Don't Mess Around!

Give crow rice, it will eat neatly, not a scattered grain.

Koels are fairly clean eaters too. Not much mess around their dish.

Mynah, I am not so sure. One visits occasionally, but by then, pigeons have visited already.

Pigeons, sorry to say, are quite messy. They eat less and scatter more! Of course, they also keep the surroundings dirty - balconies become dirty thanks to them! But at least while eating they can show more respect!

Give crow bread, roti or dosa and it will use its claws as hands, hold it neatly and expertly tear the pieces.

Koels and mynahs don't care for solid pieces of food, ignoring them largely, knowing their limitations probably.

Pigeons, on the other hand, don't know well enough to leave it alone! They peck and the bread pieces fly in different directions. What is the use of looking puzzled, pigeon dear? You can't keep walking and eating. Learn to sit in one place and use those claws effectively!

Nowadays, the state of my balcony tells me about my visitors. Till it was just the crow, I didn't have trouble with my balcony floor, which remained clean more or less. But if half my floor is covered with bread pieces and rice, I know that pigeons came a-visiting too!

No Tree Frogs, Please!

Nature, lovely nature. When I saw the three basic but intelligently made bamboo huts in Karadimalai Camp in Chengelpet, I was excited. We were in a forest, with a hill for a backdrop. The hut was raised on short stilts with water at the base to keep out crawlers. Wow! That was just cool!

Silent, except for the chirping of the birds. No sounds of traffic or human beings even. We were the only couple there at the time, with one boy to tend to our needs.

We went to a Tribal herbal centre in Tandrai 20 minutes from the resort. Many plants look like common garden plants, but have medicinal property. What a pity we don't remember much of how it is used. There seemed to be a leaf for everything - right from common cold to kidney stones!

A tasty hibiscus tea prompted me to buy a few packets of dried hibiscus leaves.

Making herbal medicines

A bonus - a sudden excitement in the centre when a bronzeback snake fell on the fence from a nearby tree. You can't probably make it out in the photo on the left - it is so well camouflaged!

There is a worm in that ring that traps ants!

That evening we trekked up the hill. That's Janaki Lenin, wife of Romulus Whitaker - the Snake Man - leading us up the hill. Apparently they had lived here for almost 10 years before they came to know that the hill was visited by a leopard. They got to know because their dog, Karadi, was killed by it. And incidentally, that's why it is called Karadi Malai, and not because it has bears!!!

This looks so cute, sleeping in a swing

The next morning, we went on a snake trail, seeking these slithering friends in the field. More of that some other time. But I was amused. While out in the open, I am willing to meet any number of animals. I hoped to sight the tiger and the wild cat and the porcupines on the hill. I desired to see the snakes on the ground. Scorpions and spiders seemed almost cute.

But what I was not prepared for my cohabitants in the hut - the tree frogs. We saw one in the room during the day and one in the bathroom. But at night, 2 became 8! That was not fun. Mercifully there was a mosquito net. But when we woke up in the morning, a bat was busily circling our bed. The frogs were hopping around and so were we, trying to get out of their way.

When I complained later, my brother pointed out that we were out there to be in the wild, close to nature.

Yes, I was in the wild to be close to nature. But I realise that when I am back in my fortress at night, I want the wild to remain outside! My love for nature has limits!!!!

Even after I returned home in the city, I couldn't stop scanning the bathroom before shutting the door.

Now, a week later, I confess I feel I was overreacting. Maybe it just needs getting used to.

What's Your Excuse?

On a busy thoroughfare near Mount Road, Chennai, on a narrow stretch between the footpath and the flyover, stands this dustbin occupying the pride of place. Vehicles crush the garbage bags that fall on the floor, scattering the food waste. Pedestrians have no way of crossing this stretch except by stepping on the mess.

And, this is on one of the upmarket localities, though bordering a slum. Can we say that such sights are exceptions rather than rule?

We screw our noses, walk on tiptoe and crib at the state of waste disposal in the city. What do we do to make sure we do not contribute to the mess?

Composting is not easy, but then, nor is balancing family and career, passing exams or even driving in the city. Yet we do it. Day in and day out.

Why not compost?

All you need is one corner in your balcony.
All you need are three pots to manage the food waste.
All you need is 30 minutes a week to stir the pots.
All you need is some time once in two-three months to take out the compost.

Even if you don't have plants, even if you throw the compost by the roadside, on muddy patches, where trees grow, no one will notice. It will not stink. It will not be an eyesore. It will fertilise the soil at no cost.

What are you waiting for?

Spring Cleaning

Rats had taken over the ledge above one of my bedroom windows that opened into the balcony. One of my composting pots had a lid that it could easily remove and it found an easy source of food.

