Where Peace is the most spoken language and
Bird-chirping is the popular folk music.
Sattal is a place with seven lakes situated in the heart of Nainital district, Uttarakhand amidst outer Himalayan border. The hills are embellished with tall coniferous pine trees and bushy rhododendrons that are loaded with bright red flowers.
In the morning, the jungle fowls, francolins and partridges wake you up while great barbet’s ‘karrrrr’ sound echoes through the dark green foliage.
The plum headed and slaty headed parakeets rush for early breakfast in a group of hundreds.
The mountain forest has a very unique rustic aroma that travels with you. The winding roads climb up and down, and serene lakes play hide and seek that definitely make you stop there for a while absorbing quietude.
At the dawn the turtle dove loves sunbathing quietly in the soft light while jungle Myna, Himalayan bulbuls, black bulbuls, and parakeets like to explore more and announce the best place to bask.
The resting pine and oak trees suddenly get vocalised with their rambling and jasmine like incense of Neem [ Margosa] flowers fills the air around.
The mountain white eye and the verditer flycatchers randomly move between the dried branches.
Something shines on the dark brown bark from top to bottom, a chestnut throated nuthatch creeps down to gather its nesting material.
The leiothrix are ever eager to start the actual bathing rituals. All other feathered beauties like Blue winged minla, White crested laughing thrush and various tits follow them one by one.
After a while a king walks in with the queen holding its neck high…Majestic kalij pheasant!
The chafi river flows everywhere in between the mountains shaping the rocks in rounded beautiful stones along the bank.
The forktails and the redstarts love to hop on these stones and then vanish in the thick layers of dark green moss where they are nesting.
A small stream flows on the opposite side of the Garud lake in the midst of tall sal trees. The Asian paradise flycatcher is never tired of dancing with its long tail, however, short stopovers on the perch are mandatory.
Few non local residents of nearby cities have constructed cozy houses on these hills. They say, early morning uphill treks with the sun peeping out from the mountains enliven their souls.
My mind and body need a Botox.
I want to learn the language of hills and lakes.
I want to learn the folk music of rivers and forest.
Mountains calling……
