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A lone struggle.
Well meaning efforts, on all fronts, are futile if they
are disjointed, making it a lonely battle for
animals in the wild. p 10, 11.
‘Kumaraiah keeps calling me to Masinagudi, travel
but I haven’t gone in a while. He visits me
whenever I go to the hills. But while there,
I’m restrained a bit because Kumaraiah likes
to take hold of my leg and pull it you see!’
see p 16 for more...
They say, whom the gods love die young… and took over the family business as the its values, Shri H.R. Gopalakrisha remained
eldest son, consolidating and managing an oasis of enduring values. Like our father,
Aeschylus, where is the wisdom you spoke Barnie - a boutique tea estate in those days. he was a committed family man and he will
of when you wrote ‘even in our sleep pain He was one for experiments and associated be greatly missed by his own family and the
which does not forget, falls drop by drop upon himself with the likes of Dr. K.S. extended family.
our hearts, until, in our despair against our Venkataramani, Director of the Research Gopu’s sharp intelligence, sense of humour,
will, comes wisdom through the awful grace Station at Cinchona, during its years of and repartee were celebrated by all the
of god ?’ infancy, and who pioneered the vegetative families; his witticisms regaled many a family
propagation of tea. One of the more popular gathering. He had an abiding love of music
Shri H.R.Gopalakrishna was a scion of the
tea clones ‘Sundaram ’, is even today seen in particularly Hindustani semi-classical and
close-knit family of the late Rao Bahadur
various parts of H.R.Gopalakrishna’s estate. classical music. Some of his/our favorite
H.J.Bellie Gowder, the late Rao Bahadur
H.B. Ari Gowder and the late Shri H.B. Raju In his quest for improvement and in wanting pieces have a haunting poignancy:
Gowder (our father), a family of community- to adopt the cutting-edge in technology, Shri
leaders, social reformers and philanthropists. H.R Gopalakrishna was one of the early
adopters of CTC in the manufacture of tea
An ardent sports person (which was not K.L. Saigal’s “Diya Jalao”
in the region; the factory became one of the
surprising-coming from a family of sportsmen very first to do so, reaping the benefits of “Din soona suraj bina
as he did) he went on to graduate from the quality and price. Aur chanda bin rain
Madras Christian College in 1962 during Ghar soona deepak bina
Shri H.R Gopalakrishna was innovative in
which time he continued to show his prowess Jyothi bin do nain
his approach to problem-solving and during
in sports, captaining the college hockey-team Diya jalao, jag mag, jag mag …
those days of severe power shortage he used
in the early 60’s. Under his captaincy, MCC
the car engine from his Vanguard, a straight- (The day is empty without the sun,
won the inter–collegiate hockey trophy after
6, to run the factory alongwith an oil engine. And the night without the moon;
thirteen years. During one tournament, the
headlines in the papers screamed ‘Gopu All this while he continued to take an interest The house is empty without the lamp
beats Munir Sait hands down with his in hockey and was part of a team called the And the eyes without their light.
famous scoop’ (the goal keeper went on to ‘Cousin’s Seven’ which was the leading team Light lamps across the world)
represent India at the 1968 Olympics in in the district for several years.
Mexico where India won the bronze medal). Shri H.R.Gopalakrishna is survived by his As my son Digvijay says “He has gone to a
Shri H.R. Gopalakrishna was still in college wife Indrani, his son Yudhishter, his daughter better place. If all of us lived our lives with as
when our father passed away in 1962. He Harshini and their families. much dignity as he did, maybe we too will
had to shoulder the family responsibilities In the increasing desertification of life and get there.”
A sister’s Kanneeranjali
H R Gopalakrishna (Gopu) 8.4.1941 - 29.9.2009
THE ‘obnoxious weed’ Parthenium hysterophorus is a thermo insensitive herb. It is a prolific seed producer with seeds having long storage life and can quickly
dispersethroughwind.Vegetativegenerationoccursfromthecrown. Theconceptof`Oneyearseeding,sevenyearsweeding'is trueforParthenium.Itproducesabout
5000-10000 seeds per plant, which are viable even at immature stage. In dry summer months Parthenium appears in a rosette form. But during rainy season it grows
up to 90 cm. height, with profuse flowering and green foliage. It flowers throughout the year. It causes contact dermatitis in livestock and is reported to be poisonous
to sheep. Humans are also affected by this weed with respiratory malfunction and dermatitis. Main toxin responsible for the effect is ‘Parthenin.’
