Vehicle Safari @ Topslip

Wild sunset captured through windshield  

It was first time for me taking a wildlife safari into the forest and Topslip offers two kinds of safaris on two phases. One at morning and another at evening and other than the vehicle and elephant safaris, hiking is also offered at exploring the forest with a guide walks on. Since we reached Topslip at noon, we had enough time relaxing and I wandered around the area and conversation with a guide excites more and made anticipation at safari. There are two timings for evening safari and we booked the 5 pm van ride which is only possible for me even its tough or impossible without carried by two or three. Glad the support from guides and my cousin helped me take a seat inside the van (swaraj mazda) and behind the driver seat I got wonderful view on front and side windows. My cousin, who sits beside, took care of me though the rough driveways and the safari lasted for two hours, before halt for sometime at the elephant camp inside the forest.

A small traffic jam in jungle. One of the guides diving away a elephant (tamed) stood on the safari route.
He's the one I conversed during my afternoon stroll in Topslip

The elephant camp which is called Kolikamuthi is a place exclusively converted for elephants to keep trained and housed. There are elephants from juvenile to majestic old; stays at comfort and trained under the Malisar tribes who settled alongside the camp with families. The tribe belongs to the elephant handler’s caste are skilled in working with these Asian elephants. The camp which once allowed private vehicles to visit was banned and now the only way to visit was via the safari van or forest jeep. Even we had no opportunity encounter with wild animals during our safari, we are chanced to check the elephant camp to feeling better than disappointed a lot.

During the safari we found a tusker amid the wild, but before we touch engross a mahout’s head appeared atop draw backed the excitement and the elephant was grazing at the bunch of bamboos.  We also got to see Malabar giant squirrel and Nilgiri langur perch to a tree at far distance. Though we aren't fascinated by wild animals, the presence of nature throughout the course was awesome and adventures. Apart eyes were keen watching out the window and through windshield, the nose were inhaling the fresh breeze blowing on the face as I seated close to window. I sight an unusual sunset of glorious sun beams flashed between the woods. There was a beep sound accompanied throughout the course inside the van and a young guide kept hanging on the footstep whose job was to describe or identify any species found on the way.

A mahout driving a tusker in wild;

(right) Elephants at Kolikamuthi Elephant Camp. 

The safari comes to the conclusion about 7 pm with enough twilight left behind. I was able to see a bunch of deer on the grassland while returning on power wheelchair to the lodge after being shifted from van and once again the guides were helpful carry me out. Since we brought our pet along with us to Topslip, mom and bro couldn't join the safari as pets are not allowed inside the forest they stayed at room. We are glad at least the forest officers were favor to allow the pet to stay along with us with a condition of not bringing it outside. Because dogs are the favorite prey of leopards, the officers fear the animal might come sniffing the dog smell. Even at night we made sure, the dog doesn't make noise. It was really a terrific night yet exciting a lot with thoughts about staying amid wild and scare of leopards.

The scenic driveway into the wild (the safari track) 

[To be continued…] 

Out of Africa

Only few films leaves impression at heart and Out of Africa is one of the kinds. The beautiful yet romantic drama is staged through the African landscapes, works on the script loosely adopted from the autobiographical book Out of Africa written by Isak Dinesen, which published in year 1937. Meryl Steep plays the brave women of pseudonym (Karen Blixen) flawlessly expressing the love and disappointment elegantly, flapped wings like an angel throughout the film.

The story drives back in 1913 at Denmark’s cold winter hunting ground chugs into the vast wild Africa, Karen travels in plan of starting a dairy farm in British East Africa (now Kenya) with boyfriend Blixen, who she marries following a brief ceremony. But her anticipations went distressed when her money misused to purchase a coffee plantation rather a dairy farm; she lost faith with husband later learning his extramarital affairs and lead her contract with disease. She also develops a close friendship with a local big-game hunter(Robert Redford) which later turned into love affair, moved her close with him and they go for hunting and camping in forest together. But their differences on material affairs kept them away from marry and financially lose drive her back to Denmark writing her experience on Africa.

