Tokalo : Day Seven

Day Seven is more of mulling over the survey and self.

Sitting on the beach I see the lesser whistling duck flying very low over water when whistling and then getting as stationary as a statue on a small rock on the banks. Thick-billed crows have been very prominent today; I wonder if they are looking for fishes or left over’s of our food or both. I noticed 2 of them fly low in circles one behind the other. 4 more then appeared on the scene. The doves too were around - slim, appearing from bushes and rushing to nearest tree on one of us getting near them. We had food and I waited for tea leaves, sugar and water to boil optimally before I took one full bamboo glass prior to leaving.

Glasses on stands 

As we walked the magnitude of our efforts stuck me. We were to put posts at roughly each half kilometer on the entire perimeter of the Tokalo Wildlife Sanctuary and none of us had been on this path before. The posts and food had to be carried along. What we had in the name of a map was made at the office table (like many a document) and was not in a position to do what maps do – guide the path. Languages changed as we moved and we bumped into gun trotting Burmese underground. I realize that while it is unclear how much I will end up helping the Wildlife Sanctuary the survey presents an unparallel opportunity for me. In some ways I needed it. Some of what I will learn will be clear to me only years later – when I will be away from the state.

Kumai

The Kumai river is tough and unlike the previous day even walking in Burma was difficult! Birds were last to be noticed as I tripped a couple of times and GPS lost signal few times by the time we had post number 10 up. Scrapping under fallen trunks, holding dead bamboos to climb rocks, jumping over small puddles and walking over bigger ones - I did it all today. Or managed to.

I was thrilled on reaching our new ‘camp site’. Colleagues were putting up wild banana leaves over bamboo shafts and our site was ready. Also ready were the fire to cook and keep us warm and the bamboo glasses. The tea I had was one of the best ever! It carried the sweetness of the bamboo as Ra had prepared it in bamboo. I recalled being asked on the phone if we were taking tents. This is a chat I have had with friends. What is friendlier to ecology - carrying tents or making temporary structures from bamboo?

Signs enroute 

Being in a forest makes us humble; no two thoughts on this. I recall how with a colleague I became friends; after we walked up and down the forest together most of the barriers left us. This, in hills of south Mizoram, for about 100 kms spread over a week, with forests, rains and leeches for company. On occasions forest also leaves you numb and identifying birds and trees appears mundane and trivial. Today was one such day.

After food I sit down to write one of us comes and sits beside me. He wonders why I am sitting near the fire and writing besides a candle. After the chat with him I take a break from writing, change clothes and chat with Ra; while others put up the mosquito nets. Ra’s jhum fields feed him for about 4 months in a year and the money from National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, under which his wife too finds employment, helps them tide over the balance months. Tokalo had undertaken repairing the road from Phura to their village and he used the phrase ‘work as decided by the village council’. I see him and realize how much he is in place here, how big a utility. The folly of having called him to Baghmara strikes me hard again and in the midst of all the bliss it makes me feel stupid.

I get back to writing. Am enjoying putting pens and pencils to paper. 1 pen never worked and 3 tired out of ink. I take out another pencil. I have begun to like my words more in black and grey.

I go to sleep on the wild banana leaves, and having them as cover too, to the night sounds of the forest and snoring of couple of fellows around. Am at peace with both.

Day Eight here.