Paving a Green path for Chinnara Mela

Sangamesh..nurturing young naturalists

It is a decade for now since we started involving in the Chinnara mela –the mother of all Summer Camps in Karnataka. Way back in the early nineties, the director of Theatre repertoire Rangayana, Mr. Basavalingiah’s forethought of providing a creative time for children during their summer holidays is the genesis. His intention of giving fun-oriented, creative, hands on, activity-filled vacation to children who miss their grand parent’s house is more than a success. With its innovative game plan and never thought of fun filled activities it became an annual feature of Rangayana.

Children exploring ...

This year must be their sixteenth edition and one could count at least a hundred such replicated summer camps in Mysore city alone. They range from a mole to a mountain in terms of the quality time they give to the children. Most of them are very general in their approach and not focused on any one activity-the choice of location not meeting the requirements of the activity. Story telling to disco dancing and Karate to meditation- the list goes on. Most of them are school premises of private owned by cultural trusts. The resource persons are mostly hobbyists and rarely a person who has experience in communicating with children. 

A carefree time in nature..!

Children enjoying unguarded leisure time

State run Rangayana on the other hand has a wonderful five acre plot at its disposal for the event. There is enough space to handle their three hundred and fifty energetic children. Its repute lies in selection of a theme every year and the plethora of resource persons they manage to rope in. Nurturing Theatre culture in children being the core of intentions of Rangayana, all the varied activities gets streamlined into dramas. Eight to ten theatre productions are made and performed as a festival at the end of fourth week. Apart from the in house stalwarts several eminent hands are pooled in to add strength to the children’s fair. Eminent personalities ranging from sports star to Chief justice and ministers to interact with children.

Millipede on hands...bravo!

Ten years ago we humbly wished to get on to the stage in this festival and show case a bit of nature related activity. Of course we were instantly given a chance to interact with children en-mass. But we very well knew that our activities are not for a crowd of 350. But the following summer we changed our game plan. We decided to take the children for nature walks. A batch a day and before their every day routine began. The obliging coordinators encouraged our intention of sowing green seeds in the young minds.  We did try out several locations in the outskirts of Mysore like Chamundi hills and several lake beds but finally settled in for the good old Kukkarahalli Lake.

Nithya facilitating a closer look at the water birds

Having got a favorable opportunity we really need to do the job in a different way- beyond the run of the mill kind. So, only one batch of thirty to forty children was taken out every day. We maintained a steady battery of a minimum of four bird watchers on every outing so that the group could be conveniently broken to small teams for easier interpretation of Nature. In ten days time we would reach out to all the kids and show them the wonders of Nature just in their backyard. In these ten years I have had the opportunity to meet the same children in various other camps across the state making me more serious in our delivery system.

Authentication with the literature

 Just as all the enthusiastic bird watchers of Mysore Amateur Naturalists who have supported this rare venture, the kids of Chinnara Mela of yesteryear are joining hands to keep up our legacy of paving a green path at Chinnara mela.

These foot soldiers campaign for conservation - I

Eranna Haliyal, Dy.RFO, Daroji Bear Sanctuary 

For long there has been a dearth for an education wing in the Karnataka forest Department. The concept of Conservation got into the system in the seventies after the formation of Tiger reserves. Nine of them were identified to represent different ecosystem in the first leg of the Project Tiger. Elimination of the many factors contributing to the tiger’s decline: habitat destruction through forestry operations, cattle grazing and wood cutting by the local community, poaching for meat and trophy. All these factors could not be handled, with the existing style of Forest management.  Apart from strict enforcement of wildlife laws developing a tolerant neighborhood for tigers was an important agenda. The forest department, for the first time started conducting Nature education programs across the country. They looked after the logistics and the programs were done by many local naturalists, who were not associated to each other. WWF-India along with the BNHS pioneered the job and was followed by other agencies like CEE, CPR and others. The rising population and the consequence of globalization doubled the pressure on our protected areas and the stress for stronger environment education was felt. By the time the government agencies and the concerned NGOs realized that EE should be linked with the curriculum a lot of damage was done.

