The rolling hills and silver oaks invited us to visit them at Panchgani. We had heard a lot about the breathtaking view from every corner of Panchgani and were intrigued. So finally, we decided to make the trip in December 2009. Yes! My mother and I are just back from the cozy town of Panchgani.

Panchgani is around 21 kms (30 mins) before the other more popular and populated sister hill station, Mahabaleshwar. It is in the state of Maharashtra, India and an ideal place for a quick getaway. The travel agents tried very hard persuading us to go to Mahabaleshwar instead but we were firm on our decision.

We set out on a sultry Friday night from Mumbai by the 10:30 pm bus. The bus set off on its 6 hour journey to Panchgani where we arrived at 6 am. It was pitch dark and freezing cold. As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were surrounded by taxi drivers wanting to drive us down to the hotel. Drive!!! Are the hotels so far away?!! These are the thoughts which might come to the minds of my readers.

You see I had done a lot of research before booking our room. There are several hotels in Panchgani. Some are 2.5 km away from the Market. Some are at a walk of 15 mins away (without being loaded down with luggage and bags!!!).

I asked them for directions to our hotel and we were told that it was within walkable distance down the road. I had already enquired at the Front Desk before booking and was informed that it was around 2 mins away from where the bus stops. So we were prepared for a little walk. We hoisted up our bags and moved ahead, trying our best to get our bearings and did realize that the bus had dropped us off on the main market street and had carried on straight ahead to Mahabaleshwar.

We asked for directions at a roadside tea stall where the owner was brewing steaming hot tea. Since it was all dark, the landmark given to us was the streetlamp and Mala’s outlet and we turned right from there down a sloping road and were soon at our hotel. We were met by a closed door and sleepy hotel staff wrapped up in their blankets; one of which got up and handed us the room key. Once we got there, we put down our bags and stretched out our tired selves on the warm, cozy and comfortable bed and were soon fast asleep.

Day 1 : We were woken up at 8:30 am by the doorbell. It was a kind staff member informing us that hot water would be available only till 10 am. So we went about our ablutions and called room service for breakfast consisting of buttered toast, scrambled eggs and tea. The bill totaled Rs 300 for 3 days breakfast.

Now that we were fully awake (as my mother said later, the 2 hrs sleep did us good!!), we drew aside the window curtain and took in the beautiful view of the hills covered in mist right outside our picture window. The considerate hotel manager had given us a room on the topmost floor. There were 2 schools in front of the hotel. Panchgani is known for its vast number of prestigious boarding schools.

The sun was shining brightly but I noticed a lot of people walking around wrapped in shawls or cardigans. The hotel was in a quiet lane.

Once done with breakfast, we moved out of our hotel and walked up to the top of the slope, to the Main Road/market street/shopping area. We decided to walk around the place and discover its nooks and crannies. We saw the well-known Vidya Niketan Co-educational School just opposite our lane. This is where we met our bus, 3 days later, back to Mumbai.

Now that we were at the market street, we decided to walk up and down. We walked up first, in the direction, towards the place we stepped off the bus from Mumbai. The shops were open and there were plenty of shops. Oh my!!

We saw a shop selling pure honey , fruit punches, chana (white chickpea), juices, squashes, sweets, groceries, hardware, home essentials, stores, vegetable market, fresh stock etc. etc. There was even a Cottage Industries Emporium selling hand crafted Kashmiri items and clothing where we shopped in the evening, at the circle where the bus stops. A husband and wife run the shop which deals in silks, pashmina’s, silk embroideries, shawls, carpets, leather goods, wood carving, jewellery, paper machie, dress materials. It is situated on the Main Road. Cell: 09890590546, 02168-241722. The owner, Mr. Tariq was very helpful when my mother bought a whole lot of cardigans and shawls for herself and her sisters. He also has a wonderful stock of Indian wear and men’s pullovers, winter jackets etc. along with Kashmiri handicrafts. And, if I may say so, he serves very nice tea to selective customers. This being my mother’s declaration!!

