Saturday, August 27, 2011

Pichavaram--Still Moments among the Stilt Mangroves



I have heard a lot about the back waters and Mangroves of Pichavaram near the Temple town of Chidambaram and I have always wanted to visit. I managed this finally as, duly approved by the beetter half, we made our way to the backwater from Big Beach Puducherry. On the NH 45A after crossing Cuddalore one has to take a left near C-Mutlur (Okay there is an B--Mutlur but we never saw an A--Mutlur!) Pichavaram is situated in Kille thaluk.

The Boat House and Restarant are Okay. As we reached there mid-morning, the heat was terrible. We took a motor boat and traveled down the back waters. The ecosystem is essentially Halophytic or salt water tolerant. A peculiar flora of the region are stilt mangroves that are essentially inter-tidal marine plants mostly trees bordering coastal areas. In India they are found only in PichAvaram and the Sunderbans. The Mangroves consisting of plants like Rhizophora Apiculata or Rhizophora Mucanota grow on exposed roots that raise the plant above the sea level. The stems are able to exchange gases and as the tides raise every day they also take in water-borne nutrients. . The roots are embedded in the water-soil, and are similar to the Banyan Roots.

For an extra charge the boatmen will take you throgh canals with overhanging branches of Mangroves forming a tunnel of cooling shade.

Pichavaram may be visited once to see this unique eco-system in action.

Losing oneself in the Immensity of Life


This year August 15th Independence Day has fallen on Monday giving us a glorious long weekend!
I spent the weekend relaxing on The Big Beach, Puducherry. Though the place is in Puducherry itt's almost Cuddalore. Big Beach is a partr of the Zest Brand of properties. It is really exclusive and has a club house feel rather than a resort. The magnificent view of the green lawns and the sparkling sea beyond is spectacular.

I took time off to sit by the beachside on 14th Evening. Totally at one with nature. Huge sea. Stretching Beach. Sky looming overhead. What are we? A small speck hanging on to the surface of something so immense and large, we do not have the equipment to comprehend fully.

The best one can do is to lose oneself totally in it. Immersed. Enveloped. Surroiunded. A part of it. IT.

Murudeeshwar