6
environment
The Kurumba Village Resort is built on Kurumba Resort is one of few in the region The presence of rare birds on the campus
approximately 5% of a total land area of 10 to install a sewage treatment plant, was an accidental discovery. ‘We were
acres of an old but still productive cardamom- something that they had planned for at the surprised to see at least 30-40 different
nutmeg-pepper estate on the slopes of the time of inception itself. ‘The water that is species when we first explored the idea of a
Coonoor-Mettupalayam Road. generated from daily utilisation in the holiday resort in this 90 year old estate; a
‘We hear from some of our guests that their bathrooms, wash areas and the kitchen is keen birdwatcher can spot many more. We
little children are thrilled on seeing nutmeg treated and reused daily for the nutmeg had then decided that we must plant trees
for the very first time,’ exclaims second- plantation’, says Mr Narayanan. The water that will retain and enhance the bird life of
generation-hotelier Sanjay Narayanan, who source at this luxury resort is generated the area. Around 2000 trees of different
shared his perspective on the subject of internally from a well on campus, making varieties were planted here in 2004- the
responsible tourism in a recent interview. the cycle of use and reuse optimum. year in which we formally opened the resort
Was social responsibility covered as a topic What is the essence of responsible tourism? to tourists.’
in hotel management school? ‘Not when we ‘All tourism must anyway be responsible. It Why is there a recent lack of goodwill for
did our course’, says the resort owner is not necessary to be regulated by anyone resorts in particular and tourism in general,
referring to the early 90s when he and his if we understand that it is in our own with the sentiment being that the industry
partner-old schoolmate, Sanjay Avatramani, interests to preserve and protect our is losing focus and that it is short term in its
pursued their catering degrees together. ‘It is environment.’The 10-acre area is unfenced. outlook with almost everything that is being
probably taught now but I would be happy ‘There was no need to fence our property. planned and executed, seeming haphazard
to invite young entrepreneurs-to-be to visit We do have a chance sighting of some and opportunistic? ‘I am not sure if any one
here and study what we have been trying to wildlife in the summer months, crossing over of us hoteliers is adequately qualified to
incorporate at our property with regard to on the opposite hillside, but we have never answer a broad question such as this
environmentally-friendly practices’. felt inclined to cordon off our perimeter.’ because it involves several components
including the Government agencies with
sectors such as public transport,
Planting a Resort. infrastructure etc., but we must all primarily
understand that over several decades,
Understanding the essence of responsible tourism from an environment- tourism has been the mainstay of the local
conscious hotelier. But is enough being done by the hotel industry? economy just as it is elsewhere, in other
leading tourist destinations of the world. It
is not correct to label it negatively.’
To a question on what extent of revenue is
generated annually by the local tourism
industry, the hotelier states that he is not
aware.
Whether the Nilgiri Hotels and Restaurants
Association will have this information is also
unlikely as the membership of this can-be-
influential body is not representative of the
sector, having only less than half the hotels
and resorts in the district, as its affiliates.
This is the time when the hotel industry
needs to reflect inward, rally itself together
and revisit its pivotal role in Nilgiri tourism
by integrating with concerns of the
environment or else it could find itself
uprooted by the rapidly increasing
momentum of conservationism in the region
no matter how well planted it might be.
Botanical Gardens
Garden Road, Ooty.
Layout completed: 1867
Varieties of flowers: over 2000
Total area: 55 acres
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Choose from an exclusive variety of sweaters at the Woolen store, Commercial Road, Ooty. The Monte Carlo range of winter wear is available
in select colours for semi-formal and casual wear. You could also visit our branch at Botanical Gardens, while there. Enquiries: (0423) 2442214
pics: Staff Photographer
Wildlife sighting.
By chance!
Not so long ago, when people traveled by
the public transport system from Ooty to
Bangalore, it was with great anticipation
that they crossed the Mudumalai-Bandipur
stretch - will they be lucky to sight a wild
animal? Today, hordes of cars pass through
the sanctuaries at tearing speed, only to
screech to a halt or honk with misplaced
excitement at seeing deer or elephant
herds, unmindful of the repercussions.
