Pambemaram forest in danger

Pambemaram Forest in Danger

Abdurrahman M. Jamal

PAMBEMARAM FOREST in

DANGER

Abdurrahman M. Jamal

Copyright: Abdurrahman Jamal/ Al Qamar Academy Written & Illustrated By: Abdurrahman Jamal Produced By: Al Qamar Academy Contact: Al Qamar Academy 14, Kalyani Nagar, Opposite Journalists’ Colony Kottivakkam, Chennai 600041 Ph: 044 24511226/ 9677019226 info@alqamaracademy.in www.alqamaracademy.in

All Rights Reserved. An Al Qamar Trust publication Al Qamar Academy is a micro school in Chennai, India. As an alternative school, Al Qamar focusses on inculcating curiosity, enabling real learning and developing a social conscience in children. The school constantly innovates in its pedagogical delivery. The school was founded by IIT’ian Hauroon Jamal and Aneesa Jamal.

This book is an outcome of a bookmaking workshop at Al Qamar Academy followed by three one-to-one mentoring sessions for the young authors conducted by renowned conservation educator and nature photographer K. Ramnath Chandrasekhar. The storytelling module used by him during the sessions were designed for Karthavyam, an initiative on public-problem solving.

Dedicated to all the animals in the world whose homes have been stolen due to deforestation.

Chapter 1 : The Call My name is Kaua. But my friends in the city know me as “Crow” or “Corvis splenduns”. My home was threatened and this is the story of how, I, a single solitary crow, saved the entire Pambemaram forest and its inhabitants, a long time ago.

It all started when my friend, Cheel, the black kite, swooped onto my tree, screeching, “Kaua, Kaua!!”

“What’s gone wrong?” I asked.

“What’s gone wrong? Excuse me, but the forest is being cut down!”

“Who told you?” I asked suspiciously. Cheel is a gullible fellow and he swallows anything he hears.

“Koreng told me! He said that he saw human beings chopping down the trees and setting fire to piles of vegetation.”

“Well, what’s wrong with that? The Forest Department will protect us.”

“Well, I told him that, but he said it was a little too complicated for that. Anyway he told me to gather all the animals to come to the edge of the quarry lake. Since you can also fly, please call the other animals.”

He flew off to where the sun goes down. And I went the other way. Then I remembered something and flew back to Cheel.

Kaua and Cheel

Pambemaram forest

“But what if there’s a pack of them?” “Pack of what?”

“Pack of jackals, dogs…?”

“Well then call the Alpha Male.”

“And the ants? I’d have to break down the anthill to get to the queen. By the time I do that, both her courtiers and she would be so upset that they’d choose not to come anyway. If I don’t get bitten to death, that is!”

“Well, you just need to tell them to send a representative. And if you see a solitary animal, you don’t have to tell it to just send its brain along, but that it can bring the whole of its body.”

I dismissed the last part as a sarcastic remark and flew off.

As I flew there, I looked down. Wherever I looked, the ground was covered with a verdant expanse of trees. In between were patches of scrub and flat ground. But not bare! Oh no! The flat ground was covered with elegant green grass, greener than the vine snakes. Occasionally the grass was as high as a human being. A mother francolin was feeding her chicks. A great number of frogs were assembled around a freshly formed stream from yesterday’s rain. I smelt the rain and the aroma of damp earth. The eucalyptus trees were swaying as the breeze swept through them. But the mighty banyan stood firm like a stone wall.

I called out to everyone as I saw them.

Kaua and Taene

Finally I came to the rock beehive. It was located on a rocky outcrop.

“Good morning, bees of the hive. The animals of the forest are having a meeting at the shores of the Quarry Lake. May I request you to select a delegate from among yourselves for this meeting?”

One of the bees, clearly a worker, flew near my head and settled herself in one of the feathers. She must have been shouting. I could hear but a faint buzzing sound.

“We bees are honoured to be allowed to attend this meeting. My name is Taene. Should I take a message for the queen?”

“Yes, indeed. I would be quite happy if you did so.” I replied. “As long as you do not take much time.”

