Flora Picture of the Year 2014: Anurag N. Sharma : 18 posts by 12 authors. 1 image.
I had restricted to myself to clicking photographs of ornamental plants and botanical garden trees etc. until June this year when one of my good friends suggested that I start visiting the forests nearby Bangalore. Soon after this came a visit to Coorg where unfortunately I did not get to see much due to heavy rains in the area. However, a month later, while talking to a fellow member on India Flora (Facebook) I discovered that he was the deputy conservator of forests in the Chikamagalur area of Western Ghats. He cordially invited me to Chikamagalur and even offered to let my friends and me use his car to travel around.

On the first day, while exploring the beautiful and scenic ghat section, a car pulled up and a man stepped out and asked us what we were doing. We told him that we were looking for plants, butterflies, amphibians and odonates to which he replied that he owned land in the mountains and gave us permission to enter the area. We visited his estate and discovered to our joy that his ‘estate’ actually consisted of grasslands and forests! We climbed into the mountains and found a nice spot to relax and enjoy the serenity of nature. It was here that the attached photo was taken, which perfectly describes the setting of the place where we spent the next hour at. Endless grasslands, slowly descending clouds and tens of thousands of Strobilanthes sp. forming the bulk of the mountain slopes, this overwhelming feeling that nature’s beauty gave us caused such a longing to revisit the Western Ghats that two days later while sitting in a Chemistry class in college, my friend and I decided that come what may, we would attempt to visit some part of the Western Ghats each and every month!

This place and the memory that this photo evokes is definitely one of the reasons that drives me to continue exploring forests as much as I can. I have only just started out, but hopefully will discover many other places that will only serve to increase my love for nature and plants!


Excellent view of the high altitude grassland and amazing shola forest! Thanks … for showing us the beauty and wealth of W.Ghats through your lenses.

I appreciate your passion and extensive explorations. Keep up the enthusiasm!


Appreciate the pictures
story and love it that it was a life enhancing moment for you


A lovely picture and write up.. going to lap of nature over and again, this becomes kind of addiction, and surely we require a large number of such persons who carry forward their passion..
Thanks … for making our year colourful with your lovely pics…


Excellent picture and write up. Reminds of the great satisfaction which one has after one climbs up to these hilly slopes and lies down to enjoy the moments of fresh pure  air around you.


Thanks, … Brought back beautiful memories of my last year trip to these mountains. Alas! I had enough time to process & post my photographs.
At efloraofindia, you are a star now with your beautiful photography & wonderful posts of these enchanting journeys.


Agreeing to all the comments posted earlier. Very nice Landscape picture.


Beautiful Landscape. Nice composition.

Last year i trekked in same region for a week and i feel like visiting this Chikmagalur region again and again. Thanks …


Thank you sir and yes, the place is indeed enchanting.


Apt flora pic from your point of view, … Tempting piece of land. Spend time sitting / walking / exploring / …


A beautiful composition and wonderful write up.

Makes me want to visit such places.


 
 
 
 

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