Tree Canopy

Everyone knows about Tree-benefits from its different parts. Lets us talk about upper branchy part of tree. Technically it is termed as ‘Crown’ as it is top part of plant. Clubbed tree-crowns form a cumulative canopy which enhances its benefits. Different characteristics of crown like shape, size, color, density are species-specific and have direct benefits as well as indirect benefits not only for humans but also for animals, birds, insects, etc for both food and habitation/nesting.

        Canopy-print on land-surface convey information about forest cover or forest area, recorded by FSI after every two years. The tree canopy has health benefits as it obstructs direct sunlight or reduces the insolation of IR and UV radiations which has damaging effects on human skin. You will notice little run-off or erosion of top-sheet soil in the areas having abundant tree canopies. Another, important benefit of tree canopy in violent-windy plain areas is to divert the wind direction & lower down the wind strength. So we can say, canopies act as green windbreaker as well.

Trees with heavy dense canopy preferably planted for shade purpose. Among them, I could recall is Pongamia pinnata (an evergreen dark heavily foliage tree), locally called Sukh-chain (Peace & Felicity). I realized the significance of its common name and function during one of my forestry practicals when I got under its canopy on a scorching sunny day. There I felt shade effect which was tremendously different and relaxing.

Pongamia pinnata

People who have grown shade trees around their house have experienced less Air Conditioner (AC) expenses, which is obvious. How economically beneficial tree canopy is?; can be understood by seeing vendors and sellers; they usually sit and fix their stalls under the tree-shade in urban streets. These canopies act as business exchange sites. Vendors expand their business with the expansion of the crown/canopy. In the urban concrete areas, if luckily any cluster of tree canopy got to establish, the area will have different pleasant micro-climate. There will be clean air; biodiversity and filtered noise from highways. People also used to grow heavy crown trees for dual purposes, especially for fruit and shade. Overfilled crown with vibrant flowers chases everyone’s heart with its beauty. For example, Blue and Red flowers of Gulmohar trees planted at walkways unfurl their aesthetic beauty.

Talking about habitation, shade tree used by birds for roosting. They acquire permanent house over it. Reminiscing my childhood (about 15 years ago), there was a big Simbal tree (Bombax ceiba) the far side of my home where the vulture committee used to interact there every evening after a hunt or feed on the barren landfill with carcasses remnant. Committee sat together on big Simbal branches after every thanksgiving dinner. That tree was big enough to provide space for a dozen vultures. The remaining friends lived on the big tree near that barren area. At dusk grunt screams of giant Gyps scared me. But with time those scavengers start disappearing because that tree got cut by the field owner. That was a single big tree on that farm boundary. From that time, I never saw a single vulture in my village. Maybe, they had been rehabilitated for a new home.

Later, there was news about declining vultures due to biomagnifications of NSAID diclofenac-[https://frontline.thehindu.com/environment/conservation/researchers-find-that-vultures-in-india-are-still-in-danger-from-the-nsaid-diclofenac/article33280321.ece] and for this reason, India banned the veterinary use of this drug in 2006. Another frequent usage of agrochemicals in low fertile agro-ecosystem is a probable reason for decreasing the biodiversity in form of evolving new diseases or epidemics [http://www.fnbnews.com/Top-News/health-hazards-in-the-wake-of-a-mysterious-disease-in-eluru-andhra-pradesh-61841]

Another important reason is a subsequent scarcity of tree canopy due to deforestation which we ignore unknowingly. Canopy serves as habitat not only to our indigenous avian species but our migratory guests also feel tree canopies as home and comfortable there.

  Recent Scenario...

         When I got married and came to Nagrota, I visited the most awaited site - Pong Lake (Bird-Sanctuary). It is a Ramser wetland famous breeding site declared under the Ramser convention for migratory birds in the year 2002. I noticed their regular flight towards the lake every morning (twilight) and back flight (in groups) at dusk in the opposite direction of the lake. I asked about this to my husband, why don’t guest birds just live near the lake? They cross the Nagrota area twice a day and move toward the hilly site.

