Hasiru Hejje: Children in nature...

Children in nature

The following morning the kids had voted for repeating the activity of the previous morning. Today the children were more composed and brought out more detailed diagrams of what they observed. Having divided the class into four groups the children were led in different directions and asked to look for more curious things. Some had an inclination for small things like flowers and tiny plants on the floor while others had an eye for trees and rocks which stood out in the landscape. A group that was lead by a bird watcher had the privilege of a binocular and field guide, which prompted them to record their observations based on the illustrations in the book. An obscure spider in the soil, a skeletal frame of the cassia fistula tree that had shed all its leaves, an inflorescence of Dodonia shrub was coming alive in their journals. The children could hold on to their task for longer and were getting better upon their abilities.

Some instructions in the morning hour

They enjoyed the chill breeze and the thin drizzle of the August Monsoon. It is these minute droplets of shower that sit on the tender eyelash of the child that many parents are scared of. They cordon off their children into shade as though these tiny droplets would burn their skin. Their constant warning and bickering of falling sick if got wet in a shower would resonate in the young minds. Most children imbibe the pattern of behaviour of their parents and will follow their instruction even at subconscious level. I have seen many protective parents successfully develop a phobia for rain among the whole family. However, the children today tried out to be their own for a while, without any negative instruction. We all sat and nourished upon sour- goose berries without even washing it in salt water!

An infant croc

Later that day the team left to Ranganatittu bird sanctuary where they enjoyed boating and bird watching. To every one’s astonishment the children witnessed two wonderful events of Natural history. A clutch of new born crocodiles were emerging out of the soil and was a rare sighting to be cherished in a lifetime. The second event was that of a grey heron devouring a juvenile egret. A fish eating bird taking to kill a bird is a thought provoking behaviour. Was the bird carrying a juvenile egret fallen of the nest? Or did it pick it up in any unguarded nest? Why was the heron taking to birds instead of the fish? The children were left with more of such question while they left the banks of Cauvery after a wonderful lunch at Hotel Mayura River View.