Taene flew into the hive. She was back in a few seconds, saying “Our Queen has approved. She has chosen me as the delegate.”

Next stop – the massive termite mound which housed not termites, but a far more dangerous animal.

“Nalli, Nalli.” I called into the mound.

There was no answer. I decided to use his full name “Nallapamb, Nallapamb”.

Out slithered a gigantic cobra.

Spreading his wide hood, he said in a tired voice, “What is it?”

“The animals are having a meeting at the quarry lake.”

“Sorry, I’m not in the mood” he said turning away to slide back into his home.

I was so shocked that I could not react. But just as the tail was disappearing, I heard a loud hiss.

“Now……….jusssst ………….a ……………ssecond!”

I recognised it to be Nagina – Nallapamb’s wife. The tail seemed to stop abruptly.

“Get your lazy anal gland out of there, you sleepy buffoon.”

“But, Jaano, I’m feeling tired.”

“I don’t care if you just ate an entire elephant and are extremely tired. This is important. Cheel visited me in the morning – and you weren’t there because you were sleeping like a human! Cheel told me that it could be a matter of life and death. You are going to the meeting even if I have to drag you with me.”

From another entrance, Nagina slid out.

“I would be perfectly willing to attend the meeting. Sounds excellent. And Nalli would love to come as well.”

She glared at her mate and said, “Wouldn’t he?”

“Very well, I’ll come” said Nalli resignedly.

Kaua and Nallapamb

Quarry Lake

Chapter 2 : The Meeting When I reached the quarry lake I saw that Cheel had not been idle at all. Indeed, he had summoned several creatures. The jackal pack was present with their chosen delegate. Several dogs were resting. A cat had scrambled up a Neem tree, clearly frightened by the dogs. Even a delegation of snails was present, slowly munching the grass. A caucal preened itself while a tree pie, a pitta, a bulbul and the seven sisters conducted an orchestra. Karait, Nallapamb and Nagina lay coiled on rocks at the edge the lake. Right next to them, a mischief of rats squeaked deafeningly. Even drunken Kasturi and Punugu Poonai danced at the edge of the quarry. I was worried they would fall in if they didn’t sober up soon.

The Quarry Lake of Pambemaram is, as the name suggests, a former quarry that has since filled with water each monsoon. Its steep sides, mean little that gets in that finds its way out, without drowning. Thorn and neem trees are abundant on its rocky walls.

Koreng jumped onto a large branch and chittered “The Meeting will come to order. My dear friends, I have discovered something. A very great something. Something that could endanger the whole Pambemaram Forest and all its inhabitants.”

“Hey, would you mind telling us what it is?” Andai the owl hooted.

“The important thing is that the forest is being cut down” he said with an air of imminent danger.

“Won’t the Forest Department protect us?” barked Kullunari the jackal.

“That’s the problem. The Forest Department itself is cutting down the forest!” cried Koreng.

There was a shocked silence, broken by the raucous drunken song of the civets. Somehow, that seemed to push out the words from our throats. A babel broke out.

“How on earth?” said Narangi, one of the Seven Sisters.

“It cannot be true” exclaimed Laali, the other Sister.

“I’m afraid it is – every bit. I was sitting on a Mast Tree, bordering the Nariur Main Road, when I saw a troop of humans carrying axes. They were clearly planning to cut trees down. As if that was not bad enough, I overheard two men talking to each other. I recognized the one with the long spikes of fur on his cheek. He said “We need 10 acres for our new office building. And for the dorm rooms, we need another 30 acres.”

“What’s the problem with that?” queried Darzi, the tailor bird.

“I mean the humans are cutting only 10 acres” added Chuha the rat.

“Well, I know one thing about humans. Whenever a human sees a beautiful thing, he cuts a little bit. Then a little more. Then a little more. Eventually, there is nothing left of the forest. They may take more than just 10 acres, perhaps 11, perhaps 12,” I said.