Eranna addressing high school teachers

 In 1989 the very first attempts were made at a national scale to link school curriculum with EE.  WWF-India with the assistance of ICEF undertook a pilot project in seven states involving local NGOs. That is when we as Mysore Amateur Naturalists joined the band wagon. Ever since, we have been with the changes that took place in the National policy that is diversely implemented across the country and the public response to it locally. We have involved and conducted hundreds of workshops for life science teachers and taken out thousands of children out into the outdoors. These fifteen years have made us travel across the state, district after district- Jamakhandi in Bagalkote to Kollegal in Chamarajanagara. From the sea coasts of Mangalore to the semi arid grasslands Tumkur we have seen a wide gap between centrally prescribed EE syllabus and the environment the children live. Bridging the gap asks for decentralized syllabus or an environmentally conscious, and highly motivated life science teacher.  Exposing the students to the great outdoors is another major handicap of our times. Very few schools consider it as an essential component of schooling.

Dicrostatis cineraria

Dicrostatis cineraria : inflorescence

Under such grim backdrop, there are a few young fore-runners of the forest department who are silently doing a yeoman service to Nature. They are far too qualified for their tedious and basic jobs. In spite of their day’s need of a lot of roughing up they manage to be cool as an enthusiastic teacher. Like for all the divisional offices, their too get a small trickle of annual funds to do some outreach program. They bring in students to the park and give more than a discourse. Nature and conservation apart, they give some great inspiring tips for life.  More than anything they are showcasing the department in a different light and creating a positive image in the young minds.

Mimosa pudica

Eranna Haliyal joined the department as a forester at Kamalapura Wildlife division in Bellary district, giving up a permanent job in the police department. His interest in the plant life has become a boon to the division. His keen observation of plant penology is something of a doctoral material in the studies of climate change. He has taken to photography since a year and a half and is grown wholesome with his collection of pictures of the flora of Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary and its environs. His communication skills and the patient perseverance with young minds make him a most promising EVS teacher in the region.

On a photo shoot

Primitive plants of Melkote

Japanese fan fern:  Actiniopteris

The earth formed about 4.54 billion years ago .The geological time scale is divided into eras and periods. About 2000 million years ago the first cellular life appeared on earth. The first land plants appeared during Palaeozoic era. The end of this era called carboniferous period, that is about 250 million years ago (250 mya) witnessed flourishing growth of tree ferns, horsetails and club mosses. Triassic and Jurassic periods, the golden periods of dinosaurs (about 140 mya) saw extensive growth of cycads and conifers. These details are evident from the fossil records. The ferns, scientifically called pteridophytes, still exist on the earth.

Geological time scale

Generally pteridophytes are described as plants growing in moist, shady forests. Hence, one looks for them in thick rain forests, not in scrub jungles where there is less rain fall and moisture. Scrub jungles are characterised by bushes and small trees adapted for dry climate.

Lichens on bare rocks

 Melkote is an area covered by huge monoliths still undergoing weathering since a very long time. The soil is thin layered, rich in minerals but contains less humus in it. The area resembles more of semiarid conditions and hence has less humidity. Most parts of the hilly regions are still witnessing primary succession of xeric type.

Mosses succeeding lichens

Gradual and fairly predictable change in the species composition of a given area is called geological succession. During succession, vegetation in the given area changes. Succession that takes place in a very dry area leading to moderately normal growth of plants is called xerarch succession. In Melkote, it starts on a bare rock. The species that invade such a bare area are called pioneer species which are usually lichens (symbiotic association of algae and fungi). Lichens secrete acids to dissolve rock and increase soil content thus facilitating further weathering. This paves way for mosses (Bryophytes) such as Riccia, Funaria, etc. the bryophytes further corrode rocks, improve soil and are succeeded by tracheophytes that possess xylem and phloem. Pteridophytes, generally called ferns are the simplest tracheophytes. This is how we can witness quite a few numbers of ferns on the hills of Melkote area.

