The Patratu dam is again, at a distance of about 40 kms from Ranchi, just like the other places and waterfalls. Except that it is on a different road, the road to Ramgarh. The dam was built in the early sixties and the reservoir serves the Thermal Power Station as well as the cantonment at Ramgarh but that apart, it has also been attracting migratory birds.
The road to Patratu goes over two sets of hills and looks like this
The road to Patratu goes over two sets of hills and looks like this
Rowing boats are available for hire with the boatman. They have formed a small cooperative which runs about 40 boats. Wearing life jackets is mandatory for the waters are more than 80 feet deep, as our boatman informed me. We saw groups of people feeding the migratory gulls with crunchy bites but that is definitely not the right thing to do and the administration should do more about it!
There were hundreds of these beautiful birds and I could not help wondering about the thousands of miles they must have crossed. The reservoir lake formed by the dam is also used for cultivation of fish and we noticed fish as well, with sudden plops on the placid surface.
Bandhan Mahto, our boatman. He lives nearby. It is only during the season, from October to March, that he makes a good living as he said, but with plans of a waterfront resort in the air, he was quite optimistic. And yes, all earnings were pooled together and shared together.
Saw an island in the far distance but did not go that far. Next time, surely and I wish you would come along too, to explore the island and find more species of these wonderful migratory birds!
Your photos are spectacular. You took me there for these moments. I love the flying birds especially. And the image on your banner, up top, is stunning. Just gorgeous. I always catch my breath at the way clouds and mist swirl the mountainsides. Awesome beauty. Lovely to see you posting, and to know you continue to journey into all the beautiful places. Looking forward to your jaunts in 2018, my friend. Wow. Eight years I have been enjoying your journeys! They enrich me.
ReplyDeleteEight years already and more than a hundred posts! But then, each of these jaunts as you say, have been quite rewarding to the journeyman, Sherry. In more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your kind words and I wish you loads of happy moments...
How nice to see all the migrating gulls. Do you know which gull species this is? And where are they coming from and going to?
ReplyDeleteI look forward to more of your interesting and informative posts in 2018, Soumyendu. And lots more of your splendid bird photos too!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Rita!
DeleteThis is definitely the slender billed gull, flying east from the Persian Gulf or the Mediterranean. And an extremely intelligent species too, for they understand human behavior remarkably well!