‘A spell is cast, a drama unveiled, enter their arena and you feel the mystic,a lot to offer, both majestic and mild, they will enchant you with their style!’ These lines seep into my mind whenever I think of the forests of Dudhwa. A lovely reminiscence retraces the winding and straight roads; the cold winter…

The much dreamt off destination of any wildlife enthusiast across the globe would undeniably be Masai Mara. We were eager to see the big cats. We reached from Naivasha to Mara in time for the evening safari. And just minutes into the safari, our keen eyes spotted the completely camouflaged felines; a pride of about…

Our next halt was at Lake Naivasha. The resort was a beautiful place with the lake at its periphery. Tall and huge trees adorned the entire plot. Lots of trees meant lots of birds. They were everywhere shooting in and out from various directions, of varied sizes, colours and calls. It was mellifluous cacophony. Parakeets,…

Ranthambhor, Kanha, Pench, our national animal had eluded me in all these places. And so I decided to take refuge in Bandhavgarh, the Land of Tigers! Evening safari of the previous day had proved tiger-less. A new day brought in new hope, and we embarked on our next safari with renewed vigour. Just minutes into the…

15:30 The evening safari reinforced our hopes of seeing the Lion King. After necessary entry formalities, we were once again inside our favourite arena and riding confidently with an assured air. A live railway track passed through the forests. And sadly, it has been responsible for many lion deaths. We spotted a Chital leaping across…

We had travelled to Ranthambhore, Kanha and Pench to catch a glimpse of our beloved beautiful beast – the Tiger; each a popular and predominant tiger land of the country. Tigers are the kings in these parts and most of the Indian forests, the only other big predator being the cautious leopards. Tigers are more…

Bright and Dazzling Sun, Tranquil and Passionate Moon, Tickled and Twinkling Stars, Roaring and Sinuous River, Unbound and Howling Wind, Painted and Open Skies, Loving and Caressing Rain, Giant and Gentle Mountain, Hale and Hearty Trees, Blossoming and Sensuous Flowers, Bold and Colourful Butterflies, Merry and Racing Birds, Friendly and Free Animals, Serene and Rejuvenated…

Day 4 – June 27, 2011 8:30 Ujjain, a holy abode, received us enthusiastically. We refreshed ourselves at a nearby hotel; relished a nice breakfast; hired a rickshaw and were off for the ensuing temple tour. With the Kaal Bhairav and Maha Kaal, Ujjain seemed to be one of the favourite destinations of the Mahadev…

Day 3 – June 26, 2011 As rains had marred all safari prospects last evening, four of us were up by 4:45, to check on the weather conditions. With the moon still watching over us, no signs of sun and a slight drizzle, we slowly walked to the safari gates to ascertain whether our hopes…

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…