As we walked down the Main Road or market road, we came across a garden, a Mapro factory outlet and passed by the lane leading to Hotel Prospect, IL Palazzo. I had visited the website of these 2 hotels and was keen on seeing them for real. Hotel Prospect was the first hotel in Panchgani, built in 1912, run by a Parsi family. It is a good 15 mins walk away from the Main Road, secluded inside a quiet, winding lane. We stepped through the huge, wrought iron gates kept wide open onto the flower lined driveway. We met the jovial elderly gentlemen owning the hotel along the way. He was on a short mid morning walk and welcomed us in and asked us to explore the property. We did peep in but didn’t go upto the office as all the details were on their website.

It was lunchtime soon and we were hungry walking around. The mountain air added to it all. There is a shopping centre close to the post office which has around 3 or 4 restaurants. Lunch was at the canopy covered courtyard of the Red Sea restaurant (pix at the end of post).

As soon as we stepped out of this open air restaurant, we came across an old man selling slippers in various colours for Rs 100 each. I bought 3 pairs in mauve, pink and dark blue. They were so comfortable to wear. I request all my readers to patronize this old man who makes the slippers at home.

We had a short nap after lunch. Our hotel manager told us that a sight seeing tour of Panchgani tourist spots would cost us Rs 350 and take around 3 hours, beginning at 3 pm..
So we met the cabbie below at around 3 pm which took us first to Sydney Point, close to Hotel Ravine. There is a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills and the Krishna river flowing in between, at the foot of the hills.

The next stop was the Tableland which is the second highest plateau in Asia, the highest being the Tibetan plateau. The Tableland has a circumference of 6 ½ km and takes around an hour to cover by the horse buggy/carriage or by foot. We did it by foot to where the horses take the tourists to view the surrounding landscape. The tableland is at a walkable distance of 20 – 30 mins from the Main Road, past Mr. Tariq’s shop, up the slope towards the St. Joseph’s school.

The next stop was Parsi Point and then back to our room till we stepped out for dinner and a little shopping at the Mala’s outlet close to our lane. They sell the most amazing fresh jams, squashes, syrups, fruit chews, cordials etc.

The shop selling honey, also stocks cashews, chikki, and the most tasty and delightful chocolate-walnut fudge (Rs 120 for a 250 gm box). I recommend all to try it. We did buy some strawberry and choco-walnut fudge in Mahabaleshwar but it wasn’t as nice as this.

Day 2: We decided to make a day trip to Mahabaleshwar considering it being a short distance of 21 kms or 30 mins away by bus. We made all the enquiries the previous day. The bus depot is on the Main Road and Mr. Tariq advised us to take the “green luxury” bus which passes by every hour through Panchgani on the way to Mahabaleshwar. The tickets are Rs. 18 per person.

So, soon after a hearty breakfast, we set off to the bus depot and waited for the “green” bus! We discovered that there are local State Transport “red” buses every 15 mins to Mahabaleshwar but opted to take the green bus as I suffer from hill road sickness.

The bus came around 11:20 am and after a short halt of 5 mins, set off. We arrived at the Mahabaleshwar bus depot at around noon. The bus depot is opposite the petrol station. We have been to Mahabaleshwar twice before and are familiar with the place. So we strolled down the market place and shopping area lined with shops crowded with tourists and touristy things. It is a highly populated and busy place. We did visit all the shops though as the colourful, attractive displays pulled us in. Lunch was at Nukkad Restaurant close to the church.
Tip: They do have a washroom in the premises which was a welcome relief.

Dessert was at Strawberry Den in the market place which dishes out the most amazing Strawberry and Cream for Rs 60. It has loads of strawberries, cream and ice-cream. This is the most popular place.

My advice to all fellow travel sickness passengers who suffer from this discomfort would be to have lunch as soon as you get to Mahabaleshwar, i.e. if you are traveling up from Panchgani and have to return in a few hours. You can do your shopping after lunch, the walk and after lunch duration helps digestion and you will be able to make the journey back by bus.

