Airoli Creek

The Skyline on the banks of Airoli Creek
Located in the suburbs of Mumbai, Airoli Creek is a wide tidal creek, flanked by mangroves teeming with life, but the concrete march threatens to annihilate the mangroves and with them all that is attracted to these mangroves. 

 

Sunrise at Bhandup Pumping Station
BPS is a perennial waterbody surrounded by scrub, bushes and mangroves, thus one sees a wide variety of birds. There is a small waterway that leads from here to the main Airoli Creek which is flanked by mangroves.

An inquisitive cormorant
There are waterbirds and scrubland birds, particularly in winter when migratory birds come in, passing through or destination. On one morning recently we saw 46 types of birds, some resident and many migratory.

A Pair of White Cheeked Bulbuls
Residents here, there are many bulbuls around BPS.  The marshes around are always wet, being tidally fed and a walk through them is messy and difficult but always interesting. The high humidity here is evident in the water droplets on the plants all the time.

Flamingos of Airoli Creek
A destination for flamingos for long, Airoli Creek has many flocks, each in their hundreds. These huge and lovely birds feed on the rich nutrients in the soft mud of the tidal creek. When disturbed they get airborne, initially ungainly as they have to literally "walk on water" to get their huge bodies up into the air..... 

...But once in the air
they are graceful, perfectly aerodynamic flying fast and purposefully.  I wonder how long they will keep coming to Airoli considering the concrete onslaught. Buildings have  come up to the water's edge and the mangroves are always threatened

The mangroves
survive only because naturalists raise their collective voices when the builders suggest razing the mangroves in the interests of "progress".   Though mangrove is a collective term, there are many species of plants that constitute the dense marshy forest and a study of these is interesting in itself

A black headed Ibis
offers a silhouette on the little creek leading from BPS to Airoli, this is a threatened species. In this waterway one sees many different types of birds, varieties of ducks, ibis and many other water birds.

Mumbai's effluence
This is the creek that leads from BPS to Airoli Creek, I wonder how long it will be before even the birds wrinkle their noses in disgust at the garbage in the water, each of those white spots in the picture above is a plastic bottle or thermocole plate. BPS has become a 'tourist' destination where each morning on weekends droves of people descend to the jetty for a boat ride to see the flamingos. These boatmen make the flamingos fly for the entertainment of their passengers, these lovely birds are disturbed from their feeding every few minutes. It will be little wonder if they stop coming.

Idyllic waterway
It is not too late, never too late, we need to get our act together to preserve this little corner of Eden.  It doesn't take much, some regulation to prevent boatmen and tourists from constantly disturbing birds, control garbage and save the mangroves. Mumbai needs its lungs and this is one of them.

The Colours of Kutch

The vibrant colours of Kutch
A land of colours, craftspeople, history, birds, wildlife and unspoilt scenery. A visit to Kutch enables one to see this and much more, there is something for everyone. The people dress colourfully, and decorate colourfully, thus the craftspeople are skilled and the work everywhere is fine. The course work of cheap commercialism is not yet widespread, but beginning to. This area has, arguably, one of the largest migratory bird populations in the country, this was evident on our trip. The old buildings are redolent in history, but alas like most ancient monuments in the country, it is heartbreaking to see magnificent structures decaying from lack of concern.

Epicentre at Lodhai Village.
This is a wonderful homestay run by Bharat Kapdi, located near a lake at one end of the Banni Grasslands, it has a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. Named after the devastating earthquake of 2001, one can still see the ravages in the buildings here and elsewhere in the area. Bharat is a great spotter and took us to see many sights both birds and historical.

Spotted Sandgrouse
Bharat took us to see the spotted sandgrouse, a bird seen in India after about 19 years, a beautifully marked bird it is a sight to behold. Bharat's birding knowledge is recent, but the diligence he shows in gathering his knowledge is truly praiseworthy. An absolute master of his area, he knows exactly where to look for what.

Shrujan Museum
This museum is a repository of the exquisite weaving techniques and clothing styles of the nine major clans of the region. The weaves are distinct, intricate, colourful and well documented. Most of the original patterns are breathtaking in their detail. Beautifully built and efficiently run, the museum is a must visit. 

Jaan Mohammed the bell maker
Craft is in the blood of these people, deft with their hands they fashion various artifacts.  These bells are entirely made by hand, so much so that the three pieces that constitute a bell are fused by hammer taps, there is no welding or soldering. He and his family now export bells to the US, giving him new found financial freedom. Their work is so neat and precise besides they do the tuning entirely by ear, so much so that the bells are a joy to behold and to hear.

Vastness and serenity
The White Rann is but a part of the Great Rann of Kutch, it's vastness is awe-inspiring, so much so that a thousand tourists in a bespoke tourist tower are but a speck in an ocean of white. Salt crystals and water constitute the White Rann, no photograph can do justice to the vast white expanse.  Woe betide the unwary who could sink deep in the slush of salt and water if they are not careful.

Sunset at the White Rann
Children run in the Rann (pardon the pun!) to gain a position of advantage to watch the sunset over the sea of salt.  The crystals are visible, but the water oozing through is not. The Rann Festival is located nearby and it draws tourists from India and abroad. This has resulted in a burgeoning tourist industry of hospitality, shops, camel and horse rides.  The pressure of tourists is already telling on the fragile ecology of the place.

