Working plan Exercise in Kanasar

Summer in Dehradun was getting hotter. But, our batch had a way to escape this heat in Dehradun. Yes, we were going for working plan exercise in Kanasar, which will be cooler and comfortable in summer. When we left for kanasar, everyone was cherishing the memoirs of mensuration exercise in Kanasar, which was held in last summer. Weather of Kanasar is unpredictable. It may rain and temperature may dip unexpectedly at any time. Every one of us had packed sufficient winter stocking. The list included swetters, monkey cap, thermal inners, sleeping bag and most importantly huge quilt. When we reached kanasar, we felt heavenly. Immediately Amit said Gubbi whole batch will do working plan and we will do terking plan(code word for having fun). Gajju, saket, bhutia and I nodded happily. Next 15 days kanasar was fun and unforgettable.

Kanasar is 5 hour drive from Dehradun and is situated in the Himalayas. All trainees will be brought here for Mensuration exercise, which all IFS officers will remember for the entire life. The place is named after the local deity ‘Kanasar Devetha’. There are barracks to stay. For us tents were pegged by the academy to stay. One tent was shared by two. Kanasar had lush green meadow, where ponies were grazing. It was surrounded by tall, gigantic deodara trees. Getting up at 6 in the morning, little bit of birding with Saket and Nivedita, field work after break fast and briefing in the night. This was our routine for a week, till we finished the field work. The field work involved trekking to the block of forest allotted to each group, laying quadrants, measuring diameter and height of tree and enumeration of survey. This was what we were supposed to do. As learning is important enjoying the forest is also important. Taking nap on the deodar needle, in the lull of jungle without the humdrum of city was like an intoxicating alcohol. Thanx to Nesamani who did all the field work, allowing me to have siesta in the call of the wild. After the field work it is the time to play cricket in the Kanasar meadow. Some played cricket, some of us use to go for evening walk to village Koti and the rest KTP’s (Keen Type Probationer) were engrossed in writing working plan. We were able to enjoy and finish working plan because of our KTP’s. Even now, most us wanted to go back to Kanasar in the coming days. I hope the photos which are uploaded will justify my statement to some extent.

Temple of Kanasar devatha

Our tents amid deodar jungle

A green medow beside our tents where ponies grazed whole day

Medow where cricket was played in the evening

Deodar tree

The oldest guest house of Uttarakhand built in 1868 by D. Brandis in Budher

A trek to Budher Gupha to lay sample plots

A nap in the lap of mother nature

Deodar jungle

Medow of Budher

Budher medow

A small pond amidst medow near Budher gupha

Bird eye view of Budhera medow

A temple on the mountains

Temple door decorated with antlers of Ghoral and Muntjack

Ready for fieldwork....

Himalayan village

Road to Koti village, where most of us use to come for evening and after dinner walk.

Gajju's Mogli point. A small hillock with pointed tip resembles the assembly point of wolves in Jungle book. Hence, Gajju named it as Mogli point.

Jungle where Gajju's use to disappear with "Into the wild" book.

Panaromic view hills from Mogli point after a shower.

Evening view

A sunny afternoon...

Our tents with dim lights powered by generator in the night.

Last three days, generator was on after 10 pm. Batchmates were busy in writing working plan. One who doesn't have work, the one like me went out for photography.

These nights in the kanasar will never fade from our memory. The life in tent was new experience.

Warming the body in fire. After dinner this is a nice point for the gupp.

Hightly intellectual group on serious deliberation on last day of the exercise. Discussion was about everything except working plan. Chairman was amitkumar (on the chair) and main speaker was Naidu, second from the left.

Shh.... no sound. Half the population in deep slumber and half working hard to complete working plan on last day.

The rain in Kanasar is unexpected. After 12 in the noon it may rain at any time. Once, it start raining you will never no how intense it may be and how long it may continue. More frequently you will hails with rain. During field work when we were stuck up in rain, big hails fell like pelting stone on the head. Very soon the whole ground will covered with white hails giving an appearance of marble floor or snow. The night will be chilling. Track suit above the Swetter covered with quilt can only give sufficient warmth to sleep in the night from that cold. Below is small video clipping of the rain in Kanasar. This video was taken during Mensuration exercise in last summer. Irrespective of the year rain will remain the same.

A video of hailstorm rain in Kanasar....