Lovely, dark, deep
Let our writers take you on a magical mystery tour of their favourite forests from around the world
Walks in the woods
Whenever I walk or drive into a forest, I’m intimidated by how insignificant I feel in comparison with the green and brown expanses around me. But that trepidation (partly because I was attacked by an elephant once) subsides into comfort when I sit beneath a tree, or when I step into a stream for a splash.
Not surprisingly, jungles have been settings for some of mankind’s favourite tales and archetypal stories—from Little Red Riding Hood to The Jungle Book to Heart of Darkness. That is why this issue of Lounge is a celebration of forests—and everything they symbolize to all of us.
In this issue, Neha Puntambekar visits Bandipur, and finds memories of the bandit Veerappan living on. Sidin Vadukut visits Sherwood Forest, associated with another brigand of legend. Sejal Mehta watches big cats go for the kill at Maasai Mara. In Satpura, Supriya Dravid gets stuck in a tiger-less wilderness. Y.D. Bar-Ness is stalked by currawongs on a forest trail in Tasmania.
Lakshmi Sharath watches two sloth bears battle it out in Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary. Farshid S. Ahrestani gives a glimpse into his career as an ecologist, and the journeys it has taken him on. Nagesh Ramamurthy’s photo essay on the London Wetland Centre, and R. Sukumar’s piece on spotting wildlife in Indian cities both showcase experiences of the wild in cities.
We hope you enjoy reading the pieces here as much as we’ve loved putting them together, and that they inspire you to strike off on journeys of your own. As you head out on your winter, Diwali and New Year breaks over the next few months, we at Lounge wish you all the wonder and exhilaration that the jungles in the pages ahead can bring you.
We would love to hear what you think of this issue and the pieces here. Write to lounge@livemint.com or use the hashtag #MintForests on Twitter.
Shamanth Rao, IssueEditor
Also Read
Urban Jungles | Wild in the city
Satpura, Madhya Pradesh | Trapped in a tiger-less land
Sherwood Forest, UK | The merry men of Edwinstowe
Maasai Mara Kenya | The killing fields
Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Karnataka | Rumble in the jungle
First Person | Breaking into the wild
Bandipur National Park, Karnataka | Tigers, tuskers and a brigand
WWT London Wetland Centre, UK | A swamp sanctuary
Overland Track, Tasmania | Bird’s-eye view
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