That supercilious knowing look
he knows something that we don't so he peers down at me.  Camels are ubiquitous in this almost desert land, at tourist places, beasts of burden and herds for wool. An entire tribe lives off the camel, drawing all their needs from their herds of camel. But they are also now used to satiate tourists in their perpetual search for the new.

Snacks
The snacks of Kutch are unique in shape and taste. What we would call snacks are served as breakfast and refreshment. Different flavours but generally savory, these bites are served every where. Delicious "farari puri" and "pakwan" are some of the delights served to us in Jaan  Mohammad's hospitality. 

At CEDO
The Centre for Environment, Desert and Ocean run by Jugal Tiwari is interesting in a multifaceted manner.  It is at another end of the Banni Grasslands. A nursery, bird houses, a vast and interesting collection of fossils all go to make up the many passions of its owner. However nothing here is more interesting than the owner, Jugal Tiwari himself. Passionate about what he does, he knows where to go and what to see.  There is a constant flow of guests, birders mainly, both from India and abroad, Jugal has something for everyone, aided ably by his son and brother in law.

Indian Courser
A beautiful bird that Jugal enabled us to see.  His expertise in where to find what is remarkable.  During our travels around CEDO we saw a very wide variety of birds, some of the more rare sightings were: the three types of sandgrouse seen here, a bi-maculate lark, Syke's nightjar, and Red tailed wheatear. 

Than Monastery - beauty of a bygone era
This monastery is now near deserted, but from the beauty of the buildings and opulence of the paintings, it doesn't take much to imagine the buildings in their past glory.  The largesse of the rich formed a large centre of religion.  Today apart from a few temples at the centre, the lovely old buildings are decrepit, occupied by cattle, bats and owls. 

Chari Dhand wetlands
Shallow and flat, these wetlands near Nakhatrana have a beautiful eco-system all their own, with scrub land birds in the dry areas and large numbers of water birds in the lake. This is a favourite destination for serious birders and tourists alike. An ancient volcanic plain, one can still see a mountain said to be a dormant volcano. A sight worth seeing and hearing is the mass movement of thousands of Common Cranes coming in to roost at sunset. Skein after skein, in graceful formation, these cranes come in to the lake.

Lakhpat Fort
The fort has a large area enclosed by its walls, inside which there religious places of Hindus, Muslims and a very revered Gurudwara of the Sikhs.  This fort is along a vast flood plain, with a river leading to the sea.  In the old days this was probably from where trade and access to ports was controlled. 

Flamingos at Mandvi
Mandvi has pristine beaches with a shallow gradient, hence the tide goes out quite a distance.  Fishing boats come in at high tide and are intentionally beached for maintenance, refit and preparation for the next fishing trip. Amongst these boats one sees many Greater Flamingos, gulls, terns and other water birds. At Mandvi creek we saw a great flock of different types of gulls, presumably being fed by someone.  

Sea Captain, ship modeler, raconteur
Shiv Fofindi's family have long been associated with the sea, sailors, fishermen, boat builders and now ship modeler. He has many interesting tales to tell, from his time at sea to his trips to Kailash Mansarover in Tibet and many places between. Here he runs a ship modelling workshop where he trains young people in this intricate and esoteric art of fine detail.

Vijay Vilas Palace at Mandvi
with sprawling grounds and the hint of landscaping, the grandeur of the Maharajas of Kutch is apparent in the now rather decrepit Vijay Vilas  summer palace. It has very fine inlay work, many interesting historical photographs and spectacular views of the area from the roof.  The walls are in decent condition, but the interiors, like many of our palaces, is not in good repair.

Colourful Rocks at the Laiyari River
The Laiyari River bed has some of the most colourful and beautifully shaped rocks I have seen. From bright yellows to deep purple and shades in between, the shapes also lend themselves to flights of imagination.  Please see more of my photographs on Flickr of this lovely place here: The palette of the Laiyari River

Swaminarayan Temple at Bhuj
A gigantic edifice in stark white marble reflecting the midday sun, The temple appears to be an oasis of efficiency.  There are large turrets, columns, intricate work, wide verandahs, accommodation and car parks in this huge area.  The intricate carving is a joy to see as much as is the sheer size of the place.

Pragmahal in Bhuj
Made in the Italian Gothic style of sandstone and marble, the Pragmahal is one of the three palaces clustered in the centre of Bhuj belonging to the erstwhile Maharajas of Kutch. The Pragmahal is said to be the precursor of much of Mumbai's Gothic building style.  The other two palaces, the Aina Mahal and the Old palace are clustered here too.  , These palaces are sad relics  of the bygone grandeur of the Maharajas, priceless artifacts have either been stolen or dumped without maintenance. 

The Agiary
Bhuj once had a very large Parsi Zoroastrian population, but time and opportunity elsewhere have whittled the Parsi population down to a single family.  The Agiary is no longer a functioning one, but the family tries to generate funds and maintain the Agiary.
To me Bhuj is a land of colour, there is colour everywhere, in nature and in the people. The birds, trees and rocks are colourful; the people have developed colourful weaving styles and colourful clothes.  It refreshingly has relatively fewer tourists, but The Great Indian Tourist is getting there and signs of his depredations are visible now.  Enjoy this land of colour before it is whitewashed to conform to the needs of tourism.