Selaginella

On our trek to “Gavikallu Gudda”, we saw Selaginella,Adiantum, Hemionitis (Arrow head fern) and Actiniopteris (Japanese fan fern).

Adiantum

Succession proceeds as the ferns pave way for larger seeded plants such as Cycas, Cantnthium, Dodonia, Tecoma, Withania, Wrightia, etc., which are adapted for dry conditions . These are sun loving plants forming a scrub jungle that we see today.

Hemionitis (Arrow head fern)

Since succession is a very slow process that takes thousands of years to change further, our life time is too short to judge whether this stage is the stable one having equilibrium with the environment. If so, this makes the climax community.

For a learner of life sciences, Melkote is a heaven having diversified life forms that describe on-going changes in the environment.

Geetha H

The fauna so near!

Observing a Stick insect!

Melkote is an ecologically sensitive area that houses numerous species of plants and animals. A single trek is not sufficient to study all these life forms. Many species of plants and animals are endemic to this area. Having to study them, one has to spend years of scientific observation and record it. 

Observing a Worm snake 

The blind, non-poisonous and smallest!

A summer camp could kindle a spark of curiosity among children about the flora and fauna of Melkote. We hope that this effort can inspire them towards the conservation.

Deccan rock agama 

A Cicada just emerging from its molt

Young, active and noisy, just for a very short time!

Green bee eater perching on an electric line!

Find me out! Perfect camouflage! Common skink

Beautiful butterfly!

Spot me out! Spotted owl

Find the animal from this pug mark!

Tickel's  blue fly catcher

Squirrel enjoying a ride!

Geetha H
Photo Credits: Guruprasad B S

Communication as a medium of Learning

All are equal in nature

Amidst many children who landed in cars at the campsite, on Sunday the 6^th April, a young girl in her teens came with her father dressed in simple and humble attire. The father had been waiting with his daughter since 7.30 in the morning at Melkote to be picked up by the organizers. In spite of being informed to arrive at 10.00 they had made that early morning venture from a small village near K R Pet. Among the host of parents and children was a spree of introductory talks. For this girl all the talking was being done by her father. When everyone began to draw their self portraits as part of icebreaker she broke into tears. She could not follow any of the instructions. Further it began to appear that she was refusing to take them. With a lot of persuasion she gave in and drew herself. This hearing challenged girl, Arpitha felt at home when she met another boy with same disability. They communicated in sign language among themselves yet were feeling left out when an activity involving oral communication was conducted. So we found a way by writing to communicate with them.

Everybody wanted them to be in their team during activities that demand physical strength. They simply outmatched every other camp-mate in sports. Gradually we began to communicate with them through gestures. By the end of the second day, everybody empathized with them and understood how difficult it is for someone who cannot hear or talk. All of us began to learn their sign language and sentences in it. Arpitha and Praveen are really happy and participating wholeheartedly in all the activities since then. This experience taught us the real meaning of inclusive education. They both feel proud now to lead the younger children in many of the activities.

Praveen teaching sign language to camp mates

We strongly feel the necessity to include Sign language in the curriculum of all schools. Inclusive education is the most meaningful way of learning.

Arpitha as a sign language teacher!

Mother and daughter sharing their happy moments

Most often, in our camps children used to forget their homes and be with us for the entire length of the camp. They felt sad as day as the departing time arrived. Children have used all possible excuses and influences to extend the camp for a day or two. But this time, it was a surprise for us. The camp had such an assorted variety of children; those who didn’t even bother to call their parents and talk. There are unexceptional ones who want to go back and  be in the cozy comfort of their parents. Whom we thought has come from a humble background and week, proved to be emotionally very strong and balanced. Those who are given all possible opportunities to explore by their parents and have almost everything that they desired for are really weak. Perhaps over protection and too much care make them more dependent on their parents. Human beings are the only organisms who care for their offspring for so long. Eventually, everyone needs to lead independent life. Our camps aim at instilling this individualistic independence and stress the dependence on nature.

