Coorg Wildlife Society President Colonel (retd) C P Mutthanna has challenged the BJP leaders to prove the allegations they have made against the Congress of using foreign funds received by fake environmentalists for election campaign.
Addressing media persons on Tuesday, he criticised the BJP leaders for making false allegations against the environmentalists who are trying their best to protect and preserve land, water and natural resources of the district. The environmentalists are simply portrayed as villains.
“Let Manu Mutthappa stop making baseless allegations. Why didn’t the BJP government which was in power take up an investigation into foreign funds that arrive to the State. Why was the issue not discussed so far, but raised only when the election has approached?” he asked.
Deforestation concern
Mutthanna questioned the mentality of not speaking against several issues in the district including hydel power projects, high-tension wires, illegal sand mining, expansion of Madikeri city etc.
If all these projects are implemented it would lead to massive deforestation. If the high-tension wire is laid from Kaiga to Thalasherry via Kodagu, it would lead to the chopping of 15000 trees.
The issue has been brought to the notice of the State Chief Secretary. If the government fails to take action, then the next option would be to approach the court, he said.
Illegal sand mining
Coorg Wildlife Society Vice President B A Poonacha expressed concern over the damage caused to rivers due to illegal sand mining on the banks of river Cauvery and Lakshman Theertha. If the illegal mining is not stopped now, there would be difficulty in supplying water to Bangalore and Mysore, he said.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District /DHNS, Madikeri – April 25th, 2013
“It is important to resolve water problems in the scenario of present climate change caused by huge carbon emissions. The important manifestations of climate change is global warming which causes global temperature to change,” said professor A Vittal Hegde from department of applied mechanics and Hydraulics, NITK.
He addressed the gathering after inaugurating the seminar of ‘water proofing and water harvesting’ organized by Kodagu Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Engineers Association (KDKUEA) at Hotel Ocean Pearl on Saturday April 6.
Addressing further, he said since the year 1700 after industrial revolution, climate change has been the cause of various issues. Due to regular changes in the level of carbon dioxide, there is a change in the atmosphere. The release of greenhouse gases leads to extreme events such as floods occur said the speaker giving an example of a recent flood that occured in Australia.
Considering the above problems, he said methodical support to local RWH should be provided to get a substantial amount of water. Briefing about rain water harvesting (RWH), he said it is accumulation and deposition of rain water for use before it reaches the aquifer.
In ancient India, people believed that forests were mother the of rivers; in fact a study from US indicated that 60% of fresh water comes from forest. The water bodies used to be maintained by the community around but after Independence, the government took full control over the water bodies and water supply.
Speaking about the benefits of RWH, Hegde said it improves water availability, improves quality of ground water, prevents soil erosion, flooding and more important is is that it saves water an dmoney for the future.
Concluding his talk, he said that every city/village should implement RWH for the benefit of the future generation. Unless it is been made mandatory, no one will implement it, thus government should support and take initiative, he added.
A Vishnu Bhat welcomed the gathering, Dr RG D’Souza compered while M Divakar Shetty delivered the vote of thanks.
HV Harish, president of KDKUEA, Hemanth K Jain, director, Kerakol India limited, DR S Srihari from the department of civil engineering in NITK Surathkal, Dr Lakshman Nandagiri, Dr Girish Kumar, U Nagendra Rao, Gajanana S Hegde among others were present.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daiji World / Home / Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM) / Photographs: Spoorthi Ullal / Mangalore, April 06th, 2013
This summer, abandon the confines of the urban metropolis for the natural beauty of the rugged outdoors. Avantika Bhuyan lists a few challenging trails to get your adrenalin pumping
STOK KANGRI
Stok Kangri is one of the few places in the world where you can actually walk up to 6,000 metres. Stok, the highest peak in the Ladakh range, has been classified by the Indian Mountaineering Federation as a ‘trekking peak’, which means that no technical mountaineering skills are needed for the climb. However, don’t let this lull you into thinking that you can hop, skip and jump your way to the summit. The route offers a worthy challenge to experienced trekkers with great views of the Spartan mountainous desert. On day one, drive past the Leh airstrip, the Spituk Gompa and the Indus river to reach Zingchen where the trek begins. After an overnight halt at Rumbak, one reaches the base of the Stok La to start the steep climb up to the pass at 4,890 metres. Spend the night in the bustling Stok Kangri base camp, swapping adventure stories. On Summit Day, begin the ascent to Stok Kangri in the dead of night, walking for hours across frozen glaciers to reach the peak at sunrise. Nothing can prepare you for the sights that await you on the top of the summit – a 360° view of the Karakoram, a glimpse of the K2 and the Gasherbrums. Legend has it that if you have good karma, then you just might get a peek of Mount Kailash as well.
