Shiban Khaibri
“Nature never did
betray the heart
that loved her ” (William Wordsworth)
We in Jammu are proud to have right in the city, Manda forests which is of peculiar characteristics especially with context to being heaven for morning walkers, nature lovers and environmentalists whose love for the stretch from Ramnagar near Hotel Ashok right up to the PHE water tanks , a picturesque distance of nearly 3-1/2 Kms can well be inexplicable. Again another approach to the same stretch is nearer from the middle of the city , from Janipur court Road with the same length of distance. The walking trail , however, from Ramnagar area is magnificent in that the trail overlooks a splendid panoramic view of the forests with troves of trees, the scenic beauty as also breezes with aromatic smells in the morning hours due to which it has been called and rightly so, as a jewel in the crown of Jammu. Morning walkers track the Manda area both in the morning as well as in the evening but more trackers can be found in the early morning hours. It won’t be an exaggeration that in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, only next to the ancient Shankracharya temple hill in the city of Srinagar, the Manda’s steep route of 3 to 4 Kms gives more or less the same feeling in the environs of Jammu as that of Shankracharya in terms of the immediate contact, as if on a talking spree with the trees as also stopping for a while to have a treat for the eyes and soothe the senses with the pleasure of beautiful sight seeing and scenic splendor.
The trees on both sides of the walking track are no less than the lungs of Manda, the green lungs of the forest. Amidst growing pollution around including noise pollution even at times during night hours, one finds physical and mental solace during a walk in the morning from either route and to get rejuvenated as if to gain enough strength to fight the deleterious effect of exposure to day long pollution. It is an experience to feel somewhat special over there and to share as to what one feels being in close contact with the trees, medicinal shrubs and flora as also the sweet chirping and singing of birds around Manda strip. It is just like a talk with the trees, an association with them, with a gratitude for what they give to us in all types of weathers without taking anything in turn excepting, in our own interest and for our survival, a vow and a pledge not to axe them or harm them. This writer finds no words enough to spell out the reasons for not affording personally even a day without a refreshing walk in the morning hours and is wondering as to why such a magnificent strip, all in the lap of nature, is not thronged by more people to reap rich dividends free of cost provided by the benevolent nature. In a lighter tone, let the decision to enjoy a refreshing walk in the morning not be deferred till the time it compulsorily under a Doctor’s advice comes to fighting obesity, thyroid, diabetes, hypertension and other diseases.
There is one more added specialty with Manda in its having a wild life sanctuary. This is known as Ramnagar Wildlife Sactuary occupying an area of approximately about 31 sq. kms. The area of this national park sustains animals like Nilgai, barking deer, wild boar, monkeys and even leopard. It also has birds like mynah, blue pigeon, peafowl, crows, Red jungle fowl, bulbul and the coloured multi hued birds etc. It is an attraction both for the students as well as for the general public to see and know about very rare shrubs, herbs and plants in the sanctuary. Though the sanctuary has a lot of scope to develop more in terms of having more animals and birds along with a zoo on modern lines, nevertheless it is incumbent upon the teachers and the parents to encourage the young students to know more about the environment, the flora and fauna and visit the sanctuary to help students feel connected with the animals and develop love for them. The endangered species of animals need to be preserved in the sanctuary and the activity should not get confined to the wild life week celebrations only by the concerned department. By adopting eco friendly life style and to develop habits of safeguarding our environment, the students and the younger generation can do a lot only after getting exposed to nature by intermittently visiting the area in groups.
The tree cover appears to be magnificent with many varieties, good in height, short sized, some twisted, straight, full of green leaves, some with sparingly leaved or mainly those which are leave shedders or deciduous ones found in Manda but all are engaged in the activities of green lungs. Night Jasmine fragrant trees, Drumstick tree, Margosa tree, Parrot tree, Oral tree with red and orange coloured flowers and other varieties are found here. Reportedly a few of them are on the verge of extinction either due to the human apathy or due to various fungi or related problems. In addition to trees, one can find many plants and shrubs mostly flowered, supposed to be of therapeutic value which if accorded proper attention by the concerned state departments can also be tapped for commercial purposes.
There have been reportedly many attempts or plans to construct some buildings or lay some roads right through these forests connecting direct with Nagrota and other areas but the plan, if any, appears to have been either dropped or kept in abeyance in the interests of protecting these forests the area and volume of which is slowly but shockingly shrinking. No step either at the governmental level or otherwise be taken which has the direct or indirect objective of diluting, if not increasingly diminishing the importance of this area. Even many question the wisdom of the government in having allowed constructions in the forest area from Janipur side and that further constructions may be avoided as that would reduce the size of the forest as well as would result in felling of precious trees. If we still do not wake up to the realizing of the importance of trees and environment, we may leave very little for the younger generations to benefit from the bounties of nature especially when there is taking place fast urbanization., erection of concrete jungles at a fast speed, drying up of water bodies or filling them up with garbage and other disposals to later use them for building constructions. Massive afforestation drive, planting newer species, conducting researches and collating information, preservation and protection of flora and fauna in the forests – Manda and Ramnagar belt in particular, should be the immediate priority of the state government. Jammu is a fast developing tourist place and protecting and improving the Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary shall draw more nature lovers, environmentalists, photographers, trekkers, adventure lovers, students etc to this place. Let these lines be concluded again with the words of Wordsworth who advises us to be cleaving with or getting emotionally attached to gentle and beautiful things like trees, to grow them, protect them and enjoy their majesty:-
“Be mild, and cleave to gentle things,
thy glory and thy happiness be there.’’
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