            Being brought up and more familiar to this area, he explained gently, ‘they went back to have rest on tree canopies at night. Those hilly areas with tree canopies; away from human habitation; provide them shelter against predators as well as protection against natural ecological factors’.

But unfortunately, this Wetland site is cordon-off temporally as we heard the news of the spread of Avian-flu H5N1 (caused by Influenza Virus with high mortality rate). At the end of the last year 2020, infected migratory birds reached the breeding sites all over the Indian sub-continent. And they have shown symptoms and signs, just in the consecutive month of New Year, 2021. 

Check this video for detail -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPiqja323Tw

This is really sad for our biodiversity, as another virus outbreak amidst ongoing Corona Epidemic.

            I remember, last week of December 2020; when I was in my home town Nagrota for three days. I heard the gushing voice of birds, at every three midnights. It was really unusual to me as I didn’t notice this voice last year winter. I discussed with my partner in the morning that it was like bar-headed geese fighting each other at the Pong site.

            I didn’t realize or see this bird flu is coming or already with the incubation period. We came back to our work-place in Punjab; then heard the news of Pong Lake along with news of bird-flu around the other states (India) and countries. We felt sad. And I am sure that pain wrecking sound was bird’s suffering (breath-shortness), they were somewhere near the lake during those nights and fighting with pain and aches. I guess they literally didn’t have strength in their wings to return to their home canopy.

Number of birds died and we ‘Humans’ are responsible for their fate directly or indirectly.

Pong Lake Kangra (H.P.)

 

 

 

 

Heritage Village and Heritage Plant

Nowadays, tourist places with traditional structures are more in focus. Replicas and artifacts are supposed to be displayed for the visitor’s curiosity along with leisure time. Albeit, these models have values and utilization in present life. Our ancestors might have prayed their existence for coming generation. But displayers act as innovators by showing heritage exhibition to generate income. Visitors appreciate the ancestral efforts and offer sympathies at that conditions of their time. All these realize visitors that they are having a good time with comfort life. With all these leisure, they depict a great passage of time toward convenience and urban development. Some of the visitors have obviously thought of the natural richness in proximity during that time which is now as a ‘lacuna’ in managed urbanization. So, visitors enjoy their present time close to nature, even if they have to spend money. They start feeling relaxed by differentiating comfort change both during visiting hours and afterward the visit over.

 Well! I am discussing about the traditional structure and heritage pieces, especially for tourists/visitors.

 There in Palampur, I got a chance to visit ‘Heritage village’ with my lab mates.

I presumed it as  ‘Haveli’, like the concept of depicting Punjab’s culture. That’s what I thought wrong until I reached there.

Yes! Again, our journey started from CSIR-IHBT. Riding on scooty (Feminine form of Scooter), we crossed Palampur market and numbers of green compact tea gardens. For “Tea Gardens” a great thanks to Dr. Jameson who was the pioneer of growing tea gardens here in wet temperate region. After that, we crossed a bridge alongside the ‘Saurabh Van Bihar’ (an amusement park proximity to Neugal River). My scooty rode the hilly roads with a great effort noise and its pace got slow with every bit of curvy height. But it was awesome to move with full acceleration against gravity.

There at Roadside, we saw a sign-board showing the direction of our destination. There we shift from main-road to an undulated local kachha road with sharp U-turn downside toward ‘Heritage Village’. Finally, with lots of effort, we rode our scooty on that stony path and reached to ‘Heritage village’: a very attractive home-stay and well planned holiday destination. It is in Kandi village, at the bank of one of the streams of Neugal river which is a tributary of the majestic Beas river. The time, when we were parking our vehicles, we heard sound of running water. At entry point, first we encounter a beautiful wooden structure which was more like a restaurant. Then we moved toward a park. An artificial water-tank cum waterfall structure was surrounded by sitting benches under the shady trees in that park. We sat there and relaxed for some moments.

From there we took a glance on beautifully built mud mixed wooden houses of Una, Barot, Kangra, and Khaniyara style.

