In the ghats : Bababudangiri - Mullainagiri
Clerodendrum sp
It was 2.30am when I slept that day. I could only sleep for another hour or so. I badly needed some sleep. At 3.30 I woke up to the phone call from Ravee telling me that he was waiting outside. I quickly brushed and headed out. By 4am, 5 of us were out on Magadi road heading towards Mullainagiri. A small tea stop at the Magadi Road - Chennarayapattana junction set us for the day. After a quick stop for breakfast at Berur, we headed towards Kemmangundi and Bababudangiri. This was my first monsoon trip and I was quite excited about it. It is refreshing to see completely green surroundings. The roads were slushy and it was raining intermittently. I loved the rains. After nearly a 5 hr drive, we were at the base of the Bababundangiri hills in the Bharada Wildlife Sanctuary. Ravee and others were looking out for orchids and wild flowers. I had never before attempted to identify wild flowers even though they look really pretty. Our first stop was close to the Kalahatti falls where Ravee identified an orchid flowering out on a tree, which was later identified as Aerides ringens. Just around there, we always the wild flower, Impatiens zombensis. There are found flowering all over the western ghats during the monsoons.
This marked the real beginning of the trip. After this we kept stopping looking at ferns and wild flowers all along the road. There were so many different types of wild flowers, including the Sandalwood (one of which I can remember) with a lot of unknowns. The sight of the trees hitting the ground due to rains was a common one. But still they supported a lot of orchids and others. While looking at one of the fallen trees, we also noticed a dead Porcupine below it. It was just off the road. it seemed to have been hurt due to something and then dead. This was the first time I was seeing a porcupine, and also a dead one. The view from the road into the valley was beautiful. There were streams of fresh rain water flowing across the road at various point and we didn’t hesitate to get there and enjoy. Strobilanthes were in plenty and our observations are just from the stuff we saw from the road. I was amazed that so many times I have just ignored to look at the beauty of the wild flowers that are found just off the road. I had gone with an intention to see at least a few birds but now I had already synced in into flower-watching. One can keep observing them for ages and the only thing that could shake them up is the wind. After walking along the road in the slush and such, we realised there it was time to get bitten by leeches. They happily sucked our blood while we ignored them. So every time getting back into the car meant, also cleaning up our legs to get rid of leeches.
Impatiens zombensis
Bulbophyllum sp.
Strobilanthes
Conchidium filiformis
Chlorophytum sp
the moss
A moth caterpillar
Calanthe sylvatica - a ground orchid in the middle of ferns
Dendrobium nanum - the orchid on a tree which had fallen off due to the rains
Peristylus spiralis - a beautiful orchid just by the road
Wild Turmeric - again saw this growing just off the road
I really enjoyed watching various orchids both on the ground and other trees, ferns of various types etc. There was a wall which was actually filled with ferns with an orchid flowering out of it too. It looked really beautiful. By this time, it was raining heavily. By the time we reached Bababudangiri, it was already 4 pm. There was nothing around to eat and somewhere near Bababudangiri, a small tea stall was our saviour. After sipping multiple cups of tea, we headed towards Mulaianagiri. It was literally driving in the clouds. There was hardly any visibility on either side. It was getting chilly too. It was nearly 6 when we reached Mulaiayangiri. The strong chilly wind was hitting us very hard. All of us were shivering and enjoying it at the same time. After spending a few minutes there, we started heading back to Bangalore. I reached home by about 1.30am. It was almost a 23 hr trip, also one of the most memorable one. I want to go back again, NOW :)
Against the wind :)
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