CDs On A Mango Tree

What are the CDs doing on a mango tree?

Some weird decoration by tech-gardeners?

Or, some IT nerds gone crazy?

Actually, none of that!

The CDs have been hung on the mango trees to keep the langur away from attacking the mango crop! Simple.

Yes, the idea seems to work. First time Ghumakkad saw it in Uttarakhand while driving to Munsiyari. The house owner was finding it difficult to save the fruits from the marauding monkeys on a forested hillside. The shining CDs did the trick! That was in May-2019. Now four years down the line, it worked again in Secunderabad. Different monkeys, different fruit trees, different climate, yet the concept works! See the pictures and a short video clip below.

Here is a short video clip shot on our terrace showing the CDs protecting the fruits on both the mango and guava trees.

Of course, while driving on highways in India, CDs have a different connotation as seen from the picture below. The picture quizzed the readers in the 18th edition of online contest Kaun Banega Ghumakkad KBG-18 . CDs in road side dhabas ढाबा  (roadside eatery) could contain unwanted stuff. But no, don't be so naughty! See the remarks in the picture below.

More than 100 correct responses were received for KBG-18 Contest. You may browse the story linked below.

CD is Cold Drink - The highway eateries terminology!

So, if you have a home garden and the monkeys are a menace, try hanging some CDs from the branches of the tree. It should be free hanging so that it rotates with wind. It startles the monkeys and keeps them away. 

Requesting our zoologist-readers to educate us how it works? Hope it does not cause any other harm to the marauding monkeys.

More stories from Ghumakkad on the world around us!

Thanks for browsing

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 5th April 2023/ Secunderabad

Postscript: Readers from different parts of the world shared their experiences on above story. Excerpts:

5th April: Sujata Das from Canada writes: "We have been doing this CD track for years to protect our cherries, plums, and peaches from long-beak birds. And it works for birds."

5th April: J Ramamoorty from Hyderabad writes:  "In New Delhi's South Block,  two wheeler owners keep bricks on the two seats for the same reason i.e. to protect the seats being torn by the monkeys!"

5th April: Pramod Lakhotia from Germany writes: "In Germany we have no monkeys free jumping around. Hence no problem. But birds do make our Cherries a problem and we are using CDs on the trees effectively."

30th April: It has been close to four weeks since we hung the CDs on our fruit trees in home garden. Apart from the langurs, the CDs have kept the bats and the birds away so far.

#monkeymenace #maraudingmonkeys #langursinthegarden #homegardening #savingthemangoes #homeremedy #CDs #CDsonamnagotree #CDstostartlethelonkeys #ewaste #upcycling #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh

Bal Mithai KBG-20

A tiny cube of Bal Mithai evoked tremendous nostalgia in people who had eaten it. It has a unique taste. Has long shelf life.
Those who hadn't yet tasted it, were curious to know about it.
Bal Mithai originated in Almora in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India.
Of course due to its popularity, it is now made and sold in many other cities/towns of UP and Uttarakhand.
This answers the first two questions of KBG-20, the 20th edition of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad:

1. What? It is Bal Mithai a sweet made of khoa खोआ evaporated and thickened milk and coated with white sugar balls
2. Where? Originated in Almora in Kumaon Hills of Uttarakhand.
3. Famous Manufacturer? We had mentioned 'like KC Das for Rasogullahs' as an example.

The final question of the contest could not be answered correctly except one reader. Most readers googled it and Wikipedia led them to the person who 'invented' the Bal Mithai. So, this time we have only one Winner who answered all the three questions correctly. Congratulations Col Jai Shankar! 

Correct answer to Q3 is 'Khim Singh Mohan Singh Rautela Sweets' who have an outlet on the Mall Road in Almora. This is based on first hand knowledge of residents of Almora over last 50 years or so!

This contest was once again easier than some of the previous contests. That is why within a few minutes, we received more than 100 responses. But all of them were limited to the first two questions. We thank them for their speed!

We now move on to the 21st edition of the Contest.

Stay connected and maintain your josh with Ghumakkad.

We are grateful to Ramya Sriram of www.thetap.in for designing the KBG logo.

Thanks for browsing

    -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 30th June 2019

#KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #contest20 #foodies #travellers #eattolive #livetoeat #dessert #worldfamousdessert #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #balmithai #almora #kumaon #uttarakhand #india

Road to Himalayas

Ever embarked on a 3000-kms road trip with just four days planning?

Yes, just four days!

This is what we did. Two Ghumakkads one from Kolkata (named DM) and the other from Hyderabad (named HB).

Courtesy social media, DM’s call to join a trip was answered by HB. Phones rang, excel sheet opened and plans began. Destination Uttarakhand! Four days and we are on the move! Both Ghumakkads being Navy veterans helped in tying up road halts enroute. Another roadie from Kolkata named  ST willingly joined.

What is common between the three roadies?

All love to travel.

All are in their sixties and still passionate about cross country driving.

All are grandparents!

Our ambitious itinerary goes as follows.

Hope we are able to stick to it. As you can see it, apart from the Himalayas we also spend a day in a Tiger Reserve bordering Nepal.

Why Uttarakhand?

Because it offers some unique views of four high altitude peaks of the Himalayas. Namely Trishul, Nanda Devi, Nandakot and  Panchchuli. See the map below.

Wish us luck and good weather so that we can bring you some breathtaking pictures! This story is the curtain raiser of our journey to the Himalayas.

Stay connected

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/11th May 2019

#Roadies, #Travel, #Driving, #Himalayas, #Uttarakhand, #adventure #roadiesinsixties #navyveterans #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh