The bird sanctuary in a drain

If you happen to be in Delhi, ask the people there about the river near their city and a majority of them are bound to point out the Yamuna river. Tell them that there is another river running across Delhi and they are more than likely to scratch their heads in disbelief and once again reiterate that the Yamuna is the only river.

How false is this fact which has been perpetuated for generations by everyone, including the authorities, who have conveniently forgotten the existence of perhaps one of the most ecologically rich and climate controlling river of Sahibi or Sabi river.

Yes, Sahibi is one more river that flows by Delhi by today most people, including Delhities know the river as the Najafgarh drain. This is perhaps the only river in India that flows from south to North direction in between the Aravalli ranges.

The Sahibi is one among the many rivers that originate in the Aravallis. The other three rivers are Indori, Dohan and Kasavati rivers, all of which flow north-south.

Over the years, the Sahibi and the vast lake it forms at Najafgarh has been misnamed, misclassified and mistaken, sometimes deliberately,  as a drain and even today it is popularly known as Najafgarh drain.

In reality, the Najafgarh drain is a channelised waterway fed by the Sahibi river and one formed the Najafgarh Jheel. The Jheel quickly became a drain when the municipal authorities and localities called it a Nullah.

Till the 1960s, the Jheel encompassed 300 square kilometers of a seasonal lake and it was the rain-fed Sahibi river, that originated in Jitgarh and Manoharpur in Jaipur district of Rajasthan, that was its main source of water. When the Jheel overflowed, and this was regular and frequent in the rainy seasons every year, the waters drained into the Yamuna river. Thus, Sahibi was one of the tributaries of the Yamuna.

However for some strange reason, the authorities decided to dig a huge drain from Dhansa- where the Sahibi flows or rather enters the union territory of Delhi- on the outskirts of Delhi and link it directly to the Yamuna. This had the effect of draining out the Nagafgarh lake.       

The channel from Dhansa has regulators and it runs upto Keshopur Bus Depot on the Outer Ring Road. The channel is wide with thick and high embankments. A vast amount of water is retained in channel by closing the crest gates at Kakrola under Najafgarh Road to recharge the local ground water table. Hence, the channel acts as an elongated lake as well.

The Sahibi forms a fairly broad water course near Alwar  and Kotputli in Rajasthan as it is fed by over a hundred streams. It then enters Rewari in Haryana State and reenters Rajasthan at Kot Kasim. It then again traverses to Haryana  near Jarthal village. During summer, the dry river bed near Jarthal is several kilometres wide. During scant monsoon rainfall, the flat and sandy soil absorbs all rain water and the river almost runs dry.

Today, this once magnificent water body, when it reaches Delhi, is nothing but a polluted mass of liquid. It is rated Delhi’s most polluted water body as inflow of untreated sewage from surrounding populated areas of the national capital region of Delhi even today continues.

The Jheel once controlled the climate of Delhi and it also helped maintain the water table of the capital and surrounding areas. But this is no longer the case. The Jheel is bone dry and the river nothing more than a cesspool of sewage, debris, filth and silt.

The Central Pollution Control Board has clubbed this drain with thirteen other highly polluted wetlands under category ‘‘D ’’ for assessing the water quality of wetlands in wildlife habitats. The drain was once famous for its wetland ecosystem, waterbirds and wildlife.

Today, this has transformed into one of the longest sewage drains of Delhi. However, over the yeas, the drain has been attracting a large number of birds and last year wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers counted 77 species, both resident and migratory, in the vicinity.

The birds frequented the drain along a 12-kilometre stretch between Delhi's border with Jyotigarh village in Haryana and the Chhawla BSF Camp bridge as the water is clan and the water is much less polluted. Once the water crosses the BSF camp bride, it turns into a cesspool.

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), in its 2013 report, said it had taken up a study of  birds in the drain as part of the largest and longest running internationally coordinated faunal monitoring programme in the world. This study found 75 species of birds roosting in the drain.

Another study by Wetlands International was undertaken to identify and monitor Wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands. This survey too listed the number of birds in the drain and the steps needed to conserve the fragile ecosystem.

