Rejuvenate with Yoga

Yoga and Meditation had been practised in Indian sub continent for time unknown with earliest identified documentation done by Patanjali in first millennium BCE in Yoga Sutras. Connection between the Indus Valley and later yoga and meditation practices is seen in some of the seals found in excavations. Physical, Mental and Spiritual upliftment are the basic idea behind yogic postures which were adopted by different religious sects and traditions in coming time.

 

While the Yoga Sutras focus on discipline of the mind, Hatha yoga concentrates on health and purity of the body. Many studies have determine the effectiveness of yoga as a complementary intervention for cancer, schizophrenia, asthma and heart patients and it has been reported to have shown muscular, skeletal and mental health improvements. In the specific sense of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, its purpose is defined as chitta - vṛtti - nirodhaḥ (inhibition of the transformation of mind). Today yoga is used to alleviate health problems, reduce stress and as a complete physical and mental exercise program all over the world.

There are many Yoga teaching centers all over the world where you can learn the nuances of this age old tradition of living happily and healthy. One such upcoming school is – The Yoga Village Project. It is a non-profit, Eco friendly yoga centre planned in Northern Spain by Greg and Deva both well trained and experienced in science and art of Yoga. The vision is for it to be as self-sustainable as possible, using sustainable power sources and natural building materials. This will in turn sponsor a charity called The International Yoga Teacher Training Fund (IYTTF), which will support yoga practitioners all over the world who are unable to afford the expensive tuition fees.

 

Greg and Deva the founders of the project are currently learning a few methods essential in eco- house building and perma-culture. It is an ambitious project which will not only help people benefit from age old Yogic methods but also base itself on Sustainable living. I am really happy to see young and energetic people like them taking up a just cause to help people. Further details about the project can be checked at:

 

Webpage http://yogavillageproject.wix.com/yogavillageproject

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yoga-Village-Project/354244527992222



Photograph from Net.

Flying Squirrel and Owlets

Flying Squirrel are one of the rarest mammals to see as they are mostly nocturnal. We had been seeing one near the resort for last few months but could not photograph it ever. I always wanted to do so but it was difficult as I rarely use flash for wildlife photography since it disturbs the subject.

A few days back we got a chance to not only see a very rare instance but also photograph a Flying Squirrel. I am giving herewith details of the incidence as well as photograph of Flying squirrel here under.

Date: 6th April 2012

Place: Kanha Village Eco Resort, Village Boda Chhapri, Kanha National Park.

Species: Indian Flying Squirrel and Spotted Owlets

Incidence:

It was early morning at around 9.00 AM and we were enjoying a cup of tea. Suddenly we heard noice and turned. It was a old Mahua Tree around 60 meters from the resort which was falling down since its owner had put fire on its base night. This is how mostly trees are killed in villages either by burning the base or girdling them.



Flying Squirrel at Kanha Village Eco Resort, Kanha Tiger Reserve 

What attracted us was something flying out from the top of the tree which we could not recognise at once or may be were not very sure of since it looked like a flying squirrel. On checking with binoculars its identity was confirmed. It was sitting on another tree nearby, shaken, looking at the old tree which was also its house once, falllen down to human greed. After few minutes it jumped from that tree and glided towards the Jamun tree at the resort, just a few meters from where we were looking at it. We were watching intently and I called for my Camera kit, I never wanted to miss the chance to click my first Flying Squirrel.

FS waited on one branch for few minutes and at this point happened what we never expected. Suddenly it ran towards a hole on the Jamun tree which is occupied by our resident Spotted owlets. We have seen the Owlet family increase from 1 to 5 in last few years. All, hell broke out and started a fight between the owlets to defend their home and FS to take it over. Screeching and trying to bite the intruder, flying around and hooting, Owlets were so very agitated. And, in meantime FS settled a bit but had to save itself from continous assault. After few minutes it had to come out of the hole and again sat on a branch looking at the Owlets. It is here that we got some time to click a few photographs of the FS. It was a cloudy day so I could not get good shots but was happy to see something rare atleast.




Indian Flying Squirrel at Kanha Village Eco Resort, Kanha National Park

In the evening FS left the hole and was followed / chased by the Spotted Owlets for almost  100 meters. We have been trying to find it again for last few days but do not know where it has made its new residence since owlets are in peace, back with their home to themselves. We had expected FS to come back by next morning and waited to have a glance but it was nowhere to be seen.

Hope to see it soon.

