Through the pygmy forests

Commended Entry: "Through the Pygmy Forests" by V.A.T. Mandini Samarawickrama from India

This article was submitted in the Kids World Travel Guide Essay Competition 2023 in the Senior Category 12 - 15 years.

Through the pygmy forests

Sometimes my parents visit to the knuckles forest range to carry out their research activities in the pygmy forests which are found on the top of the mountains situated in this forest. Visiting to pygmy forests in knuckles forest range is one of my dreams.

So, one day I asked from my parents to take me for a hike. They both agreed to take me for a hike in knuckles forest range. They choose a holiday to visit Knuckles Forest range and I packed my bag with some food items, a sketch book, pens and some extra cloths. On that day, I got up at 4.00a.m. to get ready for the journey and at 4.30a.m. we left our home by 6.00 am, we reached the forest bungalow near the knuckles forest range. We parked our car in its premises and walked through a cardamom plantation to enter to the forest.

After going into the forest, I saw the tree branches and tree trunks which are twisted and covered with moss. Not only moss even lichens and orchids has grown on them. The Water drops gathered to the moss dripped drop by drop. Then we came across an area covered with rocks which were looked green in colour because of the moss grown on them. After that we met a stream on our way. It was so beautiful and it was filled with pure cold water.

At the same time, we heard a sound of a waterfall. When we went towards that water fall, we saw an amazing incident. The water came towards the waterfall was not falling down and those water was going back to the same direction they came along like a shower. It was because of the strong wind. Even we also cannot stand straight because of the strong wind. That area was covered with millions of wild flowers.

After that we started to walk again into the inner part of the forest. Slowly after a long journey we arrived to our destination. The trees that were grown in the pygmy forests were shorter than our knees and their trunks were twisted. It was like another world, in the top of the mountains and I couldn’t imagine why this forest is different from the other forests. When I inquired about it, my dad told me that is because of the strong wind in the top of the mountain. These trees were adapted to resist to the strong wind.

When we moved further through the pygmy forest, suddenly we heard a strange sound. My dad told me to not to be afraid because it was a sound made by a sambar. After moving further, we came to a place where there were no trees. There my father made a tent and we spent the night inside the tent. Next day morning I heard the beautiful songs sung by the birds. Then I heard my mother is calling my name from a distance. I ran there. My mother had found a beautiful lizard, which was like a piece of branch of tree covered with lichens. They were very happy because it was a one of species that they have described from this forest and Its name is Cophotis dumbara. My father took some photographs of this small creature. After that my mother and father cooked some food to us.

After a simple breakfast we started our journey again. It was so cold because we were on the top of the mountain. Through the clouds the golden rays of the sun glittered and it was a breathtaking scenery and the heat of the sun helped me to get rid of the cold. When we walked through the pygmy forest, I found another lizard and it had a funny leaf like thing in its face. My dad told me that it was a leaf nosed-lizard. After a long journey we arrived to the forest bungalow. I was so tired, but I was happy.

This is was a great experience and I had a great time exploring the pygmy forest. I want to go to the misty pygmy forest once again in another day.

Congratulations on your essay "Through the pygmy forests"! Thank you for sharing your unique experience with us. Well done!

V.A.T. Mandini Samarawickrama attends Swarnamali Girls' College in Kandy/ Sri Lanka. English as Additional Language. Home Language is Sinhala.