Surveys and wildlife enthusiast have identified several endangered species of birds making their home here, including 34 oriental white ibis or black-headed ibis, 98, gadwalls, 121 painted stork, 90 northern shovelers, ten  northern pintails, sixteen common coots and a number of cattle egrets, great cormonants, spotbill ducks, common moorhens, swamp hens, common teals, black ibis, Glossy ibis, wooly-necked storks and  Eurasian wigeons.

Today, mention Najafgarh and people immediately associate it with cricket player Virender Sehwag and Olympic wrestler Susheel Kumar. The mention of the drain comes next.

Najafgarh is at the outskirts of the southwestern part of  Delhi.

It was so named after the Kiledar (Fort Administrator) Najaf Khan Baloch (1733-1782) of the Mughal dynasty during the 16th century. The Khan was a powerful Persian noble of the later Mughal court and later this place became the stronghold of Rohilla Afghan chieftain Zabita Khan.

It was here that the Battle of Najafgarh was fought on August 25, 1857 between Indians and British soldiers as part of the first war of Indian Independence. At least, 800 people died in the battle, which was the first victory for the British in the uprising.

The drain is once again attracting birds and it has perhaps become the only bird sanctuary in a drain. It is time for the authorities to wake up and take steps to preserve, protect and nurture the water bodies

The temples and a forest

Though its is very near to Tumkur and a little more than an hour’s drive from Bangalore, it is an oasis of wildlife. It is home to over 250 species of butterflies and also hosts India’s largest butterfly.

It also is the home of the Yellowthroated Bulbul (Pycnonotus xantholaemus), which is sighted in interior peninsular India and nowhere else in the world. This bird is categorised as Vulnerable by Birdlife International - IUCN’s official red list authority for birds.

This is also the second oldest reserve forest in India and over the last few years, it has had wildlife enthusiast and conservationists in a tizzy as tigers have once again returned to this area. The Jim Corbett of Karnataka, Kenneth Anderson, in his book “Nine rouges and one man eater” mentions about the man-eater he killed in Devarayanadurga forests, which he named “The Hermit of Devarayana Durga”. This was somewhere around 1950s.

The forests here are part of  undulating hills and plains and they have for centuries also been a place of pilgrimage for the famous temples here. This is the Devarayanadurga state forest (DDSF).

The Devarayanadurga area consists of three hilly elevations. Kumbhi Hills is he highest among the three and the Yoga Narasimha temple is situated here at an altitude of 4200 feet. Another temple dedicated to Narasimha-called the Bhoga Narasimha-is located at the foothills.

The Devarayanadurga forests have witnessed several changes in its boundaries since it was first given protection status by the British far back as in 1853.

The forests got a fresh lease of life when they were notified as a reserve in 1907. The forests adjoin several revenue pockets and both the forests and the land under the control of the Revenue Department are home to a wide spectrum of flora and fauna.

Devarayanadurga is actually a small hill station and its rocky hills are surrounded by forest and the hilltops are dotted with several temples including those dedicated to Yoganarasimha and Bhoganarasimha.

The hills are at an altitude of 3940 feet. It is also famous for Narmada Chiluma, a natural spring considered sacred and also considered to be the origin of the Jayamangali river.  This gorge, where the Jayamangali originates, is called Jaladha gundi. The river then flows north .

A small brook called Garudachala, originates in the south eastern portion of Devarayanadurga forests and flows towards north and join Jayamangali near Holavanahalli. Another river, Shimsha, which is a tributary of Cauvery, originates in the south and flows south-west and joins Cauvery.

The Forest Department has developed a nursery of medicinal plants near Namada Chilume and there are about 300 varieties of rare ayurvedic plants.

The Narmada Chilume is at  the base of the hill on the road leading to Tumkur. According to a legend, Rama was on his way to Lanka to battle Ravana and he halted here. As he did not find water anywhere around to wet the Nama, he shot an arrow into the ground and water came gushing out. This is the (Rama)-Namada chilume. The spring can be still seen and there is a foot impression of Rama near by.

A little away from the current Government guest house and facing the spring is an old, dilapidated guest house constructed in 1931. Renowned ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali stayed here in 1938 during his visits to the forests. Interestingly, there is a moist deciduous patch behind the building, adjoining the huge rock face and Dr. Salim Ali had collected moist-deciduous bird species in this area.

