Some Random snaps and expressions on Mount Abu

Nakki Lake

Oh, Great lake what have we done

Your precious gift so freely spun

Your placid blue face now turned to green

Humanity has no love for thee.

Spare our precious Lake our gracious visitors

See the debris floating on thee

Dumped by indifferent folks using thee

Our beautiful, unique and vital source

Our drinking water supplied by thee

Tourists, visitors and our own  Abuites if you are reading this blog post of mine I simply make an appeal to you to please treat our vital, emergency drinking water source as a top priority  and not dump your junk into our precious lake. This lake provides habitats to a variety of species, drinking water in emergency to the town of Abu, serenity and expression to lovers and dreamers. We Abuites would appreciate it if you folks would give a helping hand by not dumping your waste valuables into our charming lake.

Water snake basking in the winter sun

Sunbird at the lake

White throated kingfisher

Grey Heron

Cormorant our winter visitors

Dragon fly

Basking early morning

Robin

Modern Dinosaur

Suspended moon early morning 

Latest news on Mount Abu

Soma Abu's Jungle man removes crocodile from lake

Soma Abu's Jungle Man.

Photograph snapshot from TOI 

Crocodile Captured in Mount Abu: Jungle Man Soma Ram’s Triumph

At long last, Mount Abu’s very own “Jungle Man,” Soma Ram, has snared the elusive crocodile that had been lurking in Nakki Lake. Known only to a few Abuites, Soma Ram earned his title through years of experience with wildlife in the area, but it seems the generous reward for capturing this crocodile spurred him into action. Now, with the creature captured, tourists can breathe a sigh of relief, no longer fearing an unexpected encounter with the “lake devil” beneath their rowing boats.

On a related note, the annual auction—or ‘Teka’—for the boating rights to Nakki Lake set a record this year, fetching a staggering ₹1.30 crore. A group of local business owners banded together and secured the rights for a year, adding a lucrative layer to Mount Abu’s vibrant tourism industry.

The Diwali Frenzy and Mount Abu’s Unseen Battle

 The Diwali season brought its usual surge of tourists, turning Mount Abu’s streets into a frenzy of activity. Hotels got booked solid, and the bustling energy of the town reached its peak. But for many visitors, their experience was bittersweet. While the natural beauty and festive atmosphere dazzled them, the sight of unauthorized construction projects casting a shadow on the landscape left them with mixed feelings.

Local Abuites, keen to capitalize on the chaotic rush, wasted no time in erecting buildings and adding extensions, hoping that the holiday fervour would distract authorities from their actions. As the saying goes: “Build in haste, repent at leisure.” Now that the tourist wave has subsided and the officials are back at their desks, the crackdown has begun. Task forces sweep the town daily, focusing on areas like the once-pristine Dilwara region, where illegal structures have mushroomed at an alarming rate.

The Bitter Reality of Mount Abu’s Development

It’s a tale as old as time: the wealthy flout the rules with impunity, while the poor endure the law’s heavy hand. In Mount Abu, the same rule applies, whether it’s in the jungle's heart or amidst the concrete one. Money and power often grease the wheels, leaving the less fortunate to pay the price.

As authorities move to dismantle these illegal constructions, many of those caught in the crossfire are everyday citizens, now facing the harsh consequences of Mount Abu’s unchecked development. The situation feels like a classic catch-22—those who need to build do so out of necessity, but at the risk of facing the law, while those with wealth seem immune to consequences.

Resolving these issues will take time, but one can only hope that the authorities will act with fairness and transparency, ensuring that they treat all Abuites, rich or poor, justly.

Mount Abu " Drinking Water Quality and Health"

" Drinking Water Quality and Health"

An adequate supply of safe drinking water is one of the major prerequisites for a healthy life.The importance of clean water and the link between putrid water is seen by the number of patients flocking to doctors. Abu was once a proud health resort,where the weary came to recoup. Today it's reeking!!!Contaminated water is recognized by its foetid smell and unpleasant taste. The quality of water over the last few weeks has been so bad that the one cannot even muster the courage to bring a glass of water to one's parched lips. The stench from the water is like that of some decayed animals remains.

"Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity"
Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General
We the people of Mount Abu strongly urge the honorable members of the Abu Municipality and the councilors of all wards,to take immediate action to resolve the drinking water crisis of Mount Abu before a major epidemic breaks out because of lax attitude by the very people at the helm.
Another issue that needs immediate attention is the lifeline of Abu the Nakki Lake. The smell from Nakki Lake hits you even before it comes in sight. A floating carpet of green algae and a dense matting of weeds, chemicals covers the inflow into the lake behind the mosque.the squatters probably caused this settled behind the mosque of the fresh-water lake whose beauty has inspired generations of poets.
Nowhere is the abject failure of Abu Municipality environmental policies more visible than in Nakki lake the lifeline of the people of Abu .There are virtually no clean-up operations done on the Lake. If any grants have been passed for the cleansing of the lake, there is nothing to show for it. The lake is dirtier than ever.
"In the past three years the condition of the lake has gone from bad to worse. I strongly urge the Authorities to go down to the lake and see for themselves the condition of the lake. Here is a photograph taken by me while strolling around the lake

The appalling state of the lake water

Mount Abu THE ELUSIVE CROCODILE

A Crocodile, in the placid Nakki Lake, has been making headlines in the local news of Mount Abu, It’s been sometime now that one of the world’s greatest predators should have made it’s way into the lake which is the hub of tourist attraction .Boating had come to a grinding halt as physiologically the tourist populaces have a morbid fear of this wily predator. The local authorities had been working around the clock to ensnare this crocodile but were not able to lure this sleek crock into their iron cage or their nets spread out along the banks of the lake. Crocks were introduced into Abu some years ago after this beautiful hill station was declared a sanctuary in the early sixties. Crocks were put into Trevor’s tank some years ago, probably as a tourist attraction, or who can tell as an experiment to see how well they adapted to this terrain. This crock I believe had made its way from a shallow lake near Palace Hotel called “Sant Sarovar”. The monsoons this year were way out, Abuites were really thankful to the rain gods for the respite that followed after the harrowing non-stop downpour for almost 20 to 25 days, the streams that were bone dry, are now alive with tiddlers and crabs. There’s speculation as to whether this crock will ever be netted, the special teams that were sent from one or two other places in Rajasthan left behind their iron cage and equipment and departed. The crock is having a ball of a time, a lake full of fish and now and again a goose or a duck that inhabit the lake that are fattened by the tourists.Now that the hullabaloo has finally died down life around the lake has resumed it’s normal routine. There’s speculation as to where this crock has disappeared, I visited the lake umpteen time early mornings noon and late in the evening to snap this elusive guy but did see hair no hide of him. He’s probably shacked out in the undergrowth surrounding the property of his Highness of Jodhpur (The Lake Palace). If and when he does re-appear I’ll let you folks know of it. I did take some wonderful photos of the lake and of Abu in general and have posted them on my web site http://ainsleyster.googlepages.com/home