Beautiful Heritage structures of Himachal Pradesh

Well! We could get chance to scan them from outside only. As those were already booked by families or married couples. Later we took rounds of houses, both from front to backyard. While roaming in backyard there we saw kitchen garden set up with green vegetable. Probably they used to cook natural herbal vegetable to serve their guests. There I noticed some big leaves of Colocasia at one side of garden grown toward the streamside. It reminds me of my hometown and grandmother's dish of monsoon. Every Himachali has tasted it, locally called Patrode, Patra, and Beth. In other parts of the Indian region where it is known by Arvi, Venti, Alu etc. Other local names like Taro, Gabi, Talo, Dasheen referred outside India. Among them ‘Taro’ is renowned English name which is more prevalent across the world.

  

Ready to cook

Taro Leaf smeared with besan Paste

   

And if I mention its botanical name then it is Colocasia esculenta. I can say it is a sibling of Elephant foot yam (Zimikand: Zamin (Soil) + Kand (Roots), which mean roots/tubers from the soil). Both underground vegetables belong to Araceae (Arum family).

Technically their roots are corm (modified roots). Taro corms are good source of starch for human and act as remedy for body ache. In African countries its corms act as staple food or substitute for Aloo (Potato). This plant is naturally found on pond or stream shoreline and in some countries act as an aggressive weed.

Colocasia has big irregular heart-shaped green leaves with arrow-head known for a great number of nutritive components Along with good nutrition; it also possesses some non-nutritive components like oxalates which could be removed after washing with water. Nutrients like Fe, Cu, Mg, K & Zn are common with a large amount. Being a vegetable cum perennial medicinal plant, it has various kinds of properties for the ailment of the stomach and liver. Therapeutic properties like antidiabetic, antihemorrhagic, neuropharmacological are prominent in series. 

It is believed that boiled leaves act as a good heart-healthy diet for hypersensitive people. By boiling in hot water could remove oxalate, tannin, and saponin which probably consider as non-nutritive content. As various food processing strategies like soaking, cooking, boiling etc can significantly reduce the anti-nutritional contents it carries. After boiling in water, pasting with spices and besan (gram flour), then dish is supposed to fried in mustard oil to make it crunchy. The more it fries, more it gets crunched and ultimately tasteier. That’s Patrode, every Himachali enjoy it during monsoon season.

Another, its leaves and stems contain a natural dye that gives rusty color (brownish) after oxidation or with air contact. Exuded transparent fluid from base of leaf petiole can turned to brown red color by oxidation on any material, either skin or cloth fibers. This natural biodegradable dye can be used for dying raw wool and silk.

Lots of available research papers on traditional uses of Colocasia leaves show that this plant have immense potential to act as heritage food with medicinal values.

This was my visit to ‘Heritage Village’ and small insight to one of heritage plant i.e., Colocasia esculenta. If you want know more about this plant- Check out some links/DOI

https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/view/60344

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.02.014

10.4103/2231-0738.84188

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF01091966

 

And For Heritage Village of Palampur (H.P). Click here -https://www.himachalheritagevillage.com/

 'Tomorrow in Birni Hills'

        The word ‘Tomorrow’ is for futuristic hope. It acts as a relaxing speech-word in the hectic disputed work-load. Thoughts become lighter and dissolve which were entangled earlier. In reality, ‘tomorrow’ concerns delaying work and makes things unorganized. In the same context, it hinders the quick response and tries to slow down the pace of regularity. But many a time, its comfort state can apart person from misery just only for momentarily.

Ohhh!!! It’s all about esoteric philosophy.

            It was the time when we were under the burden of project assignments assigned by our PI aka ‘Boss’ who was out of station for a week. This felt like a long weekend for us. We were hoping for free time the same as waiting for the first monsoon rainfall. We were more relaxed and worked care-freely. Subsequent days were diving in the same way with commence of procrastination.

For me, every-day was exactly the same where I have to check in medicinal field first before Lab. I parked my scooty on the stand at the ‘Chandpur garden’. Scooty’s inclined direction always in the bow position to the snowy mighty ‘Dhauladhar’.

