Happy Earth Day 2017! From the Abode

Happy Earth Day 2017!

The thirsty earth soaks up the rain,

And drinks, and gapes for drink again.

The plants suck in the earth and are

With constant drinking fresh and fair.

–Abraham Cowley

Tree dancing silhouette

I draw my strength from the lava rock,

I dance to the tune of nature and it’s passion,

I have no reason to fear its fury;

My home is the Rock,

So admire me while I dance to the dawn that is breaking.

Abuites I know for years the denizens of the abode of the gods have been planting and promoting the planting of trees. This year we need to go all out in a very big way of planting trees not only around Earth day but every day of the year in the wake of the massive fires that have devastated large parts of our precious forests.

LATEST NEWS AN EMPTY OIL TANKER TURNED TURTLE EN ROUTE ABU ROAD .

THE LATEST NEWS AN EMPTY OIL TANKER TURNED TURTLE En route ABU ROAD. 

Charles's guide from Mount Abu just spoke to me. He said an empty oil tanker had turned turtle while driving down. The tanker hit the outer guard wall of the road and went down. THE COLLECTOR the SDM and the police FROM ABU ROAD AND MOUNT ABU WERE ON THE SCENE. They have rushed the driver to the hospital for immediate treatment. His co-assistant did not make it he died on the impact. Charles and the team of forest personnel have moved up towards Aarna. He said the cranes would take about an hour to begin hauling out the tanker.
Will update you as soon as I get news?
Today 17 April 2017
Receive an update via WhatsApp. The forest fire is still not contained, and it is spreading rapidly and uncontrollably. Currently, it has crossed Aarna and Hanuman Temple. IT WILL TAKE A FEW MORE DAYS TO SUBSIDE.
Abuites are being supportive more than 150 volunteers have supplied the various firefighting teams with morning tea, biscuits and packaged drinking water. Afternoon lunch they have supplied packets via 250 volunteers. The number of volunteers has substantially increased and there is an all-out effort by the denizens to aid in trying to contain the burning inferno.

Received a phone call from Charles who's at Aarna. Charles called me from Aarna and told me that they had finally contained the fires at Mount Abu. I'm posting via my mobile as I'm waiting on the Sabarmati station. 
The train is 50 minutes late. I'm posting a photograph of the station 🚉 is deserted. 

Abuites, especially the folks who have been battling the fires for the last few days, can dose themselves with some welcoming nectar of the gods and have the RoCkInG sleep they deserve. 


Today in Times of India click
ABU FIRE SHOWS NO SIGN OF ABATING 

BREAKING NEWS FOREST FIRE IN MANY AREA MOUNT ABU

I just received a call from Abu and a few messages on my Whatsapp.

"MOUNT ABU IS BURNING, FIRE HAS SPRUNG UP SUDDENLY IN QUITE A FEW PLACES"

I'm at the moment in Gujarat and have tried to glean as much as I can about the situation back home.

All services the army, the fire brigades, volunteers and even helicopters have been pressed into trying to contain the blazing fires, 

Mount Abu by itself is ill-equipped to fight any major forest fire IF THE FIRE GOD FORBID IS FANNED BY STRONG WINDS It's GOING TO BE A MAJOR DISASTER FOR THE ABODE OF THE GODS.

WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED.

Received a video clip via my WhatsApp have a look  click

FIRE FIRE -ABU BURNING 

 Receiving the latest pictures have a look 

Taking water from Nikki per kind favour Roxy

This is the first time in the history of Mount Abu that helicopters 

have been deployed to fight forest fires in the abode.

Army pressed into service per kind favour Harry

Fire blazing in the background on the other side of the lake

 per kind favour Harry

Fire en route Abu Road per kind favour Jaswant.

I just phoned Abu to get the latest on the situation. I was told the helicopters had to be grounded as they have run out of fuel. The fire West of Abu the Honeymoon point region is raging and I was told that a strong wind has sprung up the very thing I feared the most. If the fire goes out of control, it will be bad for the reserved part of the sanctuary. I truly hope the fire dies down before it reaches the sanctuary.
Will keep all updated as and when I receive the news from Abu

The hills are on fire per kind favour  Mike

Morning the situation is grim all night personnel have been battling the fires on different areas of Abu. The fire department had to send their team to the foot of Abu en route to try to contain the fire that was spreading in that area. The big concern for the authorities is to try to prevent the fire from reaching the Trevor Tank sanctuary area.
Logically for fires to erupt in so many areas and at the same time seems the work of arsonists. Mount Abu has had its shares of fire over the years in the peak summer season, but not on such a scale and not in so many places at the same time

In today's newspaper  Click Times of India
Massive fire breaks out in Abu

I spoke to a colleague of mine at 5:30 pm this evening. He said that he was at sunset point with volunteers who are trying to contain the fire spreading in that area. The fire which was raging around Honeymoon point and beyond has slackened, but he voiced his concern about the raging fire that is spreading in the area between Chipperbury and Aarna village, helicopters are pressed into this area to try and contain the spreading inferno this area has a lot of bamboos groves and the bamboos being semi-dry are very hard to put out.
I bleed for the destruction that the wildlife in this area has been subjected to, this area is home to a lot of languor monkeys, spurfowl, wild jungle fowls, and peacocks.

