Thanks to Sunita-Raghu unique combo!!! Meet was wonderfully organised by Arif ji, Phupla ji & Vijay ji. My hats off to them!!! I was wonderfully surprised to have captured around 250 to 300 species of Flora & Fauna (including 130-140 species of butterflies with very-2 good pictures for most of them).
On 29 July 2010 11:40, Siddharth Edake <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Boy o Boy! It couldn't get better than this Sunita...........Its almost > like you have described our lives describing our characters. Can't agree > more on this!!! he he > When you told me the first day that you were here for holidays I honestly > expected you to laze off in the bed, have late morning tea and just stroll > around in 50 meters circle. But boy! I was taken aback looking at your > strength, stamina and enthu. You used to be the first one amongst the group > to reach any "x" point and by the time we reached there you used to already > finish with your rest, thoughts and the writing part. I tell you "this > entire world is deceptive"....... I really admired the interest and efforts > you took in starting a conversation with every individual of the group. > Thats one good point which is 'a take-away for me".... > > What do i say about Raghu sir???? He is a walking encyclopedia when it > comes to wildlife and other aspects....So much passion, so much knowledge > and such varied interest in all forms of life- big and small (Not to forget > his passion for dragonflies,damselflies,bumble bees, crickets, wasps, > spiders, bugs, beetles, scorpions, frogs, moths, butterflies....ah! the list > is endless) > I sometimes feel that had there been a wildlife carrier option during his > time he would have left everything and joined the wildlife force. > I wish you two all the luck in this world and hoping to see you guys > somewhere sometime. > ADIOS > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* raghu ananth <[email protected]> > *To:* butterflyindia <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Wed, July 28, 2010 2:17:23 PM > *Subject:* [ButterflyIndia] Miao Diary - Butterfly India Meet 2010, > Namdapha, Arunachal > > > > *Miao Diary* > > July- 2010, > > Butterfly India Meet 2010, > > Namdapha, Arunachal > > > > > > A big hello to all the participants of The Butterfly Meet 2010, held at > Miao in Arunachal Pradesh. As I write this, I cannot believe I actually > managed to go to the last frontier (one of them for sure!) and am back safe > and sound in sultry Chennai. This being one of my first visits to the > north-east, left me spellbound. Everything was so different – the place, the > people, the landscape, the culture (now I can relate to the unity in > diversity theme!). And if that was not all, I got to interact with folks > from all over India, who boasted diverse professions but with an unflinching > passion for nature and wildlife and all united towards one aim – to conserve > the beauty of nature. Naturally, my curiosity was piqued and I started to > observe as well as interact with all the members of this group and just as > the butterflies have been classified, I too came up with my own > classification for us Homo sapiens. And so I begin but before I do, the > words of Abraham Lincoln, comes to mind…”With malice towards none, charity > towards all….” > > > > > > *1. **The Frogmen (Abhishek and Siddharth)* > > > > Clearly, these two depicted nocturnal characteristics for night was the > time when they were at their active best. Not that they remained inactive > during daytime but they kept their eyes peeled for frogs and snakes all the > time Alas! They did not have much success although according to one of them, > the habitat appeared very promising. In fact, on the day we were headed to > M’Penn Nala, I saw Abhishek overturning every stone and Siddharth peering > through every crevice in the hope of sighting something. As they say, both > left no stone unturned….. Both shared an easy camaraderie and were not > without trading insults, friendly as they might have been. PS: Siddharth > kept us well-entertained with his singing. > > > > *2. **Beginner No. 1 (Dhananjay Rao)* > > > > Dhananjay was a novice unlike his very informed sibling but he too > displayed a great passion towards not only butterflies but birds and > dragonflies as well. Perhaps, the next time round, names like Dragontail, > Jezebel, Monarch, Punchinello, etc will roll off easily from his tongue as > he begins sighting them! > > > > > > *3. **Beginner No. 2 (Suresh)* > > * * > > Just as the Monarch during its migration traverses thousands of kilometers > (from Canada to Mexico), similarly Suresh too was the one who traveled the > maximum number of hours to get to Miao (close to around 83 hours). Looking > after a family business which includes running a school, he felt that what > he learned from this meet could be passed on to the students. Perhaps, this > is what osmosis is all about! > > > > *4. **Busybee (Arjan)* > > * * > > Wonder how 'dada' started looking out for butterflies, thought he might be > more interested in the birds and the bees – that's how industrious he is! > Well check this – he has authored a book, started an NGO called Nature Mates > Nature Club, has butterfly gardens to his credit with wanting to launch a > chain of butterfly gardens in the future, looks after his printing business, > while also managing to spend time with his wife in Japan. Whew! A truly > wonderful person I have ever met! > > > > *5. **The mentor (Bikram) * > > * * > > When not actively participating in photographing butterflies, he was out > looking for amphibians and reptiles. Many an animal in distress has he > helped and his childhood stories about how he got attracted to nature and > wildlife are worth listening to. (When his mom scolded him for instance, he > would climb a tree and refuse to come down!) And of course as the days went > by, we got a glimpse of his many other talents such as singing and > song-writing. And of course, we wait with baited breath for his book – > Backyard wildlife. Perhaps it will be as