“Also,” added Poonai, “Just 10 acres can disturb the web of life in Pambemaram. And the part they are cutting off has a lot of water. With no water, we would be thirsty. And the mosquitoes would not have a place to breed. No pollination. No fruits, no seeds, no squirrels, no food for me or the countless carnivores. That means we all starve to death. We need to save our forest.”

“May I please make a speech?” Nallapamb pleaded.

“Sure, unless anyone says otherwise” Koreng replied. Nobody spoke.

The Deforestation

Nallapamb cleared his long throat and said, “Friends, Pambemarambaris, forest beings…. Lend me your hearing appendages. I have come to bury the hatchet between us, not to praise it. The good of beings lies in their lungs, the evil is oft interred in their cartilage.”

“Shut up!!” Nagina hissed.

There was a loud round of applause.

“Thank you, thank you. It was my pleasure.” Nallapamb puffed his hood.

“We didn’t mean you,” said Nai, “we meant your wife.”

“Anyways,” I said “The correct phrasing is …”

“Hey! An idea – why don’t we rope in humans to protect our forest,” said Kullunari.

“Sounds brilliant” barked Nai. “But the main problem is, that if one human is chopping down our home and that too, the people who are supposed to be protecting us, then how can you expect other human beings to help? Besides,” he added “there is a language barrier also. We cannot talk to humans and they cannot talk to us.”

“Not for me!” I raised my wing excitedly. “They are not all bad. In fact, my best friend is Yahya – a human chick.”

“How can you trust a human?” Karait the krait questioned.

Crow’s eye view of denuded Pambemaram

Kaua trapped

“Long ago I had stumbled into a fishing net while looking for scraps at a beach. A boy rescued me by ripping the net with his own hands. He took me back home to his own nest – you know those square caves. He bandaged my wing.

When it healed, I still hung over at his nest and he continued to feed me. I met Kaka, my mate, at his nest.

One day, I told her ‘The pickings might be rich in this cave, but we will have to go back to Pambemaram. There is no place like home.’

‘I agree!’

I turned, expecting to see another crow. But I saw the boy instead. I was so shocked, I nearly fell off the balcony.

The boy could speak perfect Crow. With a slight human accent, of course. He brought me back to the forest. Ever since then he’s been my best friend. Because of my long experience with him, I trust him. He can advise us. After all, set a human on a human.”

Chapter 3 : The Consultation The meeting broke up after that. I was selected to call the boy and ensure he would manage to sneak into Pambemaram and join our discussion.

I flew over the Pambemaram forest and was soon soaring over the city. There were only a few trees. The dirt and dust rose to meet me. A whiff of delightful garbage wafted to my nose. A cacophony of deafening rumbles, horns, growls of exhaust pipes, squeal of tires nearly rendered me deaf. As I passed by, I saw a flock of babblers flying, and on the other side of the road, a koel who was making a nest. As the babblers crossed the road, one flew over the koel’s nest.

After some time, I saw many birds’ nests on a rooftop. Only one human cave could have so many nests – and that was Yahya’s house.

As I swooped down, I saw Kaka’s nest. Inside there were several chicks whom I recognised as my own.

“Look Appa’s home!” chirped Kaka.

Despite the urgency of my mission, I couldn’t help stopping. I was filled with enormous pride and joy. Kullunari, Cheel, Korung and Andai had all regularly told me about the pride felt by new fathers, but their descriptions came nowhere near what I felt. It was one of those things you have to feel to really understand.

“Great to see you again, Kaka! This is the brood?”

Traffic

The Hatchlings

“It sure is. But unfortunately they’re always crying for food. How’s Pambemaram?”

“Getting cut down fast!,” I replied.

“What?”

“And by the Forest Department itself! Which is why I’m here – to get Yahya’s advice.”

I heard a voice behind me speaking Crow – with a slight human accent.

“Kaua! Long time, no see!”

“Yahya! Yes, I guess it is.”

“And the chicks.”

“Well, yes. They’ll be very proud of their father. He’s on an important mission!”

Yahya looked crestfallen, “So, your stopping here is only temporary and you’ll soon be going on your mission?”

“Yahya – the actual fact is that you are my mission. The animals of the Pambemaram forest have elected me to seek your advice. The forest is being cut down.”

