‘Ah, they survived,’ I said with a sigh of relief to myself while eyeing the aurum lilies and the ferns as I entered the air-conditioned hall in Chennai. They were part of an attractive display showcasing the flora and produce of the Western Ghats at an intimate preview for 50 supporters and partners, organised by The Kodai Chronicle Trust. The event aimed to introduce Sky Islands, an online interactive platform for and from the Western Ghats, set to launch in 2025. Combining storytelling and journalism with habitat-sensitive events, resources and opportunities for connection, this new initiative will be the first of its kind.
A small group of us from Kodaikanal drove down to Chennai to meet representatives from other hill stations and stakeholders in Chennai with interests in the hill stations of the Western Ghats. Among us was Sahaya Mary, a third-generation forest gatherer who had traveled all the way to Chennai to offer a glimpse of her lifetime spent foraging mushrooms, raspberries and pine cones in the forest. She had plucked the lilies two days earlier, after a difficult search.
For and from the Western Ghats
‘Kodai residents meet Chennai folks in Kodai for a few months, usually every summer. Then, the following year, we connect again,’ said Rajni George, addressing guests at the event. The publisher and editor-in-chief of The Kodai Chronicle—and soon, publisher of Sky Islands—George shared memories of her childhood encounters with many of the attendees in Kodaikanal. She recounted how The Kodai Chronicle was established to foster connections within the town of Kodaikanal, a spirit she now intends to replicate across the Western Ghats.
‘We have published a couple of stories that have cut across hill stations in our avatar as The Kodai Chronicle. We have found that a lot of these issues that connect with people living over 1000 metres above sea level are very similar. People in the plains simply do not understand them in the same way,’ said Jacob Cherian, environmental impact professional and director of TerreGeneration, while discussing the vision of Sky Islands.
‘When we bridge these sky islands, we are creating a sense of stewardship. That is what we hope to do, and to create a sense of collective identity. Because together, we stand so much stronger,’ said George.
Sholas: A source of livelihood
After the screening of a short film about Sky Islands, I joined 64-year-old Sahaya Mary on the dais to showcase how she had earned a livelihood for many years by foraging for food produce in the forests, braving the harsh weather and threats from wildlife, and selling what she collected door to door. ‘I would pray while wandering through the forest. And that would lend me courage to pluck and leave the forest unharmed,’ she said.
Sahaya Mary also reflected on the changes she had witnessed over the years, from the dwindling availability of mushrooms and raspberries and their rising prices to the burgeoning population in town. For the past decade or so, she has been running a fruit stall, as relying solely on selling forest produce has become unsustainable.
Scenes from the Sky Islands preview event in Chennai, at Wild Cafe, Amethyst. Photos: Guru Photography.
To testify to the rapidly changing landscape of the Western Ghats, V V Robin, evolutionary ecologist and associate professor of biology, Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER), Tirupati, drew on his nearly 24 years of studying birds, particularly the Sholicola or sholakili, a species that exists in isolation only above 1400 metres from sea level. Certain species of birds are restricted to specific altitudes and only in grasslands, he added.
‘Grasslands are disappearing. Add to this that climate change is pushing these species farther and farther away up the mountains till they have nowhere else to go. The added combination of landscape change and climate change is actually very serious,’ he cautioned. Although the state governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are striving to increase forest cover, grasslands have been replaced with tree plantations erroneously. To facilitate the accurate transfer of scientific information and encourage community participation, he emphasised the importance of efforts by publications such as The Kodai Chronicle and now Sky Islands, commending their work.
To testify to the rapidly changing landscape of the Western Ghats, VV Robin, evolutionary ecologist and associate professor of biology, IISER, Tirupati, spoke about how he had spent close to 24 years studying birds – especially sholaicola or sholaikili, a species that exists in isolation only above 1400 metres from sea level. Certain species of birds can survive only about a certain altitude and only in grasslands, he added.
‘Grasslands are disappearing. Add to this that climate change is pushing these species further and further away up the mountains till they have nowhere else to go. The added combination of landscape change and climate change is actually very serious,’ he cautioned. Although the state governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been working on increasing forest cover, grasslands have been replaced by tree plantations, erroneously. To enable correct transfer of scientific information and community participation, he called for work on the part of publications such as The Kodai Chronicle and now, Sky Islands, and commended their work.
Culinary fare from the Western Ghats
Next, Rakesh Raghunathan, celebrity chef, food historian and trustee of The Kodai Chronicle Trust, took the stage to showcase the rich culinary heritage of the Kurinji region of the Western Ghats. For, this preview event was also launching a two-week food festival celebrating the foods of this region, helmed by Raghunathan in partnership with Wild Cafe, Amethyst in partnership with TKC. ‘In Sangam literature, you find references to five regions based on topography and climate. You have the Mullai region, which is the forested area, you have the Neithal, which is coastal, the Palai, which is dry and arid lands, Marudam, which is fertile lands, and Kurinji, which are sky islands, today. Kurinji refers to a special type of flower that is native to the Western Ghats, a mountain range that stretches along the western coast of India. This flower is known for its striking purple hue and mass blooms once it occurs every twelve years. This region gets its name from the flower,’ he said.