engaging as Gerald Durrell's. > > > > *6. **Our very own Angulimala (Sejal) * > > Well, what do you expect when this veterinarian killed any bird/amphibian/ > mammal that crossed his path and probably ate it as well. And today the very > same person cares for animals and even performs surgeries on them. That he > conducts surgeries on himself too is another matter! And is he enlightened > or what? Check the halo shining on his head – (the torch-like contraption > that he sometimes affixes to his forehead). > > > > *7. **The mentor's wife (Mahua)* > > * * > > She stayed close to her husband and probably helped him discover some more > butterflies and other creatures. Sweet and charming! > > > > *8. **Spiderwoman (Rakhi)* > > > > Sam Raimi, the director of Spiderman movies can now shift focus to > Spiderwoman aka Rakhi. I saw her meticulously searching for these > arthropods. And perhaps this is what she told them - “Will you walk into my > parlour, it is the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy....” PS: I > only heard snatches of her singing which was very good indeed. > > > > *9. **Der Herr (Kirti)* > > > > He was one of the most voluble persons in the group with a dedicated > approach. His ability to laugh was matched only by a certain another > individual. And his Hindi kept us grinning throughout. > > > > *10. **Knowledge bush (Minhas)* > > > > I was a little skeptical when he introduced himself as an environment > educator or something to that effect. But the moment I saw him on stage > interacting with the students, all my doubts disappeared. Here, I knew was a > young man who was very passionate about what he did. May his tribe increase! > > > > 11. *Mr. Introspective (Varun) * > > > > The youngest of the lot and yet I felt as if he was blessed with an innate > wisdom. Ummm, let’s see – the guy belongs to that hallowed institution > called IIT, Madras and is now embarking on a PhD in Aeronautical > Engineering. Seems totally at odds with his interest towards butterflies and > nature! > > > > 1. *Knowledge Tree (Dr. Alfred)* > > * * > > The rather modest gentleman sitting next to me, I knew was a fount of > knowledge. And what gems he did share with me – of seeing tigers on the > banks of the Kodaikanal Lake. And what an inspiring speech he gave – his > words still echo in my ears…..By an oversight, when I was talking to our > group, I referred to him as Dr. Albert. Well, close to the truth was I! > > > > 13. *Mr. Dapper (Kalluri Srinivasan)* > > > > Well-dressed, smiling and a picture of fitness, Kalluriji always seemed to > be quick on his toes. Photography was what got him interested in nature. > Much as he liked butterflies, he loved the dragonflies as well. And when he > asked me to identify a dragonfly for him, I all but laughed and then pointed > him in the direction of Raghu. And through him, I was made aware that Andhra > Pradesh boasted great forests as well. > > > > 14. *Footloose at 60 (Subramaniam) * > > * * > > The oldest of the group and one who could give anybody a run for their > money when it came to fitness! I should definitely like to be able to > emulate him when I get on in years. And what passion he displayed. Just like > Kalluriji, it was photography that sparked his interest towards nature. Has > advised me to trek in the Himalayas and I will do so, in due course. > > > > 15. *Mr. Taciturn (Suresh) * > > > > A very reticent kind of a person, I was flabbergasted when he told me he > was a scientist working for ZSI. And his area of expertise: grasshoppers. > > > > > 16. *The Kolkata Konnection! (Somnath and Anurag)* > > * * > > Both seemed quite content to mix with their own group. Until I spoke to > Somnath and discovered he had many things to say and could be a jolly good > sort. Although graphic designing is what they dabble in, I knew they too > were very interested in nature when I heard they belonged to Nature Mates > (venture started by Arjan). > > > > 17. *Mr. Zealous (J M Garg)* > > > > Don Quixote and Sancho Panza; Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson; Phantom and > Hero and Garg Sir and his tripod! Both were never seen without each other. > Birds, butterflies, bees and trees – he captured whatever came in his line > of vision. A very remarkable gentleman indeed! > > > > > > 18. *The High Priestess (Vidya Rao)* > > * * > > Never have I met such a cheery, happy, committed individual, although I > seriously believed she had inhaled copious amounts of nitrous oxide > (laughing gas). And boy was it infectious! Of course, her passion towards > butterflies was no laughing matter. She could identify the fluttering > beauties in a jiffy. And she proved she could hold her own when in the midst > of another very excellent speaker, Minhas. > > > > 19. *Mr. Creator (with due apologies to God!) (Vijay Barve)* > > * * > > It if wasn’t for his vision and enterprising nature, perhaps we would all > have never met. His interest towards these winged beauties came about when > very young, started rearing butterflies as he was when still in the fifth > standard. He shares his wealth of knowledge with all and sundry. A very > unassuming, friendly and jovial personality, he is witty as ever and his > one-liners are very entertaining. Like the Brits would say, “A smashing ole > chap”…. > > > > 20. *The Organisers (Arif and Phupla)* > > * * > > Everything was shipshape thanks to our wonderful organisers. Both, I > discovered were committed to the conservation of nature. And kudos to both > of them for making Butterfly Meet 2010, the much talked about event in the > land of the rising sun. > > > > > > PS: If you guys have anything to say about Raghu and me, you are most > welcome! > > > > > > Regards > > > > - Sunita Raghu > > > > =========== > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg ([email protected]) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' Image Resource of more than a thousand species of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- Efloraofindia: http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix -- Enjoy
