The Sultanpur National Park Welcomes its New Kid on The Block

 

This Wednesday when I visited the Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon with a couple of acquaintances, I did not expect to see much. However, when I reached the location I was pleasantly surprised to see the latest offspring of a pair of young Sarus Cranes. I was surprised to see how nervous the pair of birds were on spotting me, but later realised that they were anxious for the safety of their little one that was lurking in the depths of the grass! This little chick would be the cousin of an earlier spotted a  year old juvenile that I had spotted during the winter season.

I was able to spot the older cousin of the chick later on while exploring the National Park. It became clear that there were two different families in the park. The latest family had probably given birth to their first offspring. This in itself is good news for the park as it means that we will be seeing two new offsprings of the Sarus Cranes growing into maturity; an increase in the population of Sarus Cranes that live in and around the National Park. I have spotted the older chick a number of times whenever I visited the Park. I was, moreover pleased to see that the elder cousin of the chick was able to take flight along with its parents. I was, unfortunately, not able to get close to the second family of the older cousin because the moment they spotted me, they flew away!

The first glimpse of the youngest parents of the Sarus Crane Chick did not, initially reveal that they were nursing their (probably first) offspring as it remained hidden in the grass. The young parents of the chick were rather nervous and wouldn't stay still. This was a bit surprising because, in earlier times, the Sarus Cranes appeared rather dismissive, though cautious on spotting me. In the above photograph, it looks as if the parents are communicating their concerns about the welfare of their offspring on seeing me. At that time, I wasn't aware of the young offspring hidden in the grass. It was only later on that it emerged from its cover and I was able to photograph it.

The chicks of Sarus Cranes, as you might observe from the photographs have a dull brown plumage and they don't get the bright red, grey and white colour scheme of the grown-ups for quite some time, probably after more than a couple of years after they are born. I have seen the older family guarding their offspring for almost a year now. This suggests that Sarus cranes are not only dedicated to each other in matrimony but also that they are caring parents who nurture their offspring for more than a year. This speaks volumes about how familial Sarus Cranes are!

Each day I see the juvenile Sarus Crane, my heart swells out in hope for all those wild birds and animals that are being threatened by developmental activities in the area. A few years back, one could spot Sarus Cranes in the Basai Wetland, but now that it has become a target for development, Basai Wetland is no longer home to the tallest flying birds in the world. Human greed, shortsightedness and lack of planning have resulted in the destruction of most of the wetlands in Gurgaon. We call ourselves educated, enlightened and wise, but, unfortunately, we are simply not doing enough to preserve the Biodiversity hotspots in Gurgaon!

The presence of cattle in the Sultanpur National Park is perhaps another example of how even in Wildlife Sanctuaries, even in the so-called Ramsar Sites, the actual wildlife has to vie for space with domestic cattle, dogs, and cats! We keep touting our National Parks as Biodiversity hotspots because they earn us some revenue, but then we turn a blind eye towards the destruction of better-populated wetlands because they don't earn us any revenue.

Bungalow 20, Lansdowne

An Ode to Lansdowne

To the hills we go, to scale some heights,
The sun comes up, the hills approach, the
Wind sings true, the roads hiss past, for all
I know, you live to see, the trees speed past
As you move along, to see new sights.

The sun comes up, the hills approach and

All our cares we leave behind, the wind sings

True, and life goes on, the roads hiss past and

We move along. For all I know you live to see

The hills that rise to touch the sky!

I know, you live to see, the trees speed past,

And to smell the scent of Pine resin to freshen

Up the senses. To see new sights and the sun to

Rise. If the setting of the sun is magical, then

Can its rise be less spectacular?

The trip to Lansdowne was a much awaited trip for my family and my sister's family especially after almost two years of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns resulting from it. Initially we had thought about visiting Jim Corbett National Park but then decided that it was too hot and that we needed to visit a new hill station in the North. The name that came to our minds was Lansdowne, a town known for being a Cantonment area and the home of the Garhwal regiment. Upon reaching a consensus, we decided to book rooms in a homestay resort in Jai Hari, a spot five kilometers away from Lansdowne.

