Although Rhododendron is a very popular plant among many communities and nations, it is national flower of Nepal, state flower of Washington and West Virginia in the United States, the provincial flower of Jiangxi in China and the state tree of Sikkim (Rhododendron nobile) and Uttarakhand (now another plant Saussurea obvallata) in India, but Darhal Malkan a small Himalayan village in Pirpanjal makes history of dedicating a day for its celebrations this year. Under the able guidance of Mr. O.P. Sharma Vidyarthi, a retired IFS officer and noted tree talk crusader, and after rounds of discussion with him, finally 18th March, 2021 was designated as First ever Rhododendron Conservation Day. There were several choices for its celebration, but Darhal was unanimously chosen for the cause. Again there were several institutions in Darhal, however, due to cordial and very cooperative attitude of Prof. Samnesh Jasrotia, Principal of GDC Darhal, the event was organized at his institution. Members of civil society, Wildlife Wardan-Rajouri, Mr. Mushtaq Choudhary and officials from forest Department were part of this celebration. The students and staff of college presented different activities followed by planting about a dozen saplings of Rhododenron arboreum in college premises.
In this connection, Mr. O.P. Sharma Vidyarthi, the man behind all celebrations, spent three days in Rajouri-Poonch to spot Rhododendron and wrote a travelogue which is being reproduced in original for purpose of conservation Rhododendron and other important flora.
Three days at Darhal
- Om Prakash Vidyarthi
Morning travel through dusty bumpy road took me to distant hilly terrain of Kalidhar where I halted for a breakfast in roadside rural dhaba,Maize rotis were served with mustard leafy vegetable and pipery Zanthoxylum armatum curd sauce to connect to rural way of life.
On the way I encountered blossoms of Red Flame bush Woodfordia fruiticosa Dhatki , Indigofera cassioides Katthi & Butea monosperma blossoms to lessen fatigue in that under construction road.
My destination was hilly hamlet of Darhal,where atmosphere was more tranquil,clean and green.At Rajouri I visited Govt Degree C college to host Rhododendron conservation Tree Talk in the Botanical Garden where I noticed many RET taxa like Buxus wallichiana (Chikhdi), Prunus cerasoides (Van Rawadi, Pajja) under ex-situ conservation.
After hosting Tree Talk in the college,I retreated towards rising interior hillocks,to explore & adore woods of charm. While travelling beside Himalayan cherry Prunus cerasoides trees ,I captured foliage & fruits ,Pycnonotus leucogenys white cheecked Bulbuls enjoying fruit feast in the company of camouflaged Asian Large Barbet Psilopogon viridis locally called Traihoo in Dogri Pahadi & Miyoli in Hindi.I could not notice the Barbet till it flew away leaving me flabbergasted.Bulbuls stayed back and we're not in mood of hurry to leave juicy fruits of Pajja or Van Rawadi.
Accompanied by M. Ashaq Raza and an old forest guard ,I had a halt at old Oak tree Dargah before going ahead.On the way slim lofty tree attracted me ,what is that tree ,I enquired ,forest guard had the familiarity ,I got reply that was Dodhla.I got its twig for a closer look ,it looked new to me ,on plucking red pink foliage ,twig exuded milky latex ,I suspected it some Ficus.It was only later in the evening when forest guard helped me in getting fruiting branch ,I felt surprised to see fig arrangement ,figs grew in pairs on a bare branch.I kept guessing which species it could be,it required further study to arrive at conclusion ,I whispered while entering Rhododendron forest for showy red blossoms.
Rhododendron trees grew in association with oak Quercus leucotrichophora Reenh रींह, Lyonia ovalifolia Ratankath रतनकाठ,Ilex dipyrena Battreenh बट्टरींह ,I was told by the guard who had ample knowledge of surrounding vegetation.After wandering uphill downhill that evening ,I visited another sacred oak tree to pay obeisance to great Saint peer baba perched on a hill top.Under old oak ,oleaster bush Elaeagnus umbellata had established itself to seek blessings of sufi saint.
