Afloat Upon The Sound Of Silence
Sanctuary Asia|March 2019

A Dreamy Journey Through Kerala’s Silent Valley

Piya Bose
Afloat Upon The Sound Of Silence

Sitting in my apartment in Mumbai with ear plugs on to block out the incessant sound of drilling from the construction site outside my window, I desperately craved silence. Each time the noise started, I felt bits of my being disintegrating. I developed a secret fantasy of finding a place far away in the midst of nature where the only sound I would hear was the sound of silence...!

DREAMLAND

In my sleep-deprived state, adjusting my eyes to golden sunlight streaming in through emerald green leaves, I realised that I was inside the dream I was just dreaming. The woods had taken on a life of their own and I felt an inexplicable connection with its life force. As we drove deeper into the woods, I drifted in and out of a gentle, hypnotic sleep. In my waking moments, my mind would register the rich diversity of trees and plants around me, the shimmering white flow of waterfalls and the sudden rustling in a tree when a lion-tailed macaque climbed up its flaking branches.

AN ENCHANTED FOREST

This story is from the March 2019 edition of Sanctuary Asia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 2019 edition of Sanctuary Asia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SANCTUARY ASIAView All
Why Children Are Needed To Help Save The World
Sanctuary Asia

Why Children Are Needed To Help Save The World

On my very first day in India, I encountered many marvelous new customs not practiced in the United States, my home country. But the most curious by far involved trees. Here and there, alongside the roaring streets of Mumbai were rings of marigold wreathed around twisting banyan trunks like dried rays of afternoon sunlight…

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2019
Who's Who?
Sanctuary Asia

Who's Who?

Fact: all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads! Let’s unpack this...

time-read
1 min  |
September 2019
The Sea Raptor
Sanctuary Asia

The Sea Raptor

The White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster is one of the most common raptors along the Indian coastline. Nevertheless, the sight of this soaring, broad-winged, white and black bird of prey is nothing less than majestic

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2019
Bringing Up Bob Hoots.
Sanctuary Asia

Bringing Up Bob Hoots.

While we were visiting a friend’s farm in the village of Yelachetty, near Bandipur Tiger Reserve, we found Spotted Owlets nesting on the tiled roof… and one of the chicks on the kitchen floor!

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2019
Yala, Land Of The Leopard
Sanctuary Asia

Yala, Land Of The Leopard

Yala is not only Sri Lanka’s second-largest, but also the most-visited national park in the island nation.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2016
Sanctuary Asia

The Wizards Of Oz!

Australia is not only a country, but also a continent. The land down under, cut-off from the rest of the world has an abundance of unique species of native animals, birds, reptiles, insects and plants.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2017
Scales & Tails
Sanctuary Asia

Scales & Tails

I was really excited and looking forward to the workshop on reptiles and amphibians at Nature’s Nest in Mollem, Goa, between June 24 and 26, 2017. It was my opportunity to meet renowned herpetologist Varad Giri.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2017
Big, Brilliant And Endangered
Sanctuary Asia

Big, Brilliant And Endangered

When one thinks of elephants, the first word that probably comes to mind is BIG! But elephants, while they may be the largest creatures on land, are not just big and powerful, they’re wise and sensitive as well. Recent scientific studies have established that they are among the most intelligent animals in the world.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2017
Earth Manners
Sanctuary Asia

Earth Manners

Everyday habits matter! Let’s be kind to the planet, animals and ourselves!

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2017
World Scan
Sanctuary Asia

World Scan

CHINA’S IVORY TOWNAn explosive investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency has revealed how criminal gangs originating from an obscure town in southern China have come to dominate the smuggling of ivory tusks poached from African elephants.

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2017