If I throw the preview of my medicinal field of Valeriana’s location, the frontal view appeared as snowy entry to the herbal garden. One side of the field was surrounded by a fossil plant Ginko biloba which was arranged in a systematic pattern of different spacing. Another side was occupied with Drake tree (Melia azaderach) plantation with turmeric at its under-storey; researchers have tried an agroforestry system. And backside was over-captured with thorny shrubs and weeds. All sides of Valeriana field were enclosed with a green net at its boundary-line that could possibly separate Himalayan medicinal plants from other plant species. Almost every morning, the same green net boundary was always found tattered by the sneaking practice of night riders. These riders were giant Nilgai (an Asian antelope aka wild cow) and naughty rabbits. Continuous pug marks on field ground highlighted the direction of their movement. And last sunken jump to get out of the field showed their exit point after engulfing plant leaves.

Valeriana field: one sector of Chandpur Garden

             If my field premises were one-quarter of the circular area of Chandpur garden, the scented pink rose was another quarter up to its perimeter, the other two sectors were planted with lemongrass tufts and sweet Stevia (Madhupatri) plants. This was the pattern of the managed herbal garden which was once the eloquent garden of the queen of Chandpur. Locals say that at night Chandpur garden still shines with twinkling fireflies activities all over the area which glorify it like a Hindi phrase ‘Char Chand Lagana’.

        After reviewing the field I joined my lab-mates to get status for today’s tracking plan. We resumed the tracking for that day as mid-day was already over. So we had only last day ‘Tomorrow’ of accidental opportunity.

We will go tomorrow. That’s what we had decided finally.

But still, the plan was not fixed at all.

        The next morning, we forced each other to get along to track Birni Hill’ of Palampur (H.P). At last, we six finally agreed to utilize the last day without worrying tomorrow.

        We rode to Birni Temple from Chandpur with our own scooty/bike by crossing beautiful pahadi villages. First, we visited a wooden furnished Birni temple from where our track started for hill. Our guide (Babhit) was well aware of routes. Crossing through mixed Himalayan Forest toward clean pastureland under a blue sky was an amazing journey. Enjoy-full journey intensified more by sharing thoughts and discussions with each other. We got to know each other even more under real-world ‘Nature’. Moreover, our problem was the same ‘Pending Project assignments’. It was like we were a group of exhausters venturing out the Himalayas for solution.

        Considering the fate of luck and our decision, we got rejuvenating time away from project work. Finally, we reached a top hill of Birni. At that zenith point, we forget our daily affair sorrows. We were so into the present. The live mountains of Dhauladhar were much closer than our Chandpur garden. Their crown was covered fully with pride snow. Staring them constantly was like a booster for youngsters like us. Another moving sun in the clear sky was maintaining the temperature of adjoining snowy hills. The continuously changing position of Sun towards the west was a realization for the next day ‘Tomorrow’. For us tomorrow was the end of holidays full of pending assignments. But this track gave us enthusiasm for work. And we completed the pending works of two threes days within 5-6 hours. This is the power of rejuvenation after nature walk in the Himalayas.

Hill tracking is phenomenal where you interact with diverse innate of ecology, feel the essence of ecology, and recognize you as a part of it.

Covered track realizes that tomorrow is just an extension of longing today with the shade of night.

We should be live with the eyes of the present without fear of tomorrow.

Kareri - The unmatched Himalayan frozen lake

Tell me! When someone asks you, what is the most challenging journey for an adventure to do? What comes first in your mind? …      
                                                                             

Yes! One thing prompts in our minds. We ‘Himachali’, obviously think of the hill trekking. Isn’t it so? …

I opened the Google map on the laptop to see the location of ‘Kareri’. It amazed me when the map switched to the satellite mode. The whitish-green patch with hoary branchy-streaks popped up on the screen.

 I exclaimed silently, wooohooo!!! Are we going there?

                                Kareri Arial View                  Source - GoogleMaps

My project colleagues made this adventure site as a secret to throw a surprise. But I got it secretly (unknowingly) from someone in a discussion. And that incited me to check its location. 

