I like nothing better than to begin my day with a leisurely stroll on the extensive lawn fronting the old colonial bungalow near Munnar where we live. As I inhale the absolutely fresh and invigorating mountain air, the dew glistening on the grass dampens my sneakers. There’s a marked nip in the air thanks to frost overnight.
Often I hear the full-throated whooping of Nilgiri langurs swinging Tarzan-like from bough to bough in the jungle bordering the bungalow. Are the simians heralding the dawn of another day, I wonder. Or the strident crowing of a pair of jungle cocks as they shrilly vie to outdo each other in summoning their harems. Or the soft cooing of timid wood pigeons as they feed unseen on lantana berries growing in profusion everywhere.
On the lawn a few bulbuls, mynahs and wagtails warily hop and flit around hunting for grasshoppers and insects. Sometimes a pair of hoopoes turns up, looking dignified with elaborate crests, only to take off on seeing me. It’s breakfast time for the birds, and they appear to resent my untimely presence judging by their seemingly impatient twittering and squawking. Usually, the sky is spotlessly azure at this time of the day with the surrounding mountain ranges standing out starkly, their crests wearing straggly wisps of mist soon to be dissipated as the rising sun spreads its warmth. A couple of predatory kites glide effortlessly high above, screeching eerily now and then as they scan the greenery below for unsuspecting prey.
In the distance a tractor chugs purposefully through a tea field, signalling the start of another working day in the verdant tea plantation. And nearby a gaggle of chatting, rexine-aproned female tea pickers—each clutching a pair of shears—heads out to the tea fields, shod feet clip-clopping along the uneven track. It’s the first crucial step towards producing the cup that cheers. Thankfully (and perhaps unbelievably) there’s no pollution of any kind here (including noise) making it a pleasant haven where peace and quiet reign. Here I can unwind, destress or savour nature in its many forms, undisturbed. I’m at home here. A feeling of euphoria suffuses me as I head indoors, contented and ready to face the challenges of another day buoyed by this uplifting and idyllic experience. I, for one, couldn’t ask for more.
George N Netto
Email: gnettomunnar@rediffmail.com