The region’s produce today includes fruits like oranges, bananas, plums, avocados and tree tomatoes, alongside vegetables such as carrots, cauliflowers and beetroot, as well as tea, coffee and spices like cardamom and pepper. ‘In this Kurinji Food Festival that begins next week [5–19 April] I have tried my best to showcase the produce from parts of this vast region from the past and present,’ he added. The dinner following the event featured a menu crafted by Raghunathan using ingredients found in the Western Ghats, with each dish being both delicious and creatively presented.
Panel discussion on civic issues
Following Raghunathan’s presentation, the stage was opened for a panel discussion featuring –two politicians, a writer and a TKC trustee working with citizenship engagement. They discussed the civic issues faced in the mountains.
Talking about how the environment and literature in the mountains are closely intertwined, writer Zai Whitaker explained how Sangam literature brings out this ‘twinship’ beautifully. ‘Sky Islands are endemic havens because speciation happens when a population splits and becomes isolated. My favourite species are the dancing frogs, which are 60 million years old and have taken to dancing rather than vocalisation because the torrential streams drown out their calls,’ she said. ‘As a guardian group for the Western Ghats, let us hope that we can keep the frogs dancing.’
Following Whitaker, DMK IT wing deputy secretary Salem Dharanidaran recounted a trip he had made to Kodaikanal in August 2023 with Tamil Nadu’s IT and digital services minister, Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan, when they were stuck in heavy traffic congestion. This highlighted Kodaikanal as an example of urban planning failure, notably when it comes to traffic management. He also pointed out the lack of data on tourist arrivals over the years and hence the inability to project figures. ‘So unless you know exactly how many people are going to visit, how can you solve the problem?’ he remarked.
‘The two most important things that I think everybody cares about, whether you are an environmentalist or not, are health and the economy,’ said TKC Trustee Avijit Michael. ‘The Western Ghats have a huge influence on the monsoons. The shola trees naturally hold a lot of water in the soil, which they slowly release into the plains. Today, we are seeing water shortages and scarcity in urban India because of bad planning, bad infrastructure.’ He also addressed the widespread presence of nano-plastics and persistent organic pollutants that affect human health and, consequently, the economy. ‘This is something that affects all of us. It does not matter where you live because the air and water move,’ he said.
Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan shared personal recollections of summers spent in Ooty with his family and attending boarding school there from the ages of five to 14. His connection to the Palani Hills deepened when he inherited a large piece of land in Perumalmalai. However, over the years, he has stopped going up to these two hill stations, distressed by the environmental deterioration and mindless development. ‘I would say that the tragedy is the nature of government is inertia and little competence. That is the reality,’ he said, calling for support from NGOs and motivated citizens. ‘If we have the right people with the right skill set, the right mindset, the ability to put in some time and effort and the right people to do the financing, then platforms like Sky Islands will add a lot of value because sometimes you have to hold the mirror up to the government and only then do you get things done,’ concluded the minister.
Call for action
‘What do all of you think about the recent ruling of the court asking the government to calculate the carrying capacity in the Nilgiri and Palani hills?’ George asked.
‘It is important for us as citizens also to step up to our constitutional duties of protecting and safeguarding the environment and not just leave it and hope that there are a few progressive people in government who will take action,’ said Michael. The other panelists also echoed the same sentiment. Thiagarajan stated that people get the government they deserve and must make thoughtful, informed choices. ‘But the level of information that needs to be provided to the local population to understand the long-term consequences of particular developments or actions—that is where I think organisations like yours can make a big difference in awareness,’ he said.
Whitaker suggested that stories have the power to unite people for a cause, hence bringing about change. When the public unites, support tends to follow from other quarters, such as government bodies. The common thread of discussion was a strong call for action from citizens. Dharanidharan urged hill stations to develop a sustainable economy by not solely depending on tourism. He advocated for tailored solutions that suit the unique needs of each community, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. He also noted that climate change impacts nations globally, regardless of wealth.
Dr John Mathew, associate professor of history of science, Krea University, who attended the event, pointed out the distinct differences between Ooty and Kodaikanal. ‘They are very different in the sense that the Nilgiris follow a larger pattern across the country in that they were set up by the British. They were very colonial, while in Kodaikanal it is not. It is an American hill station.’ He added, ‘And the danger is while it makes all the sense of the world to do so, there’s a very real peril that restricting entry to the hills will be read along largely neocolonial lines.’
Sky Islands aims to be an online interactive platform that addresses these complex issues and unites people from all walks of life. As for the further effects of climate change, they remain to be seen. For now, I wait for the summer showers and the aurum lilies to bloom in abundance.
Want to know more about Sky Islands? Watch this video, below.
Check out our introductory presentation.
And, do get in touch at thekodaichronicle@gmail.com, if you would like to partner with us or support us.
