Negotiating Bihar : Can adventure(s) be far behind?

Date : 27^th September, 2010

            We wanted to explore Madhya Pradesh on our drive to Mumbai and the first major halt was scheduled to be Khajuraho – a drive of approx. 750 kms. The adventurous plan to cover the same in one day was, however, sobered by fact that the monsoons had just about got over. The roads across the country are probably at their worst in the immediate aftermath of the rains. And with the awful state of NH 7 still fresh in our memories, it was sobriety that prevailed over adventure. We would rather halt midway than reach Khajuraho.  

            Unfortunately, very limited options are available on the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) unless one is willing to get into the city of Varanasi. And Varanasi was not in our itinerary. The only viable option was to break our journey at Mohania, a small hamlet on the Bihar – UP border. Bihar Tourism Dev. Corp has a hotel at Mohania and it is bang on the GQ. That settled the issue. Day 1 would be Muraura – Mohania : a leisurely drive of less than 300 kms, we thought!

            And so, the journey started at the leisurely time of 0720 hrs. Biharsharif town was just about coming to life and negotiating the town was not a problem, the narrow lanes (which masquerade as roads) notwithstanding. However, the effort still took almost 30 minutes. Try negotiating the lanes of the town during peak hours and you will vow never to enter the town again. We are not so fortunate : we live here!

            The road till Rajgir (via Nalanda) is one of the better roads in Bihar – thanks to the importance of Rajgir for the Buddhists and the munificence of the Japanese. We crossed Rajgir at 0815 hrs. – 29 kms in 55 mins and mind you it is one of the better roads of Bihar!! Rajgir – Hisua – Gaya Bye Pass could have been a comfortable drive had the road not been littered with what are euphemistically called ‘speed breakers’ in Bihar. With no warning signs or markings, these well camouflaged monsters benignly await the unwary driver in the hinterlands of our beloved State! Having driven umpteen times on this stretch Rituraj was anything but unwary and so we reached Gaya bye pass without receiving any bone jarring shocks.  And then Pitra-Paksh hit us. What should have been a smooth cruise became a crawl as Rituraj gamely tried negotiating the car between the mass of vehicles, tongas, rickshaws and pedestrians. Pitra-Paksh is a time window of 15 days when Gaya throbs with activity. It is said that only if one performs the Pind-Daan on the banks of the Falgu River at Gaya would the soul of his deceased parents find salvation. A huge multitude throngs to Gaya during this holy period from all over the country. And we were travelling during Pitra-Paksh! The dry river bed of the Falgu River was a sea of humanity and the roads choc-a-bloc. We slowly crawled out of the bye pass and started dreaming of the smooth ride on the GQ which was barely 20 kms away. Little did we know what lay ahead!

            Just a few kms short of Dobhi (and GQ) we were greeted by a traffic blockade (popularly called ‘जाम’ in Bihar!). A horde of sullen men had completely blocked the road. The reason : murder! This ‘जाम’ phenomenon is now a popular means of protest and entertainment in Bihar. And the credit for popularising it must surely go to the redoubtable Laloo Yadav. Thanks to him, it has now become a great pastime for the entertainment starved masses. Roads can be blocked anytime, anywhere and for any reason. Our ”leisurely drive to Mohania” was turning into a nightmare!

            Seasoned travellers on Bihar roads know that the time taken for restoration of traffic after a ‘जाम’ can range from the miniscule to the infinite.  The hapless travellers have only three options to choose from : patiently wait for the blockade to be cleared; take an alternate route; cancel the trip. We chose to take an alternate route.

            The alternate route turned out to be a single lane road with killer speed breakers. That apart, the road wasn’t too bad and had very little traffic. We were now travelling in the hinterland of Bihar and in the not so distant past this area had been a hotbed of violent Maoist activities. We, however, managed to reach Sherghati and the GQ without much ado. Total distance covered till now covered : 167 kms; time taken : 4 hours.

             Driving was a blast on the GQ. Whereas it had taken 4 hours to cover 167 kms we were able to cover 151 kms in just 2 hours and 20 minutes!! And at 1345 hrs we were in the campus of Hotel Kaimur Vihar, Mohania. The adventure is over, we thought and looked forward to a lazy siesta. Aah … but wishes are not horses!!!

            The reception hall was empty. When repeated shouts elicited no response Rituraj peeped into a room behind the counter. Just a derelict, shabby bed greeted him. We were truly perplexed when Rituraj thought he heard some voices. His exploration led him towards the rear of the building where two men were fiddling with a generator. Both looked like mechanics but one was the manager of the hotel.  He did not look entirely happy with our sudden arrival but was gracious enough to tell us that two AC rooms were vacant. We decided to have a look. The better room had not yet been cleaned after a morning check out. We were perplexed but what happened thereafter is being reproduced in Hindi to retain the true flavour. 

मैनेजर (पान से लाल दांतों को निर्निमेष भाव से खोदते हुए)  : “ई यहाँ का दी बेष्ट रूम है.”

ऋतुराज : “सो तो ठीक है लेकिन रूम को साफ-सुथरा तो कराइए.”

मैनेजर : “अरे, रुम्वा तो साफ होइए जाएगा, लेना है तो बोलिए.”

ऋतुराज : “रूम लेना है नहीं तो काहे के लिए देख रहे हैं?”

मैनेजर : “ हाँ, तो ई बोलिए न कि रूम लेना है. कौन रूम लीजियेगा? वैसे हम बताये न कि इ यहाँ का दी बेस्ट रूम है.”

