THUNDER IN MOUNT ABU

This year the monsoon season took its own sweet time to make its presence felt, it arrive late but it was a welcome respite. It’s been raining continuously off and on for the last week. Last night will be a night to be remembered for eons, the thunder that Abu experienced was out of this world. In all my years of experiencing lightning storms and thunder I have never ever heard the clash of thunder as of last night. It was as if the gods were in a mean mood and they were hurdling blots of excessive lightning that caused the windows in our homes to rattle with the huge booms of thunder. Some folks thought it was the end of the word as they associated it with the total eclipse of the sun that had taken place earlier.
The thunder was so dramatic that it felt like some A-Bombs had been let loose; the rumbles that followed seemed to last forever, it was like living on another planet. It will be a day to remember, as for the eclipse it had no effect on us folks here at Abu as the whole of Abu was covered with heavy mist and cloud cover. We folks are keeping not only our fingers crossed but our toes as well that this monsoon season goes off well. If the monsoons are poor we are going to be in for a rough year next year.

Mount Abu “A ghost town July, 3, 2009”

The Day Abu Stood Still: A Community’s Quest to Appease the Rain Gods

Mount Abu town deserted on July 3, 2009

On July 3, 2009, its residents deserted the tiny, one-horse town of Abu. This wasn’t because of a curfew, a ban of any sort, government intervention, or a natural disaster like an erupting volcano. Instead, it was a combined effort by the Banya community and other citizens to appease the rain gods, hoping for abundant rainfall in the upcoming monsoon season. They dedicated the entire day to performing “Havans” (sacred fire rituals) and praying to the rain gods, combining their spiritual endeavours with a community picnic.

Interestingly, before the Havans began, the sky turned overcast, and by afternoon, it rained, hinting at the monsoon. But then something went amiss. Was it the weather presenter’s forecast that failed, or did the smoke from the pure ghee offerings during the Havan not appease the rain gods? Or perhaps it was human greed that disrupted the natural order.

 We often blame global warming for our woes, but maybe it’s our own actions that have led us here. If we could curb our greed and heed the warnings nature gives us, we might create a better, cleaner world.

 If these thoughts resonate with you, do yourself a favour and listen to the voices of today’s youth. Click the link below or copy and paste it into your browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WzgVMp7-Lo

Black Bird Mount Abu

Black Bird in flight

Black Bird

Black Bird

I think it’s appropriate that I start my 101st blog with a graceful harbinger. The Black bird is an omen of the impending monsoons to the Abode of the Gods. The more the black birds the better the monsoons. I recall my ole man mentioning to me in my youth that the year when scorpions and lizards come out in large numbers, that year the monsoons will be extraordinary. So far I have hardly seen any lizards as for scorpions they have become a rarity. Hope the rain gods smile down on us this year as we are in a very precarious situation, our water recourses are already strained.

Birds of Mount Abu Phase III

Asian Paradise flycatcher female in nest

Asian Paradise flycatcher female in nest
Asian Paradise flycatcher Male in nest

Asian Paradise flycatcher Male in nest

Asian Paradise Flycatcher Male Paradise flycatcher

Asian Paradise flycatcher

Follow the leader Geese at the Lake

Black Bird

Black Bird

Black-lored Tit

Black-shouldered Kite /Dove/Bulbul

Black-shouldered Kite

Black-throated Tit

Black Winged Stilt

Black Winged Stilt

Brahimny Starling

Brahimny Starling

Brown Headed Barbet

Brown Headed Barbet

Bulbul Red Whiskered

Bulbul Red Whiskered

Common Kestrel

Common Sparrow

Coppersmith Barbet

Dab chick

Dove Little Brown

Dove Little Brown

Egyptian Vulture

Fledgling Green Bee Eater

Fledgling Green Bee Eater

Flying Fox

Flying Fox

Flying Fox

Great Cormorant Adult
Great Cormorant Adult

Green Bee Eater

Green Munia

Indian Robin

Indian Robin Female

Indian Silverbill

Jungle Babbler

Jungle Babbler

It will be a while before I post more on birds as the monsoons are around the corner.

Birds of Mount Abu Phase I

Sparrow-Hawk

Sun bird female

Sun bird fledgling

Male Sun bird singing to White bellied Drongo

Sun birds

Tailor bird

Tailorbird

Speckled Dove

White Bellied Drongo

Drongo singing back

White bellied Drongo

Drongos

White breasted water-hen

White eye

White eye

White eye

White bellied Drongo

White breasted water-hen

White-browed Wagtail

White-naped Woodpecker

White_throated Kingfisher

White_throated Kingfisher

White_throated Kingfisher

Wood Sparrow

Woodpecker Lesser Golden-backed

Woodpecker Lesser Golden-backed

Woolly-necked Storks

Woolly-necked Storks

Woolly-necked Storks

Woolly-necked Storks

Yellow Throat

I have always been fascinated with birds. As a young lad from the age of thirteen I have observed and studied the habits and habitats of birds in Abu. For years I explored the jungle of Abu in search of rare birds and their nesting habits. Over the last two months I have visited almost every nook and corner of Abu to snap birds so that I could refresh the memories of the boys who have passed out from this paradise of ours. I’m sure they will enjoy this walk down memory lane with nostalgia.

Look forward to the next phase, till then enjoy this post.