Blue skies of Freedom

This picture was taken on November 21, 2004, en route to the Mudumalai National Park, at a place called Kalhatty, some 20 kilometers from Ooty. A group of friends decided on a bike ride to the edge of the national park on a Sunday and when approaching a steep hair-pin bend, this commanding view presented itself. I lost no time in urging my co-rider to stop and then took this picture and spent a few moments savouring the breathtaking view.

In the immediate vicinity is a turnip and radish field tended by the local farmers. The blue mountains (commonly known as Nilgiris, Nil for Blue and Giri for Mountains, owing to their shades of blue), are a very common and integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. In the distance, past the mountains, is the vast expanse of the Mudumalai Reserve which borders the Bandipur Reserve, famous, among other things, for being part of Project Tiger.

Together, these national parks are home to some of the finest wildlife India holds residence to. They include Tigers, Leopards, Elephants, Bison, Jackals, Deer, Hyenas, Wild Dogs and many more. These places are a must visit for all nature enthusiasts, where one can remain unconnected to the bustle of city life and feel truly rejuvenated and one with nature!