A visit to Dodamarg
- Peyali
- Jul 24, 2016
- 6 min read
How good is that to be greeted by a splash of fresh air marinated with all the wilderness of the enchanting rainforests of the Western Ghats? I felt my lungs inflate with the essence of all the flavors of raw nature. I felt my eyes contented with lush green of the mystic woods. Assimilate yourself with all beauties of nature, peace and harmony, this is what Dodamarg offers.
Dodamarg is located on the southern edge of Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra, its eastern border is connected to Kolhapur district, the southern edge and the western border is connected to Karnataka and Goa. Because of rich biodiversity, this region is being considered as ‘irreplacable’ site by CEPF and ATREE in there report on the Western Ghats . Along with the scenic beauty of nature, chances are there that one could also find many unexplored species! Hence the thought of visiting to a place like Dodamarg made me feel overwhelmed and too excited at the same time, so I checked out for Sawantawadi- Dodamarg the last November.
Day 1
I started for the check from Mapusa with our private jeep and drove to Dodamarg nearly 55 km north-east. I landed in a desolate, thick dark forest. As I made my way to the summit, I found there is no sign of other human beings, no sound other then the singing of the birds and the hum of insects from deep inside the forest. The auditory stimuli of water hitting the stones made settle down fast setting a tent under the shade of a tree and quickly I rush towards the source of that sound- The Bhaida waterfall. The innate beauty of the waterfall made me stood there for sometimes; yes nature has its own ways to captivate human minds. It being a nature trip I tried to frame almost all the beauties of nature with every minute detail. Although I was actively into the work, I was having fun at the same time, and yes I posed as well in front of the waterfall. But then there are other natural facets which forced me to make a move from there and dragged me into the tents to satisfy my hunger. I had my cook along with me who took the charge.
Fallen the shades of evening, my hunt began. I started with the trails around the waterfall and at once my eyes got stuck to a ‘Bronzed Frog’ (Hylarana.sp). The frog was indeed beautiful but I got more excited wondering about the fact that I could also see the predators of these species as well. Anyway I moved ahead through the massive trees, through the thick undergrowth and the tremendous diversity of fern; suddenly I saw another magical creature of nature sitting on a stone above the ground , it was a ‘Spotted Leaf- toed Gecko’
(Hemidactylus prashadi). I captured few images of the Gecko, and then I moved ahead. I had already covered almost 2 km of the trail and at places the terrain was such that I literally had to crawl to make my way. I also got chance to see Common Tree Frog (Polypedates.sp) and Skittering Frog (Euphlyctis.sp). That was all for the day, now it was time to head back to tents. I had my dinner and set the camera trap to track the night wizards.
Day 2
My second day at Dodamarg, the morning light unfurled a spectacular view of the forest, surrounded by towering mountains, a spark of light fell on my camp top. The chirruping of birds were clearly audible, relishing with a cup of hot tea in my camp; I managed to see a group of Crimson-Backed-Sunbird (Leptocoma minima) which is an endemic species of the Western Ghats. It was indeed eye catching to see few Drongos flying from one tree to another at some distance; I also saw Giant-Wood-Spider (Nephila.sp) busy webbing up on the tree leaning above my camp. This mesmerizing ambience of the whole of the forest made me realize how well the forest life is tied up with their activities - nothing else (except unwanted human interference) matters them.
Familiar with the path today, I made straight my way for the upstream trail. I could not find anything significant even after searching for almost three hours apart from a Tiger Centipede (Scolopendra.sp). Also I had found dry skin of King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) and some spikes of Porcupine in that place. These cues attested that the owners of those stuffs do live there but I was not that fortunate to get a sight of them.
I had my lunch and kept on with my exploration business. This time I made out my way on the uphill region at the right side of my camp. My guide Sitaram, a local villager and knows the forest well dealt me with some good deal of information. He told me about Indian Bison ( Bos gaurus) which are frequently seen in this place. I also spotted a Green Vine Snake (Ahaetulla.sp). This snake was very slender roughly 2 cm thick, its common trait is to wait on the tree or a bush, perfectly camouflaged, waiting for its prey. I was also keen to have a glimpse of other snakes, many of those are endemic to the Western Ghats , and notable among those was Malabar Pit Viper ( Trimeresurus malabaricus).
It was getting dark. The thickness of the forest was checking my pace of movement and moreover I got so lost in the business that I somehow could not manage time and had to wrap up this session there. On my way back I saw a vibrant Garden Lizard (Calotes.sp). It was refreshing to see it.
I finally reached my tent. Spending night at forest is an adventurous realm so I sat with a cup of tea in my camp and started chitchatting with other team members. I was informed by my guide about the other inhabitants of the forest and also we were discussing about other nature exploration trips. Suddenly I noticed a movement among the branches of one of the nearby bushes. Putting the flash light on it; I saw a Cat Snake (Boiga.sp). One of the eminent feature of this mildly venomous arboreal snake is they move their tail in a way typical to rattle snake while attacking, however they lack the rattle. It was a day full of adventure. I took dinner and set the camera traps; though it was little disappointing that nothing significant was captured till then, just few footages of Wild Boar ( Susscrofa.sp) stood as a consolation. Another day ends at Dodamarg.
Day 3
This day’s walk was focused: head straight uphill-trail from the left side of the camp. The trail started with a bang as within few steps I saw a White Banded Ground Gecko (Geckoella albosasciatus) under one of the rocks. I never left a single chance of capturing pictures and it is always delightful. I moved on deep inside the thick dense forest. The more I was moving inside, the more it was getting silent only my own footsteps could be clearly audible. The solitude of the forest was indeed breathtaking. Nevertheless, I made my way forward and got excited seeing a Skink (Eutropis.sp) and also saw Worm Snake (Ramphotyphlops.sp). I also saw few other birds and small insects during the trail. It seemed as if they were accustomed to the human presence. However because of the bright afternoon and scorching sun I had to head back.
At evening I decided to explore around the camp. I made myself ready for the event. The first thing I saw was an insect- Cricket laying eggs on a leaf, it was so soothing to see it as I had never seen it before. I was lucky enough to encounter one more captivating species of frogs in the Western Ghats- A Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus malabaricusp).
I have read that these frogs have an ability to break its fall by stretching the webbing between its fingers and toes when making leaps down from the tree tops. I got information from my guide about the Leopards as well. I wished if I could see one, but could not spot any at that place.
Anyway the day was getting over at a fast pace. It was dark again, time for me to return to the camp. I kept on viewing the dark dense forest, its beauty etched in my mind. My first rendezvous with this enchanting forest and its creatures was quite mesmerizing.
On the last day it was time for me to get back home. I was feeling morose to depart. The place has captivated my mind and soul. I had fallen in love with this place. So many things are left to find out. Dodamarg is a blend of both fascinating creatures and thick exotic plantation. Not only that, the people I had met there throughout the whole journey were as good and humble. My guide provided me with so many hidden information, which are indeed useful for my project. My cook was always ready before time to serve the culinary demands without any delay. All together I had spent some quality days full of knowledge, adventure and fun. I departed with some beautiful memories of the whole trip hoping to visit Dodamarg again in near future
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