At pitch dark ,I returned to my homestay to take a rest after a strenuous jungle walk.Ficus twigs kept me captivated till morning ,I was feeling restless to known the correct binomial which I was sure to get after consulting Flora of the district Garhwal North Western Himalaya by RD Gaur .In the morning ,I sat on the grassy carpet listening to sweet chirps of birds ,Large Asian barbet notes took me back to childhood days when I used to listen similar melodies ,Granny told Dogri name as Traihoo ,it was later during birding that I confirmed bird's identity as Psilopogon viridis ,previously named as Magalaima viridis.I captured helmet flower beauty of Scutellaria scandens after a gap of almost ten years.I was taken around by Dr M. Ashaq Raza to show driedup bushes & trees ,Sunflower family leafless bush I could not identify but I could identified dried up Chinese Paper mulberry trees identified in Botany as Brousonettia papyrifera which were introduced ,planted in hundreds in Darhal valley three decades ago but 80% mortality was expressed as matter of concern for sensitive conservationist who accompanied me with full devotion.
Other day ,it was another wander to nearby hillock densely clothed with trees of Common oak Quercus leucotrichophora .First flowering bush which I encountered near Darhal viewpoint was Butterfly bush , Buddleja crispa ,fragrant blossoms in bunches ,I saw romance of butterflies ,Indian Tortoiseshell butterflies had patience to let me shoot beauties from different close angles ,close-up shots helped in true identity onspot.However I got it verified from Taslima Sheikh as Indian Tortoise shell Aglais caschmirensis.Just after butterfly love ,I came across Barberry bushes , Berberis lycium shrubbery amid green regeneration of Quercus leucotrichophora ,few bushes of Punica granatum , Lyonia ovalifolia interspersed here & there.I was amazed to note bumpy tumour like swellings on stems of Berberis lycium ,yes it was bacterial manifestation ,soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefasciens infection cause of tumours due to uncontrolled mitosis ,circular plasmid playing the role of mastermind ,getting incorporated with the DNA of host plant ,I suspected pending verification later.Mountains clad in white snow looked elegant , Rhododendron flowering forest of Dehra ki gali was in sight,I changed my mind and wished to visit distant Dehra ki gali for Rose red flowers of Rhododendron arboreum locally called Hadhdulli ,as other day event was centred around that tree under the caption - First Rhododendron Conservation Day interaction at GDC Darhal.
While on way back ,I noticed another orange golden butterfly flying over Dandelion blossoms ,it was lemon yellow beneath and red yellow on upper wings ,it was not easy to identify ,I left verification of its identity to expert opinion later in the evening ,it was hectic woodland walk ,we started by road to reach Rhodo forest of DKG ,thanks to Botanist Ashaq Malik who took pains to drive his personal vehicle to that distant location as no other logistic support was available.
Near to Sain ganji hill ,I was shown Marchantia palmata with stalked anthrediophores at a selected site under Rubus ellipticus bushes.I got glimpse of old Karkatshringi tree Pistacia ,unisexual flowers in dense bunches ,new leaves draped pink to add charm to the season of spring.Butea monosperma blossoms giggled in the distant landscape .
Little up from Thannamandi ,I got allured by graceful blossoming of Prunus persica ,twigs draped in pink , Pyrus pashia with snow white flowers looked no less elegant. My ecstacy was at zenith when I got a glimpse of Rhododendron blossoms ,I made a story on spot to shed light on Rhodo features ,qualities,utilization & diversity ,trees were distant ,it was difficult to get access to flowering twigs.