The film also touched by the concern of education and health of African tribe children and alike the prominence of words, the scenes weren’t enlightened. But the African chef and care taker of Karen’s house amazes through their English speaking and beholds the expression on eyes, rather indifferent action on face. The most impressive was the background score, whereas its romance or revealing the vast wild Africa, music plays an adjacent role upon the breathtaking scenes: the biplane ride above the African landscape and passage of steam locomotive seems uneasy to forget stunningly. Even I watched it through the home theater connected to LED TV, the impressions seem to never unchanged and I would count this film as one of the best I have watched.

Fact

The film released in 1985 (the year I was born) was directed and produced by Sydney Pollack under the Universal Pictures.  I too learned the film was one of the vastly awarded, including seven Academic Awards on main resources:  the sound and cinematography which fascinated me a lot on front.  The soundtrack by John Barry took the fifteenth place in the American Film Institute's list of top 25 American film scores.

Afternoon

Pic by Jeevan (click to enlarge)

In the silence of afternoon

myna plays music
using its chirruping notes
perch to a gulmohar branch.

The early sea breeze
usually embraces in mid-summer
illuminates the memories
of sweet summer holidays.

The usually lazy afternoon
plays active role in mind
engage seek with memories
fishing the best out of memory.

The mild sunshine
coming out of cold winter
the year’s first raindrop
touched the ground a day ago.

Sipping away a tea
at the end of afternoon
cherishes the mind ever so
to fly like squeaking parakeets.

My street

I think I can’t get out of my house or street for a week, even I have nothing to do outside I feel locked.  Building rainwater drainage (by Chennai corporation)had been taking place around my area for some time now had reached our dead end street has stopped the vehicle activity and only a plank is put for bikes and walkers to cross. I actually had a plan to check a film in my favorable theater here was spoiled by this sudden dug up which was supposed to happen at anytime? Since they have covered almost streets expect our dead end.  We really lost our (not so good) paved roads to these enclosed canals building process which damaged the already gone worst here and there road due to many flat constructions on our Rajaji Nagar main road in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.

It’s been long time I took to the streets around my home on the power wheel chair, accompanied by someone (mom or uncle or cousins) during the evening hours really make the day end impressive. I used to receive the sun-rays on my body and sight of glowing sun setting behind the buildings and checking some beautiful flowers bloomed from the neighborhood houses. It used to be a motivation path to me, taking somehow deep breath and fresh breeze and different sights and new faces on streets improving my awareness on neighborhood. I used to come across stray dogs and few bark at me riding on a different wagon and some remain quiet sleeping on streets just taking a note on me and I even encounter their chase on those ride on bikes and cars but they keep calm when I pass.

The streets that I used take then were passed through almost unconstructed plots open to wild vegetation and roads were smooth enough with few speed breakers which used to be fun ride over. Once the open lands were started to construct apartments, the roads shape changed irregular and sights turned indifferent and dust and debris represents the fresh breeze and wild vegetation  Even then I used to go around occasionally, everything come to cease when roads turned worst after rains and dug up clay of buildings occupied the road. Now the rainwater drainage (rose to a foot height platform) build aside and across the roads make it tough and I know the importance of these drainage systems saving us from the stagnant of rainwater that threaten in different ways during monsoons. I feel hard without going out.

I think instead of cutting the roads across and making a concrete canal, that take a week-long to built, they can use underground pipes wherever a road cut through to connect the canals. I always feel the Chennai Corporation never does a neat job (for eg. they always leave the sludge dug up from drainage besides the lid) and they lack ideas how to handle things or use alternate routes. I wish I get back the roads that I used to wander freely then in evenings and I know the scenes never going to be same and roads without constant of vehicles pass but I wish for a better and improved roads after overall drainage constructions are completed in our area. The open grounds which are now multistory apartments and villas amaze me, equally the worst roads! Waiting to catch up with an impressive evening and going around and seeking inspirations once again regularly. 

Love blossom

Image courtesy: tumblr

My heart beats for her, in love 

I don’t know who she was
but meeting every day in dream
and living with her at imagine.

I proposed, she refused 
but the interest only grows
even she scold me several times
until understand me quite.

A magic only happen in dreams
with no more twist or turns
but a feel of alive moments
where eyes closed enough.

We met, become mate and date
love blooms at exchange of heart
harmony playing a song, despite
our different background score.

Life was very pleasant, sharing
the various shades of life
gifting, hugging and kissing
leading a beautiful unending phase.