The next morning I made it a hint of not knowing the trip location. Our jolly discussion was still open. Where are we going…….‘Yaarr’? We were guessing sites one by one and raised conundrum. I guess everyone was hiding the first option ‘Kareri’ inside themselves. But neither of us was sure about it. However ‘hint turbulence’ was inside me. Since I was self-assured on ‘Kareri’ but couldn’t manage to speak out. Hidden clue turned to reality when our trip-arranger hired a cab from Palampur to ‘Ghera’ village. 

             At ‘Ghera’ we were approximately 20 Km far away from the lake. There, we bought some necessary eating stuff from the village market. It was a small market with lots of traffic clumped at the bus stand. Most of the school students were waiting for the bus. We made two groups to collect the stuff (fruits, crunchy chips, chocolates, chewing, bandage and water bottles) to access the time and convenience. Moreover, we were with some home-made stuffed ‘pranthas’.

At ‘Ghera’ we were shifted to old Mahindra jeep to cover upcoming rugged roads. We had crossed Sari and Reoti village to reach Kareri village. That journey was not easy as we were already instructed by the driver. But it was a full-filled overjoyed adventure. That Jeep driver was a well-experienced village driver. He was driving fearlessly on single-way tough terrains. Those dangerous-curvy roads could be covered only by tuff motor jeep and further heading toward tilted roads. The slant ridge was on one side and a deep gorge of river another side. Nevertheless, that shiny morning view was spectacular. On another side of the river, the landscape was covered with a mixed forest of Pine and Oak trees. “Beauty of Western-Himalaya”.

 After, achieving a bit elevation, green vegetation turned yellow with shrubby grasslands. At that moment, we were distant from the river. Again, the Chir-Pine stand (Pinus roxburghii) was visible when the road turned more toward the river-side. And finally, we entered a village. It was just like a dream village. 
Peace’ was there. 

All Set - Ready for trekking

            We landed on the side of the village (a small stop) with our camping bag. Jeep driver asked to inform when you all trek-down tomorrow. (Communication is inaccessible near the Lake).  At the start of the odyssey, we marched upward and start losing mobile network gradually. Up to 2.5 km we rambled on the metalled road surrounded by deodar trees. It was like a pre-trekking warm-up. We covered that metalled road singing and barefoot with shoes in our hands. It was an amazing feeling. With full of energy, we reached the actual trekking point. There were 2-3 small temporary shops.  Near to this, an old bridge over a nallah (small rivulet of Nyund River) where colorful cloth-flags were tied on it. A small conversation with the shopkeeper confirmed our way. There was no signboard for lake direction. They assured and instructed us to move upward opposite the river flow. First, we had crossed earthy natural steps and then a flowing river.

          Before the river crossing, we decide to take rest and sat on a big flat single stone. We ate our lunch- ‘stuffed-parantha’ with pickles and rested for fifteen minutes. About 2-3 groups of trekker crossed us which were behind us.  We also encountered with returning trekkers, who had tracked a day before. Happy and energetic returning people boosted us. It was fun to cross the river on a big stone like rocks were arranged to form a bridge. Returning people were diving and enjoying the natural flowing cold. 

Chandpur gang at the excursion in the Himalaya 

At mid of journey, we saw a lot of sheep herds and bravo black dogs. All were accompanied by Gaddis. They usually use this path as a pass the same as their descendants for crossing Chamba. Gaddis from the Chamba region come down during extreme winters to Kangra to get favorable climatic conditions. Subsequently, they use nearby pasture areas for grazing their pets. Gaddis have sumptuous life in the lap of pure beauty. They use their vernacular calculation in managing umpteen sheep.  

 Pearls of Gaddis  

                         

                                                       Wooden Bridge -    Half way over                                  

It was 6 hours journey to reach Kareri lake through a nondescript path. Real feel of hunger during walking shows how your body,s energy is proportional to food. When you are in the lap of nature you don’t think of luxuries but count breath which feels you are alive in a blissful moment. I haven’t seen any plastic thrown during the entire journey. I guess every trekker was taking the wrapper with themselves on returning.  This was the reason, I like this trek ‘the most’. Moreover, my friend circle was a green panther. 

                            

 Lake is also known as Kumarwah Lake It lies at the south of the Dhauladhar range with an altitude of approx, 2900m. A Shiva temple has been constructed at the top hill near this base camp.

