Friday, July 20, 2012

New Age Monitor Lizards


My very young friend (she is still in school), Sharvari Paranjape, follows her father and brother into the realm of Photography, and has taken some amazing photos on her trips to various wild life sanctuaries and woods.

See some of her totally amazing captures from Nagzira Forest , here.

Ghorpads or Monitor lizards in English, figure in one of the most popular stories of valour and bravery from the days of Shivaji.  Tanaji Malusare , used these Ghorpads, to climb the fort of Kondana on the outskirts of Pune; he flung them , so they could latch on tight to the parapet ledge, and climbed up on a rope attached to them . He lost his life but won the fort.

The contrast with today is shocking.

(photograph by Sharvari Paranjape)

Even the "Ghorpads" have changed.

Early days
in the forefront of battle,
displaying leadership
with Tanaji Malusare,
as they latched on
to the
Kondana Fort ramparts,
and helped
the Maratha soldiers
climb,
fight
and wrest the fort
for Shivaji,
from Udaybhan Rathod.

Today,
they sneak around 

in safe camouflages,
rustling
some feathers here,
frightening
a few folks there,
while assorted creatures
of their jungle,
beg them
to play a more proactive role....

Like one Ghorpad was heard telling another,

"Why would anyone
want to stick the neck out...?"

1 comment:

  1. Hi,
    Nice site! I am loving it!! Will come back again ??taking you feeds also, Thanks.

    ReplyDelete