MONSOON'S GLOWING GIFT

A HIKE IN A WET LEECH-infested wilderness after a sumptuous dinner would not appeal to most people on a holiday.

- ANANDA BANERJEE

However, an invitation to see something extraordinary at night can push anyone with even a faint interest into discovering the wonders of the natural world.

A few years ago, Nirmal Kulkarni, the well-known herpetologist and Goa-based wildlife conservationist, took me on a night trail through Chorla Ghat, Goa—a section of the Western Ghats in the Sahyadri mountain range. The monsoon had been bountiful that year, making the dense forest resplendent with hues of green.

With just the aid of a torch beam, we scrambled up a slippery slope with only frog calls for company. After a short hike we came to an abrupt halt in the middle of nowhere. We promptly switched off the torch lights to immerse ourselves in pitch darkness, and suspense followed. Once our eyes got adjusted to the deep, dark forest, it began to reveal its secrets.