HARRY JUST PHONED ME AND REPORTED THAT ALL TRAFFIC HAS BEEN HALTED AT THE BASE OF ABU AT TALATI. He stated that no traffic is plying between Mount Abu and Abu Road as the forest fire has spread engulfing some area of the road. The firefighter is just trying to contain the fire so normalcy can be returned to traffic to and fro. Harry has been at Talati since 9 pm.

All traffic suspended between Abu And Abu Road awaiting clearance from the authorities when it's safe to do so.

THREE CHEERS TRAFIC HAS BEEN RESUMED HAPPY WEEKEND TO ALL 3 MINUTES AGO
IIT'S EASTER SUNDAY WISHING ALL A VERY PEACEFUL EASTER

Fire en route Abu Road per kind favour Harnam late last night after 

traffic resumed.

I received a call late last night and was informed that a high-level meeting was held by all concerned government officials and that it was decided to hold the operation till dawn as it was too risky for the firefighting team to enter the dense jungle.

Click to view news for today's paper
Times News 

Just got a phone call from one of the team members deputed to the Aarna area.He said to me that the fire in that area was out of control all efforts to contain it using firefighters, helicopters, army personnel, the reserve police and the local forest department have failed to contain it. The raging fire fanned by the wind in a southwest direction will probably reach the dense forest area towards Golden Horn.
Pray this does not happen as it will be catastrophic for this part of Abu.
Will keep posting as soon as I receive updates

World Health Day Mount Abu

World Health Day

Depression, let's discuss; All you need to know about the debilitating disorder

In India, there are many myths around depression. Quite often, in rural areas

Soothsayers, in extreme cases tantric etc are called upon to find a solution for this depressed and unfortunate individual.

It's a mental health issue and as with most issues is dismissed as something that can be overcome by the individual themselves.

Awareness should be the order of the day. Mount Abu on this occasion has sent out an invitation so Abuites please do find time to attend this meet.

Help Save The Green Avadavat Mount Abu

Help Save The Green Avadavat Mount Abu

Green Avadavat - (Munia) vulnerable 

Green Avadavat - Sporaeginthus formosus

Green Avadavat Pair

Can the International Union for Conservation of Nature have classified the Green Avadavat (or Green Munia) as Vulnerable (VU)? Can we take measures to prevent it from becoming Endangered? These birds are endemic to Central India and can be found in patches across parts of central U.P., Southern Bihar, and West Bengal. as been a popular cage bird and have been in the bird trade since the late 19th century. It continues to be common in the wild in areas such as Mt. Abu in Rajasthan but has declined due mainly to trapping and environmental changes.

Green Avadavat Amandava formosa

Population trend: Decreasing

Bird species like Green Munia and Red Avadavat are trapped and sold in some major city markets in Central India. Today one can buy some of these species in the old city of Ahmedabad.

Mount Abu is one sanctuary where the Green Munia’s existence is stable and its population can grow. It would be ideal if the forest department. Local authorities and Abuites get together and plan an awareness programme to safeguard the well-being of this species. This Abode of Gods caters to about 600 of these fragile finches. Birders from all parts of the world come to Abu to photograph this rare species. Most of them snap this prized beauty and fulfil their dream of capturing this avian in their collection. 

They contain the Munias in Annexe IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making hunting, trapping or trade illegal and a punishable offence. It also protected the Green Avadavat under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

 

Green Avadavat juvenile

 Despite this protection, the most serious threat to this species is illegal trafficking, which has decimated various populations across the country. They captured many of these birds and illegally trafficked them in the domestic and foreign markets. TRAFFIC India has been tracking the illegal trade in Green Munias and periodically publishes articles to raise awareness of the birds' condition and educate people about the significance raise awareness and educate people about the legal implications of buying Green Munias as pets, TRAFFIC India keeps track of illegal trade and periodically publishes articles and promoting the well-being of this unique bird. It should establish a special committee to monitor and track population trends in the various pockets of Abu. Members should assign a period soon after the nesting to count the birds for an annual census. Mount Abu, in the long run, might be the only haven where this rare species might have the chance to survive the ravages of our contemporary world.