One balmy Saturday evening, Madras Mom (MM) and Travelling Husband (TH) took Lil Madras Girl (LMG) to the Children’s Park in Guindy. They were in for a pleasant surprise! Guindy National Park is home to 400 black buck, 2000 spotted deer, 24 jackals, a variety of snakes, geckoes, over 100 species of birds and over 60 species of butterflies, spiders and other insects. Flora includes over 350 species of plants. Prominent animals in the park are the Black Buck, Sambar and Spotted Deer, Porcupines, Hyenas, Jackals and Monkey (reference:http://www. forests.tn.nic.in/Wild Biodiversity/np_gnp.html).

The Children’s Park was started here with the idea of ­providing children with a ­natural environment to learn about ­animals and conservation at close quarters. In it are a wide ­variety of birds and animals, all appearing to be well-fed and happy in a tranquil and well-maintained atmosphere.

The well-maintained Children's Park.

Children’s Park is very clean and observes a no-tolerance ­approach to the usage of plastics. More importantly, the officials seem to be sticking to their policy and there were really no PET bottles or litter lying around. MM wondered if there was a ­secret band of little elves that helps maintain this litter-free zone. How wonderful if they would extend their services ­beyond the Park. The information boards outside the animal enclosures and cages are clear and comprehensive and tell us which species are endangered.

The snack counters are situated outside the Park’s main ­entrance, near the parking lot. A dilapidated-looking popcorn ­machine and a rather muggy food counter were nonetheless crowd­ed and teeming with eager evening snackers.

LMG was in a very good mood. She understood that this was ‘her special outing’ and basked in her parents’ attention. She did look curiously at her ­father who kept gaping around and muttering, “Cannot believe this is in the heart of the city.” He chose to remind MM not fewer than 800 times that Guindy Park was a ‘national park’, beaming with pride one would reserve for the current wildlife warden.

MM let him dwell on his ­moment of patriotism. After all, he was carrying LMG and a giant flowery diaper bag, leaving MM to walk around clicking photos with her Sony Cybershot, for which she paid Rs.20 to use within the premises. MM was taking her ‘photo-journalist’ ­assignment very seriously. Feeling as cool as Ko’s dashing ­photographer hero, Jiiva, she paid a great deal of attention to capturing the right shots through the wire nettings! LMG was a bit confused seeing the Park’s famed deer. She seemed to think they were funny (and slimmer) looking versions of her grandfather’s Labrador Retriever and kept pointing at them and calling them by the dog’s name!

The ‘Vedanthangal Birds’ ­section within the Park deserves special attention. LMG watched with amazement as Sarus Cranes, Grey Herons, White Ibises and Egrets flocked together in an ­environment perfectly designed for them. They looked at home in the midst of a large water body with tall trees and many branches on which to perch prettily.

The peacock spreading his feathers in all his glory was a ­remarkable sight. No blue Kanjee­­varam saree can compare with the beautiful shade that could be found on his neck.

MM noticed that the food given to the animals was fresh and sufficient. Mr. Hyena seem­ed pleased with the chunks of raw meat in his cage, the birds had a buffet of fish, and the monkeys were happily gobbling fresh fruit. The cages were clean and airy.

The 'Vedanthangal Birds'. (Both pictures by the author.)

While the animals were perfectly well-behaved, MM wished she could say the same for her ­fellow park-goers. The signage outside clearly instructed guests not to feed the animals. However, most visitors had sneaked food into the premises and threw it into the animal cages. Many tried to squeeze their hands into the barbed wire and call out to the animals while trying to touch them. Some foolishly tried to make their children enter the area between the barbed wire and enclosure in a bid to help them see the animals more closely!

However, Samosa Family took the cake! Or samosa, however you may like to phrase it! The parking lot is adjacent to the forest area where you will find free roaming deer. A family which was leaving in a fancy sedan insisted on sharing their samosas with a gentle looking deer with rather formidable antlers. After the samosas were over, the deer, which clearly wanted more, kept circling their car and proceeded to do an Oliver Twist on them. The scared look on their faces was priceless!

Why do parents encourage their children to touch the animals and disobey the instructions on the signage? Wonder who will receive a tranquilliser dart if the animal was to retaliate. Not the pesky human, for sure.

Note to parents: Please do take your children to this wonderful park. There is no charge for children below the age of 10 and the adults are charged a nominal fee of Rs.10. How wonderful to have the opportunity to spend an evening in the midst of nature and well protected animals in our very own city.

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