wetlands – VAGABOND IMAGES

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How to kill a wetland, India style

Upendra SwamiApril 25, 20245388 Views3

Water bodies and wetlands in the heart of the city are rare and need to be preserved. That’s exactly what we don’t do and try to milk whatever we can at any cost, even at the cost of the existence of the wetland. That is what I have learnt and witnessed in last more than 20 years, and that too in the National Capital. Sanjay lake was conceived and developed in 1970s and was opened in 1982 by the DDA. It is everyone’s guess that whom it was named after. Few years back a big flock of painted storks used to visit the lake. Sanjay Lake has been dear to me, as I have been living around it for almost 25 years now. My life has grown with this lake being witness to it. It has been part of my morning walk and fitness schedule and it also had been a playground for my naïve photo...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Poetry in motion: Birds in flight at Mangalajodi

Upendra SwamiJanuary 29, 20191875 Views4

Mangalajodi has been an extraordinary experience for lot many reasons. Since my first visit to Chilika almost a decade ago, I was always keen to return to this place for another bird-watching stint. Then, had heard some extraordinary things about Mangalajodi- it being the poachers haven and then a turn-around which converted hunters to protectors. Finally, a big UN award coming its way, raised all the curiosity. It actually was first among the many accolades coming its way. On a misty winter morning a photographer tries to capture birds with his big lens while a Northern Pintail flies past him at Mangalajodi A femail northern pintail takes off as a boat approaches closer at Mangalajodi A female northern pintail takes off for a routine flight at Mangalajodi. They are migrat...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Urban wetlands we need : Nela Taalab

Upendra SwamiMarch 14, 20181296 Views0

Ever expanding cities have engulfed much of the natural habitat in their surrounding areas, including the wetlands, despite knowing it well that how disastrous it is. Thus it was a very pleasant surprise for me to find a haven for migratory birds just a couple of furlongs away from my home at the City of Lakes- Udaipur in Rajasthan. Actually, I had already seen this residential area surpassing a few wetlands in the course of its 'development' in last couple of decades. Similar things would have definitely happened in all the surrounding areas. Having shifted base to Delhi almost 28 years back, my visits to my hometown are occasional. Thus it was courtesy a childhood friend that I cam to know about Nela Taalab, even though it was very close to my home. Went with him to this place fo...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

and finally… the pink flamingos

Upendra SwamiFebruary 23, 20171849 Views6

Moving ahead from Devayani, I was asking every other guy the way to Chatri (cenotaph) of Daadu Dayal. The way wasn't far from Devayani. Just half a kilometre ahead was a railway crossing and the just before the railway line was a dusty path going inside the salt fields along side the now unused railway track. There were many structures in the area, all of them actually remnants of a very well-planned rail network meant for the salt extraction. It looked like a no-man's land. I kept on moving ahead till there was a way. Till that time I didn't even had an idea that how the chatri of Daadu Dayal looked like. Track wasn't easy, but still negotiable and enjoyable. Then, I suddenly saw a man out of nowhere and asked him about the exact location of the cenotaph, and luckily also about the possib

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Mesmerising & captivating Chandratal Lake

Upendra SwamiSeptember 26, 20162764 Views11

It has been a long gap from the blog, for almost twenty days owing to a dream trip on my loving bike to some dream destinations of Lahaul & Spiti. Whatever one may say, it is one trip that for most of the travellers will rank quite high above any other in terms of sheer thrill and adventure. And so was it for me. So, basic motive of the trip was to attend the Naropa 2016 but than it was always just a pretext. Biking to Leh was the implicit story. And, first highlight of the journey was indeed the Chandratal Lake. It was a dream fulfilled. Just the image below can tell it why. Isn't it. Located in Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of 4270 metres, this is one of the most popular and visited high altitude lake in India. Its captivating beauty has made Chandratal a popular destinatio...