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Meditationprogramconductedatde-addictioncentre:MembersoftheNithyanandaAshramintroduced
asimplemeditationtechnique(Mahamantra)totheinmatesofCIDSA,ade-addictioncentreinCoonoor(seestory, To watch video clips of Paramahamsa
facingpage).Thehalfhourmeditationincludesasteadychantatanaudiblelevel-thistechniqueissaidto Nithyananda’s talks, log on to http://
energisetheindividual,allowingdeepconcentration.Sr.KanikaMaryofthede-addictioncentresaidthatthis youtube.com/lifeblissfoundation. Readers
exerciseshowedremarkablechangeintheinmates:‘Ifoundthemactiveafterthesession.Dayslater,italso may also log on to www.nithyananda.org
seemedliketheirabilitytoconcentratehadimproved.’
13
I had my first drink when I was 18-a friend ...Months later, she accidentally came across
introduced me to it. Initially, it was once a a rehabilitation centre attached to St
month but soon it became once a week. And Joseph’s Convent in Coonoor. I don’t know Centre for Integrated
then, when would drink with friends, I would how and when I complied to come to the Development and Social
be the one to invariably get drunk . On some de-addiction centre but I did. It has since Action (CIDSA), was
occasions, my family members would come been a long but meaningful journey back to established in 1997.
to know and hence I would try to hide my the mainstream.. Today, I am respected in It is a deaddiction-centre with
breath or come home late but when I was my family, my business is revived, our medical treatment and
drunk, they would get to know-My family relatives and the community we live in have counselling provided. The
then decided that if they got me married, not only accepted me back, they have also program is residential, with the
my problem of drinking would sort itself out- given me a prominent place in society - I alcoholic and his spouse staying
They got me married, early. presently head a local welfare association! together. The total duration for
A former alcoholic, in a deliberate attempt to My brothers now look to me for advice (my this program is 10 days.
reach out to the present inmates of CIDSA, a father died long ago). My daughters are For more details contact: (0423)
rehabilitation home locally, unhesitantly pours doing well in college. My wife has been my 2236604. The de-addiction
out his life’s experiences with alcohol and how biggest source of support. Take heart. It is centre is managed by the sisters
it engulfed him and his family. Today, he is important to understand that getting out of of St Joseph’s Convent, Coonoor.
reformed. He is fine inspiration to others alcohol is important, but staying out, is more
ensnared by the problem of alcoholism. critical...
My drinking, after marriage only got worse-
My father stopped talking to me-younger
brothers began to avoid me. I started to drink First hand account: The inmates of CHIDSA, Coonoor,
every day-my two little daughters were listening intently to a former alcoholic who shared experiences
of his amazing recovery.
afraid to come to me. I did not even know, at
one stage, which classes they were in. I had
a thriving business. It did not last for too
long-I started to drink during the day-I
would go to the shop having already had a
lot to drink-my customers fell out, one by
one.Whatever money I had, I used it to
drink-if I had ten rupees or if I had thousand
rupees, it would all go into buying a bottle-
If Idid not have enough money, I would
borrow-I even had credit arrangements with
the liquor shop. I would be found lying drunk
on the roadside, during day or night.
My wife stopped going tofamily functions-
she could not bear the shame-I tell you, the
wife of an alcoholic suffers twice as much as
anyone else. One day she took unwell and
was admitted late at night, to a local hospital-
I had not returned home yet. A neighbour
informed me in the morning about the
episode of the previous night-I went to the
nearest liquor shop, had some more to drink
and came back home and slept. My wife
returned home, treated... Te s t i m o n y o f a n a l c o h o l i c
Climate change. duty. Amartya Sen has said, 'droughts or
floods need not necessarily cause human
perennial cropping. Agriculture college
scientists could engage with our vegetable
Contd from p 5
misery. Inefficient and indifferent farmers. Poor and vulnerable people living
13% deficient monsoons this year’, cannot administration and governance does. near canals need to be evacuated and settled
be entirely relied upon any longer. In the Nilgiris, tea factories and automobiles in publicly built quarters or colonies. The
‘Mitigation’ and ‘adaptation’ are political and are big carbon emission sources. While state meteorology department in Chennai
scientific buzz words. I'll dwell upon factories must adopt environment friendly needs to open shop in Ooty and help in
adaptation which entails how humans can technologies and energy sources, the building local climate models and must
adjust to climate change. For instance flood government needs to subsidise the effort. A constantly impart accessible and reliable
or drought proofing - laws could ban clean and efficient public transport system information through various channels. We
residence and cultivation in low lying areas. that caters to different types of tourists must as average citizens with abilities to consume
A flash flood here could be disastrous. be designed. We locals need to walk the talk. and waste at ease, need to do our bit because
However much our governments are As for adaptation, planters and small growers every bit matters. It is appropriate to
fascinated by the ‘market’; citizens' welfare could talk to UPASI for scientific input on conclude with the Mahatma's advice - 'Be
needs to be a non negotiable constitutional the links between climate change and the change you want to see’.
