Charles Mount Abu Guide and snake and wildlife rescuer.

Mahendra Dan alias Charles Guide Mount Abu. 

Charles Guide Mount Abu

Charles the guide in Mount Abu is renowned for his legendary trekking in the hill and dales of this Aravalli range.   I’ve known Charles for some time. He has always aired his thoughts. He has visions of a Mount Abu being converted into a place where even the Gods would wish to live.  From a kid, he found joy in being one with nature, like the proverbial Red Indian his inner hunger is so strong that he took it upon himself to help save and contribute all his passion and energy making this place a safe haven. 

Everything about Mount Abu’s nature, the birds, the bees,. Trees, and the animals all seem to call out to him. He’s in his element when he’s on his trek with his clients he has the greatest pleasure sharing the beauty of this hill station and the stories of the village and tribal folks who have settled here. Charles narratives and his ever so cool way of putting his point across keeps his customers enthralled. Most of his clientage have been foreigners and this has been a boon for this bright young man, not only has he taught himself English he has picked up a smattering of other languages.

The 32-year-old Mahendra, a mountain dweller, not a hunter, but a simple snake and reptile catcher. Indeed, he’s a man who goes out of his way to save any snake or reptile that might be a threat to the locals. If he’s in town he responds to all call 24/7 by any Abuites that need his help to relocate these unfortunate animals that have strayed into their homes or premises. 

Notes and Photographs per kind favour Charles

Indian monitor lizard  Varanidae    (Monitors)

Monitors are the largest of the living lizards. In Hindi its called Chandan Goh,  They are swift and active predators of small mammals, birds, bird eggs, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.

Medium – sized monitor 1.74m: snout elongated: nostrils nearer the eye than the snout – tip nostril an oblique slit.

Inhabit a variety of habitats, from semi-deserts and scrub to evergreen forests and plantation.

A lizard famous in Indian history for its reported use by  Maratha conqueror scaling the walls of Mughal Fortresses.

Monitor Lizard rescued from town from an emporium. 

Rescued from a house in the Kumarwada Area

Released in the enclosed sanctuary area of Mt. Abu

Cobra – Naja Naja

Identifiable by the spectacle like markings on the hood. Dorsum greyish brown, black some population from central west India jet black.

Cobra rescued from town and released in the sanctuary area.

Cobra 

Forstern Cat Snake 

Russel Viper

Charles in his earlier years Rat snake being rescued.

ANYONE looking for the ideal guide while in Mount Abu can contact Charles.

Mount Abu Treks

Review on Charles      

# Lonely Planet

Flying foxes of Mount Abu roosting

Majestic Flying Foxes of Mount Abu

Mount Abu has long been the sanctuary of the majestic Flying Foxes, their roosting sites close to the scenic Nakki Lake. For as far back as I can remember, they’ve found refuge in the towering trees around the civil hospital. Tourists visiting Abu often react with a mix of curiosity and unease when they first encounter these nocturnal marvels. The sight of them hanging upside down, observing from above, unsettles people, and their startled expressions are always amusing. Regrettably, bats have been affected by long-standing misunderstandings, attributed to Hollywood and Bollywood, which depicted them as malevolent beings associated with black magic, vampires, and eerie folklore.

 During my younger days, people approached me—sometimes desperate or eccentric—who sought to have these extraordinary creatures hunted for so-called medicinal purposes or arcane rituals. I would always give them the same response: the only reason I ever shoot any animal is to eat it. I learned this lesson early in life, and it has stayed with me. I remember as a boy, after shooting a few squirrels for their skins, my father approached me. With a stern yet gentle demeanour, he asked why I had taken their lives. I replied it was for their skin. He then posed a simple question that struck me: “What will you do with the rest of them?” I was unsure. That’s when he taught me a valuable lesson, one that shaped my perspective on life and nature. He told me, “If you take a life, it should have a purpose. Now you must cook and eat them, for life is not to be wasted.”

 Many of my friends hunted Flying Foxes for the thrill of an exotic meal, but I could never partake. I used to joke that I could eat anything that flew, except the silver bird, and anything with four legs, except the table I ate on. But over the years, life has softened me. I now spend my time educating others, especially the younger generation, about caring for the natural world. These creatures were here long before us, and it’s we who have encroached on their territory.

 But back to the Flying Foxes! Watching them at dusk, as they set off from their roosts in search of fruit, is a magical experience. They can consume up to ten times their weight, feasting on nectar, flowers, and fruit juice. With sharp night vision and a remarkable sense of smell, they navigate to their feeding grounds. However, their enormous size and lack of sonar (unlike their smaller bat cousins) make them vulnerable to dangers like high-tension power lines, especially on misty nights. These gentle creatures, so vital to our ecosystem, deserve our protection and admiration.

Flying foxes of Mount Abu roosting

Flying foxes of Mount Abu roosting

A Flying Fox of Mount Abu electrocuted on high-tension wires.

We Abuites have been living with nature for aeons, the flying foxes have been here and will always be here, living a life of peace and harmony.