This little sanctuary in South Kodagu is a man-made paradise. We are talking about Save Animals Initiative (SAI) Sanctuary, which encompasses an area of 300 acres and is a village by itself.
The fact that the forest in the area has been nurtured and retained in its purest natural form is due to the efforts of Anil Kumar Malhotra and Pamela Gale Malhotra, Managing Trustee and Co-Managing Trustee of SAI Sanctuary Trust.
“We started this initiative way back in 1993 with a meagre 55 acres and have expanded it as forest land. Some of the area is also used for cultivation of coffee, cardamom, bamboo, rice, banana, tomato and other vegetables and fruits,” adds Pamela. Anil quips, “The Western Ghats region is key source for fresh water and Kodagu is the heart serving Maharashtra and Karnataka.” The duo has settled in India, after donning various hats in the US (finance professionals, waiters, bartenders and hoteliers), only to find later that nature was their true calling.
“Preserving pristine water resources, expanding and protecting the sources of fresh water, cultivating natural organic foods without disturbing native trees and putting waste land to proper use,” has been their mission and they modestly admit to having achieved it gradually and add that they have miles to go.
So was the path all smooth? “Not at all,” Anil hastily adds. “Right from getting workers to procuring materials to managing finances, it has been an extremely tough but rewarding journey.” The Malhotras have also protected the environment while serving the economically downtrodden and socially backward classes for almost a decade in the Himalayas before embarking on this mega venture. Apart from protecting forests and freshwater, their other priorities include rescue, rehabilitation and release of wildlife, besides conservation of energy. The sanctuary boasts three micro hydro-generators, micro windmills and several solar panels along with solar hot water systems—all of which provide enough electricity to meet their needs. More importantly they do not avail the services of the State’s electricity grid and do not have a single connection to or meter of the power grid. The Malhotras fondly refer to the sanctuary as a natural forest.
True to its name, the sanctuary provides a sanctuary for elephants, deer and tigers to feast on while supplying fresh water to quench their thirst from its river and ponds. They also engage a veterinarian to treat injured birds and animals which come to the sanctuary and those brought in by villagers. The Malhotras themselves have saved an impressive collection of African love birds which are housed in a large aviary.
The sanctuary is characterised by the flavour of nature, be it in the form of homemade cottage cheese/paneer procured from their own cattle and served to guests or the walls made of natural stones (resembling entrances of caves). The Malhotras also take you to the roof-top tree canopy to help you get a bird’s eye view of the sanctuary stretching to the borders of Brahmagiri hills. The view is breathtaking. Anil proudly claims to have spread awareness in several villages on the advantages of organic farming. Anil points out that the place is not a picnic spot or a holiday destination, and says only those genuinely interested in nature should visit the sanctuary. SAI Sanctuary is located at Theralu Village and Post, South Kodagu District. It is near Birunani Village which is a 20 minute drive away.
This article was published in Spectrum, a supplement of Deccan Herald , on October 4,2011.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Heaven on earth : Untouched beauty
I had booked myself on a group tour to explore central and north India and I was content with enjoying only a few landmarks in Delhi and Punjab as the sense of urgency to land in Kashmir superseded the tour’s itinerary.
Watching Bollywood blokes dance around chinar trees in Kashmir, way back in ‘70s and ‘80s, fascinated me and I always had a desire to visit this pristine land. A look at River Jhelum in Kashmir was love at first sight. Our fetish for Kashmiri food landed us at a dhaba and we were served a plate of sweet Kashmiri rice accompanied by Kashmiri tea made of dry fruits, green cardamom (mixed in powdered form) saffron and hot water. Kashmiri tea is light on the stomach, tastes very smooth and has a soothing effect on the throat.
Around midnight, the tour operator wakes us to inform that we have reached Srinagar (the chill breeze confirmed his statement). We retire for the night, eagerly awaiting to explore the city the next day. The next morning, we jump with excitement when we are told that the Dal Lake is walkable from our hotel. A fleet of houseboats, several dozens of shikaras waiting to carry the eager, is the typical scene. We pay Rs 200 for a two-hour boat ride while those wanting a longer ride paid Rs 300 for three hours. We split into groups of four to board the shikaras. The seating is ornamental, comfortable and customised according to individual comfort.
The boatman rows with amazing shrewdness and as we sail along, our eyes catch the attention of a dredging vehicle deployed in the middle of Dal Lake, removing and disposing weeds. Vendors travel in exclusive shikaras to sell Kashmiri silk saris, dry fruits and ornaments to travellers. Passengers get to visit a park nearby as the boatman rests. In the park, one can wear Kashmiri robes and get themselves photographed to treasure cherished memories.
We get back to our respective shikaras and reach Village Bazaar. This is reminiscent of the water-laden streets of Venice. Muttons, stationeries and toiletries and Kashmiri silk saris, you have them all there, besides super markets, barber shops and cobbler shops — all housed in exclusive boats. Tourists plying to houseboats with luggage in shikaras catch our attention. Though the houseboats are anchored, they are moved to other places as per customer requests, to areas as far as Jhelum or canals of Srinagar.
Post-lunch was reserved for exploring gardens and shopping. The first garden on our itinerary was Shalimar Bagh, which is 15 km from Srinagar. In Shalimar Bagh, canals made of fine polished stones run in the middle of the first and second terrace, whereas the third terrace has a black marble construction. Mughal emperors entertained their guests here, we are told, whereas the fourth terrace was meant for Mughal queens and royal ladies. Our next stop was Pari Mahal. This garden is a 10-km drive from Srinagar.