We started from Gurgaon one fine Friday morning on the 3rd of June at about 4:45 in the morning on a full tank and after making a few pit-stops, reached jai Hari Khal at about 2:00 in the afternoon. The kilometer reading on the odometer was 284. The weather was quite warm initially, but then it started to cool down as the day advanced. The first day of our two day tour was spent exploring the resort and the area surrounding it. The sunset viewed from the balcony was simply stunning.

On the second day, we decided to explore Lansdowne and we booked a cab to take us sightseeing because we did not want to take the hassle of driving around in our cars asking for directions. We left for Lansdowne at 9:30 in the morning and our first stop was at the St. John's Church, A Roman Catholic Church that has been a must-visit place in Lansdowne since the nineteen thirties. It had been in a dilapidated state before being restored. The St. John's Church in Lansdowne is the oldest church in the Cantonment area.

The second place we stopped at was the St. Mary's Protestant Church which was constructed in 1896. The church fell into a state of disrepair after 1947 but then has now been restored into its original form by the Garwhal Rifle's regiment and is now fully functional. There is, incidentally a lot of history associated with both of these churches which is intertwined with the historical background of the Garhwal Regiment.

The third place we visited was the Tiffin-Top or the Tip-In Top Point, 2.5 kilometers from Lansdowne and at a height of 2000 meters above sea level. During the winter months one can see snow-covered mountains in the distance.

The fourth place we visited was the Santoshi Mata Temple. This temple is a much place of worship and tourists make it a point to visit it while visiting Lansdowne. The temple is maintained by the Garhwal regiment. Though most tourist brochures claim Tip-In-Top to be the highest point in the town, the fact is that the temple is accessed from a road that climbs up from Tip-In-Top making it located at a higher point than Tip-In-Top point.

The fifth place we visited in Lansdowne was the Bhulla Taal, a man-made lake built by the Garhwal Regiment. This is a popular spot in the tourists' itinerary for Lansdowne. One can gain entry to the lake by paying Rs. 150/- per head (the amount includes fees for hiring a paddle boat). The area before the lake has swings, a restaurant and a Souvenir shop. The proceeds from the money collected is added to funds for widows of fallen heroes of the Garhwal Regiment.

The sixth and last place visited by us while on a visit to Lansdowne was the Darwan Singh Museum.It is named after the famous Victoria Cross awardee, Darwan Singh Negi. The museum is a repository of important war artifacts, weapons and official records of the Garhwal Rifles regiment starting from the First World War. Unfortunately, visitors are not allowed to take photographs inside the Museum. One can also spot static displays of a Naval Harrier Fighter Jet, and an Armoured Personnel Carrier.

Lansdowne is a historically significant town, especially because of its association with the British during the colonial era. The architecture of the buildings is significantly British in nature, whether it is the fire places, the chimneys or the over all interior designs. One mysterious ruins of a building dating from the British raj was labelled simply as Bungalow No. 20. When we enquired about the building from some of the locals, the only answer we got was that it had always been like that and that they had not memories of its ever being occupied. A rich food for imagination, Bungalow No. 20 revived my creative and imaginative juices pouring in, making me wonder about its origins, the people who had once lived in it and most significantly, why it had been abandoned while the other Bungalows still house officials from the regiment.

Apart from the official sites that we visited, there were a few things that were most surprising. The first was that the resort that we were staying in was supplied with spring water, water that was literally pouring from the depths of the mountains. The second thing was that while on a trek to the bottom of the resort I was head-butted in the backside by an overenthusiastic mountain goat. The third thing was that the crows in the mountains are persistent naggers. The pheasant calls out to its mate in a cry that can persist for minutes on end. Lastly but not least, I was able to photograph an insect that looked like a pink Alpenliebe Toffee!

They are Teachers

 

They  have two families to look after, their own and the

One in the school, two different worlds. Yet, they do their

Jobs without complaint. You can't call them magicians 

Or jugglers, but planners, executors and implementers.