14
local enterprise
Legal Provisions regarding
removal of a liquor shop
LetterstotheEditor
from a locality.
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) was
Correction regarding
information on NMR.
constitutedon1stSep1986underUNESCO’S
Man and Biosphere Programme. It is the
A perfect fit
first Biosphere Reserve in India. The total
Sir, Your quiz on the Nilgiri Mountain area of NBR is 5520.40 sq.km and falls in Fit and fabric are the key
Railway(NMR)intheSep10,2009issue Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The
Kerala part of the Reserve consists of
elementstoagoodapparel.
ofTheLocalhasmademeovercomemy
1455.40sq.km.TheforesttractintheKerala
inertia and write to correct some part of NBR consists of the forest areas of Mrs Geetha Jaiprakash’s responses to
misconceptionsabouttheNMR. Wyanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Silent Valley each question, in an impromptu
While ‘alternate biting teeth’ is an National Park, Nilambur South, Nilambur interview, recently, are as clear cut as
ingenious expansion, actually the Abt North, Palakkad, Mannarkkad , Kozhikode the apparel that she designs.
system is named after Roman Abt, a and Wayanad south divisions. The Nilgiri Why did you take interest in dress
Swisslocomotiveengineerwhoworked Biosphere Reserve was incorporated into making? ‘There was nothing much else
forNiklausRiggenbachathisworksin the world network of Biosphere Reserves that we could do then to keep us
byUNESCOon10.11.2000. occupied’, she replies matter-of-fact.
OltenandlaterathisIGBracklocomotive Her tutor was the Polish-born (late) Mr
company.TheAbt system using solid Simenes (legendary tailor of yesteryears).
bars with vertical teeth machined into Readers write What was special about Mr Simenes?
them is cheaper to build than the ‘He was exacting and he always taught
us through practical experience,’
Riggenbachsystemwhichusesaladder A letter a month reminisced Mrs Jaiprakash. ‘He would
rack,formedofsteelplatesorchannels Deena Michael first get us to learn to make a dress for
connected by round or square rods at ourselves. It’s a separate matter that
regular intervals. S a’ ar... post! With this announcement, initially, it all came out nearly undone,’
she laughingly shares.
Also, while the NMR is the only rack rushing footsteps fight to get to the precious
railway in India, it is by no means the bit of communication first. Every member of I did not imagine that much later, I
the household rushes for the letter hoping it would actually start up a boutique.’
onlyoneintheworld. Forexample,the
Snowdon Mountain Railway to the
might be for them and eager to know from
whom it is. After its contents are shared and
Fine Things came into being after several
times of having persuaded her husband
e
summitofSnowdon,thehighestpeakin the letter has gone through all the hands, it to approach the building owners in an
England and Wales, is very similar, is tucked into the old letters pile for future upcoming complex at Bedford, in
though it runs over a shorter distance reading... Coonoor, to book a small space for her
and uses a narrower gauge (800 mm All of this happened when the Post & venture. Today, some fifteen years later,
Telegraphs department’s systems were at the enterprising lady is delighted to
insteadof1000mm). their peak of service. Alas, now in the 21st share that she also has customers from
Yourssincerely, century, no one bothers about the postman’s beyond the district who just call up to
JMukund,Coonoor call as only telephone bills, some magazines say, ‘stitch me a dress with a fabric of
etc., are delivered at the door step and are
picked up by the household helper. Continued overleaf
The art of letter writing is dying. Few have are retrieved, giving timely solace. On the
Thank you for your clarification. It will the time anymore, or the patience, to write a other hand, envelopes bearing beautiful
correct the record for certain historical full length letter in their own hand writing. stamps are carefully put away.
references, locally, that, as you said, People have been led to using machines, Philately is highly educative and stamp
haveingeniouslyexpanded‘Abt’aswe gadgets and cell phones, which, though collecting is an inexpensive hobby. Letters of
publishedintheSept09issue. convenient, have led to physical and mental world leaders such as Pandit Nehru, President
laziness. We do not want to sit and devote
It is equally interesting to learn that time to give our side of news to our dear ones.