 We reached the top of the hill when the Sun was almost set.  The first look on a frozen white lake beneath the shiny sky full stars amazed us. It was breathtaking both lake beauty and chilled wind from the lake.

 We all were shivering instantly. Jaws get more activated and our speech interrupted at such a low temperature. Our first task was to get a suitable site for a tent. But dew was already at ground grass. Then we start looking for the fire-woods for a bonfire. It was hard to initiate fire at dew grass. There we went to the temple to borrow the already burned sticks from a priest. He was watching our activities from the very first we came. After some conversation we got sticks. 

Rare click in the evening - Lake was going to freeze

The fire took time to set furiously. The multidirectional blowing air was making fire unstable.  In the light of the fire, we set our tent, keeping entry in the direction bone-fire and opposite to the lake. That tent direction saved it from blowing off. The wind from the frozen lake with falling dew was hindering fire performance. After all set, we cooked ‘Maggi’ and enjoyed together.

   

This is a small excerpt from Kareri visit. There is still a lot to write. But I want you to make your own memories with nature. Explore nature but don’t disturb it for the sake of ‘want/need’. We are already under its debt.                       

                                                         LOVE NATURE EXPLORE NATURE…………

Memories collection...

Prashar Lake:  Tranquil beauty in Mandi hills

At the verge of the fall of winter, I got the opportunity to visit Mandi. It was IIT- Mandi (Indian Institute of Technology, Kamand) where I was attending the National Conference. Three days conference was organized with the theme ‘Rural upliftment through science and technology’. A month ago, I have been registered for the conference along with my project colleague ‘Suru’ at Palampur. It was going to be a three days trip to Mandi. So, we already had thought of visiting Prashar Lake within these days. A day before the conference, we started our journey at noon from Palampur-IHBT Gate no. 2 by HRTC-Bus. Through crossing the Jogindernagar city, we reached Mandi bus-stand nearby at 4 O’clock in the evening. The bus-stand the area from inside to its perimeter was conducive clean and organized. And why shouldn’t be? Our chief-minister belongs to this area.

After waiting an hour, a local bus came for Kamand village with a front route-board highlighted with ‘IIT-Kamand’ on it. We traveled with the Kamand denizens toward the hilly village after a long wait. That village is surrounded by large mountains adjoining ‘Uhl-river’ (Tributary of Beas) on its base. Like all other IITs across the nation, Himachal had laid the stone for IIT in district Mandi, during the year of 2009. Institute is situated within a beautiful village ‘Kamand’ at Prasher road with its two campuses, North and South campus. We got our stay in the newly constructed hostel at the bank of the fanatic noisy Beas River. That noise was intense at night and set us in calm sleep. Whenever we were there, those nights were relaxing therapies for us to beat regular afflicts.

Prashar Lake and Temple

The next day was with the cold serene morning. We duped our warm dresses which have been already decided for each day. Then we moved toward the conference site. At the entrance of the auditorium, the registration team was busy instructing delegates. We registered and interacted with other research scholars of various Institutes. That first day was an interactive and introductory session about the theme of the conference. An inaugural ceremony of the conference was held under the shadow of some local ministers and administrators. The first day was the same as that of every other conference. They highlighted the works in enthusiasm to impress the audience. After that the whole concept changes in between or with the ongoing days. At the end of the first day, the tired audience had already sat down in auditorium for the dinner. In the last, the valedictory day was sulky for the certificates and prize conflicts.

I was there to visit and explore the pure beauty of the hills. The whole time Prashar Lake was in my mind, sneaking in my daydreams during the conference. That epic picture of a blue lake with a floating island near the temple was fixed in my head as I read a lot about it. Three years ago, I was trying but didn’t get any chance to get there. But this was a chance of a lifetime. The next morning, Surbhi and I walked out of the campus after attending an inexplicable speech. We started moving toward the campus entrance gate which took 15 minutes by walking.

There at dabba (tea cum food stall), we asked for the bus to Prasher Lake.  Dabba-bala was making alu-parantha (boiled-crushed potato-filled chapatti) in dhesi ghee. The ghee smeared bursting potato allured us. We ordered it with dahi (curd) and were waiting for the bus. He started making parathas and his wife was chopping vegetables for lunch.

