Tree house

 When they said that I would put in a tree house, I was scared. I imagined a small outfit built on the branch of a tree, which I was supposed to climb up into, like an agile monkey. I was in for a surprise. It looked like a three-star resort room with a balcony and ensuite.

  
The shower hose in the bathroom looked like a snake that had just sneaked in. But for a man accustomed to living in cramped city apartments, this was heaven. The birds sang somewhere in the distance, and the forest was abuzz with the endless chatter of the insects.

The next morning we discovered that our jeep was the first vehicle to enter the forest. The sights that we encountered can be put in words—the Indian gaur, sambar deer, Malabar Grey Hornbill and Nilgiri Langoors.

There were here in front of us this minute, and before we could bat our lids, they were gone. We set the cameras to work in that low sunlight. But the photos would not reflect the excitement that we shared in our group.

 

We went deep. By the time we were deep inside, we were hungry. We took a quick but hungry bite at what was available to eat. The trek inside took almost an hour. We were now tired and thirsty. Imagine our delight when  we chanced upon a waterfall. Pure herbal water, said my colleague. Hm. But it was refreshing. Both the slaking of the thirst, and the lovely bathing we had. We forgot that the water was infested with leeches. When someone warned us of them, we were scared and gave a quick scan our own torsos and limbs. Luckily, none stuck to us.

The return journey took us another one and a half hours. 

The first thing we did as we landed in our tree house was to hit the sack.      

Periyar Tiger Reserve

Periyar National Park and Wildlife Santuary (PNP), Thekkady , better known as Periyar Tiger Reserve, is every photographer’s dream destination. Located in an area covering 925 sq kmts, the reserve offers an enchanting scenery that eludes even the best of cameramen.

We had long decided that we would visit this place not as observer/photographer but as a participant of the wildlife.

Accompanying me were my instructor Mr Yathunandan Sir, Dilip, Vikram and Rony, our driver. Our journey from Chennai began by bus. It was from Cumbam we drove to the forest.

When we boarded the bus at Koyambedu, we were apprehensive. Will our instructor join us? Guys around said that it was the day when they conducted the practical exams, and it was doubtful of Mr Yathunandan Sir  joining us. Should we go ahead if he didn’t come? Who could guide us better than an experience photographer and trekker such as our instructor?

Mr. Yathunandan Sir knows the art of giving pleasant surprises. That was his signature even in the class he gave for us in photography. He joined us at Perangalathur, about twenty kilometers from the terminus.

It was a comfortable ride that night, with not much traffic or the blaring of speeding lorries, and the bus promptly dropped us at Cumbum, a small  town on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. It would take about a ten minute walk to walk into Kerala.

We had planned in advance to visit Vagamon, a small hill-station in Idukki. The place boasts of a hill-top shrine for Christ at Kurisumala or the Hill of the Holy Cross.

The panoramic view of this place takes you back in time. The world of high-tech gadgetry and concrete jungle looks somewhere in future time. The grasslands define the horizon in a regular  and sometimes undulating landscape. The weather is fine, and soft breeze plays upon your cheeks.

There is nothing more comforting than mother nature.