Saturday-evening Walking Street’ in Chiang Rai, Thailand......

On Friday afternoon, friend Samantha inquired if I am interested to take a stroll in the ‘Saturday Evening Walking Street’ in Chiang Rai. I am aware of this street very much because, I and my wife had ventured into this festive-looking street last year once.  

Every Saturday night, in the heart of Chiang Rai city, Thailand, one of the main roads in the central market area, Thanalai road, is closed to traffic from 5pm to 11pm and adopts a festive look. The whole street outlook changes...........!

Melvina, Chinthani, Nalin, Dhanu and Foi joined me and Samantha, yesterday. We parked our vehicle near the musical clock tower and set out walking the street. It was indeed a long walk on this busy, crowded road.....

With numerous lanterns and electrical lights illuminating the road, scores of make-shift small shops displayed and sold all kinds materials which included readymade garments, perfumes, indoor plants, lots of hand-made souveniers and fruits and vegetables, all for very small prices. Street foods, soft-drinks, music and group dancing enthralled the street and gave a festive look.

It took more than two hours for us to cover the long street. Most memorable evening indeed.............!

 

     ..................D. Jayarama Bhat

Beautiful ‘ORCHID-SHOW’ at Chiang Mai, Thailand................

Saturday, August 10, 2013; completing a quick, 2-day fungus-collecting trip in the surroundings of Mushroom Research Centre, Chiang Mai, we were on our way back to Chiang Rai. Mr. Michael, Samantha, Dhanushka, Dev and myself; we left the MRC at 8:00 am, passed through the near-by elephant-ride and proceeded via Chiang Mai. Michael was on the wheels. He was readying to go back to his home in England and wanted to pick up a few, little souvenirs from Chiang Mai.

As we entered the city, surrounded by ancient brick walls and water canals, Chiang Mai was showcasing one of the largest orchid exhibits. Michael parked the vehicle and we went through the exhibits which stretched for over a km in the pavements. It was not only orchids, but also bonsai, crotons, anthuriums, succulants, cacti, grafts of mango, jackfruit, guava and all kinds of ornamental and fruit plants displayed for exhibition and sale.  Undoubtedly, Chiang Mai is a beautiful and clean city.

Amongst all, what attracted us very much was the glorious orchids. Thailand is a leading country in the world exporting some of the finest varieties of orchids, in bulk. Some of their suppliers have largest selection of Dendrobiums, Arandas, Vandas, Mokaras, Oncidiums and dyed orchids in numerous colours, sizes and density. On that day, a glimpse of these, we could see and enjoy in Chiang Mai.....

 

...................D. Jayarama Bhat

A memorable trip to KHUN KON WATERFALLS in Chiang Rai, Thailand.........................

First week of July 2013; I was busy in handling the Mycology course paper to graduate students and participating in researches on micro-fungi with scholars at Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand.  I had just then completed one-month of stay since arrival and, on the week-end, my friend Samantha informed over phone that he and Mr. Michael Pilkington will be going to nearby Khun Kon Waterfalls on a mushroom collecting trip on Saturday, 6^th July 2013, and I could join them. Both of them are experts on mushrooms and a leisure trip with them will be a great learning, I thought.....!  For Samantha, study of mushrooms is his PhD programme. Michael is enjoying working with and photographing mushrooms in nature. If you want to know how much Michael enjoys mushrooms, please visit his website www.mycoimage.co.uk. Two of the research scholars at MFU, Ms. Chinthani and Mr. Dev, joined us. Both of them were interested to collect samples of unitunicate ascomycetous fungi for their researches.

Khun Kon Waterfalls is about 32 km south of Chiang Rai city. The road was very nice, well-asphalted all through except last 2 km. We left Mae Fah Luang University campus at 8:00 am and reached the site at 9:00 am. With enough parking place at Khun Kon, the last 2 km walking trail to the waterfalls was a cool exercise. Surrounded by high trees, bamboos, bananas, ferns and thick understoreys, the walking trail has serene, shady natural surroundings. It rained quite heavily when we were walking to the waterfalls. Unfortunately, I didn’t take my umbrella and had to take shelter for a lwhile under the foliage of a huge banana plant. The Khun Kon Waterfall is about 70 m high and being rainy season it was gorgeous and most scenic to watch. We collected many fungi, on the way. More than that, I watched the art of Michael’s mushroom photography. It was a long process. We saw a huge stink-horn fungus (Phallus sp). Michael mounted his camera on a tripod stand, adjacent to the mushroom, sharpened his focus and clicked several pictures. I too got a picture clicked, holding the fruit body of stink-horn fungus.

At several points, all along the walking track, forest department has placed waste-collecting bins. None throws the refuse outside. This is very important in nature reserves. The surroundings will be tidy and clean if we care and maintain the cleanliness. Nature is beautiful and pristine only if we preserve and protect it............!

 

D. Jayarama Bhat

DOI MAE SALONG, a pleasant hill-station in the proximity of Chiang Rai, Thailand.

Last Tuesday, 23^rd August 2013, my friend Samantha was readying to go to Doi Mae Salong, on his weekly mushroom sampling trip. This was part of his systematic, enduring study of macrofungi aimed at understanding the biodiversity of mushrooms in the highlands of northern Thailand. He invited me to join the trip. I had been to Doi Mae Salong twice already last year together with my wife. This trip, the third one, I readily agreed because, this cool hill town just about 60 km distance from Chiang Rai is undoubtedly an interesting place to visit and enjoy.