We arrived at 12 noon but I made the mistake of having lunch around 1:30 and we were done by 2:15. We had already seen everything and visited all the shops; did our shopping. There was nothing much left to do after lunch and we would have to while away our time for atleast 2 hrs. before I could hop onto a bus. That was too much time to kill. We did walk around for around half an hour but how much more?! So we returned to the bus depot to see if I could make it back by bus. There was a ST bus about to leave and we stepped in. I felt squeamish as soon as I set foot in so I retreated. The “green” bus would come only after an hour, so we asked around for a taxi to Panchgani. There is a taxi stand just outside the bus depot. We were already aware of the charges of Rs 350 to Panchgani/Mahabaleshwar, one way. We didn’t have a choice. My mother was tired already, I was feeling unwell and so we hopped into the cab and sped away to Panchgani. The cabbie did tell us that a trip to from Mahabaleshwar to Panchgani and back would cost us Rs 425. He dropped us outside our hotel in 25-30 mins. We were exhausted and took a nice long nap till evening. Dinner was at the same restaurant.

Day 3: Mr. Tariq had told us about Sherbaug and we had seen it advertised everywhere. He told us that it was a nature theme park and that we would find it quite interesting. So we set out soon after breakfast and decided to walk down to Sherbaug. We left the market road, past Hotel Ravine, Hotel Mount View, and Hotel Mount Castle etc. The entrance fee is Rs 300 per person and Rs 50 for a camera. The entrance has a jungle theme to it with an artificial blue stream of water continuously flowing. The entire park has a quaintness about it with winding pathways where people can walk in single file, through archways, past waterfalls, gardens, flower beds, horticultural spaces, all along guided by signpost saying “This Way Please”, otherwise one can just lose oneself in this labyrinth. You suddenly cross a wooden bridge to come across an Art Gallery where Mr. Tariq has his other shop. It was a surprise for us too. I did buy a Kashmiri embroidered short tunic in white from there. There is a restaurant close by; food cooked by local housewives and served by students in a village style ambience. Next to this is the dinosaur cave and the cave of ghosts. I cannot describe any of this as we didn’t venture in. We did stop for a chilled glass of “Maaza” and then carried on. Too soon we reached the exit and left the theme park walking past a blue stream of flowing water. We walked back to our favourite restaurant for lunch at around 2 pm and then a short nap at the hotel till evening tea.

Dinner was light and ended with a glass of hot chocolate.

We had to meet the bus back to Mumbai outside the Vidya Niketan School at 9:30 am. The bus begins at Mahabaleshwar. I had my breakfast around 8:30 am and we boarded the bus at 10 am which was a wise decision since I was the only lady who was not “sick” in the bus. The other passengers had boarded the bus at Mahabaleshwar and a little out of Panchgani the bus had to stop for all the “sick” passengers. I faced the same ordeal on the 2 earlier occasions when we were traveling down from Mahabaleshwar.

We were back home by 4:30 am.

My mother and I were both heartbroken when we left Panchgani and wanted to linger on and on. There is a kind of calm and peace still there, free from tourists (of course we made the trip just before the season time begins around Dec 20th). Unlike Mahabaleshwar where one has to travel to be with nature, Panchgani offers the regular tourist a chance to be with nature anywhere in the town itself.

HOTELS – http://www.mahabaleshwar.com/
Hotel Summer Palace, Tel: 02168 – 240523, 240538 – Entrance view, our room pix – For other information – http://www.panchgani-sheeshmahel.com/
SHERBAUG pix – http://www.sherbaug.com/sherbaug/sherbaugintro/ , http://www.sherbaug.com/sherbaug/sherbaugliving/
MALA’s – http://www.malasfruit.com/

Legend goes that when Babar was scouting for routes to find an easy way to cross the Hindu Kush mountains over to India, a wise man suggested that he follow the tracks of the Indian Wild Ass, which in those days roamed all over North West India, Pakistan and Iran. When my guide DevjiBhai, saw the incredulous look on my face as he narrated this story, he simply said “Come with me for a safari. Not many can survive such tough conditions.”

A couple of hours later, as we rode over the bleak and barren landscape, flat as a pancake, the sun beating down on us, the salt laden winds cutting across ,DevjiBhai ‘s words kept ringing in my ears. After countless trips to the salubrious mountains, here I am on a battered jeep, driving through, what for me, was one of the most inhospitable and unwelcoming of all terrains- Little Rann of Kutch.