ऋतुराज (जेनिफर कि तरफ कातर नज़रों से देखते हुए) : “लेकिन रूम तो अभी साफ़ नहीं है. साफ़ करवा दीजिए जल्दी से.”

मैनेजर : “हाँ, करवाते हैं ... तब तक आप लोग दूसरे रूम में बैठिये.”

ऋतुराज : “शुक्रिया ... चाय मिलेगी क्या?”

मैनेजर : “हाँ भेजवाते हैं ... तब तक फ्रेस हो लीजिए आपलोग.”

ऋतुराज (दूसरे कमरे में बिजली की स्विचें दबाते हुए) : “अरे, बिजली नहीं है क्या?”

मैनेजर (मानो गर्व से कह रहा हो) : “ नहीं बत्ती तो नहिंये है ... भोरे से ... और जेनेरेटरो खराब है. उसी को ठीक करने में तो लगे हुए थे.”

ऋतुराज : “ अरे, जेनेरटर खराब है? कब तक ठीक हो जायेगा?”

मैनेजर (कमरे से बाहर जाते हुए) : “ अरे, होइए जायेगा ... आप लोग यहाँ आराम से बैठिये ... हम चाय भेजवाते हैं.”

      और उस भरी दोपहरी में हम दोनों गर्मी का सुख लेते हुए चाय का इंतज़ार करने लगे. थोड़ी ही देर में ‘फ्रेस’ होने के क्रम में यह भी पता चल गया कि बिजली के साथ साथ टॉयलेट में पानी भी नदारत है!  

खैर, कुछ समय बाद मैले कुचैले कपडे पहने एक व्यक्ति हाथ में ट्रे-नुमा वस्तु लिए हुए प्रगट हुआ और मेज पर उसे पटक कर उलाहना देने के अंदाज़ में बोला “चाय मांगे थे क्या?” यह सवाल दाग कर वह वहीँ निर्निमेष भाव से अपने अंडकोष को अंगूठे और तर्जनी के बीच पकड़ कर मानो सहलाने लगा (started caressing his balls between his thumb and forefinger). जेनिफर उसकी इस हरकत को नज़रंदाज़ करते हुए कप में चाय उडेलने लगी. ऋतुराज ने बात आगे बढ़ाते हुए पूछा “आप यहाँ के स्टाफ हैं?” और यह ज्ञान प्राप्त किया कि ये श्रीमान इस होटल के वेटर हैं.

ऋतुराज : “रूम साफ़ हो गया क्या?”

वेटर (अपनी हथेली को अंडकोष पर ही जमाए हुए) : “नहीं.”

ऋतुराज : “कब तक हो जायेगा?”

वेटर : “जब स्वीपर आएगा तब.”

ऋतुराज : “स्वीपर कब तक आएगा?

वेटर : “हम का जानें.”

ऋतुराज : “और स्वीपर नहीं आया तो रूम साफ़ नहीं होगा?”

वेटर (ऋतुराज कि मंद बुद्धि पर मानो तरस खाते हुए) : “अरे, स्वीपर नहीं आएगा त रूम्वा साफ़ के करेगा?”

ऋतुराज : “और अगर स्वीपर आज नहीं आया तब?”

वेटर : “भोर में तो आइबे किया था ... अभी कन्हूँ गया है ... आ जायेगा जल्दिये.”

ऋतुराज (मानो डूबते को तिनके का सहारा मिल गया हो) : “बहुत बहुत शुक्रिया.”

      खैर, वह वेटर हमलोगों के मन में आशा कि किरण प्रज्वलित कर अपने अंडकोषों को सहलाता हुआ चला गया और हमलोग गर्मी में गर्म चाय पीते हुए ठंढक का अहसास लेने का प्रयास करने लगे. करीब घंटे भर बाद वेटर ने आ कर यह शुभ सूचना दी कि स्वीपर आ गया है और कमरा साफ़ हो चुका है.

      We felt like shouting, jumping, dancing. The euphoria resulted in Rituraj offering a generous tip to the sweeper who looked askance at him. Obviously, the poor fellow had never received any tips earlier. The room was reasonably OK now except that there was no electricity. And yes, the toilet in this room had running water too!

            Lunch had been ordered by Rituraj during the earlier wait itself and he had been promised room service too. Soon enough, a man informally clad in a sandow baniyan and Bermuda shorts entered carrying our lunch. This hotel was truly homely and informal! A mild enquiry revealed that this man, who should have been in Goa rather than Mohania, was the assistant cook-cum-helper-cum-waiter in the restaurant. He wanted to know if we would require anything else. A quick glance around the room made us realise that the room did not have the facility of either an intercom or a call bell. How could we call him, we wanted to know. He nonchalantly opened the door, stood outside, called Rituraj and told him to stand there are shout loudly … and that some one or the other would surely hear him and the instant messaging service shall ensure that he is informed. Much enlightened, we had our lunch and hoped that the only further enlightenment shall be in the form of electricity.

            However, electricity remained elusive, the generator remained out of order, our ‘lazy siesta’ transformed into a sweaty afternoon even as we tried to amuse ourselves by venturing out in the attached balcony and declaring that it was much more pleasant without the room than within. Slowly the day waned, the heat cooled off somewhat, the balcony actually became pleasant but impossible to sit in. With approaching nightfall the menacing mosquitoes had now turned the balcony into their own preserve and only the very brave or foolish or both could venture there.

