DIWALI in the PANDEMIC's [ YEAR 2020 ] MOUNT ABU.

 ABUITES FIRED NOT A SINGLE CRACKER ON Diwali NIGHT A RECORD FOR THIS ECOZONE.

Mount Abu

COVID-19 has dampened the fun of all the festivals. Many places and some states here in India have banned the use of fireworks for this Diwali. People all over the world use fireworks and firecrackers to celebrate various life events such as marriages, Independence Day, New Year’s Eve, and the Olympics closing ceremony, not just in India where it is a prominent tradition, particularly during Diwali. Even though firecrackers produce crazy noise smoke and pollution, the public at large enjoys firecrackers.

The pandemic on our lives over these last few months with lockdowns, face masks, social distancing and the FEAR of contacting the virus has reduced our lives to a frizzle. Once humanity was like the firecrackers bursting with life and always on the bang and now FIzzzzzzlllleeee. The year 2020 has witnessed the ULTIMATE fear psychosis that the COVID-19 virus has plunged us into, but for how long? Next week Mount Abu will buzz and the hillsides will probably witness traffic jams and the crowds that will descend here will make the pandemic seem insignificant. The tourists who land here seem to forget the precautions and protocol that they have to follow, and this could invite hazards for us Abuites.

To all our esteemed guests, I wish you all a stress-free and safe passage and hopefully; you enjoy your Diwali holiday to the hilt. Welcome to Mount Abu. Please treat it as your HOME. Avoid littering and throwing booze bottles on the hillsides.

Wishing you all a happy Diwali.

Kanjari deer Park, Ahmedabad.[ 24/09/2020 ]

The Kanjari Deer Park is  7 km from the Thol bird sanctuary. 

ALBINO Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

When I go to Gujarat, I become a wandering eagle searching for fresh places to watch birds. Since I’m here now, I visited a few places in and around Ahmedabad. I phoned a few birding guides and Sherwin, who’s based in Ahmedabad, to get the latest on the migratory birds. They informed me that all sanctuaries and wildlife parks were closed till the 15 of October, because of the pandemic. Sherwin suggested I visit a place close to Thol Bird Sanctuary where the wild Blackbuck roams free. This place, although only 25 to 30 km from the city of Ahmedabad, is relatively unknown to the public at large, as it is slightly off the beaten track and not so popular.

Yesterday we left early so we could be at this not-so-famous place called the “Kanjari Deer Park”, This place is a vast open grassland with clumps of Keker bushes. We parked on a dirt road going through this semi-wilderness and within minutes were fortunate to spot a few small herds of blackbucks grazing at a distance. I took some photographs of these majestic animals and the prize was I bagged an albino among them.

I did a bit of birding but wished it was a clear day, photographing birds under subdued light leaves one slightly disappointed. I took photos of some species such as the Zitting Cisticola, Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Painted Stork, Indian Roller, and Siberian Stonechat.

The sun over Kanjari Deerpark Sept 2020

Blackbuck Male Kanjari Deer Park

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park scampering 

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  albino

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

Blackbuck Male  Kanjari Deer Park

Blackbuck Male  Kanjari Deer Park

Painted Stork 

Check my birding blog to see the birds.

Mount Abu Birds

Monsoons in the Abode of Gods.[ 07/09/2020 ]

 Monsoons Mount Abu in the year of the Pandemic 2020.

Paddy Bridge

This year, we had a few showers in lengthy intervals during July. They recorded only 6 inches of rain. August, the rainfall was erratic, and we had most of our rainfall at the fag end of the month. We observe an increase in climate change every year. Rainfall has become more variable, extreme, and catastrophic. We are now into the first week of September and yesterday the rain gods took it upon themselves to rain down cats and dogs. The torrential downpour for an hour and 30 minutes flooded not only our streams but the roads and all our water bodies, our two dams Lower Khodra and Upper Khodra dam the Nakki Lake overflowed, sending cascades of water down the hillsides. 

The met report now states our retreating monsoons are in play. Guess we will see a few thunderstorms before it finally peters out.

The tourists who were descending and those climbing the hill were in awe of the spectacle they witnessed. I’m posting a few pictures sent to me via WhatsApp about the events of yesterday.

Paddy Bridge

Tourists



Below are videos sent to me per kind favour Ms Trina.

Trina on the dam 

Per kind favour Ms Trina 

Mount Abu 6 Sept 2020

Received vis WhatsApp

THE SPECTRA OF TOURISTS [ IN THE PANDEMIC YEAR 2020 ] Mount Abu

Mount Abu sold out on weekends 

TOURISTS IN THE PANDEMIC YEAR 2020 MT ABU.

The lockdown in April 2020 brought Abu's tourism industry to a standstill. Our summer season saw the collapse of our tourist visitors. The brutal blow meted to Abu’s main livelihood affected all. Abuites faced a bleak future. It was impossible to predict when or how the coronavirus pandemic would allow travel to resume. With virtually all travel halted, and no silver lining to the dark monsoon clouds, tourist recovery seemed a pipe dream.

This oasis in the desert of Rajasthan became a magnet for thousands of tourists after the 15th of August 2020, when travel restrictions were lifted and the lockdown period was relaxed. Our Gujarati neighbours flooded Abu every weekend for a quick spree. The crowds that landed here gave one the impression that the most dreaded pandemic in the history of modern man had ended. Personally, this baffling rush and the volume of traffic coming into Abu has left me apprehensive about the safety of our Abuites. This gravitation of the Gujaratis for Mount Abu in droves makes me think here of the adage “Like moths drawn to a flame”. 

Our country has not reached a coronavirus peak, and the long-term implications are unclear. Every day one reads in the papers of leaps and bound by COVID-19 NEW CASES. COVID is out of control in our country and the only solution is a vaccine to stop it. They set India on becoming Numero 1 on the cover impact!

Will update you on the events of our retreating monsoons soon. Keep in touch 

Mount Abu an update of events post Lockdown period [.Aug 2020.]

 Pandemic threat and Lockdown blues Beckon tourists to the GREEN OASIS OF Rajasthan.

Plummy From School per kind favour Brother Agnello

Before I go further with my rants on Mount Abu, let me wish all of you well.

May the glory of our Independence Day be an inspiration for us to achieve greatness in life. HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY.

Monsoons in Mount Abu, with its pitter-patter, clouds swirling through the trees, and misty conditions playing hide and seek with the subdued sunlight from above, are a major attraction for our Gujarati visitors. Post 15 Aug 20 and this weekend has seen an exceptional influx of tourists. The lockdown has made people want to escape their homes and find some freedom. The charm of the cool and misty conditions is a thrill. The waterfalls along the hillsides are a great attraction. For the vacationer, this brief trip is a welcome change from being cooped up because of the lockdown.

Abuites are happy that such a large volume of tourists have visited this abode, but the bummer should this be a short-lived euphoria that comes crashing down on the local populace who, if exposed to COVID-19, brought via these visiting guests. Guess only time will tell. “Be positive, be safe, wear your mask, keep your social distancing. Coronaviruses are not a joke, there is no cure. If you contract it prepare to die.

Misty Mount Abu

An accident waiting to happen at waterfall Mt Abu

(Photo via WhatsApp )

Waterfall Mt Abu

(Vid via WhatsApp )

"A beautiful waterfall on Mount Abu, with water tumbling down the rocky terrain and surrounded by lush foliage and trees."

I will post updates on wildlife, and other events shortly