Info: July is the best time to undertake this six-day long trek. For details, visit www.aquaterra.in or www.geck-co.com
THE GOECHA LA TRAIL
A popular trek is through Lachen, a town in north Sikkim, where you can witness the annual yak race held in the summer. However, one of the most favoured hikes is to Goecha La, located at a height of 4,940 metres. The trek starts at Yuksom, a pretty village in west Sikkim where you can refresh yourself with the tongba, a fresh millet beer served in small eateries there. Most adventure tourism companies organise permits, but if you are on your own, then you need to make an entry at the police station, submit copies of your photo ID and pay permit fees at the forest check post. From about 1,100 metres, this trek takes you up to 5,000 metres through moist jungles, open meadows, dense rhododendron forests and rocky mountains to snow-clad peaks. Stay at the forest guest house at Bakhim or a little further away at Tshoka where tiny restaurants offer you a taste of the local yak cheese. From this moment on, you are trekking in the shadow of Mount Kanchenjunga and can gaze at its southeast face. The trail to Dzongri, at 4,200 meters, offers you a panoramic view of the mighty Singalila range and Kanchenjunga. Time your trek from the Dzongri trekkers’ hut to the top so that you can watch the Kanchenjunga’s golden hue as the first rays of the sun hit the peak.Goecha La is further away along a spare alpine rockscape.
Info: This trek can be completed in eight to ten days, depending on your fitness levels. Visit www.banjaracamps.com or www.geck-co.com
BHABHA PASS TREK
This popular route takes you through the lush Kinnaur valley and the stark landscapes of Spiti region all the way up to the Bhabha Pass, which at 4,640 metres remains snowbound all through the year. Visit Comic, the highest village in Asia and also the famous monasteries of Tabo and Ki. Spend a day with a family in Spiti, which still follows the extended family system, with its roots in the ancient polyandric practices. This six-day long trek starts from the village of Kafnu through thick Pine and Deodar forests all the way up to the tiny hamlet of Mulling at 3,840 metres. The climb is steep in some parts and first-time trekkers are advised to take their time to catch their breath. After spending the night in the camp at Mulling, make your way to Kara, a meadow dotted with alpine flowers. A walk along the Wanger River leads to Phustring, the base of the Bhabha Pass. At 4,200 metres, crisp cold air and icy mountain streams greet you and you are offered a fantastic view of the 5,840-metre high Hansbeshan peak. The trek leads you to Pin valley and the edge of the Great Himalayan National Park which is home to the snow leopard and the Himalayan brown bear. From here, one can drive down to Manali via Kunzum and Rohtang.
Info: The 60 km trek is best undertaken in June and July. For more information, contact Banjara Camps & Retreats at www.banjaracamps.com
HARISHCHANDRAGAD FORT TREK
The scenic trails zigzagging across the lush forests of Western Ghats offer challenges to appeal to the adrenalin junkie within you. One of the most popular jungle trails in this region happens to be the Harishchandragad trek which takes you through waterfalls and rock-cut caves to the mighty fort. Located in the Ahmednagar district, this fort can easily be accessed by bus from Pune or Mumbai. Trekkers believe that there are seven routes to the fort, ranging from easy to challenging. The simplest route is from Pachnai village which allows you to walk through the clouds, soaking in the magnificent views. However, most people start the trek from Khireshwar village, which offers a glimpse of the Nageshwar temple and the Shivling in the Kedareshwar rock-cut cave. However, the hardest route is from the Konkan Kada, a sheer 3,000-ft tall wall. Some use these walls for rappelling while the more daring trekkers climb straight up. The top of the Kada offers magnificent views of the Konkan and the Taramati peak. It is said that on a windy day if you throw an object into the deep chasm below, it flies right back to you.