            It was not entirely gloomy though. Around 1800 hrs Rituraj went looking for the assistant cook-cum-helper-cum-waiter and came back with the heartening news that the generator would be switched on by 1900 hrs. And so it was indeed … and then we were well and truly enlightened. Even more momentous was the news that electricity would be restored by 2100 hrs and that it shall remain uninterrupted thereafter. Aha, we thought, now we shall actually be able to switch on the AC!!! We had not learnt our lessons yet though.

            2100 hrs … no electricity. Dinner over … still no electricity. 2200 hrs … not yet. We resigned to the near certainty of paying for an AC room without having the pleasure of AC even for a second and prepared to sleep … and just then … lo and behold … with a loud shudder the AC sprang to life. Electricity was there now. What more could we want?? Not that it remained uninterrupted throughout the night … but then we did have the pleasure of a cool room for all of 3 hours!!!

            And in case, you have missed out the date of this adventure and are thinking that this must have happened during the dark days of Laloo-Rabri regime … do scroll to the top of the document. This adventure was experienced on the 27^th of September, 2010 a mere two months before the populace of Bihar gave a resounding victory to Nitish Kumar due to the developmental activities that had (supposedly) taken Bihar by storm!!!!

Mumbai to Muraura by Car - Day 7

Day 7 (28^th March)

            The day really starts early if one has to visit the core area of a national park. Veterans of getting up early and getting ready in time, we were ready when the gypsy arrived at 05:45. As we walked towards the reception area we could smell the clean morning air redolent with the aroma of Mahua.  Bandhavgarh is peppered with these trees which flower in March - April. The ripe yellowish green fruits not only look like grapes but also share some qualities. They are sweet to taste and turn into a potent intoxicating wine when fermented. Typically, the ripe fruits drop down from the trees at around sunrise and the surrounding area turns musky with the sweet, distinctive smell of Mahua. The fruits of Mahua are a great favourite of elephants, sloth bear etc who get attracted by the intoxicating aroma and are hooked on by the taste!! For ages, Mahua has sustained the tribes for ages and is rightly called “Garibon ka Kishmish” (Raisin of the poor). A giant Mahua tree adjacent to the reception area was in full bloom and the ground underneath was carpeted with ripe fruits. We were to discover later during the day that the Resort staff collect the fruits of the Mahua trees, dry them in the sun and sell the same. 

            Soon our gypsy was parked in front of the closed gates of the core area. The paperwork at Bandhavgarh seems to take longer than at Kanha. Even as we waited patiently, an astonishing, once in a lifetime occurrence unfolded before our eyes. Our gypsy was parked right in front of the closed gates of the core area. Suddenly, we heard the desperate shouts of a man and, even before we could realise what was happening, a man literally stumbled and fell down as if pushed down by brute force. And a brute force it was indeed, a full grown male wild boar had attacked a hapless forest guard, had pushed him down and was actually attacking the poor chap even as the victim cried for help. We just sat in the gypsy and saw the real life drama unfold – too stunned to react. And as suddenly as it had started, it ended. The wild boar suddenly turned its back towards us and ran back into the jungle. Thankfully, the man did not sustain any broken bones, though he had a nasty gash on his thigh where the boar had gouged into him. Soon a crowd of drivers, guides etc. collected and amidst the chaotic excitement the poor guy was taken to a hospital. Jenny was to mock Rituraj later for not being able to capture the drama in his camera once again!!!

            The commotion settled down and we were soon within the confines of the core area of Bandhavgarh National Park. Flanked on two sides by towering hillocks Bandhavgarh is a more scenic forest than Kanha. The guide and the driver told us that it was a good omen to see a wild boar in the beginning. Armed with this good omen we really were hoping to sight a tiger during our very first foray into the Bandhavgarh National Park.

            But even as we roamed all over, there was no tiger to be seen. We did hear some alarm calls of spotted deer but they were from deep within the forest. We did see lots of other wild life though – spotted deer, sambhar, common langur, barking deer, adjutant storks etc. but what we were hoping to see kept eluding us. It was almost 08:00, and not only had we not sighted a tiger but it seemed no one else had either. So we headed towards the Centre Point of Bandhavgarh.

            The Centre Point of Bandhavgarh is a damp squib as compared to Kanha! While hot tea and pakodas sold by the locals are appetising, the toilets are practically nonexistent and filthy.  What it lacks is the organisation displayed at Kanha. It is, however, again a convenient point for exchange of news – especially about the tiger. Today, the exchange was going to be an exercise in futility for everyone. Nobody, it seemed, had sighted the mighty beast today. Rituraj opined that the tigers had taken a weekly off – what with today being a Sunday!!!

            Tea, pakodas and a fruitless exchange of news later we left Centre Point for further forays into the jungle. Hardly had we driven about a kilometre than we saw a jackal on the road ahead. It was trying to lift something in its powerful jaws, but as we approached closer it ran into the bushes alongside. Closer now, we could clearly see what the jackal was trying to drag away. It was a young spotted deer that had met its end at the jaws of the jackal. The dead chital was certainly much larger than the jackal but must have been caught unawares and had its neck strangled under the powerful jaws of the predator. It had been killed minutes before and the predator was trying to drag the carcass into the bushes when our gypsy had intruded upon and literally ambushed him.

            We decided to wait for this lifetime opportunity to see a predator drag away its kill. Meanwhile, some more gypsies joined us and though the jackal kept circling, it did not venture near its kill. We edged the gypsy farther away, urged the others to do the same but the jackal remained wary. We patiently waited even as some others left, and twice the jackal came close to his kill … but did not grab it and made no effort to drag it into the bushes. The intrusion of humans had disconcerted him and it was not going to oblige the rude intruders. We rued our misfortune at having missed out on this extraordinary opportunity and moved on.

