A nature enthusiast with a prominent funny bone once shared with me a humorous tale. “In the days when there were no GPS,” I was told, “there was a gentleman with an itch for adventure and a thirst for his drink, though he never mixed the two. One of his trips took him to southern India where, after several days in the company of nature, he yearned for a drink. He asked around for the closest watering hole and couldn’t get the bearings for one. By sheer luck he came across a group of birders who pointed to the sky and exclaimed: “Look! The Bar-Headed Geese!” His eyes wide as saucers, the gentleman immediately set out behind the geese.
After a few winters, I was at lunch with a friend who has a limited interest in wildlife. “Bar-headed Geese,” I told him, “travel from Central Asia and fly over Mount Everest and endure several such hardships during the course of migration, yet every winter they make it south without fail.”
In what appeared to be deep contemplation and a mental visualization of the geese flying over the snow-capped Himalaya, my friend bit into his burger. I had a preemptive sense of accomplishment as a nature evangelist. He chewed as he mulled over what I had just told him and after sipping some soda, he asked, “Why do they do that – doesn’t the name explain the motivation?”
I have used the name Anser indicus for the Bar-headed Goose ever since and it continues to remind me of the anserine observation shared with me that winter.
Anand Yegnaswami (Andy) finds nature his ultimate muse—a boundless excuse to exercise his senses and engage his mind. The sounds of rustling leaves, the glimmer of sunlight on water, the rough texture of bark, the musky aroma of an elephant herd, and even the tang of salt in the air flip a secret switch within him. These sensory encounters spark a journey of inquiry that goes beyond mere perception, connecting him to a deeper, often hidden, world of ideas.
For Andy, no observation in nature is too small or banal. A single ripple on a pond can inspire him to connect, reflect, and ultimately act. It’s this unique ability to draw lessons from ecological adaptation and natural harmony that defines both his creative writing and his professional life.
As an emerging technology advisor, Andy bridges the gap between innovation and simplicity. His natural insights guide him in designing solutions that are not just efficient but intuitive—technology that mirrors the seamlessness of natural ecosystems.
Through his travel writing, Andy invites readers into his world of wonder, offering a fresh perspective on how nature's rhythms can inspire creativity, balance, and clarity. His work captures not only the beauty of the world but also the boundless possibilities it holds for creativity.
Anand Yegnaswami (Andy) finds nature his ultimate muse—a boundless excuse to exercise his senses and engage his mind. The sounds of rustling leaves, the glimmer of sunlight on water, the rough texture of bark, the musky aroma of an elephant herd, and even the tang of salt in the air flip a secret switch within him. These sensory encounters spark a journey of inquiry that goes beyond mere perception, connecting him to a deeper, often hidden, world of ideas.
For Andy, no observation in nature is too small or banal. A single ripple on a pond can inspire him to connect, reflect, and ultimately act. It’s this unique ability to draw lessons from ecological adaptation and natural harmony that defines both his creative writing and his professional life.
As an emerging technology advisor, Andy bridges the gap between innovation and simplicity. His natural insights guide him in designing solutions that are not just efficient but intuitive—technology that mirrors the seamlessness of natural ecosystems.
Through his travel writing, Andy invites readers into his world of wonder, offering a fresh perspective on how nature's rhythms can inspire creativity, balance, and clarity. His work captures not only the beauty of the world but also the boundless possibilities it holds for creativity.
In Tadoba’s Tigerland, the distinction of the most talked-about couple that evening didn’t go to the pair of tigers we saw, but to the Indian Tree Shrew
A peek into the love lives of Western Yellow Wagtails in Nieuwe Driemanspolder sets off a chain of insights into why we love, and why we win and lose at love
A White-bellied Sea Eagle won’t make that astronomical push without a gastronomical pull and this one had no apparent interest in playing the avian Sisyphus.
One thought on “Will a goose by any other name…”