Info: This two-day long moderate trek is best enjoyed in summer or even in the monsoon when the clouds cling to the mountains. Visit www.geck-co.com
THE KOPATTY TRAIL
The Kopatty trail in Coorg takes you on a whirlwind tour of plantations, dense forests and undulating grasslands – all in one day. The trek starts at Charambane, located 25 km from Madikeri. Start the day with a visit to the Maha Vishnu temple and then stroll through the paddy fields to reach the coffee plantations. The trail, covered in a rich undergrowth of shrubs, gains height to offer a bird’s-eye view of the Talacauvery region. Open meadows give way to dark and dense forests lined with brooks and streams. Clumps of bamboo mark the edge of the forest, giving way to lush grasslands. A walk through the hills offers a wonderful view of the Kopatty summit, which can be reached from the base after a steep ten-minute climb. From the top, you can see the Mandalpatti plateau to the north and the blue hills of Coorg to the south.
Info: Charambane can be reached by bus from Madikeri in an hour. It is also well-connected with Mysore and Bangalore. For more details, visit www.indiahikes.in
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Beyond Business> Features> Features / by Avantika Bhuyan / New Delhi, April 13th, 2013
Here comes an innovative idea to bring back greenery to the parched, degraded Silicon City.
Four young professionals, Shailesh Deshpande, Reena Chengappa, Sriram Aravamudan and Athreya Chidambi gave up their five-figure corporate jobs and dedicated themselves to small space urban gardening.
Talking about the project, My SunnyBalcony which aims at giving everyone a dream garden, Sriram said, “All four of us came up with this idea while having a discussion over a cup of coffee one day. We realised that there were a lot of trees been cut for flyovers and other projects. Instead of mourning over it, we thought we should do something.”
With high rise buildings being the order of the day, these youngsters plan to bring in the green room movement like in the West.
“Bangalore is a city where we don’t see excessive heat or cold which can destroy the plants. We have to just sow the seeds in the soil and then watch it grow. Initially we started it as a weekend project and later quit our regular jobs to be here. We decided on taking up the balcony spaces of the house as it is a personally owned space unlike the terrace which is a community space. Too narrow to be of any use and too long to be ignored, this balcony was a perfect candidate for a garden. We started doing it at a friend’s place and then at their bosses’ houses. To take it further, we developed a website and got into this business full time. It has been three years now since we started,” he said.
Getting into a totally uncharted territory, they could only hope for the best.
“Four of us initially did all the digging, planting and gardening. Today, we have come to a stage where we can hire some permanent staff. In the mean time, we realised the city has a major issue with garden products and accessories. So we started selling garden products in terracotta, wrought iron and bamboo which are all sourced from artisans in and around Bangalore. Today, our products are available in a couple of stores and we have started taking shipping orders too,” he said.
Avid gardeners, these youngsters took some basic course in gardening before they plunged into the activity thoroughly.
“The gardening course just gave us the basic understanding. We realised the only way this will pick up is through innovative marketing.
With half of Bangalore population being environment-friendly, it was not difficult for us to sell our products.
“With a very basic budget, we could only do our publicity through social networking sites,” said Sriram who encourages vegetable gardening in the city.
“We are not saying that ornamental gardening is bad. We being passionate about organically grown vegetables, feel that there are some easy ways to tackle the issue. Bangalore weather can be classified as a Mediterranean one even though we are in the tropical region because of the city’s altitude. We can easily grow vegetables like spinach, western oregano, tomatoes, brinjals, beans, grapes, ash gourd, pumpkin, bitter gourd, carrots and more. Vegetable creepers over balconies is also an exotic idea,” he offers.
Gardening needs constant care as the plants have to be watered every day which might become difficult for people who travel often. Well, this problem can be settled. “Farewell, water woes. We do have a solution. We assist them with solutions like irrigation, pest control and how to take care of the plants,” he said.
In terms of gardening project, they have covered at least 300-400 houses. “Our garden products have at least reached 1000 homes,” said Sriram who also hosts a number of workshops at corporate houses to create awareness on gardening.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by A Sharadhaa / ENS – Bangalore / April 16tgh, 2013
The three-day flower show, organised annually by the Horticulture Department of Kodagu district, began at the Raja Seat here yesterday. The show has on display fruits and vegetables, carvings on fruits and vegetables, along with flower arrangements.
In view of the model code of conduct in force, the annual show is conducted without much fanfare. Around 4000 varieties of flowers in pots and another 10,000 plants of different kinds of flowers too have been displayed.
A Barbie doll of anthurium flowers named Cinderella, a canopy (mantap) of banana stems and leaves, bonsai plants and sand sculptures are other attractions at the show. The Raja Seat mantap, located on a hillock, from where a picturesque scenery can be seen, has been decorated with flowers. The show ends tomorrow.