 He replied while filling potato in handful dough, ‘Madam, there is only one bus for Prasher’. And trekking is another way which is impossible right now...

 After listening to him that we have only one overloaded bus with no chance of space. And thinking of 16 km impossible trekking at midday for Prashar, we had lost our hope. 

Immediately we got our order - alu paratha with fresh dahi. We ate it for energy with dreamy hope for Prashar Lake. That was fortune when we were hogging paratha and a car stopped near to dabba. A young married lady recognized Suru and asked for the lake visit. She was with her husband, moving to Parashar also. They were localities of mandi and had attended the yesterday conference session with Suru. We finished our parantha immediately. There, we shared the car with a wonderful couple. That gentleman was adventurous and caring, driving with his 7-month pregnant lovely wife. They told about their love story and marriage

.

We had crossed many small Pahari villages with different folk lifestyle. As we were moving toward height, we saw a gradual change in culture and vegetation. The road was with twists and turns consequently after one. We were leaning in the car right-left like the shape of the snake. With every turn, we were crossing the forest canopy. Dominant tree crowns were highly distinguishable when viewed from the above road. That road was naturally roughed path surrounded by striking green foliage conifers. After every 5-6 turns, tree stands were changing with different species. Up to the Prashar, it was the whole set of vegetation together which was changing with altitude. That time, I remind my Forestry and Silviculture concepts. Finally, it was grassland at the top of about 2700m amsl, Seghali village  (near to Kulong village) after crossing coniferous vegetation. The Landscape was turned yellow because top-soil and grasses were drying.

All land turfs were yellow where Prashar lake and the main temple were prominent. Sky color was reflecting on the lake water surface making it blue. A rotating small land piece was in the lake with grass on it. The whole lake is preserved using iron grills and colorful flags were waving on it at some distance. The lake depth is still unmeasured. Earlier pilgrimages collect this lake water as prasad (Blessing) as they considered it as an elixir.

Three storied wooden temple side view

A reflection of wooden Art on deodar wood

Then we entered the deodar wooden temple where ‘Maharishi Prashar Muni’ did meditation and worshiped Maa Tunga (a form of Durga Maa). It was the divine feel inside the temple. Three storied pagoda style temple has been built with a single deodar tree (Cedrus deodara). A beautiful carving has been done on wood with inscriptions of old facts. There is no record of the date of its establishment. The priest gives a random amount of rice on Pooja. If the count holds odd number 3,5,7…. which symbolize that wish will be fulfilled by Prashar Muni. According to mythology, Prashar muni was the grand-grandson of the Universe creator- Brahma ji. He was the son of Shakti muni whose father was Bashist muni. It was believed that Prashar muni stayed for 12 months in her mother’s womb. Isn’t it amazing!!!

Prashar muni was the wise sage of that yug (era) and emerged as a writer of Jyotish Sashtra which describes the natural and human changes with time/age. This holy script also contains ‘forecasting methods’ based on planets and stars calculation to know the information on past, present and future time. Locals say that the temple was constructed by local king Ban Sen. People gather here during ‘Fagni’ fair for the blessing of Rishi Muni. The colorful cultural fair attracts tourists around the world.

Floating island (Phumidi) at the bank of the Prashar lake

 It was the time where hill vegetation was ready to feel the snow. Lake surrounding flora turned yellow before the commencement of snowfall. Most of the grasses and herbs were unidentifiable and were in dormancy already. In the shrub patches, red-colored flowering plant - Potentilla atrosanguinea was identified.  Its outer foliage morphology looks like wild cherry. After a search on Google, it was found that this plant contains a unique enzyme Pa-SOD which is a superoxide dismutase. This enzyme control oxygen toxicity arising out of oxidative stress in any living system.  

For more details- Go to Research Gate ...

 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268982068_Engineering_a_thermo-stable_superoxide_dismutase_functional_at_sub-zero_to_50C_which_also_tolerates_autoclaving

Potentilla atrosanguinea