Tokalo : Day Two

The second day was more of setting the tone, talking with people and moving in the Tokalo village and of course realizing that we did not have a map ~ The Wildlife Sanctuary gets its name from the village ~

The day begins with a visit to the tea-stall at the Phura market. While the tea here has been favourite the smile which accompanied it had me gulp an additional puri. Yes, the hot puris are wonderful too. This was followed by another cup of tea at the Rest House.

We left early for Tokalo and while this had been conveyed to me I was happily surprised at departing at the time planned. The pick-up stopped thrice enroute to address its problems and I am so glad for these – its problems. Two Malayan Giant Squirrels rushing and gushing on a tree adjoining the road greeted us – yes by this time most if not all trees, which met the glad eyes, were big if not huge. At another stop as we wondered why a couple of Yellow-footed Green Pigeons acted as if purposely ignoring us an Oriental Pied Hornbill came over to see what was going on. Having never observed it’s underneath being sparkling white I was a little confused. At the last stop when attempting to show the binoculars (and their usage) to a Forest Department colleague (for the survey) I saw a Thick-billed crow putting in a stately appearance atop a tree! Of course there were other birds I saw and I was beginning to learn of the feathered fellows that had their homes here in the dense forests and not in the open hills of Saiha.

Place a map depicting Saiha. This map, by a colleague, was one of the initial ones we used at Saiha. Tokala was 10 - 12 kms from Phura. 

Reached Tokalo, noted some sightings with Jo and Ja and in course of interactions with NT realized that neither we had the map nor the clarity on the point to begin the survey! As a friend would have remarked chalo sab normal hai!

Met Ra and a teacher in the village, who hails from Vaishali in Bihar. He had been based at Tokalo for many days which as the answer to my next question revealed meant 20 years. My familiarity with Ra and the teachers’ Hindi had me begin with ‘information gathering’ and talking with a teacher I started with schools. I hinted at my experience with schools at Tuipang (Block head-quarter in Saiha) and Phura to which his answer was that the situation was more or less similar at Tokalo. 4 schools catering to children from 100 odd homes presented interested picture. The only private school was the biggest in terms of numbers while the secondary school had students belonging to nearby villages as well. Tokalo - without mobile phones and tar road - was a hub for the nearby villages. This gave some picture of how the other villages were placed!

Food brought a halt to this interaction! Rice and potatoes! Pre and post food scenario reminded us of stark facts. Mizoram may display apparent equality in gender and a relatively better condition of women and girls but the girls and women toiled and toiled while men played what I understand is draughts. Meal was followed by a short rest. Both my colleagues being new are at me with ‘Sir’ and this hasn’t helped things with Forest Department personnel either. We are all in a funny situation where I seem to be someone who has had maximum visits to Phura and also at the same time ‘blank’ to both Mizo and Mara. If these people from Saiha have not been to the villages can they appreciate wildlife and become conservation partners? We discussed what we could do in absence of a map and I realized what was available was not accurate so we were rather better off! Then we moved together to the Village Council President’s residence.

The Forest Range Officer began a monologue on the Forest Department, the Wildlife Sanctuary and their virtues. I looked around, visibly bored and did not attempt to hide it either. After a couple of attempts at getting Jo to ‘work’ on the questionnaire I took kua (betel-nut) and positioned myself along with the Village Council President and lo and behold!! He knew Hindi. Had once worked with Assam Rifles. I had come across a Village Council President with this background at Tuipang earlier. Exposure to ‘Mainland India’ (as parts to the west of Assam are referred to; an apt response to the term ‘North East’), Hindi and of course the pension make them appear to have an advantageous position in their villages.

The village and livelihood discussions going fine we progressed to wildlife and conversation flight soon landed at ‘conflict with wildlife’. On talking of pets he said they now-a-days don’t have pets else Barking Deer and monkeys were favourites. While I tried to overcome my surprise at the mention of Barking Deer he said Phayres Leaf Monkey and Hoolock Gibbon local were not good pets because they did not live long when in human company! Adding that if you kill their mothers they can be easily caught but cannot be ok without their mothers when young. On to beliefs and up came the Slow Loris; he said not only their biting but even their getting close brings in problems for a person.

For traps he said they put them up at both jhum fields and orchards depending on locations. I had felt so silly after he said this as my boxed mind had asked him if traps were put in jhum fields or orchards or both. We put wherever they come was the reply! Traps that have logs crush the mammal caught is still in vogue as also select traps for birds; however baits are seldom used. It was turning out to be an equally interesting conversation for both of us. I then could not resist asking him of the horses (ponies) we saw in his village. They were off-springs of the horses that at a point of time belonged to Assam Rifles and were put to use to carry goods within villages. The ‘survey group’ then moved on to the Tokalo campus of the Forest Department. A BIG place and I remarked to them of their being a rich department.

Back to the house, taking a brief rest and moving, for the meeting at Village Council President’s residence. This was to be attended by all local Non Government Organizations to discuss the Tokalo Wildlife Sanctuary. The Deputy Conservator of Forests came in between for another long monologue in the meeting that was accompanied with usual tea and kua and lasted little more than 3 hours. Towards the fag end we realized that Tokalo Wildlife Sanctuary began not 2 kms but 20 kms beyond Tokalo village. Der aye durust aye was my only reaction. After this dinner followed; this was my latest (in terms of time) public dinner after coming to Mizoram.

Moving to the next house with sleeping bag and as was put ‘toilet bag’ was fun. This occurred as the Forest Department employee whose house we were based at was expecting rice to be delivered in a pick-up around mid-night; the driver and handy-man were to then stay over. As I moved to this another house I felt both silly and indebted at the addition to the list of people I have troubled for dinner and bed. So many of these homes have been set in a socio-cultural milieu distinct from the one have I grown up with but most of these people have been warm; having far higher level of empathy than I have had for ‘strangers’. As I approached the bed I saw a game of caroom in the smoky room; table games in these parts espouse smoking.

Quite a bit done and quite a bit undone; results in good sleep.