Raja Seat, once, was the crematorium of the British. It is said that the coffins were later transferred to some other place and the area was developed as a beautiful garden. King Chikkaveeraraja, along with his queen, would visit the place in the evening and view the sunset. The place where Raja used to relax later was named as Raja Seat.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / April 14th, 2013
Kiran Pooncha.
From sketching to photography could be considered a natural transition, but switching from land acquisition to bird photography and conservation is a paradigm shift. Kiran Poonacha from Bangalore has not only made that shift but also crowned it with international laurels and appreciation from the world’s best bird photographers.
Known as the raptor man of India, Pooncha is a born conservationist, rescuing and carrying out documentation work on raptors, especially eagles in various corners of India. It also gives him an opportunity to capture the majestic birds in action. Says Pooncha, “I love their temperament, their style, their enormous power and majesticity. I want to share my moments with these powerful yet graceful birds with everybody.”
Unlike visualisation by other photographers, his image of the winged wonders stands out because they are captured when in action and that is what gives life to the pictures. The birds taking off, flying, diving, swooping, hunting, feeding, nurturing, he has caught all these with the right background and foreground, surreal lighting, great precision and artistic imagery. “Capturing birds in flight is technically very challenging but it is such rare movements that interest people and also stays in their memory. I’m also pursuing my passion in my hometown Coorg. This is a tribute to what I have been exposed to during my early years while growing up in Madikeri. I sincerely hope my photographs will help influence people conserve birds by restoring their natural habitat,” says Pooncha with a smile.
Hailing from a family of nature lovers and born and bred in the hill district of Coorg, a place abounding with rare and beautiful species of birds, Pooncha was inspired to start birding at the tender age of seven. Chikkaballapur, where he did his schooling and a nearby place called Gudibande with rocky terrain and scrub forests that support a variety of avians, played an important role in igniting his interest. Midway for 15 years, he missed nurturing these winged wonders in their habitat as he was busy with his education and professional duties but now nothing seems to stop him in his pursuit.
“I patiently bided for the time when I could go back to the world of birds. In 2006, Neeta, my wife and birding partner, gifted me a camera and that is when my passion for capturing my love for birds began. Coinciding with this, I met a couple of people through a social networking website who shared similar interests. These incidents gave me a second chance to pursue my passion to visualise birds in a permanent frame,” says Pooncha.
Pooncha became a member of India Nature Watch that supports well-known photographers from across the country for sharing their work on their website. This exposure played an important role in helping him to improve his photographic skills. He purchased his first DSLR camera in 2007 and his dear friend and boss Kumar Babu gifted a zoom lens and that is when he started concentrating on his chosen hobby, bird photography.
“I have done extensive studies on birds since childhood. I have raised pigeons, kites, parakeets, and sparrows, looked after injured birds, tending to their broken wings and spoon-fed them. Not all survived, however, one injured black kite would not part from me even after two years,” says the raptor man. Pooncha proudly adds, “I can tell you the spots where ea gles can be found, where they hunt, breed and Bangalore is filled with raptors—tawny eagles, snake eagles, boneless eagles, Indian spotted eagles and many more species.”
Now, every holiday and weekend is taken up by trips to scrub forests and wetlands around Bangalore in search of eagles. His favourite haunts on the outskirts of the city include Hessarghatta, T G Halli, Bannerghatta forests, Gudibande and Hoskote.
Over the years, his portfolio on raptors has attracted international attention and awards as some of the images are pretty rare, hitherto never captured on camera. Dedicated to studying these birds, Pooncha says, “My social life is a big zero as all my time is taken up either following them through thorny jungles or standing in slimy wetlands for days together, hoping for the best shot.”
Recollecting his experiences, he says, “Once I was following a Bar Headed Geese near Talkad near Mysore when a snake wound up around my leg. My position was so treacherous that neither could I leave my subject nor ignore the reptile. But fortunately, after two hours, the snake slinked away. Another time, I had to sit in the water for hours together to get a Little Grebe in action. Some images like two snakes fighting for territory at Hessarghatta, a snake eagle hovering between death and new life and falcons at Kolar for whom I waited for three years are still fresh in my mind.”
Pooncha’s dream project, a birding resort on a 30-acre land surrounded by Pushpagiri Hills near Madikeri will soon be a reality. He is hoping to bring renowned experts like Arthur Morris, popularly called “father of bird photography”, Doug Brown and others for workshops on bird photography apart from giving an opportunity to youngsters to know more about birds.
