Discovering the treasures of Nagpuri

A botanical sojourn into the bio-diversity rich scrub forests of Nagpuri calls for an urgent need to conserve these fast-vanishing habitats

The 14-km long trek took us through the ‘superior’ scrub forests of Nagpuri in Arsikere taluk. Superior, because of the rich diversity of flora that in turn supports a greater diversity of fauna.

‘Guys this is amazing!’ shrieked Sheshadri Ramaswamy in excitement, his expression turning into a shade of ecstasy. The red ‘leaves’ on a distant tree he was asked to take a look at turned out to be quite something else. He handed the binoculars back and darted into the valley that stretched in front of us. Navigating a maze of large boulders and some seriously thorny shrubs we eventually caught up with him. He stood in the blotchy shade, gleefully pointing up at the bright scarlet, velvety blossoms of the bonfire tree (Firmiana colorata), a rare species of flowering tree.

Those pretty little trinkets against the pale sky had us all captivated for minutes, even as the harsh Sunday morning sun was forcing us to squint. A motley bunch of us that included an illustrator, a herpetologist, an organic farmer and even a professor of old Kannada literature, had come together for a nature trek in the Nagpuri forests in Karnataka’s Hassan district, about 150 km from Bengaluru.

The dried leaves of Chigare tree (Albizia amara, also called oil-cake tree) are powdered and used as a shampoo by locals because of its soapy consistency. The tree provides excellent fodder for herbivores such as elephants.

Sheshadri who was leading the trek is a passionate field botanist who has spent decades intimately studying the ecology of indigenous trees. He is a protégé of the celebrated IFS officer SG Neginhal who, along with his dedicated team, was quietly responsible for laying the foundation of Bengaluru’s green heritage, by raising over 1.5 million trees way back in the 1980s.

Field botanist Sheshadri Ramaswamy introducing the team to the Nagpuri forests.

Mid-February might seem like a brutal time for the trek considering the scorching dry heat but it is a time when many of the trees are in bloom. The trek was aimed at enlightening the group about the rich biodiversity of a scrub forest ecosystem of peninsular India, the kuruchulu kaadu as they are referred to in Kannada. It challenged our conventional notion of how a forest looks, feels and smells — that of picturesque verdant valleys, gurgling streams and mountain tops being caressed by the passing clouds.

(Left) The beautiful flowers of the Chennangi (Lagerstroemia parviflora) make it an ornamental treelet. Chennangi in Kannada is roughly translated as, ‘the possessor of beauty.’ (Right) The bark of Matti tree (Terminalia coriaceae) resembles that of the crocodile-bark tree. It is one of the best trees for reforestation.

Nagpuri forest turned out to be unique departure from the idea, but no less exquisite than those found elsewhere. The sunburnt landscape of brown and grey dominated by shrubs, leafless trees, boulders and grasses — a ‘wasteland’ to the naive — is in fact, as we discovered, a sanctuary of myriad flora that flourish in this minimalistic habitat where scarcity is just a way of life.

(Left) Fruits of the Thoobrey tree (Diospyros melanoxylon) is loved by mammals and birds, as well as the locals. The fallen leaves are used to roll beedis. (Right) Bear droppings contain a variety of seeds, having digested away the nutritious pulp. The superior scrub forests of Nagpuri is an important habitat for bears that help in widespread seed dispersal.

As we walked from one tree to another, Sheshadri revealed their fascinating seasonal cycles, and sometimes tying in their associations with local traditions and practices.

(Left) The Mahua tree (Madhuca indica) as it is known in north India is also found in these forests. It is called Kaadu Hippe by locals. (Right) Fruits of the Alale tree (Terminalia chebula) are medicinal, containing tannins and antioxidant. It helps mammals keep their fur beautiful and internal organs functioning in proper condition. One of the ingredients of Triphala, an Ayurvedic preparation.

The typical landscape of the Nagpuri scrub forest, with the yellow silk cotton tree.

(Left) The bright leaves of the Cycas swamyii stand in stark contrast to the landscape. As a plant species they have been on earth even before the flowering plants evolved. (Right) The star-shaped flowers of the Jalari tree (Shorea roxburghii) are so fragrant that you can tell their presence from half a kilometre away! They usually flower around Shivaratri.

The forests of Nagpuri also host many abandoned temples from the Hoysala period.

(Left) One of the strikingly beautiful trees of Nagpuri is the yellow silk cotton (Cochlospermum religiosum) with its large, yellow flowers that stand out in the dry landscape. It is locally called ‘Betta Tavare’ — lotus of the hills. (Right) Bonfire tree (Firmiana colorata) flowers in February after it has shed all its leaves.

The typical landscape of the superior scrub forests of Nagpuri.

Scrub forests elsewhere are meeting a tragic fate being usurped by governments and institutes that fail to recognise them as legitimate and distinct habitats of flora and fauna. Thankfully, the 51 sq km Nagpuri forest in Arsikere taluk has survived. However, it is time that such reserved forests are elevated to protected sanctuaries and provided with adequate staff and resources to tackle potentially destructive elements — from overgrazing, poaching, unsustainable harvesting of forest produce to fires during the summer months. This, coupled with engagement with local communities in the conservation efforts and re-establishing the purpose to preserve it, is going to be a step in the right direction for both man and nature.

(Left) The forest floor of Nagpuri is littered with the fallen leaves that will be eventually decomposed by microbes, turning it into a very rich layer of soil. (Right) The team.

Originally published in the Deccan Herald on May 11, 2019