Though I managed to keep the lid tightly closed and eliminate the first round of rats heartlessly poisoning them, we found them invading our balcony a second time. It was hard to say whether the rats managed to make a home this time for though we saw one on the ledge one day, and we saw the droppings on the balcony floor a couple of times, it was not like the last time, when every morning we would see evidence of the presence of the rats.

Then, two days ago, I felt some Presence in the balcony, some hectic scurrying around, lots of excitement and activity, but couldn't catch the culprit. Lots of rat droppings on the floor the next morning and I felt heavy at having to resort to means to eliminate the menace yet again.

Then day before yesterday, I felt something heavy falling. I rushed to see two squirrels busy cleaning the ledge, pushing all the evidence of the rat presence out of the way to make it its home.

I smiled, and of course, noted my prejudice. I was ready to welcome the new family, and convinced my husband that this will keep the rats away. He promises it will turn out to be a bad decision.

What struck me was the diligence with which the new occupants quickly pushed any signs of the old occupants out. If we had given them paint, I am sure they would have painted the ledge with a colour they liked! They aren't very different in their outlook from us, are they? They want only their own imprint in their residence...!

New Friends

An earthworm struggled on the gravelly road near my children's school. Once upon a time, I couldn't put enough distance between us. But that day, I picked up a twig, let it curl around it and dropped it on the mud patch nearby. My children and I watched as it burrowed quickly in.

After the rains, yesterday, I had walk to reach somewhere. I had to put my foot into slush covered by water. Once upon a time, I would have been mortally scared of insects catching my foot and whittling it to bone in no time. But yesterday, I confidently put my foot in, worried only about the water dirtying my feet rather than of being 'footnapped' and killed.

My balcony, with its plants and compost, has become home to several kinds of insects. Rains bring out the earthworms from the pots, and I am glad to see my daughter diligently trying to put them back in the pots.

This rain, black leeches started crawling around. Rather than being disgusted, I was curious to read up about them. Apparently there are many varieties of leeches, and one of them feeds on larvae and other insects. Reassured that they had come for the larvae in the compost, and were not going to stealthily attack my family, I had them collected in the scoop and put out in the garden downstairs.

Oh, I used to place water in the balcony for the birds and was horrified when a raven started using that small bowl to soak its meat in. I stopped keeping water, also because it has been raining on and off for the last few months. I now fully appreciate the wisdom of our forefathers in keeping only food, and fell into that practice. A young raven is as demanding as my little one, cawing every morning by 6.45 for its breakfast. It got addicted to bread since that is the easiest to give at that hour, but am slowly weaning it away by giving rice, chapathi, dosa etc. when I can.

The raven, which had got so used to me that it would only move a few fingers away when I brought food, now stays put, making just a token move! For the past two days, it has been bringing a friend, girlfriend?, who is yet to get used to me and flies away if there is any movement in the attached kitchen.

Oh, and my neighbour's dog, with whom I barely kept eye contact, felt confident enough to rub itself against me yesterday.

Years ago, a cat laid kittens in a room I had to live in for a couple of days. We had an understanding. If she wanted to come in or go out, I would go to the door and she would slip in through the window. The rest of the day, she was confident enough about me to leave them under my care!

I can't say I was just as thrilled when a mouse built a nest in my balcony... It felt very bad to be destroying that home, but it had to be done.

All this makes me wonder how we have the heart to kill and destroy animal habitat. When will we learn the implications of our actions and give the animals the space they need, while making a home and hearth for ourselves?

  

A Night with the Reptiles

A relaxed evening by the beach

Stars on earth

 My children had been to the night camp at crocodile bank in Chennai through school on two different years. I didn't know adults could visit too. When a friend asked if we should, I said yes, not quite knowing what it involved. It involved many things, novelty, excitement, relaxation, amazement, fulfillment and introspection.

Can you guess what these lights are? Headlights reflected in the dark?

You are right. On the night walk, when we flashed the lights in the pen that held magar crocodiles, it was like looking at red stars on earth! Amazement personified!

I hoped to catch sight of some snakes roaming free in the camp during the night walk. That didn't happen. We entered a bat-infested cave-like enclosure reluctantly and was rewarded with the sight of a normally sleepy python emerging from a water body in her cage and rub against the metal cage. That is the process of molting - when the skin gets loosened by soaking and then the snake rubs against the hard surface so that the skin can peel. What a beautiful sight.

Getting into action

Oh, that's me, scrubbing the pond in the tortoise pen! Soon after we cleaned it, the biggest male pooed in the pond - as good as tell us to go to hell! That was a hilarious sight!