They are teachers! They don't crib, even when given an

Extra task, duty or substitution, which they perform with 

A smile. They treat their students with love and care, as

Well as they would treat their own children at home.

But then, they are human beings, for when they reach

Home, they are too tired and exhausted, (they might have

 exhausted their patience at school) for their own children

And family, yet they handle chores with smiles and cheer.

So when you look at teachers, treat them with respect,

They give away all their lives to nurture children whom

They counsel and mentor future doctors and engineers,

Ministers and presidents, entrepreneurs and philosophers.

They are teachers who encourage their students to dare

To dream: to hope, to strive, to reach out for stars that

Shine in the heavens. The seeds of success are sown by

Them to grace the  whole world with beautiful minds.

They are like gardeners, they nurture creativity and

Patience, perseverance, logic, brilliance and modesty,

All, a variety of exotic possibilities that few might craft,

Because very few have the patience of those who teach!

They are teachers, and they are driven by a passion to

Do what they do in class. They are perpetual learners

Who love to learn from others. Besides, they love their

Hobbies, and a book or two, if not explore the mountains.

They don't make money and care less about the brands they

Wear, but with excitement, they light up, thrilling minds

With sparks so bright. Their treasure lies not in bills, but in

Watching faces light up with immense possibilities of life.

They are teachers who are driven by a passion to make the

Difference, even if it is a small one. They are fed by the

Desire to mold others into better human beings by setting

Examples for others to follow, with humbleness - a virtue.

Greater Flamingos Descend on The Basai Wetland in large numbers

A trio of Flamingos take to the sky

Just yesterday I had set out early in the morning intending to visit the Sultanpur National park, but when I reached the T-Point from the Dwarka Expressway, I somehow decided to turn left to visit the Basai Wetland and sure it made my day! Stretched across the distant edge of the wetland was a huge flock of Greater Flamingos! They were too far away even for my modest 70-300 mm lens to capture, but the experience of spotting the Greater Flamingos far outweighed the disappointment of not having a larger zoom lens. However, I guess having an even larger zoom lens would not have helped, especially because the lighting was not good. The rising sun was on one side of the birds and so what I was able to capture was a shadow of the original image!

Taking off

Showing affection towards each other

Searching for Breakfast

Looking at all the beauty that surrounds Gurgugram, one cannot help feeling sad at the deliberate destruction of the Basai Wetland, a prehistoric wetland that once supported a massive ecosystem. It is a lesson for all of us to see how nature continues to fight back despite all the abuse we hurl at it. The Greater Flamingos are a testimony to the resilience of nature in face of all the inequities we throw at it. Seeing the Flamingos at play was simply inspiring, a lesson for all of us, human or not so human to spend some time with our family members, interact with each other and socialise because if the Flamingos can do it then can we afford to be far behind them?

Flamingos at Play

Flamingos are very gregarious and in our terms, gregarious in nature. The juveniles could be seen chasing each other around, while the grown-ups were showing their affections for each other. I was lucky enough to capture some of their emotional moments where it was clear that these were adult couples.

Expressing Emotions 

Runaway Technology is Creating Confusion

Recently I was watching a podcast titled, 'What is the path to Humane technology' by Tristan Harris in which he claimed that runaway technology is decreasing our ability to make sense of the world. According to him, it is because its complexity is beyond our ability to understand it. We are, according to E.O. Wilson, father of SocioBiology, human beings with, 'Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions [and] god-like technology.' Unfortunately, present-day technology is taking away from us our capacity for wisdom, and wisdom is the only key to closing the complex gap that exists between human beings and the technology they use. In the words of Daniel Schmachtenberger, "We can't have the power of  gods without the wisdom, love and prudence of gods."

Technology has the ability to undermine human weaknesses and it also overwhelms human strength according to Tristan Harris. Technology has stretched our cognitive limits leading to information overload. It has stimulated Dopamine levels leading to human beings becoming addicted to it. Technology has enhanced our hunger for social validation leading to the creation of the influencer culture. It has fueled our outrage over petty things leading to the polarization of the society and the world at large. Technology has made us hunger for trust leading us to accept bots and deep fakes. 