After a meal of maize rotis ,we explored downhill broadleaf forests ,got glimpse of older Rhododendron trees but I was told road widening project is on the anvil and majestic trees will not be spared by hackers.My passion for Burans blossoms is traceable to childhood visits to maternal uncle's house where I was briefed ,made acquainted about the red beauty of Rhododendron locally called Cheu. Infact it was April 2010 when I attended 2-day Rhododendron conference at Gangtok Sikkim ,I visited Rhodo sanctuary on way to Nathula pass.Sikkim has done remarkable work in declaring wildlife sanctuaries and establishing Rhododendron nurseries for field plantations of Rhodos ,out of over 1024 global species diversity ,only 90 species seen in India ,JK has just four species, Rhododendron arboreum ,R campanulatum,R anthopogon & R lepidotum ,I shared my vision.On way back near Rajouri ,I had my romance with beautiful blossoms of Sticky Ruellia Strobilanthes glutinosus beside a dusty bumpy road ,beauty of blossoms at the mercy of road construction. Golden flowers of Reinwardtia indica looked pretty but were equally under the grip of noisy & dusty road vehicular transport,I lamented helplessly, construction problems defying early solution. Later I got binomial name identity for the orange yellow butterfly seen on Dandelion blossoms as Colias fieldi.
3rd day ,it was travel to Budhkhnari where I encountered tall preserved trees of Boxwood , Buxus wallichiana ,grown up Ilex dipyrena trees locally called Battreenh were scattered in the hillside vegetation.All of a sudden I met nomadic grazier carrying headload of fodder ,I stopped to examine what foliage is as fodder ,I noticed shining green foliage of Euonymus lucidus syn E pendulus locally named as Chhlaei छलेई, bark used as herbal tea in Basohli Bani hills.However Hamilton's spindle tree Euonymus hamiltonianus locally called Chhull seen in Loran mandi Poonch could not be spotted anywhere in the Budhkhnari vegetation.On way back I paid obeisance at sacred Zamindar Peerbaba shrine located inside dense Oak sacred Grove, I motivated locals to plant few saplings of Rhododendron tree in that sacred oak Grove.
atives ,let school college students take a lead in carrying out seed collection of Rhododendron arboreum for subsequent sowing to get seedlings for future plantations.Prof Sumanesh Jasrotia extended warm welcome ,planted Rhodo saplings and shared his ideas how to conserve declining trees of Rajouri. Dr Ashaq Malik applauded the Rhododendron conservation initiative and thanked Principal College for the resolve to contribute in planting of rare ,endemic ,threatened tree taxa like Rhododendron arboretum , Buxus wallichiana & Prunus cerasoides.
On way back at Sunderbani ,I was presented live plants of Caralluma tuberculata known edible succulent with immense healing qualities,it was rare gift from Principal Govt Higher secondary school Letar,I felt amazed to see enthusiasm for cultivation of lesser known wild edible medicinal plants on the part of locals.Then & there I decided to go for Caralluma conservation day interaction in Department of Botany University of Jammu next day.
After reaching City of temples Jammu late in the evening,unfamiliar Ficus got its correct identification as Ficus neriifolia syn F nemoralis ,it was identified by Anil K. Thakur from Shimla ,to me it appeared as first ever documentation for Forests of Darhal Rajouri ,at least I have never seen it before.
I was a matter of great satisfaction to have seen new Ficus neriifolia (Dodhla),field observation regarding occurrence of Lucid leaf Spindle tree Euonymus lucidus as fodder tree beside encounter with Agrobacterium tumefaciense caused Berberis stem crown- galls of walnut sized dimensions and Barbet eating fruits of Prunus cerasoides.I was tired due to bumpy dusty road journey but felt solace of multiple new inputs regarding landscape vegetation of Darhal Mallikan ,land of warriors who sacrificed lives during World war one.
Impressive write-up ,fascinating event highlighted ,word Cheu is popular in Bani Billawar Dudu hills whereas it is called Madhal in Trikuta hills & Pancheri ,name variation for Rhododendron reflects its age old popularity among locals ,many studies undertaken on its sensitivity to climate change ,as flowers are edible ,medicinal ,including Rhodo in future community level plantations is desirable ,it will help in its conservation and add colour outside forests.
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