This brave young man works closely with crocodiles and is feeding the American alligator, which followed him around like a puppy. That was to make it get some exercises, since otherwise the crocs and their brethren do not get enough place to stretch their muscles.

The guide who took us around showing us his work and his creatures had me thinking. He was into many things before he drifted into the crocodile bank. And his choice of profession definitely did not make his family celebrate. Yet, he seemed content. His basic needs taken care of, and maybe a little more to keep his body and soul together, he had chosen a profession that I had not even known existed.

Another girl said she used to just take care of accounts and keep away from the animals. But the way she treated them and moved about, I envied her her fearlessness and confidence.

Awestruck seeing man and Ally the alligator

There was a volunteer who is a lawyer by profession but comes to work with the crocs whenever she can. She said, "I love animals," by way of explanation.

Mere love for animals cannot make one do this! It is something more, some passion, some deep care to take care of the ugliest and creepiest of the animal kingdom.

Most of the crocodile varieties here are facing extinction either due to hunting or their habitats being destroyed. I was reminded of a horrible video about the kind of torture snakes are subjected to for their skins. And I thought of these people, nurturing their wards like their own children, keeping them safe from the greatest of predators - man.

Water, Water Nowhere

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner lines come to me often (the only two lines I know):

Water, water, every where,

Nor any drop to drink.

From the time I shifted to Chennai a couple of decades ago, my refrain has been: 
Water, water, nowhere, 
Nor any drop to drink.

Though it has been raining almost every year, since Chennai receives rains only during northeastern monsoon, the summers are dry and water lorries rule the roads - water pouring generously from all directions though similar oil lorries seem to be able to seal the precious liquid more tightly. And I wonder for how long this can sustain. How long can water sources from nearby villages sustain the water needs of the growing city of Chennai?

Then I heard that despite the heavy rains that Mumbai experiences, there is still a water shortage in the city and water lorries feed the city. Cherrapunji, the place with heaviest rainfall, is facing water shortage because of deforestation and water running off the hills! 

Can this be a sustainable solution? Isn't there an alternative? We may have money for the water lorries, but soon, will we have enough water to buy? RO plants are criminal in the water that gets thrown out as waste. How then can we access safe water and improve our resources?

When the discussion for budget for water came up in my apartment complex, I remembered speaking to one Dr. Ragade a few years ago. I met him sometime in 2005 for an article in a magazine and knew he had done something for water management in his building. His logic was simple and his solution elegant. He reminded me of how water was recycled in each home and he had replicated that model in his apartment complex of roughly 32 flats. Could it work for us? 

Opportunity presented itself when I did another article on his solution for another magazine and realised how basic and yet sensible his solution was. 

Dig shallow wells, connect them to the rainwater system on the one hand and the borewell on the other. The shallow well can be kept closed, so it can even be in the parking area in small apartment complexes. All one needs to check is the quality of the soil - is it conducive to retain water without stagnating.

We also thought the quality of our ground water was bad since the bath water, which is what the groundwater was used for, was yellow and dirty. We got water tested in a lab but could find nothing wrong. It was embarrassing how he went straight to the root - the source of water - with just a long nylon rope knotted to indicate the feet and a lota. Worse was to know that the water was excellent and the yellow colour was due to the water from the latest borewell that had been dug which was yielding yellow water. Since it was being mixed with rest of the water in the tanks, even good water was turning yellow. I was thinking that in our dependence for modern technology, we do leave common sense behind!

Under his guidance, we just finished constructing a shallow well 6 feet wide and 23 feet deep in our complex. Apparently, we struck water at 10 feet from ground level, going up to 12-13 feet below. 

It is early days, but according to Dr. Ragade, who also works with the Rain Centre in Chennai,  and has authored the book 'Self Reliance in Water - A practical manual for city and Town dwellers', the rain that Chennai receives is enough to cater to the needs of the city-dwellers. In a couple of years, the well will be enough for us. If entire neighbourhoods dig shallow wells and divert rainwater to these wells, the water situation can improve.

Even if we do not completely eradicate the need to buy water in the short term, I am hoping that this system will at least reduce our dependence on water lorries. It is not just the direct cost incurred that will be saved, but we will be contributing less to the water loss that happens in transportation, and also decrease the demand for such water.

I am taking the liberty to post some links not just about Dr. Ragade but others who have tried various techniques to increase water sustainability and sufficiency. May we take a leaf out of their lives and do our bit. Even small apartment residents and independent house owners can implement these simple measures and motivate others to do so too. Surprisingly, it does not involve anything complex.

Links: 
http://cseindia.org/node/1637
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-propertyplus/canna-plant-solve-your-water-woes/article4933047.ece