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**Parakeets
**Indian Magpie Robin
**Chestnut Tailed Starling
**Speckled Wood Pigeons
**White Wagtail
**Sparrows **Indian Roller
**Shrike
**Hoopoe
**Common Mynah
JANUARY 2015 57
56 JANUARY 2015
O
n a hot, sultry summer’s day, if you happen to be driving
around with a frown on your face and suddenly
encounter a cool area with a slight breeze that instantly brings
a smile to your face – you have just entered the magnificent
Bamboo Grove at Koomsong T.E.
This patch of coolness not only brings a smile on every
passerby’s face but is also a haven for all kinds of flora and
fauna. Although the vintage of this terrestrial ecosystem is
lost in history, everyone who has been at Koomsong
remembers it, and it is believed to have existed before the
estate was established in 1904.
The majestic Bamboo Grove covers an area of approximately
15 hectares with crossroads running through it.The workers
believe that animals sought sanctuary around a mound in this
bamboo ‘bari’ with a ’trishul’ (trident – the three-pronged
spear associated with Lord Shiva) on it, apparently a relic
from the Shiva temple that once stood there.
A decade ago a keen ornithologist from Spain mapped this
bamboo ‘bari’ and identified over 200 species of birds, both
local and migratory. Lately, we have managed to identify over
50 species. Certain areas get swampy during the monsoons
thus harbouring some aquatic and semi-aquatic species of
plants and animals.
The Bamboo Grove at Koomsong T.E.
Some Of The Birds Identified at The Bamboo Grove
“
The earth is like a beautiful bride who
needs no manmade jewels to heighten her
loveliness.
”
~ Kahlil Gibran
~ Vivek Seth, Koomsong T.E.
The workers and inhabitants of the neighbouring villages use
herbs found in the grove for medicinal purposes. Solanum
nostrum is used for people suffering from jaundice; ‘Drona’ as
first-aid for cuts and burns; and wild basil is used to soothe
those suffering from colds, coughs and sore throats.
With Koomsong acquiring RA certification, the grove has
now been declared a ‘Conservation Area’ and, amongst
others, forms the most formidable terrestrial ecosystem of
this estate. It is a sanctuary for butterflies, dragonflies and
other small creatures, animals such as leopards, jackals, hares,
mongoose, and a large variety of snakes, in addition to the
vast selection of birds.
* photographs: vivek seth ** photographs: sarita dasgupta
*Owl
*Shikra
**Beetle
**Snail
**Grasshopper