Though the birds kept us occupied, our mission (Ramesh, Geetanjai, Anush and I…all NTP members) was to try and identify a village to develop homestays in, and to try and develop bird trails and train some of the village youth to act as bird guides, giving them both revenue and a reason to protect the birds and the environment. We have been somewhat successful…

But so many beautiful scenes took my eye….

The stream that runs through the area we visited makes patterns of light and shadow as it runs tinkling over the rocks:

The fresh red leaves of Spring are still around... Common "weed" flowers, and unknown ones (probably of the Solinacae family)... light up the place! The SOCIAL SPIDERS are busy constructing their apartment complexes: The village had a small shrine, where both rocks and idols are venerated: The village seemed to be populated by Lambanis (a Marathi nomadic tribe) who probably came over during the Bangalore construction boom and settled down here. They have, alas, been asked to vacate the village, by the Forest Department....

Here’s one man, whom we found building a mud structure in the village. He was skilled at his work, and very dignified indeed:

We are hoping to make headway with our work in the area, but meanwhile, the trips are very enjoyable, too!

Off to the Bannerghatta Zoo area tomorrow with Madhusmita (NTP)….what will the day be like?..I wonder (the first line of a very famous song from the Sound of Music!)

Off to sleep now…g’night folks, haven’t caught up with my friends’ lists, either…!