Navneet Maheshwari,
Kanha Village Eco Resort

Bird Watching - Kanha National Park

Bird watching is one activity which attracts lot many people and numbers of serious and amateur bird watchers is increasing day by day. These colourful feathered friends of ours are very important in our ecological system and can be found almost everywhere. We have done plantation at our resort keeping in mind two things. Firstly, maximum trees being planted must be from local landscape. And, Secondly that the trees planted should be either fruiting or flowering once which attract our flying friends a lot.

Pied Myna enjoying Mulberry fruit
Kanha Village Eco Resort
Kanha National Park

Normally tourists come to Kanha National Park with sole intention to have an audience with the king - Tiger. But we feel to really enjoy a jungle we should see all those small and big animals, birds, insects which altogether keep it healthy. Any forests health depends on whole bio diversity working together and not only on any one species although presence of Tiger the stripped cat certainly shows that the forest patch is in best of its health.

Red Munia on Mulberry Tree
Kanha Tiger Reserve

This year Mulberry plants at our resort - Kanha Village Eco Resort have grown big and were full of black fruits which were attracting host of birds of different varieties. This gave us a chance to see even those birds we used to miss and increase our count of birds seen at the property and even take some good photographs. Here are a few photographs for all to see and enjoy.

Common Myna
Kanha National Park

By: Navneet Maheshwari, Kanha Village Eco Resort

Cleanliness Drive - Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve is well known amongst wildlife lovers and general tourists alike, visited by tourists from all over the world. This tourist inflow has its own advantages and disadvantages. Certainly the local population has benefited a lot and their economic standard has improved with time. Although this has been a very slow process since earlier we had less awareness, even connectivity to Kanha was not very good as well as tourism infrastructure was very basic. But with time infrastructure for tourism has improved with it influx of tourists and development of local population.

Picking plastic and rags thrown by tourists and local people

With more tourists entering the national park certainly it will have some negative impact on the parks environment and disturb wildlife at times. But this in comparison with the awareness created and funding raised for protection and local population is very minimal.


All tourism areas have some issues which needs to be carefully understood and taken care of. Sustainable use of our natural resources and sustainable tourism should go hand in hand and this needs awareness and meticulous planning at all level. Kanha management has done this well and often tourists visiting the park can see and feel the difference in comparison to other national parks. Still, outside the national park especially with tourists and local population a lot needs to be done. One such issue is littering especially of plastic pouches, sachets and bottles. This issue has been raised amidst the lodge association and local people as well as park management many times but still no solution is visible.

Mr. Sanjeev Kulhalli, Director, Kanha Village Eco Resort
Picking up plastic pouches and rags

To create awareness amongst local people and tourists alike we decided to do a cleanliness drive from Khatia main gate onwards. We collected rugs, plastic pouches, etc, and burnt them in the evening. This was participated by Mr. Sanjeev Kulhalli, Director, Kanha Village Eco Resort and Member of Lodges Association executive committee, Mr. Karan Modi, Secretary, Lodges Association, Owner of Flame of teh Forest, myself, Krishna Jungle Resort and other staff and members of our lodges. We also requested the local public especially Dhabha units to take care and not to throw rubbish especially plastic on roads but to collect them at one place and burn after some time. It was bought to notice of all that plastic thrown around is eaten by animals harming them and also pollutes the local environment.


This was a small campaign which we are planning to do for coming weeks so as to create awareness amongst public at large. We will take up more issues with time and try to do our best keeping our responcibilities towards our environment and forests in mind especially towards our national animal Tiger and other denizens of forests.

Tiger - The King of Forest, whose home we are trying to protect.
Kanha National Park

By: Navneet Maheshwari, Owner, Kanha Village Eco Resort

Tiger of Kanha

Munna - is dominent male in Kanha zone

Here is Munna, the dominent male of Kanha zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve. His territory is very large after death of Konda he has taken up some of his area also. He is almost 10 years old and was thought to have either left his territory or died after a fight with other male since he was no where to be seen for almost a month.

Munna - Sitting under bamboo shade

He was seen a few days back and bought back smile on every ones face. Here he was sitting under Bamboo's shade and cooling off when he was seen by the Mahouts and a Tiger show was declared.

Mr. John Alexender Watson, Ms. Sarah White, Ms. Brinda and other guests from New Zealand and United Kingdom staying at Kanha Village Eco Resort got a chance to see Munna and click a few photographs.

Sighting a tiger in the wild is an experience in itself, something which cannot be expressed but only felt. Kanha National Park is home to around 60 Tigers (excluding young ones). We go on Gypsy Safari to see these beautiful striped cats. It is only when you see one of your own in the wildreness of Kanha that you may appreciate why our ancestors used to call it God or Vehicle of Goddess.