            Our driver seemed to be an impetuous and impatient guy. He seemed to be zipping across the forest. As if that was not bad enough, he justified it by remarking that the speed was to ensure that we did not miss the tiger!! Phew … as if the tiger had given him an appointment which had to be met. Anyway, he did drive slowly upon being urged to do so and gradually we reached a large meadow flanked by a large water body on one side. Due to ready availability of water the meadow was swarming with wild life including some rare avian species like the endangered vultures, the majestic eagles and the graceful kingfishers.

            We waited for some time, but there were no tell tale alarm calls signalling the presence of a tiger. The tigers of Bandhavgarh were truly were enjoying their Sunday!! It was past 09:00 and only a stroke of extreme good fortune could have enabled us to sight a tiger now. Tigers are fundamentally lazy creatures and abhor heat.  As the sun rises higher they retreat under the cool confines of a canopy of leaves, stirring only for water – either to drink or to wade in. Consequently, it is only during the early mornings or late afternoons that one has a chance to sight a tiger.

            We, therefore, drove atop a hillock which has a huge idol of Vishnu, lying on the Shesh Nag. On the steep climb of this hillock we saw a mammoth stable and court room which had been carved out of rocks. Bandhavgarh was part of the princely state of Rewa and these were relics of those days. Wondering at the human enterprise which carved out such huge caverns in such a remote area, we reached the top of the hillock. A small climb up the steps and we were in front of the supine idol of Vishnu. Next to Vishnu was a monolithic Shiv Linga. And almost at the feet of Vishnu was a cool stream of fresh water – flowing straight out of the rocks. This seemingly small but perennial stream, we were told, turns into a river called “Charan Ganga” signifying that it originates from the feet of Vishnu. Being perennial it provides water to much of the forest of Bandhavgarh and gently flows out of the forest to provide drinking water and irrigation to the nearby villages. A small pool in front of the idol looked green and dirty, but our guide just stirred the algae on the surface and filled up a bottle with crystal clear water. He pronounced that the water was perfectly safe to drink, and promptly drank it too. We were, however, too scared to embark upon any such bravado but Jenny negotiated across the pool to the origin of the stream and sampled it. She pronounced that it was really refreshing and certainly had no ill effects later on. Therefore, either the water was pure, or Jenny’s tummy is robust!!!

We savoured the panoramic view of the forest of Bandhavgarh from this vantage point while young rhesus monkeys entertained us with their antics. During the drive down the hillock we came across pug marks of a tiger but obviously these were a few hours old. The guide informed us that Bandhavgarh Fort, or what is left of it, is located atop another hillock. Ruins of the fort afford good shelter and the presence of ample water bodies atop the hillock (22 if our memory is correct) has turned it into an ideal habitat for wild life – tigers included.

Finally, we were out of the forest without even a fleeting glance of the tiger. So much for the good omen of the wild boar!!!

The outdoor shower attached to our room now beckoned. As the surprisingly cool water washed off the dust, sweat and grime, the pangs of hunger came calling. We wanted to catch up on sleep and so strategically decided to have a heavy brunch; rather than having lunch later. And satiated with the sumptuous brunch we were able to catch up on our sleep and be ready for the afternoon sojourn into the forest.

We were within the forest by 16:00 and the disappointment of a “tigerless” morning was about to evaporate. Barely 15 minutes later, the tell tale stationary gypsies galvanised us all into excitement. The equally excited gestures from others indicated the presence of not one but two tigers next to a stream!!

We edged closer, the driver chose a vantage point on the culvert and we could clearly see two semi adult tigers sleeping underneath a tree right next to the flowing water. Even the commotion created by the presence of multiple gypsies and their occupants did not disturb them; they barely stirred and carried on with their siesta. The guide told us that these two – a male and a female – were approximately 15 – 18 months old and were part of a litter of three. Their third sibling and the mother were obviously somewhere close by but well beyond the reach of our prying eyes, cameras and binoculars. As more and more gypsies joined in, a jungle of jumbled up gypsies soon created a traffic jam on the culvert. However, even the feverishly whispered shouts of the drivers cursing each other did not disturb the cubs. Every once in a while either of them would lift its head majestically, look around disdainfully and carry on its siesta.

The cubs, supremely confident of themselves, contemptuous of the gawking mankind, oblivious to the commotion and content under the shade, were to remain there for more than an hour. The sheer magnetism of the tiger in the wild was enough to keep all of us glued to our spots as we savoured their activities. The male sibling was appreciably bigger and its yellow striped coat was brighter than that of the female. It also seemed more lazy. The female was more alert and was decidedly more concerned with personal hygiene as she frequently kept cleaning her undersides and paws. There was a great similarity though – both of them were loath to move in the heat of the afternoon sun. The female once got up, grunted, yawned deeply and stretched her body as if to shake off the effects of slumber but promptly went back to sleep. After 45 minutes or so the male finally got up, and unhurriedly walked into the stream and lay down in the shallow water to cool itself. His sister was also fully awake by now, but she refused to follow the lead of the brother and seemed content under the shade.

