---
layout: post
date:	2010-11-30 16:16:00
title:  Ragihalli/Shivanahalli....the places,people, and plants, 2711110
tags: [archived-posts]
categories: archives
permalink: /:categories/:year/:month/:day/:title/
---
Hrishikesh, Prajakta, Tharangini and I (that's alphabetical order!) formed a nice NTP group on Saturday. Here they are:


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7233.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7233.jpg" border="0" alt="hrishikesh, prajakta, tharangini 271110 ragihalli"></a>

On our way to the Ragihalli Reserve Forest and beyond (we spent the last half an hour of our birding at Shivanahalli Ashram), our first stop was this small shrine under a large 

PEEPAL TREE:

<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7064.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7064.jpg" border="0" alt="shree om temple 271110"></a>

<lj-cut text="some more images">


It was lovely, coming from a city where trees are getting chopped by the hundreds, to see a tree being venerated:


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7077.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7077.jpg" border="0" alt="peepal tree 2711110"></a>

This was where we saw our "Yellow Birds Congregation" and the Spotted Owlets. We next stopped at the Ragihalli Sheet Rock, about 7km from Bannerghatta:

<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7129.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7129.jpg" border="0" alt="bg 7 km sign sheet rock 271110"></a>

This was where we saw the Egyptian Vulture and a Shikra as well, and near it, on our way back, the other raptors, too.

Here's the sign for Ragihalli village:


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7140.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7140.jpg" border="0" alt="ragihalli sign 271110"></a>

We stopped for a leisurely breakfast at 

<a href="http://deponti.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/the-building-a-house-sparrow/"> my usual "lady's restaurant" in Ragihalli </a>

and I wanted to show the beauty of this palm-thatch decoration, cleverly held up by poles set in sacks of sand:


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7139.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7139.jpg" border="0" alt="thatch 271110 rghli"></a>

Our last stop was in Shivanahalli:

<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7257.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7257.jpg" border="0" alt="shivanahalli sign 271110"></a>


we visited the Shivanahalli Ramakrishna Ashram, where the Tickell's Blue Flycatcher and the Asian Paradise Flycatcher quickly rewarded us, and I had a 

<a href=""> Commander quite literally at my feet</a>!


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7258.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7258.jpg" border="0" alt="ramakrishna ashram 271110"></a>

The Ashram gate was locked:


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7296.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7296.jpg" border="0" alt="gap in gate 271110"></a>

and though there WAS a way of getting around the gate, this is the way all the children got through....by way of a narrow gap!



<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7299.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7299.jpg" border="0" alt="through the gap 271110"></a>


I want to include two wildflowers, for which I am hoping for help on the id:


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7181.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7181.jpg" border="0" alt="sothern star 271110"></a>

</lj-cut>


<a href="http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_7251.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n602/Deepapctrsglr/IMG_7251.jpg" border="0" alt="tiny pink wldflwr rghli 2711110"></a>