I couldn’t have asked for a better guide for my stay in Rann. DevjiBhai Dhamecha, a local from Dhanghadra, one of the few villages dotting the border of the sanctuary, started out as an amateur photographer, chronicling life in the sanctuary. Over the years he became the voice of Little Rann, and protecting the sanctuary has since been his sole ambition in life. We stayed at DevjiBhai‘s Kooba huts, circular mud huts with conical roofs, built on the style of Banjania tribes of Northern Gujarat.

The Rann of Kutch is a vast saline wasteland of around 30,000 sq kms, between the Gulf of Kutch and the Indus in Pakistan and is the largest declared biosphere in India. This inhospitable terrain is an effective deterrent for illegal immigrants – a wrong turn in this endless desert could indeed prove fatal. This vast expanse was once an extension of the Arabian Sea, but centuries of silting have turned it into an extensive mudflat, inundated during the monsoons, salty and cracked in the other seasons. The Rann (salt marshes in Hindi), was a navigable lake during the time of Alexander.

Surprisingly enough, the Rann has five distinct wetlands which are a rich habitat for a wide range of water and terrestrial birds including the famed flamingoes. We took the highway which ran alongside the sanctuary to a marshy area where DevjiBhai assured me I would still be able to see a few of those remaining migratory birds – given that it is almost summer now and they have flown back to cooler climes.

I expected to spot a few desultory birds, and was pleasantly surprised to see rows and rows of birds, carpeting the entire marsh – a colorful tapestry of the white Demoiselle Cranes, the Pink flamingoes and red-wattled Lapwing, interspersed with the Little Cormorant, Pelicans, Lesser Flamingoes, Herons and Egrets. In the winters, I can only imagine this place turning into a bird lover’s paradise.

Trying to get a better shot of the birds, I waded through the black mud as quietly as I could. My foot slipped and I was unsteady for a moment. Enough to alert the birds and I witnessed the magnificent sight where the entire lot took to the air en masse, and the only sound I heard was the distinct flapping of a thousand pairs of wings.

On the way back to the Kooba huts, we were lucky enough to cross a group of Maldharis, as they were packing up for the next leg of their journey. The Maldharis are nomadic herdsmen who migrate annually after the winters from Kutch and Saurashtra to Madhya Pradesh. From their long black headscarves and magical symbols tattooed on the arms, we were told that they were the Rabaris, believed to be descendants of the Huns who invaded India in the 5th century. The women were tall and well built and clearly very business savvy as they demanded 300 rupees before I could even take off the lens cover from my camera!

The next day’s safari, far inside the sanctuary, transported me to a different panorama altogether. In a landscape where nothingness defined everything, it was DevjiBhai’s experience that guided us around the flat land and a bare horizon broken only by the occasional salt pan or sometimes a bet (plateau or elevated island).

The only other tire tracks we saw were that of salt trucks. Gujarat is the largest salt producer in India and a third of it comes from the salt pans of Rann. And due credit must be given to the hardy Agarias, the traditional salt workers, who battle hard conditions ,camping in the midst of the desert to eke out a living from the salt pans.

It is important for the water to keep flowing through the salt pan without interruption so that salt crystals are formed properly-which makes it imperative for the Agarias to pitch tents with family, in the summer heat. As the summer heat intensifies, the salt in the blistered earth is transformed into a radiant dazzling whiteness “Even after an Agaria is cremated, the soles of his feet remain intact “, rues DevjiBhai who himself hails from a family of salt workers. “Years of toiling bare feet in the salt pans harden their skin to the extent that even fire cannot burn it.”

I was prepared to see mirages in the desert, of course, but that still did not bar me from making the classic blooper, the first time I spotted a ‘lake’ far off in the horizon. In my defense, I actually thought it was an artificial water body constructed by the salt workers. A few moments later I saw a couple of trucks hovering above the shimmering reflection and I was finally convinced that it was a mirage after all.

