Bovine Times @ Yeoor Hills

Today a family friend visited us. We invited him to join us for a breakfast and it turned out to be a good start for the day for him as well as for us. Yes, made spicy red chutney, onion sambar and steaming idlis. All of us had our fill followed by gulping a mug of piping hot filter coffee made with freshly brewed decoction and freshly boiled milk.

While the taste was still lingering in our mouth and we enjoying its after effects, the friend initiated some sweet talks about a goshala run by a charitable trust where he had adopted four cows. He offered to take us there which is a too good offer to avoid. The bonus info is that he had rescued a pregnant cow from a slaughter house couple of years back and that cow has given birth to her second calf few days back. So off we went to see those humble creature and ofcourse the new arrival......

After the drive through the busy crowded city roads & lanes, finally we touched a  lake area near which stood a check point at the foothills of the Yeoor hills which formed a part of Kanheri Hills (Sanjay Gandhi National Park) leading us to a place called Yeoor. I have heard about this place many a times hitting the news about leopards & leopard attacks (due to encroachment into forest land) . After the formality at the entrance, we proceeded through the winding tar roads of the yeor forest area watching the natives (tribals), partly demolished structures here and there on the way. Came to know that many people under fame list have built & owned farm houses which was later demolished by the government to protect the forest and the dwellers inside.

When our vehicle entered the gates, we smelt the typical dairy fragrance (Tabela) in the air. yes I call it a fragrance because I loved the smell of fresh dung & green grass filling the air. Soon we heard "here moo, there moo, everywhere moo mooo - a welcome mooing of the cows on the arrival of this man who adopted them. They have very good sense of identify their man amidst a group. The care taker of the farm welcomed us with a broad smile. Before we proceeded with our journey from home, we expressed our desire to take care of the food expense of that day. So the friend arranged for a mini truck loaded with fresh green grass and vegetable scraps & wastes. The vehicle loaded with the goodies for the residents arrived just behind us.

When we got down from the vehicle, we were greeted by the humble cows & adolescent calves in an open fenced area. I picked a small bundle of grass and went near the fence. Soon all the scattered cows started towards the fence where I am standing taking the green grass from my hand  competing with one another. There was this cow which acted smart   by eating greedily and also taking the grass offered to other cows.


After spending some time there, we went to the enclosed area where milking mothers with their calves happily munched on the grass safely . 3 calves welcomed us at the entrance. This one smells & licks the hand showing its affection.

As the place is a forest, to prevent any attack by leopards on the new borns they have kept them in that area. Along with the rescued cows stood the jersey cows who earns revenue to the charitable farm by giving milk.

On a corner stood a strong bull the father of the fit calves, busy eating and few feet away from it stood the new mother with her calf. The care taker said that the cow is very protective warning us not to go near it to touch the calf. We could understand the trauma that the mother would have undergone which makes her over protective towards her little one unlike the other mothers in the farm.

wow! what a bond! see how close he is staying to his mother.

 

The little one is dark brown in colour and has a very shiny coat of fur. the little nose smelling the air, its cute looks tempted us to touch & hug it but the protective mother made us to keep the distance and we enjoyed watching it for some time.

He was very inquisitive to find out what his mother is busy eating, sniffing the grass.

We came out and  went inside the open fence to feed them with the  fully loaded sacks of vegetable scraps, cut stem & leaves of cauliflower & cabbage. found ourselves surrounded by happy cows.

 Suddenly I noticed a Big Bull marching towards inside the crowd and I retreated towards the gate of the fence (as my past experience has left a fear inside me) touching the adolescent calves and very soft natured cows. This bull I was told that is left out inside the fence along with other small bulls to protect the cows from leopards as this man looked well built to keep the enemy at a safe distance. just with his look.

next to the fenced ground lies the filed where cauliflower were planted. I could not get a good shot of the blooms.  Behind the dairy lies the farm land where cabbage, spinach, coriander and Fenugreek were planted. When I heard about it from the care taker my eyes opened wide and I followed him into the field followed by a caution from him that the place is infested with poisonous snakes & no medical facility in the vicinity of the hills. When he is bravely venturing why should I stay behind and miss the lovely sight, so prayed to all Gods for their blessings, followed him with quick steps amidst the field & quickly captured few shots.

Coriander

Spinach

They were not ready for harvest, I could feel my hubby saying "thank God. otherwise my dear wife would have made me a santa  carrying a big sack of freshly harvested veggies" - a great relieved expression in his face.

After we had a gala time with them, we started our journey back home.  While going all of us were excited about the visit to the farm and thinking about the new born calf so didn't notice much of the camouflaged creatures.  But on our way back, the friend noticed a macaque sitting in the corner of a bend, slowed the vehicle and stopped for a while. He made sounds similar to that of a monkey (he had reared a monkey brought up by a truck owner during his childhood at home against his fathers desire!)  but that guy didn't care for it much. Soon we saw him running into the woods. The reason we came to know only after we saw another 'he' a dominating male moving towards him. Wondering why only two monkeys?! Both the sides had thick trees with dried leaves covering the ground.

when we were about to start...noticed a small branch moving...yes another small monkey, while I managed to take a video of that moving one, soon noticed that many leaves & branches sorrounding it started moving viloently... monkeys!!! yes, lot of them are there. So perfectly camouflaged, we found it difficult to spot all of them again as they again stood still in their place.

Managed to get a shot ofcourse very cautiously because I don't want to part with my dear camera to those forest dwellers as my good old camera has to offer me many more good shots in future. We drove back and melted into the busy traffic of the city towards home rewinding the cherishable moments  we had at the yeoor hills.

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