Doi (=mountain) Mae Salong is a hill station with vast tea plantations. The hill road leading to Doi Mae Salong from Chiang Rai is undoubtedly a marvel; asphalted, well built and with numerous sharp curves, steep slopes and undulating terrains.  On either side, half-way through the journey, you will see extensive corn cultivations. Then on, as long as your eyes can see, it is vast expanse of tea plantations dotted with litchi and other fruit trees.

Doi Mae Salong has an interesting history but of just 6 decades. It seems, on conclusion of a civil war in 1949, in the border villages of southwestern China (Yunnan), Myanmar and northern Thailand, some remnants of anti-communist Chinese forces led by a General refused to go back to China. They not only took asylum in Doi Mae Salong but also willingly fought for Thailand against communist insurgency in the northern border of the country. As a reward for their help, the Thai Government granted citizenship to these soldiers and their families. Then on, these people permanently settled down in Doi Mae Salong. Presently, they practice agriculture (tea cultivation) as their main occupation.

Doi Mae Salong, known as ‘Little Switzerland,’ is a wonderful, tourist attractive, hill town. Besides tea, the people living here grow cherry blossom and other dry fruits. There are many shops selling attractive handicrafts, vanity bags and much artistry.  Every shop name is written in 3 languages: Thai, English and Chinese; I felt that they truly maintained their ancestry.

There are magnificent Buddhist temples built at the top of high mountains in Doi Mae Salong. These temples, shops, hotels and other eating places are very clean and tidy. You will enjoy taking a stroll on the serene roadsides and buy the souvenirs, before getting back to Chiang Rai. Sam collected many mushrooms. I went around with him. Undoubtedly, it was an enchanting trip for me.  I and my wife visited this place last year, along with Mr. Phonguen who was then carrying out the mushroom diversity study.  My wife too fondly remembers this ‘Little Switzerland’...............!

 

 

 

D. Jayarama Bhat

'Himalayan Tsunami'

 

After a big gap of two months, I am writing on this page. I took time to come out of the deep-shock of Uttarkhand hill-shrine tragedy. Friends, please bear with me.

I am presently working, on a 4-month assignment (June-Sept 2013) as Visiting Professor at Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand. I came here on 10^th June 2013. This time, I came alone and will be back in India on completion of this academic/research programme, on 6th Oct 2013. I am teaching a paper on ‘Mycology: Taxonomy and Diversity’ to under-graduate and graduate students of this University. Besides, I am assisting research scholars working with fungi on taxonomy and biodiversity. Week-ends, accompanying the mushroom group, I go out on collecting fungi. Collecting, working and teaching fungi; what else will bring joy for people like us? Two weeks ago, I gave a seminar talk entitled ‘Evolution of taxonomy of Hyphomycetes and its present status’, to the Mycology group. Time is running! If we want to accomplish more in the limited time, we should work hard and with great speed. 

Exactly a week after my arrival here, one of the worst natural calamities struck Kedarnath temple Valley in Uttarakhand, India. Torrential rain, instant flash flood and huge landslides, together lashed out at Kedarnath temple premises and the whole valley - all happened on June 16^th-17^th 2013. This terrible nature’s fury has been aptly named as ‘Himalayan Tsunami’. The landslides and flash flood from the mountains, accompanied by huge boulders and mud-slurry, gushed down the sloppy terrain and washed away everything on the way. A sea of humanity and vast amount of built-in infrastructure which included buildings, roads, dams, bridges, vehicles and forest trees, were washed away or got buried in the mud. I read all these in the news, continously flashed by the Indian media channels! Unimaginable loss of human lives and huge damage to state infrastructure – I was deeply, deeply shocked! I pray Bhagwaan Shankar Mahadev to bless the departed souls with everlasting peace.  My heart goes with deepest sympathies to all those who lost their dear and near ones in this horrendous tragedy.   

Sacred Chardham theertha-yaathra is perhaps every ardent Hindu believer wishes to undertake, in his or her life-time. Located in the astonishingly beautiful foothills of Himalayas in Uttarkhand, Yamunothri, Gangothri, Kedarnath and Badrinath are India’s most revered and glorious four shrines. With famous Haridwar as gateway, age-old sacred shrines of Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag, which altogether reminisce thousands of years old Hindu mythology and Indian history. In my childhood days, I heard these legendary stories from my mother. Way back in the 8^th century, great reformer and Hindu philosopher Shree Adi Shankaracharya travelled to Kedarnath by foot from Kerala and established the temple. On the walls and roof of Kalady Sharadamba Temple, on the bank of river Periyar in Kerala state, the birthplace of Adi Shankara, details of establishment of Kedarnath shrine and Shri Adi Shankara attaining divinity is inscribed. It is quite but natural that thousands of devotees from all over India, throng these sacred shrines in Uttarkhand, during the festive and auspecious season.  

I read with anxiety and deep pain the untold tragedy and unimaginable difficulties faced by local people and thousands of devotees visited the shrines, during this painful devastation. Our Army forces (land, air and mountain) did a yeomen service in rescuing the trapped devotees from nature’s fury.  Press and TV channels did a great service to us by reporting the news first-hand and in great swiftness, utmost care and continuity.  History will always remember this 'Himalayan flashflood tsunami' as one of the greatest natural calamities of the time.

It will take lot of time, energy and money to rebuild the shrines and infrastructure in a holistic and planned manner. The Chief Minister of Uttarkhand, Shri Vijaya Bahuguna, is doing everything possible to put the place back in its natural glory, fame and divinity. All of us should join him and his government in this noble and pious task. That will be a great service to the nation and deep prayer to Bhagwan Mahabaleshwar.   

(D. Jayaram Bhat)