As we moved away from the salt pans, the hard cracked earth gave way to the softer sand of the deserts, where we drove across herds of the chestnut brown Wild Asses (Equus Hemionus Khur).Locally known as the Ghud Khur, it is one of the sturdiest animals able to withstand the desert heat and survive on scrubby grass and food of prosopsis- the few saline resistant plants that can grow here. The Rann is the home of the last surviving Asiatic Wild Asses and along with the Blue Bulls (Nilgais) they are most easily spotted fauna in the desert.

In the monsoons, tidal waters flood the land and the land becomes totally submerged as the Rann fills up with seasonal brackish water ideal for shrimps. The desert metamorphosises to a huge fishing pond and the Agarias give way to the local Maachlimars who then use boats for shrimp cultivation. That explained the rather surreal scene of boats lying abandoned in the midst of the barren deserts!

Evening set in and as the jeep took one last turn, I saw smoke coming up far away from an Agaria camp. A family of salt workers preparing for dinner maybe? For me it was a step into a difficult hostile terrain – I could enjoy the novelty of this unique terrain, unparalleled in the world, comforted by the fact that I was just hours away from the comforts of city life. But for that family of Agarias, the summer has just started. And with it the beginning of hard toil under the relentless sun, with not even a tree for shade.

When we told our colleagues that we are about to go on a ‘weekend’ trip to Paris, they gave us an incredulous look: “Paris? In two days? But, what will you get to see in two days?”

But they didn’t know how big a chance it was for us – a bunch of four young people on an official trip to Germany, who can’t think of making ‘personal’ trips to such places (at least now). A trip to Germany was a boon, as some great places like Paris, Salzburg, and Zurich were just a few hours away. And Paris was everyone’s first favorite. So off we went to Paris!

We had made good plans considering the limited time we had. We had made careful plans of our trip, places that we wanted to see. We had chosen a youth hostel that will quickly let us board metro trains.
We landed in Paris, early morning on a fine summer Saturday. After a quick and sumptuous breakfast of buttered French croissants, we decided to take the metro to our first destination – the Louvre museum

Forget Paris
So we boarded our route, so confident that we have managed to work out the metro routes (which is really fantastic in terms of its simplicity), taking a few photographs here and there (‘Hey, in front of that billboard…pst….pst…with that woman in bikini).

I was the last one to get into the train. I saw that my friend, who had boarded the train just in front of me, was trying to help a guy who had dropped his keys, at my friend’s feet. Somehow, this guy was having a difficult time picking his keys and my friend bent down to help this guy out. Finally, the guy got his keys and left and I boarded the train, just in time for the train’s gates to close. Something struck my friend and he felt his back pockets – his valet was gone!! We quickly realized that the ‘key’ guy had an accomplice, who was standing behind my friend – who had picked his valet, when all our attention was on the ‘key’ guy! The whole incident happened in a fraction of a minute. The whole act was so well choreographed by these guys that we didn’t suspect till it all got over! All we managed to see was the look on the face of the thieves as our train sped out of station!! My friend had his credit cards, a good amount of Euros and everything was gone! We were stunned!! All the enthusiasm just ebbed!

The next 3 hours were spent in a crazy frenzy – getting down at the next station, trying to get the credit cards blocked and to lodge a police complaint (for insurance). All were easier said than done.
The problem of not knowing French quickly took on us. Somehow, I had imagined that French would be a lot easier to understand (though I didn’t know the language). You know, French is more familiar in India – it’s more commonly taught in schools, Paris and Eiffel Tower are more familiar places and so on… But no sire, that was not the case to be.

None in that great city could speak English and we couldn’t make out one (French) word of what they were saying. All I could manage was to say ‘Oui….oui’ and to borrow some good old school-days’ mono-acting, miming and some dancing skills (“left side is this way… right side is the other way”) to get us some help. Finally, a Sri Lankan Tamil running an internet shop helped us to block the cards and get directions to the police station. By this time, we had walked so much on original, quaint French streets and some insolent members of the group, were, as always, busy in capturing the authentic Parisian streets and windows (remember, French windows? We have seen the real ones!).

And when we finally did reach the police station, we had to wait for an hour and a half, by when the station could get an English-speaking policeman. My friend said that it turned out to be a lovely French lady, and that was some consolation.

