The water is clear and it’s a delight to dip your sneaker-clad toes into its delicious coolness. We are in Tungareshwar. There’s a cloudburst. It is perfect. A month ago, the same path upwards was lined with a mix of trees with bare branches while other had tired, dusty leaves and flowers; everything was covered with a thin layer of dust from the parched soil. Today, it’s hard to believe we are in the same place. The trees are lush with new leaves and every surface is a gleaming version of verdant. Flanking the main path of the trek — a beaten path of approximately 10 feet breadth are impromptu streams and tiny springs.

Kids and adults look through binoculars to spot birds