Yahya’s attitude was nonchalant, “The Forest Department will put a stop to it. After all it’s a reserved forest.”

“Yes, except the Forest Department itself is cutting the trees down!”

“This is serious! So what’s my role in saving the forest?”

“At the forest, we animals had a meeting. We decided that the only way to stop humans was to scare the droppings out of them. And that’s where you come in. You need to tell us exactly what scares humans to such an extent that they would stop.”

“A lot of people are petrified of snakes. Some to such an extent that they keep mongooses and turkeys to protect themselves. Oh! If you’re trying to involve any snake, please let me tell you something very important. Snakes, when seen, are killed on sight by humans.” he warned.

Yahya continued, “Humans also fear dead bodies coming alive like ghosts. You can start small – like birds splatting on workers, kites stealing lunches, monkeys taking tools and not giving them back. That sort of thing would harass them. You would avoid the full battle where you would lose a lot of your friends. Maybe termites eating the woodwork, and ants biting the workers.”

“Fine. Yayha, would you come?

“Unfortunately, no. My parents are back and my brother is in college, so I’m virtually the centre of attention. I don’t think, in those circumstances, I can leave. But you can contact me with messages. Don’t send crows, send pigeons – they’re faster and are, of course, the symbol of communication. And I can speak Pigeon. A pidgin variety of it, anyway!”

Chapter 4 : The Battles When I reached back at the quarry lake, I decided to spread the word myself. I told every animal who could fly – including the drowsy flying foxes – to call every animal to a meeting at the Quarry Lake. I did some of the invitations myself as well. By the time I came back, a great many animals were gathered there.

“I’ve spoken to the human, Yahya. He told me that humans are scared of cobras and dead creatures coming alive like ghosts. But he also said…..”

“In which case we must start immediately!” said Kullunari.

“That would work, but he said they kill snakes on sight. In order not to risk the snakes lives, I suggest we do what he thought of – starting small.”

I told them exactly what starting small meant.

Poonai suggested, “Cats pooping all over the place?”

Nai wondered, “How about dogs making all sorts of messes? It’s worth a try.”

I said “I need the Palm Leaf Jungle Spies Club. And I will need the Mosquito Squadron.”

“Why?” Nallapamb wanted to know.

“Because mosquitoes bite humans. And I think, that mosquitoes can kill humans ” I pointed out.

We planned out the campaign.

A few days later the attack was arranged.

Everyone from the tiny sunbird to the gigantic Cheel gathered near the building site.

I said “Kaa! Bomb away!”

Suddenly, all of us flew in a long formation and the squad peppered the area with white bombs! The humans fled for cover. Cheel dived in to give each one of them fresh bombardment. To add an artistic touch, I added the sound effect of strong gunfire. After 15 minutes of this, the tools, the shed, the ground, the trees and the humans were splattered from head to foot.

I flew to one of the pigeons “Give Yayha this message – The Eagle has Landed!”

The next attack was very simple. All the crows and kites did their best to steal food from the workers. Monkeys and rats also played a significant role. While we were planning the rest of the campaign, the pigeon came back.

“Yahya says – will be sending forces from city to help with next attack.”

The next day, when the humans sat to eat their lunch under the Neem trees, none of them seemed to notice a very large cluster of birds in every single branch. Nor the large number of monkeys and rats. On the banyan was perched Koel. All of us were waiting for the right opportunity, the right time, the right everything – in short – for Koel’s call.

Suddenly a loud noise pierced through the trees “Kuuuwuuuu” That was the signal for the birds. We swooped down.

Koel gave the signal for the mammals “Kuwuuk Kuwuuk Kuwuuk Kuwuuk Kooo”.

Kaua and Teetar

Lunch Thieves

The monkeys and rats swung into action.

Cheel and his friends snatched food from the humans’ hands. My friends and I tried the same tactic. Not so successfully. Bandari, Koreng’s wife, frightened the humans by rushing at them with bared teeth. Chuha the rat nibbled toes. Screams flew through the air. Then food flew. And finally, rocks.