Geetha H

Explore, Make friends, Squabble, Reunite and have fun!

Preparing their introduction with their self portraits

The first of the camps of this summer for children of 8 to 18 began at Hosa Jeevana Dari campus at Melkote in a very informal way. The participants were as diverse as ever and trickled in ones and twos. A child from Valley school, to the one from the school for the hearing impaired, gathered on the platform of the beautiful old building. The participating children and the parents had a common task of drawing their own portraits and listing out what they wished from the camp. While the children wished for games and time out in Nature for appreciating birds and trees and having long treks, the parents had an opportunity to express what the camp had to do for their children. Like for the children, it was not another ice breaking exercise for the parents but was a shattering of pent up thoughts. I am no psychologist to assess what their mental makeup was but could clearly say most of them were worried in one way or the other. Each one of their opinions or wishes was intriguingly concerning- about their child and the world they would live in. They carried concrete challenges for teachers.

Mr. Chandregowda putting forward his opinion

Self portrait of a parent

 It is past midnight and the children have all slipped to sleep snuggling in their tents. I sit looking into the drawings and the wish list of the parents.              
Mr. Chandregowda, a retired head master, and grand parent of Viva was deeply concerned about values. He felt that values, like discipline are all simply on a run out and hence the camp should incorporate prayer, yogic exercises and games to keep their spiritual insights in glow. In fact one mother who didn’t make it to the camp site had already made a special request with me to wake up her ten year old son half an hour earlier than the rest of the children as he had to do yoga in the morning. But Mr. Vishwanath who had driven all the way from Bangalore to give his daughter some leisure, good friends of her age and lots of time to explore nature got perturbed. Probably he was thorough in his home work and clearly knew that we were not a group who were experts in that department. Mrs. Sudha Divakar was a teacher from a small town K R Pet, and was more judicious in her approach. She did not expect much from these five days, yet she elaborated a long list of things-building good social and communication skills, writing skills, good behavior and a gamut of talents. These issues must be touched upon through suitable activities she felt. Regular schools never did justice in this regard but successfully put a lot of stress upon the students in the form of homework and deadlines. She was of the opinion that we really had to prioritize to give them free time to explore, learn and enjoy their holidays. 

Getting acquainted with the campus

As though to add a strange twist to the discussion Dr. Rajani felt that we take care of girl child and empower them for the harsh society of ours towards them. Without mention of the everyday tragedy of harassment, atrocities and crime against a girl child, her tensed outburst opened the Pandora’s Box. The ‘stranger danger’ bug had crept in her psyche and deeply set its roots. She was not ready to take any explanation.  No matter what your background is and where you are, women in this country are not safe and she felt their safety, and efforts to empower them should be prioritized over protecting a tree or an endangered species!

A friendly chat with parents over the lunch-Kavitha and Gouri Lankesh

Her husband Mr. Lokesh Mosale however, tried to ease the situation by mentioning some of the basic tenets of human relations essential for sustained friendship. Getting to know one another, being open and sincere to each other are to be inculcated during the camp. They need to be curious to know others emotions and feel for it said Mosale and stressed upon imparting experiences of mental, physical and emotional hardships. He opined that small quarrels and patch ups are essential ingredients of good human relationship.

Pitching the tents

All said and done the participants in the camp have something different to say. More than three fourth of them are girls. They have all outwitted our boys and cornered them in every facet. In the days to come they will experience equal physical and mental hardship. We hope by the end of the camp that every girl child is more confident and bolder enough to challenges of the society.

 

A Film show for the evening.