Happenings

Class X Travels to Wayanad, Kerala

 

“Bumpity Thump ! ” was the sound of our 4X4 as it ventured through the dense jungle on our way to Ela Blooms. Ela Blooms is a cardamom farm set on the hills of Wayanad in the Western Ghats. This town , situated on the outskirts of Kerala was an 18th century British colony. It hosts a wide number of endemic species of birds and other wildlife.

As we got to Ela blooms we were astounded to find a club house in the middle of nowhere. It was thrilling when we heard that we were going to sleep in tents out in the wilderness. Ela Blooms was built over a period of eight years.

After sampling the local fare, we set out on a trek to a waterfall nested in between two beautiful mountains. As we strolled through the stream we caught a glimpse of the awe-inspiring nature around us. We returned to our base camp to find a pot of steaming hot, crispy onion fritters waiting for us. We ended our day around a campfire and had the budding music artists from our grade perform.

We woke up to the chirping of birds and the smell of Cardamom tea as it summoned us towards the kitchen. We started our day with a bird watching session with Mr. Vishnu, a forest official. Serpent eagles,Flame-backed woodpeckers , rocket tail drongos and Malabar squirrels made their presence felt as we gazed up at the treetops.

We made it back in time to devour the yummy, garlic rasam, more Kuzhambu, not forgetting the papadams which melted with every bite we took.

All this was in preparation for the trek to the natural infinity pool. Slipping and tumbling over loose gravel on the steep slopes on the way to the lake, was an unforgettable experience. As we reached the end of our strenuous journey, we cracked up to the jokes of Anthony and Sudharshan ; our two amazing chaperones , from the famous Nirvana Nomad’s tour group. We had a refreshing dip under the majestic waterfall which had enough rejuvenating effects to last us till we got back to base camp. After the wonderful trek we slept like logs.

The final day of our trip arrived. We went to the Chembra peak where we admired the pepper vines, silver oaks and the magnificent mountains. It was quite a tiring walk.

We had tears in our eyes as we boarded our buses back to school and reminisced the beautiful memories of Ela Blooms , Wayanard.

– Sunith , Class X

Class XII Visits Agumbe , Karnataka

 

We spent our sixteen hour journey to Agumbe on an eighteen year old bus, playing endless rounds of “Connect” and enjoying midnight musical chairs, all the time wondering whether we would ever reach our destination before the New Year.

Upon arrival, a ‘Malabar pit viper’ was spotted, but little did we know then that it would hibernate there until we departed or it may have settled even longer. The wildlife in the evergreen forest mainly consisted of small creatures such as reptiles and insects. They blended so well with the surroundings that our un-tuned and untrained eyes could not spot them with ease. Being a ‘King Cobra’ sanctuary, we had various discussions with Mr.Gowri Shankar, a renowned herpetologist, who had dedicated nearly fifteen years to study this particular species. The midnight trek was my personal favourite. With stars as our only source of direction and light, we tried to spot those nocturnal creatures along our hike. Furthermore, the authentic Karnataka cuisine and freezing temperatures gave us an insight into the life of the locals there. Our trip was a definite break from our constant attempts at studying and the scorching heat in the foothills.

-Harshada and Jaya , Class XII

 

 

When the news about camping in the Karnataka forest spread like wild fire in my class, it was like a boon in the middle of my intense exams. Being a frequent camper and possible herpetologist, the trip really opened new doors for me. I thought the bus ride really wasn’t worth the journey given the condition of the bus, but that changed when I met the Nomad who escorted us. Our ‘trip’ effectively began with a trek to a stream, which we repeated thrice on different occasions with different intentions. The talks and discussions were really fun and the session that I cherished the most was the one where our superstitions were put on the table for discussion. I was told that I was always welcome there, and that the chance of interning in that facility amongst those well reputed herpetologists was what made my trip worthwhile for me.

-Sundareswaran, Class XII