“Tactical retreat!” I cried.

Yelli, Chuha’s wife and the Rat Queen shouted “Back here, boys!”

The contingent ran from the battlefield.

“What do we do now?” asked one of the rats. “Do we attack later?”

“Please remember,” Yelli replied, “I am not the head of the operations. Nor is Chuha. Kaua is.”

“I suspect we’ve done enough now,” I responded. “We will wait till tomorrow’s lunch. Let’s plan the next attack.”

“But won’t the humans continue throwing rocks at us?” Bandari asked.

“We’ve got a bigger force as Yahya has called the birds from the city.”

“No matter if we get all the forces, they’ll still throw stones at us” Koreng pointed out.

“In which case, we will resort to white pellet bombardment” I turned to Teetar, the message carrying pigeon, “Tell Yayha –operation successful. Stop. Please advise next move.

Stop. Want your help. Stop.”

Over the next few days, distinctly unnerving incidents happened.

One morning a whole army of ants (not army ants) were found inside the enemy’s kitchen barracks. The ants dedicated themselves to biting the people and stealing the food. The shed’s wood kept getting eaten by termites, and meanwhile in the bulldozer, many snakes were found sleeping like cows.

One dark and moonless night, another attack took place. Crickets chirped and mosquitoes buzzed. A strong breeze swept through the eucalyptus trees. It was at such times that human beings cannot see what’s in front of them.

Koreng silently crept into the enemy’s camp and reached a big bell.

I whispered to Andai “What do you see inside?”

“I see sleeping forms. The heads are lying on pillows and their mouths are wide open emitting loud snores.”

Nagina, Karait and Nallapamb coiled themselves on the thinnai, the thatched roof. Koreng punched the bell’s switch.

“Treeeeng Treeeng” the bell shrilled. The enemies’ eyes snapped open – to see snakes dangling above them. They ran for their lives.

Andai the Wise had told me to learn everything about the enemies. This much I learnt. Around 8o clock, I saw Kasturi and Ponugu Poonai entering a shop with a sign TASMAC. A lot of the enemy forces were there.

Nagina Acts

Tasmac raids

As the civets staggered in, hiccupping, I watched in horror. They opened one bottle, then another, then another.

Finally, they were sozzled beyond belief. All the humans fled screaming while the two went carrying bottles. They went back to the forest and both slept in a drunken stupor.

“They’d probably be dead by the morning” said one of the enemies.

“Drinking is never a good habit” said the bartender, “Anybody want more?”

A few days later, the enemies presumed the two civets were dead. Ullu the Fool stole a bottle and crept back to where the drunks were. When he opened the bottles, they quickly regained their consciousness and yowled like banshees. The frightened enemies cried “Bhoot, Bhoot, Pisas, Pisas” and fled.

Chapter 5 : The Victory After that, I received a message from Yahya “Have notified troops – Stop - Need full attack - Stop – Inaugural ceremony of building construction soon –Stop - Participation of animals important – Stop - Expect reinforcements –Stop - Will be attending – Stop - From Yahya.”

I told everybody at the Quarry Lake “Guerrilla tactics will not work anymore. We need to start a full blown attack, all of us joining in. Who wants to come?”

“Me!” cried Kazuge, Cheel’s wife.

“Me too!” her husband said.

And Kullunari said “Me too!” while Nallapamb cried “Cry ‘Havoc’ and let slip the jackals of war!”

The next day, a shamiana and sharp poles were being put up indicating that the ceremony which Yahya had mentioned was not very far away. An enemy was checking light bulbs. Another person, clearly a leader was shouting instructions.

We watched the preparations till the following day. Many people started arriving. Soon the seats were full. The Chief Guest for the inaugural was the Director of the Forest Department.

“My friends, I am very glad to be here at the inauguration of the next Forest Department building.”

What he said after that was drowned out.

All the animals of Pambemaram Forest rushed into the shamiana.

Shamiana

The Battle

There was Kullunari’s entire pack followed by Koreng and his gang. There were rats and mice all over, while on the roof, there were bulbuls, koels, pigeons, owls, kites and wasps. Ants, termites and snakes covered the ground.

