I have very high regards for Mari, the tribal conservationist of Silent Valley. I have earlier mentioned in my travelogue of Silent Valley of this passionate nature lover who is a Forest Guide working in Silent Valley National Park, Kerala. I spent the memorable 10 days with him in one of the camps in Silent Valley during a Tiger census in December 2013. I was stationed in Poochiparra, one of the core- zone base camps while attached with a group lead by Marri ( Marri Chetta).
Today while skimming through newspaper in morning, news about Marri excited me and I was filled with joy to read about him. His conservation efforts though recognized earlier as well, this however is entirely different story. Marri has been considered for a permanent post in the Kerala Forest Department. His love for nature, passion for research and conservation efforts are indeed commendable. He has assisted many wildlife and forest conservation projects and helped numerous scientists, research scholars and nature lovers in various capacities. I feel privileged to have spent 10 days with him. I am infact indebted to him for his care and the knowledge he shared with me about Silent valley, its diverse life forms and his golden experiences. I wish him best luck, more love for forests and wildlife, healthier, prosperous and healthy life. Undoubtedly he is Kerala’s pride!
Mir Faizan Anwar
(Nature learner)
October, 2014
Nature Novice 