group takes over the kitchen, and prepares the food for the boys, the working staff and the workers. Another group busy themselves in cleaning up the premises, the compounds and the playing fields. The dormitory in charge the sisters and Sir Ivo get the boys to sweep and swab and get the junior and senior dormitories spic and span. I took a liberal walk through the school and I tell you it sure was a wonderful feeling to see the place so clean and well organized. The senior dorm was literally shining with Ivor and his class X boys having done an astonishing job.

I’m posting some pictures of the various activities that I happened to witness. The boys and staff who partake in this ritual every year learn the value of humility, teamwork and that no work is menial. This enables students and staff to build healthy and lifelong relationships with each other, and experience close accountability. Three Cheers to the Marians !!

The Group of Students and staff inthe kitchen

Lunch time serving the students

Boys helping out

Mopping the senior dorm

Missed most of the action this the fag end of the cleaning

Sir Ivo n the class X boys n a shining dorm

For once no toe jam stench

Relaxing after a job well done

Thats the way aha aha

In action small dorm

Are the brooms accounted for?

Class X boy in action

Relaxing

Here take this I'm done

Punished outside the ref

Its more fun posing it takes our mind of lunch

When will you have lunch? After all have finished, we are punished for

Yapping too much

Recent ex-students at the back

Lower Kodhra dam /school dam

Only 25 feet remaining

Hey look carefully  Gunda Pitch exposed