Day 2 – June 25, 2011

Eager to reach Kanha, we were up by dawn break. Narmada was serene and the morning, calm and divine around her. We bade goodbye to Gwarighat Sahib and hoped that we would meet Narmada somewhere else on her course.

We broke for hot tea and the much famed sev-poha of Madhya Pradesh. After an hour or so, the smell of sizzling parathas made us jump out of the cars again. Plate after plate, the hot Punjabi delicacy was consumed by a hunger unknown till then to most of us!

11:20

Finally, we arrived at the Kisli Gate of Kanha National Park. A fifteen minute drive to Baghira Loghuts, Madhya Pradesh Tourism’s resort inside the Park, was utmost thrilling and unforgettable. Flanked by tall Sal trees on both sides, the road led us ahead to a green haven. It was the buffer zone of the Park which was also brim with inmates.

Baghira Loghuts was beautifully placed at a slightly higher level than the road. It rightfully derived its name from the resident predator that frequented the resort premises – the Baghira or the Leopard. The weather had cast a spell on us; a pleasant climate with an early monsoon drizzle that pacified the earth had done the magic. A simple luncheon was served. Rains decided to commence that evening. An incessant pouring till around seven flattened all hopes of an evening safari to the sunset point where Indian Gaurs supposedly congregated every evening to discuss their grazing issues. We sat restricted to our enclosures. On the one hand we were disappointed at a safari being cancelled, on the other hand, we could not have asked for more. It was a beautiful evening amidst the dense green with a heavy downpour. Having always only witnessed the monsoon cloud bursting on the concrete jungles, it was great to see and feel the heavy rains inside a forest.

It was an intimidating feeling to be staying inside and near the core area of the National Park, with all kinds of prey and predators roaming around, sometimes seen and at others unseen. As we walked in a parade with torches from our dormitories to the canteen for dinner, we could see small specs of light. They were concentrated at a certain spot. It looked as if a portion of the Milky Way had descended on earth, only these were yellow gleams rather than the white ones. We realised we were looking directly at a large herd of Chital (or the spotted deer). A local informed us that it was their resting place most nights. After a satisfying dinner, we marched back to the accommodations.

A jungle is pitch-dark in the night with only a humble moon emitting a soothing light. But with dense trees on either side, the mild moonlight did not reach the earth on certain portions and we were forced to form a human chain to reach our place across the road, armed with intermediate flashlights. We were seated in the verandas discussing Jugnu a small light emitting insect, when a sudden yell alerted us.

A small snake was trying to devour a fat gecko that had got stuck half way in its mouth and all this drama was happening inside the ladies washroom which had resulted in the scream. Eventually, with human intervention the gecko removed itself completely from the snake’s insides  and the snake coiled around the twig which was used for the gecko rescue operation. The snake was brought to veranda so that every daring body could get a good look at it. It transpired to be a small non-poisonous one, a wolf-snake, but having had to surrender the captured and almost gulped down prey, it had become a bit aggressive. Too much attention was being poured on the snake, so wanting to share the lime light flooded upon it by the gathered foreigners, a dark bottle green scorpion made its appearance from behind.

A scorpion seemingly more feared than snakes for their famous sting, the onlookers were scared beyond wits. It was decided that the snake be released on a nearby tree branch so that the new arrival could be attended to. A disappointed snake slithered away as quickly as possible. All eyes were on the scorpion now. It seemed to be judging the surroundings before proudly parading to the edge of the steps and melting with the green grass.

Finally, after a reptilian encounter, we decided to call it a day and embrace our beds. As we settled for a good night’s sleep, a look at the ceiling was enough to alarm the timid hearts. Sleep suddenly deceived our eyes. Fat, over grown geckos were blinking at us from the top, hanging upside down. If only, I did not have full faith in the Newton’s Laws of Gravity and was not amazed by the inverted crawling and sticking capacity of the creature, I would have surely made a hasty exodus from the room. Not looking at them was the only thing that could placate us. But a subconscious mind kept hinting at their close presence. Monkeys slept on the dormitory roof tops, insinuating their presence at every opportunity without fail. Rain was dripping off the corrugated roofs. It was almost living in the wild except that we had a secured cover over us and the forest had sent its denizens, first the reptiles and then the mammals to keep a good eye on us. An experience few would get. Despite all these, we still managed to get some sleep before the next day’s events. We closed our eyes with the thought that were still on the other side of the Gate!

(to be continued…)