Wednesday, November 26, 2008

I belong here



These hills were once densely covered with oak, eucalyptus, pine and conifer trees. Today, only clusters remain! One can see more buildings and fields than trees. It does not take an expert on global warming to infer that the rapidly changing temperatures in Ooty are as a result of massive deforestation.

The spot from where this picture was taken (on December 26, 2004) once housed a shelter that served as a viewpoint for passing trekkers and tourists. It was pulled down many years ago. Apart from a few holiday homes and a small dam, the surroundings of this place remain largely untouched.

Immediately below, on the right, is a small untended tea estate. The long road, far below, on the left hand side is the National Highway (NH) 67, which connects Ooty to Coonoor, Coimbatore and beyond.

The large piece of vacant land (appearing mildly brown and barren), far ahead, which forms a 'C' shaped curve on the right is the Race Course of Ooty which serves as a venue for the yearly horse-racing event. Back in the 80s and the early 90s, part of it was used as a helipad for visiting dignitaries.

Far ahead, among the blue mountains is the Mukurthi Peak, (not clearly visible) which is situated at an elevation of 2554 meters (8346 ft). I scaled this peak during a trek to the Mukurthi park in January 2004.

32 comments:

  1. I've been trying to figure out the exact location :).. reminds me of that turning, the curve where Lovedale lay below, on our way down to Conoor. We lived in Ooty proper.. quite close to the town area; I used to work in Rex Higher Secondary School, near St Mary's Church I think.. Breeks School was also close by :)

    Great pictures :)

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  2. Hi Rakesh

    Excellent picture and excellent description. :) Being from the North East Mountains myself I have a natural affinity towards the places that are hilly.

    Your description took me back to the place of my childhood.

    Cheers

    Jim :)

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  3. this is a lovely landscape... too bad it has been despoiled by human interference... but it's not much different here, i' sorry to say... human presence is visible everywhere!

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  4. this place is awesome re...its reminded me of my home town coorg

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  5. Nice pic and a wonderful place. Just imagine the same spot 20 years from now. All these pics would then help us to show our kids how our world looked like.

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  6. magnificent shot there!! looks beautiful!!

    ;-))

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  7. Hi Rakesh! Hope neither you nor any of your family and friends are being affected by what’s happening in Mumbai! Wish you all the best!
    Blogtrotter

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  8. Hi………
    Very cool your blog!
    Great! Keep writing…….
    Good week……… Welcome to my blog......

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  9. You are lucky that you are living in a beautiful place.....

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  10. Yeah!!! quite lucky you!!!! And its saddening that like everyother place Nilgiris is also subjected to this extremism and exploitation of humans

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  11. Compare to a decade back visit and the recent one there is more changes in the view. Lovely shot! I wish I visit mukurthi ones.
    The day u visit the peak, it remains me the worst disaster tsunami strikes our coastal.

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  12. i thought the caption was excellent and so is the description of the place

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  13. A great complimentary description to a wonderful picture. I wish I had belonged there :) Infact, a very few places such as this are actually left with such beauty and splendor. Hope it stays the same.

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  14. Usha Ma'am

    The spot (down below) is the road leading to Lovedale (after NDCMPU)

    The world is quite a small place indeed. I was a student of Rex School for 9 years and passed out of class X in the year 1994, about 14 and a half years ago!

    My brother too was a student of Rex and passed out in the year 1998-99.

    Until now, I only thought the real world was a small place, but now I know that even the virtual world is a very small place indeed!

    Thanks very much for your comments!

    Regards

    Rakesh

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  15. Jim

    Thanks for visiting and leaving me a very appreciating comment!

    The North-East is a wonderful place, perhaps the most beautiful of all hill-stations in India!

    Nothing like the hills.

    Do keep visiting!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  16. Polona

    Yes, this place is very pristine even today, but the sheer scale of deforestation and ongoing construction activity has wiped off the ecology a great deal!

    How long before we understand that such acts are irreversible!

    Rakesh

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  17. Rakesh

    You from Coorg! Thats paradise dude!

    Btw.... I hope you, your folks and friends are safe!

    Regards

    Rakesh

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  18. Vimmuuu

    Thanks very much!
    Well, 20 years later, as you said, our children will only get a glimpse of nature via our pictures!

    It is certainly going to be very sad!

    Rakesh

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  19. Satheesh

    Thanks very much! Appreciate your comments

    Warm Regards

    Rakesh

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  20. Gil

    Thanks very much for your message and concern!
    By the grace of God, my family, friends and folks are safe!

    The operations are however underway even as I write!

    Rakesh

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  21. Femin

    Thanks very much for your very appreciating comments!

    my apologies for not being able to be regular at your space!
    I will however do visit soon!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  22. Human Observer!

    Well, I wish I was a full time resident. Considering the fact that my work takes me far off, I get to visit Ooty once or perhaps twice a year!

    But even that is bliss!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  23. Bharath

    Yes my friend, I certainly am lucky! There is where I will be headed out post retirement!

    Quite sad that such a wonderful place is being ruined by the day!

    Rakesh

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  24. Jeevan

    Certainly, what was once paradise, is now paradise lost!

    You should visit Mukurthi!

    And yes, I do very vividly remember the tsunami on Dec 26, 2004
    Absolutely devastating!

    Rakesh

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  25. B.C

    Thanks very much for your comments and also for visiting!

    Appreciate it!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  26. Vibu

    Thanks very much my good friend! Yes, I hope that such places stay the way they are, atleast for the future generations!

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  27. Thank you so much for your concern and good wishes.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

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  28. Magiceye

    Am very glad to know that you remain unaffected due to the crisis!

    My heartfelt condolences to all those families who have lost their loved ones as a result of this barbaric act.

    May God give them the strength to bear this terrible loss!

    Hoping for a quick closure of the ongoing operations, in anticipation of the safety of the hostages and the security personnel!

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Rakesh

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  29. Woah!!

    Missed you by a day, I guess! I joined in the year 1994 :) And left in 1996, as we got transferred out.. but I did handle classes upto 10th.. :) I wonder... I wonder...

    small world indeed!!!

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  30. I found Munnar to be much better (In terms of herbivorous population) when compared to Ooty and Kodai. Munnar has not been commercialized to the extent of the other two hill stations. I wish they had a law preventing constructions after a certain limit.

    Destination Infinity

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  31. Usha Ma'am

    Yeah, we seemed to have missed each other by a whisker! Anyhow, I'm glad we caught up on the webspace! Quite a small world indeed

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  32. DI

    Yes, Munnar is indeed much much much better than Ooty as far as the topography is considered! Besides being mostly owned by TATA tea, there is a legislation in Munnar that bans the sale of property to outsiders! Not that I favour the latter, but it seems to work good for them in the upkeep of the place

    Thanks for the comments

    Warm Regards

    Rakesh

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