Monsoons in Kumaon – a pictorial display of the mood

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Monsoons in Kumaon – a pictorial display of the mood

As the monsoon clouds drift across the valleys and the mountains

              I have had the privilege of growing up in the hills, having been born and brought up there and also having had my education up to the middle level, in one of the pristine hill stations of Himachal Pradesh.  The hills are a place where one can experience all the four full seasons, along with the two transitional seasons of Spring & Autumn, of the natural cycle of seasons.  Having now spent a better half of my life in the plains of Delhi, I can clearly distinguish the difference between the nature’s glories that spreads its splendour in the hills, as compared to some drab seasons of Delhi.  In the hills, one can distinguish the seasons distinctly.  Starting with Spring, which heralds in after the harsh winters, there is a nip in the air, but also a distinct feel good factor, as the day temperatures get steady and pleasant, accompanied by the same, with most of the stone fruit bearing trees being in full bloom, with flowers of different shades and hues covering the entire trees and creating an aura of pleasure and happiness all around.  After the gaiety Spring, comes in the summers that ushers in a feeling of gay abandon.  Gone are the heavy woollen clothing and as the days gete hotter and longer, but bearable and nights are short and sweet. After summers move in the monsoon season or the rainy season and as the clouds move in, one can experience the intensity of the rains, which is such that torrents flow through the roads, as if some seasonal rivulet has sprung forth.  This abundance of water paints forth all the hills in all green and it is one of the spectacular visual experiences that one can have amongst the four seasons, other than the winters that is also truly spectacular.  Although not a favourite season for the tourists and thus, only those who stay in the hills enjoy its beauty.  The present narration is a pictorial depiction of the spectacular scenery that unfolds in the hills during monsoons –

As the rain clouds loom over Ranikhet

The clouds stretch from the plains to the hills - view of Kosi River along Corbett

Tufts of clouds lay scattered across the Ranikhet valley

Clouds drifting in the Nainital valley

Cloud cover all across - view from Bhatrochkhan

A panoramic view of the cloud filled valleys on Naintial

View of the river valley near Garampani in Naintial district

Cloud cover has just lifted - Nainital hills from Bhimtal road

A tuft of cloud suspended mid air - Nainital hills from Bhimtal road

Just after a fresh bout of rain, as the clouds part - view of Ranikhet hills from Timila village

As the clouds envelope - view of Nainital hills from road to Khairna

As the veil of clouds part, some village homes become visible again - shot from Timila village

After fresh shower of rain everything around is dripping with pure water

After a fresh bout of rains, even the grass collect some water

As the monsoon clouds loom large - shot on way to Almora

Just after a bout of rain, the cloud cover clears over Almora

How green is my valley - monsoon green - view from Bhowali village

As the rain clouds drift in - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Panoramic view of the rain clouds drifting - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

As the rain clouds envelopes the valleys - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

As the clouds hug the hill sides - - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Rain clouds nestled in the hills & valleys - - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Another view of the rain clouds enveloping the valleys - - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Rain drops like diamonds scattered on leaves after rain

As the clouds descend upon the Bhimtal lake

             I will follow up this blog with similar pictorial depictions of the other seasons in the hills, in my ensuing blogs, to bring out the distinctiveness of the six seasons that one experiences in the hills.

The splendor of nature – sunrise views from Timila

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The splendor of nature – sunrise views from Timila

As the sun is just about to peep out from behind the Himalayan ranges

            Due to personal pre-occupation this year, we could not visit any destination during the year end or the beginning of the New Year.  However, not putting up a blog onto my site on the first month of the New Year, would be a bad omen and accordingly, I am putting forth a photo-blog of my visit during November, 2018 to my summer pad in village Timila in Tehsil Ranikhet of Uttarakhand.  The Himalayan ranges are not usually visible all-round the year, due to various atmospheric conditions prevailing from time to time, coupled with the distance, they are usually visible on clearer days, but this time around, for the two days that I visited the place, the clarity was exceptional and I could shoot some pre-dawn photographs also.  Here is a photographic presentation of the sunrise -

As the dawn is breaking - the Himalayan ranges are in a slumber

As the dawn lit mountains light up

The orange glow of the rising Sun lights up the horizon

The first rays of morning Sun kisses the snow capped peaks

As the top of Chowkhamba peaks light up

The orange glow of the rising Sun lights up the morning sky

The dawn is about to break the silence of the mountain peaks

The dawn the finally broken through lighting up the mighty mountains

The birds have started chirping - heralding the breaking of a new day

The spectacle of the glorious sunlit Himalayan peaks unfolds in all its glory

The Sun finally breaks through the horizon lighting up the sky in its'orange glow

Now the early morning sun lights up the Himalayan ranges 

Is it the reflection of a Trishul?  No just a plant - but symbolic of the Himalayas and sunrise

© S Roy Biswas

A photo blog - of a day’s visit to Najafgarh drain

A photo blog - of a day’s visit to Najafgarh drain

A panoramic view of the Najafgarh drain - now a wetland

             Me and my friend, who is also a keen bird watcher, had been contemplating a visit to the Najafgarh drain, since last few weeks that is situated at the outskirts of Delhi, along the Gurgaon border.  My friend, Mr. Prabhat Kumar has immense knowledge about the identity of the birds and their habitats.  He is also a keen blogger, but had been bogged down due to personal difficulties being faced by him since the last one year, he has a blog running in the name of – Birds in Delhi (India) - here is the link to his blog - http://birdsindelhi.blogspot.com/.  We had planned the trip twice since November end, but due to some last minute glitches, the visit could not materialize. 

Long tailed Shrike

Greater spotted eagle

Territorial warrior - the black Kite 

A long distance shot of a group of Starlings

A Baya weaver bird (male)

             Finally, on the 22^nd of December, 2018 we were finally able to proceed ahead with our proposed outing.  However, the sun light had started fading, due to the light veil of cloud that had covered most of north Indian plains and is an annual feature, at this time of the year, but being determined to make the trip, we went ahead as planned.  The stretch of drain is vast and the region has been declared as an ‘Wetland’ recently, the length that we traversed was about 20 odd Kilometres and we saw a plethora of Birds, some I was able to shoot, whereas some just scooted away before the camera could focus and the greatest disappointment for me was not being able to shoot the Red Munia (both male & female) that were visible at many spots.  I have spotted around more than 50 bird species during the trip and here are some of the photographs of the birds (albeit not the full repertoire), some of them shot against the light, so enjoy the viewing –

A flock of Common Coot

Woolly necked Crane

Purple Heron

Grey Heron

A Painted stork about to land

A Cormorant drying its' feathers in the sun

A Red wattled Lapwing

A Jungle Warbler

Great Cormorant in water

Baya weaver bird (female)

Black shouldered Kite

A Jungle Owlet

A Plain flower pecker

Indian Robin

A Plain prinia

A Common Stonechat

A Bluethroat

Siberian Stonechat

A Pied Kingfisher

A White throated Kingfisher

A Pond Heron

A Common Buzzard

A Common Shank

Purple Moorhen

A White Wagtail

A pair of Sarus Crane

A Black Ibis

A Oriental White Ibis

A Black Drongo

A Black shouldered Kite in flight

A pair of Grey francolin

A Spot billed Duck

A Purple Sunbird

Greater Flamingos

The ducks take flight

As the evening sets in the birds fly homewards in a formation

Greylag Geese roosting

The water birds take to flight - as the evening sets it

© S. Roy Biswas