At a social level, technology has led to mass narcism leading to shortened attention spans, social isolation, break-down of sense-making, marginalization of groups, depression in teens, conspiracies, extremism, perceptions gaps and a general culture of distrust, suspicion, mass hysteria, and paranoia. We are living in an increasingly divided, fragmented and polarised world where we find an excuse to ostracise people who don't belong to the group based on religious, casteist, racist, linguistic, and ethnic parameters. Our existing technology is not humane or ethical and it has in a way driven a wedge between human beings robbing them of feelings of empathy, love, kindness, trust, and even spirituality. In a world that is driven by perceptions based on what we are fed by social media, it is not surprising that we have begun developing perception gaps. The more time we spend on social media the more incapable we are of appreciating the diversity of beliefs and opinions. We are not able to estimate and understand what other people believe, according to Tristan Harris.

Technology has led to a situation where extreme voices on social media have more impact than moderate voices. It is, perhaps why people with extreme views have more reach than the moderates. We have begun to gravitate towards extreme voices, perhaps because they stimulate us to action, stoke our anger and desire to address wrongs committed against us. This skewed perception of what is right and what is wrong, in terms of our desire for action or patience is leading to a sense of confusion in a world divided by the extreme voices demanding immediate action the moderate voices desirous of a patient approach towards addressing problems. 

We are steadily being driven headlong into a chaotic situation where our ability to differentiate between what is real and what is fake is taking a hit. We would like to believe that what is being projected on a social media platform is the correct version of events taking place in a conflict zone. People deliberately use social media to present fake news, that too with manipulated images and videos, thanks to the possibilities provided by technology. Technology has made us gullible victims of fake news, paid news and biased news when is supported with evidence in the form of graphics, photographic images, and videos. The more violent the images, the more we are drawn to a particular news channel or even a social media site. It is so easy to whip up outrage against another community with the help of a few tweets or WhatsApp messages purportedly of violence and atrocities committed against another community.

There is an urgent need, according to Tristan Harris, to switch over to what might be labelled as good technology or even ethical technology or even humane technology. This can only happen if and when we shift over from the old paradigm of the neutrality of technology to a technology that consciously nurtures values, technology that gives us no choice to technology that helps people thrive, technology that has good and bad to technology that respects human vulnerabilities. The task before the human technologist is a difficult one.

The human technologist will have to recreate a technology that prevents harmful externalisation, encourages shared understanding, collaboration and healthy debates. The technology of tomorrow will help build bridges rather than divide communities. It cannot be neutral, therefore, it will have to support fairness and justice in mankind, it will have to help human beings work and grow together, model wisdom, respect for others, and be solutions-oriented. A more human and ethical technology would work towards creating a social fabric based on civic equity, participation, collaboration, and responsibility, the purpose being of developing a well-informed citizen, someone who is sensible, someone who supports the upliftment of marginalized communities. The true purpose of technology would be to further peaceful co-existence among all human beings, creating a culture of shared understanding in times of conflict.

There is a great need to develop technology that is sensitive to the vulnerabilities of human beings. If technology is a means to an end, then global peace should be its ultimate goal. We have been using technology for ages and our dependence on it has been increasing day by day. Unfortunately what had begun as a tool to make life easier has now become a weapon of oppression. The Ukraine-Russia conflict has encouraged the use of technology to inflict physical, mental and emotional trauma on each side. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki towards the end of the Second World War was traumatic enough. We use technology, today to divide people, we use it to inflict pain and suffering, and we use it to satisfy our nihilistic urges. We use it to dehumanize others. We use technology to impose our ideas on others. Technology has become a tool that promotes linguistic, social, cultural and economic chauvinism. It has become a tool in the hands of mainstream communities to subjugate, suppress and exploit the vulnerabilities of marginalized communities. 

The above post is based on my understanding of a podcast by Tristan Harris, the link of which is given below:

https://www.technology-in-business.net/what-is-the-path-to-humane-technology-tristan-harris-sxsw-2022%ef%bf%bc/