In search of the rare flower at ANJANERI trek.
On 18/08/2019, Sunday 11 of us friends did a conservation pilgrimage of the plateau on the top of Mountain Anjaneri. According to a legend, Lord Hanuman was born here on this mountain.
This trek-cum-pilgrimage is loaded with lots of stories, both mythological as well as scientific.
Not a single organism, including the rare flowers and plants were touched, plucked, stamped upon or harmed in any way while trekking or photographing using a plain simple mobile phone only.
Grade: easy, but long and therefore may be tiring for the beginner.
↑ Navra Navri - twin hillocks near Anjaneri ↑
The blog post is divided as follows:
3) EXPERIENCE IN PHOTOS & A VIDEO.
Base railway station: Kasara.
Map route: Kasara > hired non-AC jeep > Anjaneri > trekking > same way return.
Total length of the trek = ~4 km.
Actual moving time while trekking = 70 minutes.
Time taken for ascent = 200 minutes.
08:30 hired vehicle travel starts from Kasara railway station.
10:30 reach Anjaneri village.
17:15 reach base village & trek ends.
17:30 jeep travel starts to return to Kasara.
20:45 reach Kasara railway station, due to traffic jam.
21:30 train from Kasara boarded.
↑ How lovely to pass by and say hello to pilgrims! A Marwari family. ↑
↑ The temple of Goddess Anjani, mother of Lord Hanuman (Maruti). ↑
↑ The lake that resembles a foot print. Legends says that it was created by Lord Hanuman’s step. This story was told to me by the youngest member of the trek, a VI standard kid- ASM. ↑
IN SEARCH OF THE RARE FLOWER, Ceropegia anjanerica:
This was the first plant, quite tall - around 2 or 3 feet in height, but its flowers resembled the plants belonging to Genus Ceropegia.
↑ Not the rare flower, Ceropegia anjanerica ↓
↑ Not the rare flower, Ceropegia anjanerica ↓
↑ After the footprint shaped lake & climbing these steps, we came across this plant which resembled the rare variety. ↓
↑ This plant is around 20 cm in height & the white flowers are 3-3.5 cm long, with bulbous ends having a greenish tinge. ↓
↑ This may be Ceropegia sahydrica and NOT Ceropegia anjanerica. ↓
So, it seemed that in search of one treasure, we stumbled upon yet another rare variety.
Ceropegia anjanerica (लहानू खुरपूडी ) is a threatened species and the last 100 or so plants now inhabit this mountainous plateau and are found nowhere else on the face of Earth.
Nature is bountiful at the birthplace of Lord Hanuman.
↑ Commelina sp., common name - Dayflower ↑
↑ Photo credits: AS. Toothbrush Orchid, another rare flower. ↑
↑ The temple of Lord Hanuman (Maruti) at the last point on the mountainous plateau ↑
↑ Photo credits: my friend, SM & PR. ↓
VIDEO - Enjoy with headphones & music on.
30/- rickshaw from home to station.
70/- return railway ticket.
410/- contribution towards the hired non-AC jeep accommodating 11 passengers + 1 driver (4500/- for full jeep from Kasara to Anjaneri & back).
55/- breakfast.
30/- rickshaw from station to home.
All done in our usual non-commercial TTMM way.
1) Always travel with a power bank. Even your hefty batteries won’t sustain the cold weather, rains and unexpected delays.
2) Use Action trekker shoes or any shoe with directly moulded sole for trekking in Sahyadris.
3) Carry a raincoat / poncho. It get windy and chilly in the rains at the summit.
4) D-SLR is not allowed on this trek & there is an entry fee of Rs.10/- per person and Rs. 30/- per vehicle.