nilgiri musafirs (group 3) draft trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •trek briefing at ooty circuit...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
“The journey matters, the people matter; the destination is meaningless without the path and the companions”
Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3)
![Page 2: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
“Going in the forest is a very sensuous and a pleasurable experience. For some of us it is almost a mystical experience. It is also an experience that brings into question our entire relationship with nature in a way that disturbs and challenges our ideas about ourselves as civilized beings.”
![Page 3: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Team Members
![Page 4: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
A Team forever
• Money Jain (Group Leader)
• Navdeep Singh (AGL)
![Page 5: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
A Team forever
• Kokila Jayram (Treasurer)
• Vijay Kumar (Doctor)
![Page 6: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
A Team forever
• Amit Renu
• Anuj Singh
![Page 7: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
A Team forever
• Abhishek Tharwal • Ravinder Kumar
![Page 8: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
A Team forever
• Anitha
• Alok Yadav
![Page 9: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
A Team forever
• Balram Choudhary
• Aakash
![Page 10: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
A Team forever
• Gunjan Verma • Pushpendra Singh
![Page 11: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
A Team forever
• Rinki Gupta • Roma Chaudhary
![Page 12: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
A Team forever
• Rahul Singh • Snehal Karle
![Page 13: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
A Team forever • Sunita Choudhary
![Page 14: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
A Team forever • Our STF friends
(Vivek, Sarvanan, Anand and Mahesh)
![Page 15: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Miscellaneous Achievements
Before After
![Page 16: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Pre-Trek Apprehensions
• Luggage – accommodating & optimizing bare necessities
• Group Coordination • Doda Betta Climb - Non-essential luggage returned • Communication facility • Security • Accommodation & Food • Physical Ability • Weight loss • Sun tan • Leech bites
![Page 17: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
• Fun
• New life experience – curiosity of nature, wildlife, local populace
• Meet & make new friends
• Develop Physical Endurance
• Learn to adjust to difficult conditions
Pre-Trek Expectations
![Page 18: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Itinerary
![Page 19: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Base Camp Basics Pandyar
• Naduvattam Range of Nilgiris North Forest Division • Marudhu Pandyar brothers 1st to proclaim independence from
British • Famous for tea, pine trees, Pandiyar fort with waterfall
Naduvattam (Centre of Circle) • Panchayat town on NH 67 at 1,953 m elevation • British jailed & settled Chinese convicts in 19th century who married
local women
Kargudi (Forest Temple) • Located within Mudumalai sanctuary, shares land with Kerala,
Karnataka • Meeting point of Eastern & Western Ghats; covers 330 km2, started
in 1940 • Hill Banana and cactus fruit – both edible
![Page 20: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Base Camp Basics
Vazhaithottam (Banana Orchard) • Part of Sholur Panchayat and the largest hamlet in the region with 200
families
Sholur (Village in Forest) • Sholur panchayat comprises six hamlets within 5,000 km2 Nilgiri Biosphere
Reserve • Home to largest number of Asiatic elephants
Parson’s Valley • Built by British engineer Parson in 1862; Pykara dam & reservoir • Habited by tribals – Todas, Karumas, Irulas, Badugars – employed by TN
govt. in local tea estates
Avalanche • Named by British after severe landslide in 1823 • Famous for beautiful lake surrounded by thick shola forests
![Page 21: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Flora and Fauna – Generic Variations
![Page 22: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Dry Deciduous
The Tasty Tamarind
![Page 23: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Dry Deciduous
Terminalia arjuna
• Has a butressed trunk • Traditionally used in ayurveda for treatment of heart disease, wounds, hemorrhages and ulcers • Moths feed on its leaves and produce Tasser Silk
![Page 24: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Conifers • Tall, Mighty and Evergreen • Found at higher altitudes above the tropical moist deciduous vegetation • Has impact on soil structure---Localized patches of podzolic soil
![Page 25: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
The Sholas-Grassland Mosaic
Sholas patches are stunted forest interspersed with grasslands. Encountered on the way from Vazhaithottam to Parson’s valley Scotland of India
![Page 26: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Tea Garden
Tea Plantation • Once planted stays productive for 25 years • 5 harvests per year • Silver Fir planted in tea garden for shade • Means of livelihood for locals • Not Natural but implanted by British • India largest producer of Tea
![Page 27: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Variety of Flowers
![Page 28: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
And the Fauna
![Page 29: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
And a special one…
![Page 30: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Learning as Group & Individuals
• Coordination within team & with guides and STF boosted with ADG advice & intervention
Team spirit
• Fostered endurance to combat physical problems & complete all treks together as one team
• Developed mutual sensitivity & concern to quickly traverse leech-infested sectors together
• Supported latent/hidden talents of members reach full expression – singing, planning, etc.
![Page 31: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
![Page 32: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
• Selfless Group Doctor gave personal medical attention to each member each day
• Morning bhajans courtesy Pushpendra ensured timely wake-up of all members
• Courtesy, curiosity & appreciation for local traditions – Sholur Badaga dance, etc.
Learning as Group & Individuals
![Page 33: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
![Page 34: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
• Very good stress buster: fresh air, pure water, away from mobiles/computers resets the biological cycle
• Learnt about limits: aware about potential to endure stress and pain; mental strength is the key
• The Best things in life are free: landscapes, rising sun, waterfalls, grazing sheep, grasslands...no wealth can buy this pleasure
Learning as Group & Individuals
![Page 35: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Socioeconomic & Cultural Observations
Trek Guides facilitated interaction with locals
Todas • Cattle rearing, tea plantation, silver jewellery, shawls • Favourable sex ratio of 1,042 women per 1,000 men • Nature worshippers – sun, moon, bison, flower • Toda temple enroute Parson’s valley • Unique, curved huts • Formed forum in July 2014 to get civic amenities from GoI
Witnessed Navaratri celebrations in temple enroute
Vazhaithottam
Learnt badaga dance from native children at Sholur
![Page 36: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Socioeconomic & Cultural Observations
![Page 37: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Hardships during Trek
Accommodation Constraints • Warm, clean bathing water
• Far-off washrooms
• Electricity & plug points
• Cellphone signal
• Sleeping bags
Trekking Constraints • Leech bites
• Drinking water rationing
• Slippery terrain of tea gardens, especially during descent
![Page 38: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Feedback
• PT & short trek at APPA useful for physical conditioning
• Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning
• Food, water & packed rations provided despite difficult terrain & operating conditions
• Kargudi food was especially delicious
• STF & Forest personnel maintained discipline, safety & security
![Page 39: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Suggestions
• Sleeping bags not suitable for heights 6 ft & above
• Trekking bags not suitable in size & support
• Calculated trek distances need more accuracy
• More floor mats for Pandyar as some members had to sleep in cold corridor
• Better information of anti-leech techniques
• Emergency lights be provided for camps without electricty
![Page 40: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
We Thank -
• MCR HRD Institute
• Tamil Nadu Government
• Special Task Force
• Local staff and citizenry
![Page 41: Nilgiri Musafirs (Group 3) Draft Trek... · 2014. 10. 16. · •Trek briefing at Ooty Circuit House useful for mental conditioning •Food, water & packed rations provided despite](https://reader033.vdocument.in/reader033/viewer/2022051900/5fef747dcb1e5147e43fae34/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
Questions…?