I saw Nallapamb saying “To bite, or not to bite, that is the question.” As we ran in, we all went just a little bit crazy.

And indeed, all the birds were dropping white pellets of bombardment on everything, everyone. Bats flew and Nallapamb hissed at everybody in there. Kullunari bit at every single human being, even of any form of human being. Suddenly, a huge barrage of machetes flew out, having been thrown by the enemy human beings.

As the enemy advanced towards Nallapamb, he said “Is this a machete I see before me?’

Koreng saved his life by grabbing him away and saying “Yes it is”.

The Director ran in wielding an axe then stopped and said “What am I doing? I, the head of the Forest Department, am going to hurt the animals of the forest itself?”

Yahya took the mike “It’s what you are doing anyway – cutting down the forest! What’s the point of the Forest Department if it cuts trees?”

“Who said that?” roared the Director.

“The child did!” said one of the Forest officials.

As he stomped towards Yahya, the Director said “You know what you’ve done, child? You’ve,” laying a hand on Yahya’s shoulder, “opened my eyes!”

The Director turned to the officials “Is it true that in order to get space for the new building, we have to cut down trees?” he said angrily.

“Er.. er.. Yes.” The director simmered like a volcano. He roared “Then the child is right! What is the point of the Forest Department, if it itself cuts down trees! I declare this project NULL AND VOID!” Deafening cheers broke out.

“Ku ku ku ku kuuuu” “Aoooooo” roared Kullunari and his pack.

The dogs joined in. Nai howled “Oooowooo.”

Kee Kee Kee” cried Cheel and his friends.

“Che Che Che” chittered the monkeys.

“Meao Meao!” mewed the cats.

And all the others including my impersonation of a rooster “Ooh uh uh Ooh!” and the drongo’s impersonation of humans at Chepauk “Hozzzat” “Whistle Podu! Whistle Podu”.

The next day, Yahya was brought into the forest led by us, and accompanied by his father. We brought him to the Quarry Lake.

I stood on his head. The Emirs of each animal pack sat on his right and the Queens sat on his left. Two kites perched on Yahya’ shoulder. Billi and Poonai scrambled up his arms. On his feet, the royal rats reclined. This was a great jungle honour – bestowed to very few humans.

I whispered into Yahya’s ear, “This is a huge honour for humans. Translate for your father. If only he knew our language…”

“I do” said Sadic, Yahya’s father.

“You do?” I asked, astonished.

“Yes, it runs in the family” said Sadic, smiling.

The Honouring

MESSAGE TO THE READER Dear Reader, How true is this story? To be honest, not very true. But the basis of this is indeed a major problem. Deforestation is happening at a terrible rate all around the world. Cutting down trees endangers animal habitats. The web of life is destroyed.

Whatever we do to nature, eventually harms humans also.

Abdurrahman M. Jamal

Acknowledgements I thank my mother, Aneesa Jamal for being my temporary secretary to this book.

I also thank K. Ramnath Chandrasekhar without whom the idea for this book wouldn’t have started, let alone the book finished.

I thank Shazia Andaleeb for sitting with me and working to iron out all the mistakes.

NOTES Public problems are everywhere. Observe them and make a note here. Find out how you will solve them.

NOTES Public problems are everywhere. Observe them and make a note here. Find out how you will solve them.

About the Author

Abdurrahman Muhammad Jamal, 12, lives in Kanathur, Chennai, near Bromeliad Beach with his family. He studies at Al Qamar Academy in Chennai in the 7th grade.

An avid naturalist, Abdurrahman loves to watch birds. His interests are varied – currently he is interested in volcanoes and Turkey.

He has previously published a book “Man-eating jackals of IIT-Madras”.

His stories have appeared in The Young World, children’s anthologies, and the Robinage.

When his home in the Pambemaram Forest Is threatened, Kaua, a solitary crow, must find Yahya, a zoolingual boy. But even together, can Kaua and Yahya save the Pambemaram Forest before its gone forever?