Abraham Lincoln, Sir Winston Churchill and
many others are published in book forms and
there is a similar type of railway The attitude is, why waste time, paper and some of the originals are preserved in
elsewhere,albeitofanarrowerguage. energy. Send an email instead or easier still, museums too.
Editor. an SMS.
When a letter is written, it conveys the news.
It also conveys the concern, the love and
affection to the receiver. Letters can be
written to people who celebrate joyous
occasions. It can also be written to those who
ADVERTISE IN Local are in sorrow and are bereaved. A letter to
those on their sick bed is perhaps the best
Call 97905 90570 or email your medicine. Most letters are preserved. If
queries to thelocaleditor@gmail.com loneliness creeps in, these preserved letters Preserved: An old letter preserved by the writer.
15
local issue
e
Individualistic:
Geetha Jaiprakash, a first
generation entrepreneur,
has fashioned a niche
enterprise for herself which
is an inspiration to young
folk, today.
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wildlife
Two sides
of the coin
The iconic naturalist, shares
serious thoughts on the issue of
wildlife, but not without the
touch of his large- hearted and
sometimescynical, humour.
‘Kumaraiah keeps calling me to Mr Davidar’s game reputation was well ‘What can I say now? What is certain is
Masinagudi, but I haven’t gone in a while’, known in those circles. He, alongwith his that if our wildlife is left entirely in the
shares Mr ERC Davidar, the widely soul mate and friend, the late Richard hands of the Government, there may soon
acclaimed naturalist and wildlife expert. Radcliffe (of the Nilgiri Wildlife and be nothing left of it.’ Such a serious
‘He visits me whenever I go to the hills. Environment Association, NWLEA) assessment can only come from a man of
But while there, my sons restrain me a bit were considered the best shots of their his stature. ‘The forest department is ill-
because Kumaraiah likes to take hold of time. They were, it seems, called in by the equipped to tackle today’s challenges’, Mr
my leg and pull it you see!’ (see pic, p 2). administration once, to put away a ‘rogue’. Davidar states, with resignation in his
Now, if the famed naturalist was pulling ‘We relentlessly tracked it knowing that if voice. Tackling poachers, for instance,
my leg by not disclosing that his ‘friend’ it crossed over at the border, the Maharaja requires more. I used to encounter these
is an elephant or if he simply overlooked and his entourage would get into the fray.’ dangerous elements on numerous
the fact, I will not be able to tell but this is However, the shikari turned occasions. Regarding research, public-
the essence of the revered man’s fascinating conservationist’s reputation for intrinsic private partnership is important. Its the
personality - one minute, deep in serious knowledge and exhaustive documentation only way we can know more, sooner.’
and contemplative thought and the next of several important wildlife species of The role of organisations like NWLEA
moment, jovial, having just cracked a South India is twice as large. His is also vital. (Mr Davidar was instrumental
hilarious joke even if it were on himself or documentation of elephant corridors is the in framing the association’s bye-laws and
one of his own. An old photo album that single-point source of information for its regulations. He was Hony, Secretary
we were sifting through at his home in researchers and government agencies alike.
David Nagar, Padapai near Chennai, His books on the Chital, the Nilgiri Tahr of this influential body for several years).
showed a picture of one of his brothers and even a children’s special called Pecky I realise that here are more than two sides
alongside a deer that he had shot. the Woodpecker, are gripping. to this timeless coin - the eldest son of a
‘That’s my brother and this shot was a Favourite animal? The Nilgiri Tahr! then High Court Judge, Mr Davidar
fluke.’ There is long silence. Why was it Forgettable experience? An angry bison became a lawyer and practised in Ooty
a fluke? (I was too curious to let it pass). had gored him and then pounded his ribs with King & Partridge, before pursuing
‘He had gone to answer Nature’s call and on one of his lone nature expeditions. Did his lifetime passion that is wildlife
the deer walked right into him. You know, he think he would survive? The pointless conservation. ‘I am master of none’, Mr
we all called it the ‘sh#@ shot,’ says the question is dismissed with silence. Davidar grins, but I recognise that smile
senior man amid uproarious laughter! What is the state of our wildlife today? by now - he is only pulling my leg.
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Published on behalf of The Local Media Publishing Co,. by Edwin David from 10/363-Y-1, Indiranagar; Avk Post, The Nilgiris. Printed at Satya Press, no. 50 Kariappa Street; Purasaiwalkam, Chennai - 7. Editor: Edwin David