As the sun rays weakened and turned a pale yellow, we kept wishing that the mother and the third sibling would make an appearance but that was not to be. The male cub cooled its body in the flowing water for about 15 minutes and then got up, yawned, looked around and then turned its back on the gawking onlookers as it regally ambled up the gentle slope and slowly vanished into the bushes. The female sibling alone now, seemed to enjoy being the sole centre of attraction and remained glued to her resting place for around 15 more minutes before she too slowly ambled across the stream, climbed up the slope and following the trail of her brother disappeared into the bushes. The cubs had probably gone towards their mother and the sibling. But they had whetted our appetite and we gave a silent thanks to them for having provided such a splendid show. Rituraj, it seemed, was keen on making up for the earlier lapses with the camera and had captured the cubs in their various moods.

It was almost 17:30 by now and as we wandered farther into the jungle we had a beautiful view of a full grown male barking deer. Barking deer are the smallest of the deer family in India and when fully grown are the size of a goat! They are also very shy by nature and their small size helps them easily hide in the bushes and undergrowth making it difficult to sight them. Unlike the other species of deer found in India, the barking deer also prefer to stay alone rather than in a herd. Later on, we came across a giant adjutant stork – so named because of its measured way of walking like an adjutant – a herd of wild boar, a herd of sambhar and countless spotted deer.

It was now time to return and we were more than content. But nature had more in store for us. We were barely a couple of kms from the main gate when we were to see two more tiger cubs!!! These cubs were younger than the ones we had seen earlier and were part of a litter of three. Their mother went by the nick name “Langdi” as she was lame. Must have been a hell of a tigress – to survive in the wild with a lame foot is a feat indeed, but this gutsy tigress had gone a step ahead, had produced cubs and was successfully rearing them. Rearing cubs is a thorny problem for the tigress. Not only does she have to rear the cubs all alone, she also has to save them from the male tiger and other predators. Even during her pregnancy and immediately after delivering the cubs she has to hunt – even in that weakened state – not only for herself but also for the cubs. The tigress lovingly nurtures her cubs, saves them from hostile predators, hunts for them and teaches them the tricks of survival in the wild. This seems to be a tall order even for the fittest tigress and many a cubs do not survive to see adulthood. But here was an intrepid tigress, who despite her handicap was boldly nurturing her cubs. We wanted to see this gutsy creature but could not. She was behind a ridge. But two of her cubs were literally prancing in the bushes. We silently saluted the plucky tigress, wished her god speed and moved on.

We had by now seen 8 out of the 1411 tigers – all within a span of a few days. Our wildest (pun intended) wishes seemed to be coming true.

Rituraj wanted to buy a bottle of rum – not in celebration, but because he was running out of stock – and so we hunted for a liquor shop at Tala, found one and Rituraj came back grinning like a Cheshire cat!! After the customary bath we spent the evening in repeatedly looking at the pics stored in the camera, Rituraj carried on with his silent tribute to “Kaal Bhairav” (for details read the blog on Ujjain) while Jenny tried to catch up with her TV serials. And amidst the thundering silence of the jungle, dinner and slumber soon arrived.

Mumbai to Muraura by Car - Day 6

Day 6 (27^th March)

We had altered our plans in the hope of sighting a tiger once again. Therefore, contrary to the earlier instructions, today we urged the driver to concentrate in the areas where the chances of sighting a tiger were the highest.

Dutifully the driver followed our directions and we continued to roam around meadows affording the best chances of sighting. And since most visitors to Kanha want to sight a tiger we were soon enveloped with the fine dust that the gypsies churn on the mud tracks. There was no dearth of other wild life but the tiger was nowhere to be seen. From one meadow to another, we drove with hope in our hearts. And there were no alarm calls either to guide us. Dejected looks, stooped shoulders, hope in the eyes were what we saw as the gypsy drivers exchanged info while crossing each other. No tiger … no alarm calls.

By 08:00 we were at the Centre Point to have some hot samosas, aloo bondas and tea. The casual exchange amongst the drivers and the guides at Centre Point would also let us know whether a tiger had been sighted anywhere and also whether the tiger show on elephant back was on today or not. We did not have to wait for our driver and guide to know that the tiger had decided to elude everybody today. The body language was more eloquent than a thousand words!

However, there was a glimmer of hope. The tiger show on elephant back was on today. So we drove to the spot where this tiger show was being held. We were told that there are four tame elephants that the forest dept has in Kanha. The mahouts start trying to locate a tiger from 04:00 itself. If successful, three elephants ferry the tourist while the fourth stands guard over the tiger. The charges – Rs. 100 per person.

A large number of gypsies were stationed at the site of the tiger show. This was expected, the tiger had eluded everybody today. We waited for out turn and after some time we were climbing the ladder to go atop an elephant. The elephant waded through the thick foliage of Sal and Bamboo even as we tried to save ourselves from the swinging branches. After about 150 metres, we saw a stationary elephant with only the mahout. This is where the tiger was. Our elephant was stopped by the mahout near a really dense bamboo thicket. So dense that it was practically dark with not even a ray being able to penetrate the dense foliage. And within the cool confines of that shaded bamboo grove we saw a full grown tiger, blissfully oblivious to the presence of humans and elephants!! It raised its head somnolently once and without bothering went off to sleep once again. We tried taking pics but the bamboo grove was so thick and dark that the camera could barely discern the tiger. We stayed there for all of 45 seconds – not a second more certainly – and the mahout turned the elephant around for the ambling journey back to the road.

This was a huge, huge let down. Indeed, we felt as if we had been cheated. Jenny in fact wondered whether the tiger had been drugged and a show put up just to fleece and befool innocent tourists. While the tiger would not have been drugged, not in the core area by the forest dept officials, but it surely was a sure way of fleecing the tiger hungry tourists! You pay Rs. 100 for watching a sleeping tiger for about 30 – 40 seconds!!

