Mount Abu stinks as Municipality and Municipal Janitors spar over personal differences in the office.


A strike by sanitation workers has turned Mount Abu into a huge garbage dump over the past 7 days, posing a serious threat to people's health, souped with the incessant rain all week.

Picture credits to Harry 

Mount Abu’s Growing Stench: A Sanitation Crisis Amidst Rain and Inaction

Mount Abu, known for its serene landscapes and clean mountain air, is facing an unprecedented health and hygiene crisis. A week-long strike by sanitation workers has transformed the town into an open garbage dump, and with the incessant monsoon rains, the situation has spiraled into a major public health threat.

For the past seven days, huge piles of trash have accumulated along roadsides, in the bustling market squares, and even near residential areas. The sanitation workers, who are locked in a standoff with municipal officials over internal disputes, refuse to work until their grievances are addressed. While the argument stays private, this impasse clearly affected the residents and visitors of Mount Abu.

If this deadlock persists, the situation will deteriorate further, and the foul odor of decomposing garbage will soon engulf the town. The process of recovering from this crisis and returning our streets to normal will not happen—it will require sustained effort.

While the administration works on resolving the bureaucratic challenge, it’s up to Abuites to step forward. We can’t afford to sit by and watch our beautiful hill station descend into filth. The people of Mount Abu can take a cue from northern hill stations, where locals take immense pride in keeping their surroundings clean. It is crucial for us to make a collective effort now more than ever to mitigate the growing hazards.

In a commendable move, the local administration has responded by rolling out wheeled garbage carts for easy disposal. The local administration’s response is admirable, as they have encouraged residents to use these facilities. But more needs to be done.

We are on the eighth day of the strike, and although the administration’s efforts are moving in the right direction, the clock is ticking. With cooperation from both residents and officials, we can hope for a swift resolution before the consequences of this crisis become irreversible.

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Ducks in Nakki Lake an update Mount Abu

Ducks in Nakki Lake

Ducks introduced into Nakki 

Three little ducks swimming in the lake,

Murky, stagnation, green and a depressing state,

For the Abuites, whose lifeline is being severed?

By the ever-flowing tourists who dump there

Garbage into the lake in discarded fashion.

Giving two hoots, as no one is there to boot

Their buts and tell them, Hey are you nuts

It's our drinking water in times of disaster.

Photographs in today's post kind favour Harry.

Newly acquired tourist attraction by Mount Abu Municipality 

Sad state of affairs Filth and garbage in and around the lake

Mount Abu a humble one-horse town has suddenly over the last decade boomed into a huge tourist-seeking hub. From a mere handful of hotels over 15 years ago, it now has over 300 hotels, guesthouses, lodges and umpteen new eateries. The number of tourists is growing by leaps and bounds every year; this has brought with its woes increasing pollution, massive traffic, and water problems. The water crisis in Mount Abu may well become a catastrophe in the near future. 

Civic amenities need to be more robust, to deal with this huge influx of tourists throughout the year. Sewage systems in some parts have broken down and the roads have become unbearable. 

The upper Khodra dam being almost inoperable and our sole dependence on the lower Khodra dam has put this small hill station at grave risk. In the summer and in times of shortage, Abu depends on the GREEN Lake's water. This contaminated water, even if passed through the filter house, does say a lot. YIKES!! Wake up Abuites and protect the environs of the lake.

If anyone has anything to say or suggests, let's hear your opinion. Post your comments at the bottom of this blog.

Harry took pictures yesterday of the lake. Per kind of favour Harry.

Waiting for the monsoon rain to clear the scum

A Boon or a Bane for the hill station Mount Abu? 

 The neglected lake, once beloved by visitors, poets, and couples, no longer has its picturesque charm. Its state has had no effect on the local Abuites and the local authorities. Mount Abu may face a high cost if residents don't show support and respect for our ailing lake. an URGENT need to salvage this magnificent lake. Some permanent solutions need to be implemented and harsh punishments imposed on anyone who pollutes the environs of this place. 

Storm clouds over Mount Abu

Storm clouds over Mount Abu 1 June 2017.

Today,  1 June 2017, we are being bombarded by hailstones. Strong winds Lightning and Thunder ⚡. It's a welcoming respite as most of the day we were without lights and the heat was oppressive. I relaxed by having a couple of cold beers with a friend while taking some lovely pictures.
Cheers 🍻 from the Abode of the Gods. The hills and the parched earth are sighing with relief.

 storm building up

Last of the fading sun

Cassey our Mutt was born to be FREE. Mount Abu

Cassey, Our Mutt Born to Be Free—Mount Abu.

 Cassey was born to be free, and though her life was cut short, her wild spirit infused every moment. On April 28, 2017, at 4 a.m., she met her fate when the leopard took her. But before that, she had already made her mark on our hearts, a mark as enduring as the hills she once roamed.

