The Pumpkin People

Samudram Lake is empty and will remain so until the monsoon rains, channelled off the Hill, fill the 750 acre reservoir to a level in some places of up to five feet. The ladies in the below photograph are watching their cows graze on the mineral rich grass.


A goat herder, on his way home, is bringing his flock down the side of the lake embankment.

My doggies are playing peacefully, and hopefully will continue to give the goats a very wide berth.

These two ladies are part of the group that I have nicknamed the 'pumpkin people'; a bunch of local villagers who have been awarded short term rights by the local Government to grow vegetables on the Poramboke Land (Government Land) until the rains come.

The pumpkin people have put up several temporary shelters for shade during the daytime while they watch their pumpkin crop.

Below a small pumpkin. I remember a couple of years ago, even though a group of villagers put in a huge amount of work cultivating the Samudram, the crop was not good, so I hope it works out better for them this year - they've all worked so hard.

In the next photograph some of my doggies on a fishing expedition.

Oh goodie, they found some nice little fingerlings.

By this time of year, Samudram Lake is generally dry - as a result of being constantly drained to irrigate adjacent agricultural lands and losing water through evaporation. Sadly many little fishes get cooked in the increasingly shallow water. Quickly the beached fish, dry out in the sun, and become a very tasty snack for dogs and birds alike - and what other animals prowl around the lake once the sun has gone down!

My own doggies always look forward to their regular fishing expedition and help in daily decreasing the large quantity of fingerlings all around the dried out Samudram.

We walk to the back of the empty Samudram Lake, and climb the embankment. In the distance are some beautiful hills which look very inviting.




My doggies and I walk towards Arunachala and home.