Nugget of wisdom : Do NOT be lured into the trap of the tiger show. You will feel cheated.

Almost disgusted by this fraud of a tiger show, we came out of the forest with a slightly bitter after taste in the mouth. It seemed to be a blot on the officials of Kanha National Park who have otherwise done such a wonderful job of preserving the pristine forest, have brought the Barasingha back from the brink of extinction, have successfully relocated 28 villages from within the core area, and have created a lovely natural habitat for the tiger.

A bath and hearty breakfast later we were ready to leave for Bandhavgarh National Park. The odometer read 4751 and the time was 11:10.

Kanha to Bandhavgarh

Route as planned through Google Map

Kanha National Park – Lakhnadon – Jabalpur – Ghatsemariya – Umaria – Bandhavgarh (distance 315 Km)

Route we finally took

Kanha National Park – Mandla – Phoolsagar – Niwas – Shahpura – Umaria - Bandhavgarh (distance 200 Km)

            Wiser from our experience of benefiting from local advice we stuck to the local advice and decided to take the shorter route suggested by the locals. And once again it was going to prove that local wisdom is better than the best that technology can harness.

            We crossed Mandla once again and by now could see signs of normalcy returning to the town. About 10 Km from Mandla – towards Jabalpur – we saw the Tourist Motel run by MPTDC. As we passed by Jenny remarked, “ Lots of cars … and lots of foreigners.” We did not stop, however, because we had just had a hearty breakfast. However, if you are driving from Kanha to Bandhavgarh it would be a good idea to stop here; we were going to realise this later.

            At a small hamlet called Phoolsagar we turned right towards Niwas. This was a single track road, but the road surface was good and the traffic was negligible. Soon we were in the midst of thick forests (now denuded) and steep ghats. During or after the monsoons this would have been a breathtaking drive but right now the denuded trees presented a pretty stark picture. The seasonal denudation notwithstanding we enjoyed the forests and imagined how picturesque a drive it would have been after the monsoons. The minimal traffic and the smooth road surface made the drive even more pleasurable.

            The only drawback of this route was a total lack of even a rudimentary road side dhaba. And so even though both of us wanted to stop and have a cup of tea, we had no option but to keep on driving and hoping that we would come across a dhaba ahead. And yes, a thought occurred to us – what if we get stranded with a flat tyre? There was practically no traffic; there was not even a village for miles on end; the mobile phones were not working and so expecting any help was almost unimaginable. Call it superstition if you will, but neither of us voiced these thoughts aloud and with hope in our hearts and a silent prayer on our lips we drove on.

            Just as we gave up all hope of having tea – our silent prayers seemed to yield results!! A huge hoarding announced the Ghughua National Fossil Park and what was manna to our eyes, the hoarding proudly proclaimed that the campus had a canteen and toilets.

            We turned into the campus primarily to have some tea, and may be, something to eat. The first impression was not very promising though. 3-4 men were casually lounging / sleeping on the veranda of the canteen building and looked bewildered to see our vehicle come to a stop in the parking area. However, the first impression is often misleading – this adage was going to prove true. Rituraj parked the vehicle and walked across to them and while they did not exactly jump to life, it was revealed that not only tea but some savouries were also available.

            Soon we were in the canteen enjoying the much needed cup of piping hot tea and munching on crispies of Haldiram Bhujiawala. A casual chat with the people out there was a revelation. The mere tea break rapidly turned into one of curiosity and enlightenment. Our quest for tea had made us stumble upon a unique destination in the country and a treasure trove of fossils from a bygone era.

            The Fossil National Park is spread over an area of around 27 hectares and also has a small museum. The intense heat of the afternoon sun prevented us from venturing into the sprawling expanse but we paid the nominal fee for a visiting the museum which showcases the fossils found at Ghughua. These fossils date back 65 million (6.5 crore) years and open a window to the days when human civilisation had not even started. The amazingly well preserved fossils of eucalyptus, date palm, neem, jamun, banana, rudraksh, jackfruit and amla had us spell bound. Fossils of molluscs have also been discovered in Ghughua and point to the fact that, may be, a branch of the Tethys Sea extended up to this area. After spending almost an hour at the museum we left, with a heavy heart though.

             A practically uneventful journey brought us to Umaria, the district hqrs of the eponymous district where Bandhavgarh is located. We had our GPS to guide us through the town of Umaria but wiser from earlier experiences we kept asking for directions nonetheless and were soon out of the town and on our way to Bandhavgarh about 35 kms away.

Nugget of wisdom : Do NOT look for milestones or other signage showing the distance to Bandhavgarh. The place you are going to is called Tala!!!

            We reached Bandhavgarh around 16:00 after negotiating a horrendous patch of 10-12 kms which was nothing but potholes. However, a greater surprise awaited us. As we headed towards the Mapple Bundela Resort (it is not a typo; they spell it with a double p!), the potholed road became a mud track and a washed out culvert. Mapple Bundela is about two km from the main road – as are some other swanky resorts on the same track – and it is a minor adventure by itself negotiating trees, shrubs and bushes – there is actually no road except some tracks created by earlier vehicles!!!

            The Resort is worthy of being called one. After some initial hiccups later, we found ourselves ensconced in a comfortable room with a private machan (viewing tower). It was too late to go into the core area anyway so we relaxed, had some hot pakodas and tea and a cool bath. By evening all the arrangements for visiting the national park tomorrow had been tied up and with a relaxed mind we called it a day. 

Nugget of wisdom : Do not look for Mapple Bundela Resort at Bhandavgarh now. It has probably become part of Club Mahindra!

