Forest trails and untold stories: Mansur shrub, Landour, Mussoorie

Every step I take towards exploring the wilderness in the nature and forest, fills me with enchantment to ken many unfolded stories. Each rock, each pebble, each flower, each plant and their association with different life forms must have a distinct story to tell. Stories which will never be heard of, some lost stories andContinue reading “Forest trails and untold stories: Mansur shrub, Landour, Mussoorie”

Passive degradation of Himalayan ecology: Oak trees in Landour, Mussoorie

As soon as one enters the small hillside of Landour, Mussoorie; the old Oak trees, Pine trees and Deodar welcome everyone with open arms. The whistling Himalayan breeze blowing through the tree leaves endows life and hope in each and every corner of this beautiful hillside. With the changing seasons these evergreen trees always addContinue reading “Passive degradation of Himalayan ecology: Oak trees in Landour, Mussoorie”

Tree of Midnight Horror: Oroxylum indicum

It was one fine evening, I was taking a brisk walk amidst forest fringe village of a remote district of Assam, India. The weather was pleasant and I could feel the cold breeze coming from the mighty river Brahmaputra, which can be seen from a distance. Through the lush green fields, I could see someContinue reading “Tree of Midnight Horror: Oroxylum indicum”

A plateau losing green forest cover: Karbi Anglong district, Assam

In the remote North-eastern corner of the Indian subcontinent lies the beautiful district of Karbi Anglong. The plateau is dominantly inhabited by the Karbi tribes hence the name Karbi Anglong. The Karbis are the indigenous inhabitants of the region and ‘Anglong’ is a Karbi noun for “hills.” The region is flanked by numerous rivers and tributaries like Dhansiri, Longnit,Continue reading “A plateau losing green forest cover: Karbi Anglong district, Assam”

Asan Conservation Reserve/Asan Barrage, Uttarakhand: A man-made lake or nature’s delight

Situated at the confluence of the Asan river and Eastern Yamuna Canal alongside bordering states of Uttarakhand-Himachal lies the Asan Conservation Reserve/ Asan Barrage or Assan Barrage. This barrage created the Asan Reservoir which is also called Dhalipur Lake, and was developed in 1967 when the Dhalipur power house was under construction. The scenic geographicalContinue reading “Asan Conservation Reserve/Asan Barrage, Uttarakhand: A man-made lake or nature’s delight”

Prelude to Winterline, Mussoorie !!!

It was an usual evening bike ride with my husband in the outskirts of Mussoorie, when he first introduced me to the Winter line in Landour, Mussoorie. The scintillating canvas of sky was displaying multitude hues of yellow, orange, red, mauve blue and grey. This meteorological phenomena sparked up the artistic orchestration of vivid shadesContinue reading “Prelude to Winterline, Mussoorie !!!”

Geology around Woodstock school, Mussoorie

Woodstock school is one of the oldest residential schools in Asia and was established in the year 1854. The school is nestled in lesser Himalayas in a small quiet town of Landour near Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. The geographical location is at  30.4543° N, 78.1005° E. The campus of the school lies along the protective forest areaContinue reading “Geology around Woodstock school, Mussoorie”

Fireflies and climate change in Landour, Mussoorie

We are all familiar with Fireflies or commonly known as lightning bugs. To me, these creatures resemble ‘Nature’s lantern’ which can light up even the darkest corners. But these mystical and charismatic insects are actually beetles and nocturnal members of the family Lampyridae. Most fireflies are winged and are distinct from other luminescent insects ofContinue reading “Fireflies and climate change in Landour, Mussoorie”