The forests are also the place where ornithologist Dr. S. Subramanya for the first time spotted the Yellowthroated Bulbul. These birds can be seen in fairly large numbers and there are only a handful of such sites in south India.

The forests around Devaranayadurga village in Tumkur district are a haven for rare and threatened wildlife and they are also the catchment  area for several streams such as Jaya and Mangali.

The Devarayanadurga forests comprise 42 square kilometers and one can spot panthers, leopards, sloth bears and Yellowthroated Bulbuls and Hanuman langurs.

This forest is one of the few areas in Karnataka, where wild Hanuman Langurs can be spotted roaming freely. Some of the bords that can be spotted are Blackwinged Kite, Honey Buzzard, Govinda Pariah Kite, Brahminy Kite, Shikra,  Crested Hawk-Eagle, Booted Hawk Eagle, Black Eagle, King Vulture,  Long billed Vulture,  Whitebacked Vulture,  Scavenger Vulture, Short-Toed Eagle,  Crested Serpent Eagle, Shaahin Falcon, European Kestrel, Grey partridge and Grey Junglefowl,  Little Grebe
,Pond Heron,  Cattle Egret, Little Egret.  Redwattled Lapwing, Green Sandpiper,  Pintail snipe , partridge, dove, parakeet, cukoo, koel, pheasant, owl, swift, kingfisher, Green barnet, bee eater, drongo, myna, shrike, warbler, flycatcher and many more.

Some of the reptiles commonly found here are Termite Hill Gecko, Rock Gecko,  Southern House Gecko,  Common Garden Lizard, IIndian Chemaeleon,  Common Skink, Snake Skink, Monitor Lizard, Blind or Worm snake, Rock Python. Common Wolf snake,  Checkered Keelback,  Green Whip snake, Rat snake,  Spectacled Cobra and  Russel's Viper. 

The forests continue around Kambakallu betta, Hosati kallu betta, Chinnagara betta, Devarayanadurga hill, Talavara betta and Sigekoppalu betta.

The Devarayanadurga forests are situated along the hill chains running across the eastern part of Tumkur district. This range marks the boundary between the Krishna and Cauvery river basins.

The chain of hills commence with Kamandurga(1078m) and Nidugal(1062) in Pavagada Taluk and continue through Midigeshidurga (1141m) and other hillocks embracing some prominenet peaks like Madhugiridurga(1200m),  Chennarajadurga (1141m), Koratagere (886m) and Devarayanadurga (940m) itself. The Devarayanadurga is part of the range running westward towards Banglore district, represented by Shivaganga and Savanadurga.

The rocks of Devarayandurga are mainly of metamorphic type, characterised by the presence of granite and disrupted by large outcrops.

Devarayanadurga has an undulating terrain sloping steeply towards east and west, between Urdigere and Tumkur. It was earlier known as Aane biddasari and Jadakadurga. The current name is in honour of Chikkadevaraja Wodeyer, who captured the area in the late 17th century.

The temple of Yoga Narasimha is believed to be more than 1000 years old. There is a sacred pond adjacent to the temple called Pada teertha. The source of Pada teertha can be traced by exploring the Sri Pada teertha cave. The cave is devoid of any natural light and it has some steps to take you inside. You can make out a sma;; lake and the shape of a wheel (known as Sudarshana chakra) nearby it.
For a bird’s eye view of the surrounding countryside, climb to the top of Kumbhi hill. This will take you about 10-15 minutes. At the top there is a stone structure with a bell known as Garuda Gante.
The temple timings are morning 10 a.m,, to 1 p.m., and again from  2 p.m., to 8. p.m. On the way to the Yoga Narasimha temple, you can see the idols of Hanuman and Garuda at the small temple of Garudanjaneya.

You can drive or trek to the temple top. Devarayanadurga is 65 km from Bangalore by road and just eleven kms from Tumkur. The nearest railway station is Tumkur and Dabbaspet (25 kms). Devarayanadurga can also be approached through Kyatasandra.

The KSTDC operates a hotel in Devarayanadurga called Hotel Mayura Meghadoota.