Mumbai to Muraura by Car - Day 5

Day 5 (26^th March)

We were up and ready by 05:15 and while waiting for the gypsy kept hearing noises of various other gypsies roaring past. The gates open at 06:00 and everyone wants to enter as quickly as is possible. Our gypsy came on the appointed time and soon we were between Khatia and Kisli. The herd of bison we had seen last evening was still around and once again we saw the gargantuan beasts in their majesty.

There was more than a nip in the air and we wished that we had taken out our jackets from the car. Indeed, it was pretty chilly within the jungle and we were told that this was due to the thick forests of Sal. Sal trees soak up a lot of water and they release moisture during the nights which makes the nights and the early morning pretty chilly. The winter temperature at Kanha drops to -2 degrees Celsius.

Paper work etc was over soon enough and we were once again within the core area eager to spot even more wild life. The driver took us on different routes today and we could smell the jungle as we drove in the early morning twilight. We did not see any great wild life; but the sheer sight and sound of the jungle, the clean air mingled with the aroma of the virgin forests was enough to rejuvenate the tired bones.

By 06:30 we were atop a hillock called “Digdola” from where we saw a beautiful sunrise through the thick foliage of trees. Our driver also showed us a huge boulder precariously balanced over another boulder and told us that it has been so balanced for countless years.

With the sun over the horizon, the jungle too slowly came to life. We were now approaching a vast meadow which used to be a village till a few years back. The guide was to educate us on how 28 villages have been relocated from the core area. The sites of the villages have now become giant meadows which are ideal grazing fields for the herbivores and equally ideal hunting grounds for the tiger and other predators. Suitably impressed by the massive effort that must have been undertaken to relocate the villages, we wished that the same sagacity and wisdom is shown by the authorities of all the national parks in the country.

Suddenly a large herd of what looked to be deer galloped across the road. We were told that these were the rare Hard Ground Barasingha (a variety of deer) which had almost become extinct in the country a few years back. They are only found in Kanha and were almost on the verge of extinction with the numbers having dwindled to less than 70. A massive exercise in preservation and rehabilitation by the forest dept has gradually pulled it back from extinction and Kanha now has almost 700 of them in the wild. This was a sight we did not want to miss and so we stopped and looked at the majestically mercurial creatures as they pranced and grazed in the meadows. Barasingha is one variety of deer which does not eat leaves and survives exclusively on grass.

We saw herds of Spotted Deer, Peacocks, Sambhar, Langurs etc as we roamed deep within the core area. It was nearing 08:00 by now and the driver asked us whether we would like to go to centre point of Kanha for some tea etc. We eagerly nodded our combined approval as we really wanted to have some tea. Centre point is a meeting ground of sorts for the drivers and the guides and a convenient place to exchange notes and pass on information regarding sighting of the tiger.

There was a debate between the driver and the guide regarding the route to be taken for going to centre point. The driver’s view prevailed and we were soon heading towards centre point. At a tri junction of roads we saw another gypsy with the guide wildly gesticulating to us. We were unable to decipher the gesticulation, but the driver and guide immediately said that there was a tiger nearby. The roads were flanked by thick bamboo thickets and the ground was carpeted with dried bamboo leaves. The driver asked us to keep quiet as he slowly inched our vehicle closer to the other gypsy. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation and suddenly we could hear the unmistakable sound of dried bamboo leaves being crunched as something heavy trod upon them. Excitement was at its peak now and suddenly Jenny saw the tiger only a few feet away, walking majestically between the bamboo thickets. It was a full grown tigress and as we were to discover a few minutes later was also pregnant. It walked parallel to the road only a few feet away from our open gypsy. Jenny, driver and guide were by now wildly whispering “Take pics … take pics”. The excitement was too much even for Rituraj and in the sheer excitement he inadvertently pressed the self timer button on the camera and as the tiger walked out of the thicket and came onto the road he (Rituraj and not the tiger) looked stupefied and dumbfounded as the camera refused to click at his command!!! The tiger walked up the road, stopped and disdainfully turned around to look at us – it was a glorious photo opportunity but Rituraj kept looking bewildered, as the camera seemed to have acquired a mind of its own!!! And as suddenly as it had emerged, the tiger vanished in the thick bamboos.

Well, we had seen a tiger at really close quarters but alas, had no photographs. Unfortunately, we did not even seem to know what had suddenly gone wrong with the camera. We cursed our luck and were preparing to leave when the driver suggested that we wait for some time as the tiger may come out once again. As we waited on the other side of the tri junction now, Rituraj finally figured that he had pressed the self timer button and set it right. By now a couple of more gypsies had joined us. We waited with bated breath … and once again heard the unmistakable crunching sound. The tiger was moving in our direction. Everybody on the gypsies was electrified … and within a few moments the tiger was once again visible. It crossed the bamboo thicket and came onto the road just behind our gypsy. It was now that we saw that it was a pregnant female and was also slightly injured. It crossed the road behind us looking irritated and entered the bamboo thickets on the other side. This time Rituraj was able to take a few pics!!!

Some more gypsies had arrived by now and gleefully Jenny told them that the tiger crossed the road right behind us. The tiger was invisible once again; so we decided to leave the latecomers there and head for centre point.

Centre point, Kanha is a cluster of small buildings and has a canteen, clean toilets, a museum and nature education centre. As we walked towards the canteen, there was a spring in our step and the heads were held high, for we were the lucky few who had seen a tiger today. The canteen serves hot samosas, aloo bondas and tea. We gorged on the samosas and aloo bondas for we were feeling quite hungry (it was 08:30 by now) and washed it down with some tea. We also took a round of the nature education centre spread across a few buildings but could not see the whole thing as the power suddenly went off.