There are six terraces and the notice board informs onlookers that the monuments are protected by the government (though only ruins are left now). But the ruins too are beautiful and we could only imagine their grandeur in the days of yore. Chashma Shahi, another popular garden here, is a five minute drive from Pari Mahal and the water here, which flows in from a local spring, is said to be rich in medicinal properties.
On our second day in Srinagar, we started early to procure jackets, hoods and snow protection shoes, on rent, before visiting the Gulmarg snow peak, which is an hour’s drive from Srinagar. We could see several adventure junkies trying to reach the hill top.
The most amazing feature of these snow peaks is that sun rays, somehow, do not melt the ice. We left Gulmarg late evening, after playing our hearts out in the snow. Early next morning, our last day in Srinagar, we decided to seek some adventure by white water rafting on Lidder River. It is offered in two stretches. A two-km ride costs Rs 200 and a seven-km ride Rs 700. A rower and a life saver accompany passengers in boats of varying capacities; some can accommodate four, the others six, and some others even eight people.
Later, we head to Pahalgam by bus. The horse ride here is also quite adventurous. And as we retired for the night, we looked back and realised why people call Kashmir ‘heaven on earth’. It definitely is. Green gardens, snow-covered hills, beautiful lakes adorned by shikaras, and of course, warm locals. Kashmir is a paradise you need to savour at least once in your lifetime.
This travelogue was published in Sunday Herald ( a supplement of Deccan Herald) on August 28,2011.
Watching Bollywood blokes dance around chinar trees in Kashmir, way back in ‘70s and ‘80s, fascinated me and I always had a desire to visit this pristine land. A look at River Jhelum in Kashmir was love at first sight. Our fetish for Kashmiri food landed us at a dhaba and we were served a plate of sweet Kashmiri rice accompanied by Kashmiri tea made of dry fruits, green cardamom (mixed in powdered form) saffron and hot water. Kashmiri tea is light on the stomach, tastes very smooth and has a soothing effect on the throat.
Around midnight, the tour operator wakes us to inform that we have reached Srinagar (the chill breeze confirmed his statement). We retire for the night, eagerly awaiting to explore the city the next day. The next morning, we jump with excitement when we are told that the Dal Lake is walkable from our hotel. A fleet of houseboats, several dozens of shikaras waiting to carry the eager, is the typical scene. We pay Rs 200 for a two-hour boat ride while those wanting a longer ride paid Rs 300 for three hours. We split into groups of four to board the shikaras. The seating is ornamental, comfortable and customised according to individual comfort.
The boatman rows with amazing shrewdness and as we sail along, our eyes catch the attention of a dredging vehicle deployed in the middle of Dal Lake, removing and disposing weeds. Vendors travel in exclusive shikaras to sell Kashmiri silk saris, dry fruits and ornaments to travellers. Passengers get to visit a park nearby as the boatman rests. In the park, one can wear Kashmiri robes and get themselves photographed to treasure cherished memories.
We get back to our respective shikaras and reach Village Bazaar. This is reminiscent of the water-laden streets of Venice. Muttons, stationeries and toiletries and Kashmiri silk saris, you have them all there, besides super markets, barber shops and cobbler shops — all housed in exclusive boats. Tourists plying to houseboats with luggage in shikaras catch our attention. Though the houseboats are anchored, they are moved to other places as per customer requests, to areas as far as Jhelum or canals of Srinagar.
Post-lunch was reserved for exploring gardens and shopping. The first garden on our itinerary was Shalimar Bagh, which is 15 km from Srinagar. In Shalimar Bagh, canals made of fine polished stones run in the middle of the first and second terrace, whereas the third terrace has a black marble construction. Mughal emperors entertained their guests here, we are told, whereas the fourth terrace was meant for Mughal queens and royal ladies. Our next stop was Pari Mahal. This garden is a 10-km drive from Srinagar.
There are six terraces and the notice board informs onlookers that the monuments are protected by the government (though only ruins are left now). But the ruins too are beautiful and we could only imagine their grandeur in the days of yore. Chashma Shahi, another popular garden here, is a five minute drive from Pari Mahal and the water here, which flows in from a local spring, is said to be rich in medicinal properties.
On our second day in Srinagar, we started early to procure jackets, hoods and snow protection shoes, on rent, before visiting the Gulmarg snow peak, which is an hour’s drive from Srinagar. We could see several adventure junkies trying to reach the hill top.
The most amazing feature of these snow peaks is that sun rays, somehow, do not melt the ice. We left Gulmarg late evening, after playing our hearts out in the snow. Early next morning, our last day in Srinagar, we decided to seek some adventure by white water rafting on Lidder River. It is offered in two stretches. A two-km ride costs Rs 200 and a seven-km ride Rs 700. A rower and a life saver accompany passengers in boats of varying capacities; some can accommodate four, the others six, and some others even eight people.
Later, we head to Pahalgam by bus. The horse ride here is also quite adventurous. And as we retired for the night, we looked back and realised why people call Kashmir ‘heaven on earth’. It definitely is. Green gardens, snow-covered hills, beautiful lakes adorned by shikaras, and of course, warm locals. Kashmir is a paradise you need to savour at least once in your lifetime.
This travelogue was published in Sunday Herald ( a supplement of Deccan Herald) on August 28,2011.
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