 Cassey’s story with us began on a rainy day in July 2015. Mount Abu had just experienced its heaviest rainfall–40 inches in 48 hours. Amidst the floodwaters, a tiny, just-over-a-month-old pup appeared at our doorstep, like the storm had delivered her to us. We weren’t planning on adopting another dog, after the sadness of losing our beloved Great Dane, Buddy, who we had sent to live at St. Mary’s School. But fate had unique plans. Our daughter, ever the kind-hearted soul, named her Cassey, and from that moment, she became part of our family.

Cassey, the love of my life.

Cassey was wild at heart, a true free spirit. She was a small, sleek, and energetic dog, always on the move. Her eyes sparkled with a passion for life, and her little body was in motion whether she was dashing up and down the hillside or hunting her favourite prey: the mongoose. She had the speed of a cheetah and the stamina of a horse, often chasing after a squirrel, rat, or even the notorious mongoose. Her call of the wild, echoed by the shrill cry of the “did-you-do-it” (Red-wattled lapwing), would mark the start of her hunt. Cassey was born to roam, and she lived for the chase.

While we had dogs in our home for as long as I could remember, none were quite like her. She never cared much for food. We gave her small portions, but she often left them untouched, or she’d bury them for later as if preparing for some unknown future need. Cassey was a dog who lived on her own terms, preferring the thrill of the hunt over the comfort of a full belly. She made friends, both with the local children and the other wandering mongrels that passed through our lives. But it was her late-night escapades that set her apart. Often, she would vanish into the shadows at night, returning only in the pre-dawn hours. I regularly felt she had made some unspoken pact with the leopard. Despite her wild freedom, she always came home safe.

Cassey’s relationship with the leopard was one of mutual respect, or perhaps instinct. She was not one to back down. In the last moments of her life, her instincts took over, and she faced the predator head-on. Perhaps she thought she could outwit it, or maybe she was protecting what she saw as her territory.

Cassey getting used to her newfound home

Playing in the garden August 2015

Cassey at six months. She loved to play, be it a ball or a stick. You name it she was always game.

One-year-old, a real handsome mutt on the lookout for the mongoose.

The mongoose always gave Cassey the slip 

Her powerful sense of smell took her to the hideouts of the mongoose.

The mongoose, with its speed and agility, always made it to its hideout.

She had mastered the steep granite slopes like the goats of our area.

Basking in the winter sun

She kept herself occupied by enticing other mutts to have a game with her.

A large Daman opposite the house.

Her curiosity and pottering around the garden once caused her to be bitten by the Daman. She developed a fever and looked really shaken. It looked like she was going to lose the use of her back legs while walking she began tottering. For about a day and a half, she never came out of her room. I had phoned the vet, but he told me there was not anything to get hassled she would come around. Sure enough, on day three, she was up and about. Now, her instincts were finely tuned. She would burst out in a frenzy whenever she smelled the snake and forewarned us of its presence.
I remember once when a huge monitor lizard had made its way into the garden and Cassey went nuts trying to figure out what this creature was.

Cassey returned home with her booze bottle.

Cassey getting ready to uncork her bottle.

Ready for her first winter swig. December is cold in Abu.

Our pretty mutt in her winter attire!

Cassey waiting patiently for her Christmas treat.

Ready to have her cake and goodies on Christmas Day. She loved her Indian sweets, cookies, and biscuits. “All that is a big no for doggies” I don’t think it's taboo, let them eat everything in moderation.

It's gonna be sunset soon time I headed down for my dinner or else my mistress will boot my rump.

Cassey stared down the hill at what appeared to be some strange animal at the base.

 What are those creatures down there? I’ve seen them around since I’ve made a home here, but what are they? Her fascination and curiosity for these four-hooved critters were a sight to behold. She wanted to befriend them, but their strange behaviour and grunting sounds kept her at bay.

These semi-wild pigs were a constant source of amusement and fascination for Cassey.

Buddha Purnima 10 May 2017 Mount Abu

Gracias congregate on Nakki Lake on Buddha Purnima 

Buddha Purnima /Flower Moon

Nakki Lake 

Buddha Purnima The full moon in May also referenced as the Flower Moon has a unique gravitational pull not so much on the waters of Nakki Lake but on the Gracias of Rajasthan. On Buddha Purnima, Gracias from Rajasthan come together at Nakki Lake to celebrate their traditions. Their zest for fun and frolic is exceptional to witness. Previously, a majority of these folks used to trudge all the way from their villages to be here at Nakki Lake on Buddha Purnima. This year, hundreds of them came to Abu on a variety of different motorcycles and scooters. Others used jeeps and local state and private transportation. Watching the tribal people in their vibrant traditional attire and hearing their joyful folklore songs is a unique experience.

 Bikes by the hundreds

 Harry on an admiring Trip

 Buying bangles 

 Immediate Tattoo

Within minutes, he had tattooed quite a few village bellies 

 Folk dance of the Gracias 

 Traditional Dress

 Enjoying ice-cream

 Observe NO MOBILES meeting old friends

 At the Lake

 Posing at a price 

 On the move 

 Traditional folk dance

I will post a video soon 

Gracias of Rajasthan