Shruti Kalyankar’s “Saul Kere and I - Throwback to a Lake Love Affair”

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 Shruti Kalyankar’s “Saul Kere and I — Throwback to a Lake Love Affair” is a heartfelt reflection on how a neighbourhood lake in Bengaluru transformed her into a passionate birder while becoming a place of friendship, learning, and belonging. What began as a shortcut to work soon evolved into a daily ritual of observing birds, meeting experienced birders, and discovering the joy of identifying species. Through monthly bird walks and personal exploration, Saul Kere became both an outdoor classroom and a refuge from the pressures of everyday life.

As her connection with the lake deepened, Shruti witnessed its rich biodiversity, from migratory ducks and jacanas to kingfishers and cormorants. However, she also watched the wetland deteriorate due to human intervention. Following Bengaluru’s floods, dredging, unchecked sewage inflow, invasive water hyacinth, and other ecological disturbances degraded the lake’s habitats, causing bird populations to decline and many birders to move elsewhere.

Writing from thousands of kilometres away, the author reflects nostalgically on the resilience of Saul Kere and hopes it can recover despite the damage. The essay is both a personal memoir and a gentle call to value and protect urban wetlands, reminding readers that these ecosystems are not only biodiversity hotspots but also places that shape lives, build communities, and inspire lasting emotional connections.

Read the entire post here https://www.greenogreindia.org/saul-kere-and-i-throwback-to-a-lake-love-affair/

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