Provisions and Lockdown

Going to the departmental store may be an everyday affair for many, but it may not be so in the present day circumstances.

Loved the fresh greens and so was the fruits which made the store look colourful. 

This store is well stocked but being new in the neighbourhood, people may not be aware of its existence and hence may seem deserted. 

At the entrance  all were checked for temperature and hand sanitiser was offered if required. A good way of making people aware of the seriousness of what the world is facing today. 

I was just thinking, the safest place in the world right now is to be with the Jarawas  in the Andamans. Social distancing at its best.  

Coming back to the store, apart from the veggies we bought some fish. 

Rohu is a fresh water fish and hence supposed to be very low on the mercury content scale.

Saw some red crab too and I was sure that it would have been delicious but I find eating crabs takes a lot of effort especially when it comes to separating the shell. 

Now to prepare the Rohu fish curry as per the recipe. 

Chamraj Golden Tips

Drove down from Bengaluru to Chamraj Tea Estate in the Nilgiris, a distance of 350 kms.  

Once you cross Mysuru (Mysore) it becomes more scenic, especially when you go past the Bandipur National Park and the Madumalai National Park. 

Chamraj is famous for their “Chamraj Golden Tip”, an extra special quality of Nilgiris tea leaf always fetching a record price. Specially hand plucked Chamraj Golden Tips come from the Chamraj Estate, just west of Conoor, a property belonging to The United Nilgiri Tea Estate Ltd. 

If Chamraj was at the southwest end of Nilgiris  “Kotercherry” or Kotagherry was at the north eastern end, now known as Kotagiri. The place is simply beautiful. 

It was the first table land to be reached by the Europeans when Wish and Kindersly ‘discovered’ the cool of the jungle heights in 1819 while pursuing a band of smugglers. It was their ‘discovery’ that led John Sullivan to establish a home in Kotagiri. Of those Europeans who followed Sullivan and opened the Nilgiris, it was said, “If you live in Conoor, you live till 80, if you live in Ooty you will live till 90, but in Kotagiri you will have to be shot!” He wasn’t shot but, John Erskine lived till he was 100 after he arrived in Kotagiri. 

The tea gardens are lush with tea leaves. On a clear sky you get to see the lovely sunrise and sun set 

Spotted some coffee plants too here. 

If you have the patience you are likely to spot different species of birds 

I saw one land crab who was in two minds about staying put and carry on with his feeding (see video) 

We had those “Chamraj Golden Tip” in one of the tea stalls where it was freshly prepared for us 

and some tasty “parippu wada” after a long time. 

To reach there, we had to pass through Ooty and some of those old structures still look grand. 

The military establishments in this area are well maintained. 

On the way back, while passing through the Madumalai National Park, there was this tusker who gave us a threatening charge as we slowed down (can be seen in the video) He was probably trying to protect this little one in the herd.