With its 10 watering holes and three watch towers atstrategic positions as well as an observation kiosk just adjacent to a wateringhole, the sanctuary is ideal for those who wish to study the behaviouralaspects of the various animals that reside here. However, what fascinated me onthis trip was the preservation of patches of forest by the villagers using the‘devrai’ approach. The locals make offerings to Shaila Devi before and postharvest “ thanking her for blessing their crops. In the past, when more faithconserved, the villagers would actually seek permission of the goddess beforecutting a tree or loping its branches.
Unfortunately, this faith is now receding and tree-cuttingis regularly seen around the erstwhile ‘devrais’. Moreover, personal demandstoo have grown. Earlier wood was only required for repair of homes andpreparing agricultural implements. Now, the wood sold in the market fetches thefamily an income without making any investments. However, despite thesepressures, Phansad shows hope in an otherwise rapidly deteriorating landscapeeverywhere else. And more than anything else, it gives you a chance to get awayfrom urban chaos, even if for a few days.