Decrying the nation’s obsession with big mammals, Pooncha appeals, “Birds need our help. They play a very important role in the food chain, pollination and of course, they are the natural scavengers of the earth. We have to look beyond tigers and elephants as India has thousands of species that needs protection at all levels. If I can convince hundred people to conserve nature in and around Bangalore, it will be a small beginning to save these helpless avians.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Meera Bhardwaj / March 31st, 2013
With more number of farmers drifting away from agriculture due to the lack of basic facilities, the government has presented a separate agriculture budget to retain farmers in the farming sector, said District-in-Charge Minister Appachu Ranjan.
He was delivering presidential address at Krishi Utsav jointly organised by Krishi Utsava Management Committee, Taluk Panchayat, Pragathi Bandhu SHG, at Balagunda village near Somwarpet on Monday. He gave a call to the farmers to have knowledge of various government schemes that are exclusively designed for the welfare of farmers. The new generation youth lack interest in farming and are turning their faces towards the urban life. But the situation will change and the same youth will return to villages to take up agriculture, Appachu Ranjan hoped.
He said “the small farmers should cultivate crops that are suitable for the local climate. The crops should be grown and supplied based on the public demand.”
Inaugurating the Krishi Utsav, national award winning progressive farmer Nirmala Prakash expressed concern over the increased use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture.
Understanding the impact of these harmful chemicals, the farmers should come forward to adopt organic farming, she said.
Zilla Panchayat President B Shivappa, Taluk Panchayat President G B Somaiah, Sri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural Development Project Director Radhakrishna Rao and others were present.
source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Somwarpet, DHNS / March 18th, 2013
Bamboo cultivation will fetch good income for the growers, said Chief Conservator of Forest Keshavamurthy.
Speaking at a workshop on bamboo organised by the Bamboo Society of India, Kodagu Model Forest and Forest College, he said the bamboo can be grown inside the coffee estates as well. Bamboo is used in furnitures, as a fodder for animals and in preparations of medicine. The demand for bamboo is on rise in the international market.
He said that bamboo is grown on five lakh hectare land in the State. The demand for bamboo is 26.26 lakh tonne. Bamboo sticks are used in the preparation incense sticks. Along with growing ginger, farmers can also grow bamboo.
Forest College dean Dr N A Prakash also spoke. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (retd) Dr K Sundar Naik also spoke. Bamboo growers Dr L C Sona, Sanjeev, Ahammed and Sandeep spoke.
source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Gonikoppa, DHNS / March 29th, 2013
Big Bird Day (BBD), a major bird-watching event will take place across the length and breadth of Kodagu district tomorrow in which more than 25 teams of ornithology enthusiasts have enlisted to assimilate data about the winged creatures.
The “Big Bird Day” is an initiative that was initially started by the ‘Delhi Bird Watchers’ in 2004. The underlying concept of this initiative is “Bird Watching” for the entire day in order to accumulate the highest possible number of species in the region. This year it has become a Pan-India event for the first time. There are more than 200 enlisted teams, making this the largest BBD event for the first time. There are close to 1500 participants all over India. Birders go individually or in small groups, watch birds in certain areas and report the sightings by the end of the day, according to Dr. Bishan Monnappa, a well known orthopaedic in Virajpet and an avid photographer, who is BBD Co-ordinator for Kodagu.
“Despite Kodagu being a difficult terrain, a lot of volunteers have come forward to participate in this event. It will be an educative event which is non-competitive and non-commercial,” said Dr. Monnappa
This event will provide valuable scientific data regarding the rich avian life of India. Pending the success of this event, future plans are to be implemented to cover those areas with the assistance of the Forest Department. Contact Dr. Bishan Monnappa at bishancm@yahoo.com
source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / Home> General News / February 23rd, 2013
Caption: 1) F. M. Khan with SOM Editor-in-Chief K.B.Ganapathy 2) Garden in front of the house with a fountain.
It was a fortuitous visit. Being Sunday, I decided to drive to Kodagu with a couple of my friends with a double intent — visit the coffee estate, this being the coffee picking season and to enjoy God’s rest day Sunday with good food in one of those innumerable resorts and holiday homes. And on our way back via Madikeri, at Boikeri, about 8 kms on Mysore road, I saw a frayed, grayed wooden sign-post with the legend Balayatrie Estate with a colourful flex board announcing the flower show. Instantly, I knew what it was — the annual flower show conducted by the owner of the estate F.M. Khan, a former Congress Rajya Sabha member and a good friend of former Chief Minister of Karnataka R. Gundu Rao.
