Monsoon Magic

Monsoon Magic

Mihika was bored. It was only a month and half since school started and she already wanted a break! She was waiting to get out of the school-home-school routine and do something exciting. So when Aunty Anchal suggested a trip to Tamhini Ghat, located a little beyond Mulshi, near Pune, Mihika was delighted. Aunty Anchal was a lecturer and mom’s good friend. She was an avid trekker and never missed the opportunity to explore the countryside. Besides, she was good fun to be with.

As planned, Aunty and Mihika set off in a car on a Saturday morning. It was a clear day with a hint of impending rain. Once out of the city, the drive was beginning to get interesting! Mihika could not imagine that the rains had transformed the landscape to such an extant. Every leaf and pebble sparkled. She was totally entranced by the sheer beauty of the streams, waterfalls, fields, mountains and valleys which sped past her.

They finally stopped near a rivulet at Tamhini. Mihika rushed out of the car and stood motionless, sensing the freshness in the air, the vastness of the sky, and the brilliance of Mother Earth. She removed her shoes and felt the grass on her feet. Aunty was happy to see Mihika so excited. She suggested a short trek across the hill.

As they trekked along Mihika noticed that Aunty was inspecting the plants and streamlets very closely. Mihika wondered why! On asking, Aunty pointed out an insect in the stream.
“Its walking on water!”, Mihika said in amazement, looking at the spider like insect with long legs.
“That’s called a Water Skater” Aunty explained. She also pointed out to a water beetle, which looked like a chikoo seed floating on the water and a toad near the stream. She explained how toads have spots on their back and were different from frogs, which are generally smooth skinned.

Sensing Mihika’s interest, Aunty went on to show her bug hoppers and grass hoppers on bushes. Some grass hoppers, she said, look green during the rains and brown during the summer months. Mihika had studied about `camouflage’ wherein animals change their color so as to blend with the surrounding environment and cannot be noticed easily and thus protect themselves from any harm! Aunty also showed her different kinds of centipedes and millipedes. Although exaggerated, centipedes are supposed to have a hundred legs and millipedes, a million!

Aunty explained how trekking becomes even more exciting when one tries to see, hear, and appreciate life forms like, insects, reptiles, butterflies, birds and such within or on the trees, plants and water bodies. On the short trek that followed Mihika learnt how to recognise the loud call of the Malabar Giant Squirrel, to identify male and female minivets and the Malabar Whistling Thrush, birds so common around Pune.

Mihika was so happy to learn about these little creatures. Back at home she wrote a small essay on her trip; the memories of which she knew would remain with her forever.

Bina Thomas