Mentally, physically and gastronomically refreshed, we left centre point feeling like the king and queen of the jungle. We had seen a tiger in the wild, had seen it walking, had seen it at really close quarters and so there was nothing else that seemed to matter. The driver and the guide concurred. “Tiger makes all other wild life pale into insignificance”, they opined. But roam in the jungle we did, and saw some more Barasingha, Sambhar, Spotted Deer, Langurs, Peacocks, Wild Boar and a beautiful and graceful hunting bird called Shikra.

The national park is open for visitors only till 10:30 and all vehicles have to be out of the gates by then. We were one of the first to get out and were gently cruising towards Khatia when once again we chanced upon the same herd of bison that we had seen earlier on. By now they were really next to the road. We could see the muscles rippling under the taut skin of the leading bull and a glimmering shine on the coats of the females. We waited and prayed that they cross the road. Slowly they ambled, munching on leaves and the angle of their movement convinced us that they would indeed cross the road in front of us. The sun was beating down mercilessly upon us, but oblivious to the discomfort we patiently waited. Our patient wait was rewarded as slowly one and then another and yet another female bison ambled across the road. The bull, however, was still busy eating. The driver wanted to leave but Rituraj was convinced that the bull would cross soon. So we waited. Thankfully, no other gypsies disturbed us and slowly the bull sauntered towards the road. It waited for a while, as if making up its mind, looked at the females of his herd on the other side of the road, seemed to shake his head and then with a determined look meandered through the bushes to emerge onto the road. Imperially it crossed the crossed the road about 15-20 feet away from our gypsy and joined his harem on the other side. The wait in the scorching sun had been worth every drop of sweat that dropped down our brows!!!

We reached the Mess around 10:45 to find there was a power cut and were told that it is a routine affair and power would resume at 12:00. It was not too hot within the room though and after a couple of cups of tea and a luxurious bath later we were feeling fresh (not as daisies though) again. Lunch was served at 12:00 and the simple yet tasty food made us feel sated and somnolent. Promptly we went off to sleep, for again we were to go to the jungle at 15:30 hrs.

We got up at 14:30 and with a cup of tea within us and a bath over us were as ready for venturing into the jungle as we could be. Rituraj in the meantime had recharged the camera battery and the camera was loaded with a fresh battery, the lenses of the binocular were gently wiped and the caps and towels vigorously shaken to remove the dust.

The queue of gypsies at Kisli gate was really long today and Jenny commented that there seemed to be more gypsies today as compared to yesterday. The afterglow of having seen a wild tiger at close quarters was still lurking within us. So we disdainfully roamed within the forest sighting myriad species of wild life. Jenny by now had started recognising some of the tracks and would feverishly whisper occasionally that this was the track we had taken in the morning or the day before.

The tiger is the supreme predator of the jungle and the prey start making alarm calls the moment they sight it walking or moving, which alerts the others regarding the presence of the tiger. In fact the Barking Deer is so called because its alarm call closely resembles the bark of a dog. Tigers are also fiercely territorial and zealously guard their territories from being poached upon by other tigers. They mark their territories by urinating and leaving deep claw marks on the barks of trees to signify that this is their territory. A keen wild life enthusiast that Rituraj is, he wanted to hear the alarm calls and see the claw marks. The driver showed us some deep claw marks made pretty high up on a tree and we wondered at the sheer strength of the claws that would have gouged such deep marks in a living tree!!

Suddenly, the driver stopped, tilted his head to one side, listened for a moment and said, “Tiger ka movement hai … spotted deer ka alarm call tha”. He drove towards the sound of the alarm calls … and now even we could hear the alarm calls of the spotted deer. As we drove closer, the intensity and the frequency of the calls increased. Suddenly, the calls stopped and there seemed to be a pin drop silence in the jungle. “The tiger has either made a kill or has sat down”, the driver said. Adrenalin was now coursing through our bodies. Despite the fact that we had seen a tiger during both our earlier excursions into the jungle, we still wanted to see yet another tiger!

From amidst the thick foliage of gigantic Sal trees, our gypsy slowly emerged and drove towards a large meadow, triangular in shape and flanked by jungle tracks on two sides. Immediately we saw a large number of gypsies standing on the other track. It was obvious that the tiger was somewhere close. And as suddenly as the alarm calls of spotted deer had subsided earlier, they started again. We were in a wrong position for the sighting though and could not see the area from where alarm calls were originating ,due to the thick grass cover in between. Dutifully, we urged the driver to drive towards the spot where other gypsies were standing. But even as he drove fast, we somehow knew that we were going to miss out on this sighting. Not to give up on hope though, we kept peering keenly for the rare stroke of luck.

Suddenly, Jenny who was looking through the binoculars, sighted the tiger across the other track. It was very far away and could only be seen through a binocular. Our luck had not deserted us yet, and though the sighting was from a distance, and the distance was too much for a photograph, and even though the sighting was only for a few seconds – a sighting of the tiger it certainly was. Had we not had the good fortune of having seen a tiger at really close quarters earlier we would have gone to town claiming to have seen a tiger in the wild!!

Our plan was to leave Kanha early the next morning and drive to Bandhavgarh. However, the lure of the tiger, coupled with some gentle coaxing by the locals made us readily alter the schedule. We now decided to once again visit the core area in the morning and leave for Bandhavgarh thereafter.