For my occasional sojourns I
usually depend upon my two-wheeler but this time I took my car due to the
scorching sun and an accident I met last time.
Though I had searched for
Konthamkulam in Google I got very little information from the net. I had a
vague idea about the route but fortunately was not mistaken anywhere.
Koonthamkulam is small village about 18 Kms. east of Nanguneri, a junction in
Nagercoil - Tirunelveli. Highway. It is here migratory birds from the other
side of the globe like Siberia, Germany, Australia and Ladak come here during
the onset of winter, stay for almost six months and return by June-July. I had
a least expectation to see any birds since winter is almost over and I considered
it as a bonus if at all I see one or two.
After carefully driving through
narrow roads with the help of signboards I entered the village. It was a tiny a
hamlet and it was around 4.30 p.m when I reached there. I parked my vehicle
beneath a big banyan tree and thought of asking somebody about the birds. When
I came out of the car the first sight which struck my attention was a large
bird, no, a number of large birds on all the branches of the tree. The sight
was so wonderful that I stood there with my jaw dropped. I took a few more
steps further and there were other trees as well. And to my astonishment all
the trees were full of Pelicans! It was indeed a feast to my eyes. The birds
which I have seen only in zoos are all in front of me, in very natural
surroundings, chirping and tweeting making the entire territory their own.
I decided to ask somebody to get
detailed information and stepped into a nearby house and introduced myself. The
house owner greeted me well and talked to me in detail about the “foreign
delegates” who visit them every year. The villagers are so helpful and
supportive to the birds. Once the birds started coming by December, they will
stop all manmade noises like crackers, blasting of music etc. and thereby
create a cozy environment for the guests’ comfortable stay. Weddings are
conducted without any blasting of songs and CD plays, unimaginable for other
parts of India. Then he asked his servant, Raja, to accompany me and show all
the places where the birds settled down. I walked with him for a while and
reached a lagoon. The lagoon had mangroves on its banks and the nearby area was
full of small trees, which is a perfect location for the holidaying birds. At a
distance I could see so many other varieties of Flamingos, Cranes and Pelicans
and many unknown varieties. One or two will take off from the branches amidst a
commotion and another will land in between. Some looked like small gliders with
large wing spans. Since I was deeply engrossed in the wonderful panorama I
failed miserably in taking any photographs.
Raja told me that several years
ago a crew from a popular Television channel came here for shooting. The crew
took a speed boat and sped all along the lagoon and started scaring the birds
away. The villagers furiously protested and the TV crew had to abort their
shooting plans and quit immediately. That was the passion and emotion the
villagers have about these foreign guests.
I climbed up a nearby watch tower
to have a better look of the lagoon. I was in great ecstasy looking at the setting
sun, golden lined clouds, green lagoon, small islets and trees on it and mangroves,
making the entire place a great page in my travel reminiscence.