For courtesy, I asked my friends if we could visit the show even as I swerved the vehicle to the kachcha road into the estate. A few metres inside and there were nearly 20 cars parked in two parking lots. Men, women and children were there enjoying the flower garden in front of the house with a dysfunctional fountain surrounded by angelic figures (see picture). There were many burqa-clad ladies among others. I wondered if there would come a day in our country when a fatwa would be unleashed to prohibit growing of certain varieties of flowers, as it happened in Kashmir where a fatwa was issued prohibiting playing of certain kind of songs and music by an all-girls band!
Poor Rock Band girls and their families are in hiding now. What a secular country this. Sometimes, I wonder if secularism in this country is applicable only to Hindus and not to other religious groups. A re-look into the definition of this nebulous word ‘secular’ or ‘secularism’ is needed because this word finds a place in our Constitution following an amendment, which was not there otherwise. Let it be.
To revert to F.M. Khan’s flower show, I have nothing but admiration for his efforts, a labour of love. I learn he has been holding this private flower show since 1998 and people are enjoying it thoroughly, for, after all, who would not love flowers. Flower saplings too were there for sale but when I went much of it was sold. Khan’s youngest daughter, who obviously must have taken total responsibility for the show, too was there at the sales point with a receipt book and a visitors’ book.
The name F.M. Khan was as familiar in Karnataka as in Delhi in the late 80s — during the period of Emergency — like R. Gundu Rao then and Shah Rukh Khan today in Bollywood. F.M. Khan and Gundu Rao were two names the Congress (I) party members in Karnataka respected as much as feared for they really did matter in politics of the day — thanks to their intimacy to Sanjay Gandhi the Terrible of the Emergency days. In fact, these two from Karnataka were the blue-eyed boys of Sanjay Gandhi.
It was Gundu Rao who went to the Bangalore Race Club and ‘trapped’ photographs of a few IAS officers who should have been in the Vidhana Soudha. And it made all-India news. I was in Poona then.
As for F.M. Khan, he was like a young stallion, a rising star. Sadly, he faded into oblivion as fast as he rose in politics. If my memory serves me right, I think he was also the Treasurer of the party.
Mrs. Indira Gandhi had visited this house and stayed there after she lost power, post-Emergency and it was big news. I was looking for a plaque somewhere outside the house commemorating the visit of such a great leader but could not find one. I also forgot to ask Khan or his daughter about Indira Gandhi’s visit.
The house, a typical British bungalow with tiled roof, is rather old, may be a hundred-year-old and looked its age needing restoration. The surroundings with service buildings too looked as if in need of care and maintenance. As I strolled around, I was mentally visualising the old glory and the flamboyant life the family, including F.M. Khan, led in the past as one of the richest coffee planters of Kodagu.
Times have changed and the young, debonair F.M. Khan too has changed — has become old like me, but a senior.
In his heydays in politics, he was confident and assertive. Always on short fuse. But now he seemed to have mellowed. He still carries that aristocratic bearing on his feeble shoulders. Heard, he was once mortally sick, but has bounced back. As visitors were trooping into the garden, he was standing at the steps giving a gentle welcome smile with a twinkle in his eyes, apparently feeling happy and nice about what miracle he has done with the flower show spreading happiness and fragrance.
My friends did not know him though they had heard his name. As a courtesy, I acknowledged his presence and wished him simultaneously introducing myself. He seemed to have recognised me. “Would you mind if I took a picture with you?” He smiled in approval (see picture) and as I took leave of him he said, “I am extending the show by a day till tomorrow. Would you publish it in your Kannada paper Mysooru Mithra?” I kept my word, of course.
Yes, I met our own F.M. Khan and reminded myself how nature and time, together, ravage man and all his creations.
Tailpiece: If only R. Gundu Rao had not overplayed his role and got expelled from the party at a critical time after losing the State elec-tion, I am sure, both he and F.M. Khan would have risen in the party and F.M. Khan would be playing the role of another Khan from Karna-taka, the present Minister for Minority Affairs K. Rehman Khan in Congress. With the sudden tragic death of their Godfather Sanjay Gandhi, their political fortunes faded for ever. Sadly, Gundu Rao too died young.
e-mail: kbg@starofmysore.com
source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / Home> Abracadabra…. Abracadabra /by K. B. Ganapathy / February 09th, 2013
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