Stopped by the woods in memories

The neglected and dilapidated ruins here you are seeing in the pictures was once a Rest house built by British officials before the days of freedom to our country. Situated at Tunikicheruvu village of Dummugudam mandalam. In that time, transportation facilities were scarce and travel means a hectic affair through dense forests. When they had taken up their journey Visakhapatnam to Rajamundry, they got halted at some points with their elephants and horses. To serve their purpose of taking rest, they built some rest houses even in forest ridden areas. This is one among them.

Salked lime,Stone,Teak,Guttertiles were used in the construction. It was strong once but with the onslaught of odd times got given in and remained like this as of now. Valuable assets made of rich timber were stolen by people. Before coming to Bhadrachalam, officials halted here with their stocks at Tunikicheruvu. Elephants and horses were taken rest at Enugula bangla situated at Bhadrachalam. In 1980s' my father Late Pamaraju Venkatesara Rao garu worked as a superintendent in the office of Forest department. Chilukuri Venkata Subba Rao garu,Madeti Veerraju garu,Yadlapalli Appa Rao garu and others were working as other employees like rangers,foresters,watchers etc. All these were kith and kin of my friends. And they were also happened to be at the rest house during their working time.

At the behest of my friend Basha,I used to visit this place as a picnic spot, along with other friends like Chilukuri Udayabhaskar,Bosu,Gorremuchu Srinu,Ravi,Yugandhar,Imthiyaz,Mohan,Decembaro and so on. We enjoyed seeing different animals and birds such as spotted deers,slender lorises,chowsingas,langoors,monkeys,rabbits,peacocks,brachyura pitta,water ducks,pelicans,falcons and eagles etc., Some of them could have migrated from Madhya pradesh as it's the adjacent area. Forest looked rich green during winter and rainy seasons but in summer all looked barren as the trees were shedding its leaves. However all seasons were having their own enchanting beauty.

I have learned so many things by wondering in the woods, the traits like adoring life,courage,appreciation of nature are some of them.By the way, I visited this place yesterday , of course purely unplanned. I stopped my bike aside. Filled with nostalgic spree of yester years. I was literally high with the thoughts of the past. Friends and other elders who accompanied me once are not now with me but their lingering memories only.  I felt tearful and unhappy for sometime. I have taken some pics of dilapidated construction and bid adieu to the place with heavy heart.

I wish to share one more experience here. In the year of 1990, back then I visited this same place with Basha,Udayabhaskar,Baro,mohan and other friends  and which was really a scaring one. It was a starry night with dead calm. All of a sudden we heard a hooting of she-bear perhaps it was in search of her mate in the night. That sound resembled like a high pitch moaning of a female human. At that time,we had taken shelter in this very building.  

       (--- Written in Telugu by Pamaraju Thirmal Rao garu and English translation rendered by none other me, Murthy Kvvs )