But everything was squashed! Our great plans had turned awry! The first half of Saturday was gone and we had not seen a single place in Paris (except for the lovely, quaint streets & windows). Everyone was disappointed in one way or the other, and this mood hung around like a mist shrouding the scenic beauty. Instead of that confident, carefree attitude that we sported earlier, we were all had become paranoiac – Is someone too close Are the bags properly zipped? Are the wallets still in their place? But no, it was not a moody trip at all, after that thrilling start, the song and dance sequences did begin.

The Da Vinci Code
We had about one and half days now and we had to tighten our plan. We decided to stick to our first destination – the Louvre Museum of Arts.

There was definitely a reason. We all knew that its one of the world’s biggest art house. But more than that, most of us had just read Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (some reread the novel as homework to this trip!). This museum is the setting for the racy start and the climax of this novel, which describes extensively the museum’s structure, the glass pyramids, the great art works, especially that of Da Vinci, and very specifically, the Mona Lisa. Yeah, we all now knew something more than an average museum visitor and it was time for show off!
The Louvre museum is so huge that it is said that one needs almost a month if he’s to pay attention to every piece of art in this museum. For instance, the museum’s most popular salle Denon hall way, which holds hundreds and hundreds of great art works including that of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio et al, is itself so long that it appears to stretch into the horizon.

Now that we had to shrink the one month experience to four hours, our sole aim was to see the Mona Lisa before anything. The Museum people know the expectations of such tourists that they have put up enough billboards in every corner indicating the directions to reach her. So, crossing many an awe-inspiring paintings and statutes we reached the hallway of the Grand Gallery, which housed the Mona Lisa. The hype was expectedly high with a buzzing crowd and blinding camera flashes everywhere. I had to literally push my way to the painting.
Oh! Is this what I expected? The painting was smaller than I had imagined and looked simple? I didn’t know how to react. Yes, it’s the most popular of all paintings, but should I get awed just for that reason? Nevertheless, I got the feeling of seeing a very important person. I remembered the time when I got to see a movie actor in person, an actor who I didn’t admire too much. Nevertheless, the feeling that I’m seeing a popular actor itself made the moment memorable. Such was my feeling on seeing the Mona Lisa, the lady (or is it a guy? As some theories suggest that it’s the portrait of Da Vinci himself) who gave the name for all bewitching, mysterious, half smiles.
I felt that there were other paintings that were awe-inspiring, such as the huge and splendid ‘The wedding at Cana’, just in front of the Mona Lisa.

And there was a moment of crowning glory – the novel ‘Da Vinci Code’ has references to a painting titled, ‘Madonna of the Rocks’. So I was very interested to see it, but the size of the painting gallery didn’t make it easy to locate the painting. I wandered around, found a museum employee, and asked her in that ‘art bug’ tone, sure that I would impress her with a knowledge that goes beyond Mona Lisa, “Could you please tell me where ‘Madonna of the Rocks’ is located?” The lady simply smiled, “But of course sir! That’s what you’re seeing in front of you!!’ I’m sure, Da Vinci would have failed to recapture that very beautiful foolish grin on my face then.

A Little Romance
After nearly five hours in Louvre, and after several more splendid paintings and artworks, we stepped out into the cheerful, early evening light into the gardens of Tuileries and into Avenue des Champs-Elysees – the popular, beautiful, tree-lined avenue known for its chic, luxury shops (where most people only do window shopping). Many places of touristic interest such as Grande Palais, Esplanade des Invalides, the lovely Alexandre III ponte (bridge) over Seine, are within bounds from this avenue. The much popular monument, the Arc de Triomphe is at the far end of this avenue (with the Louvre at the other end).

Being at the centre of such scenic attractions, we were greeted by a festive mood of tourists from different countries, kids & balloons, coffee and pastry shops, road-side artists busy in making portraits of people. We took a long, relaxed walk along the avenue, taking in these beautiful sights. All the while, the Eiffel was beckoning us with occasional glimpses through trees and beautiful buildings.

As the sun began its descent, we reached Eiffel, the place of dreams, the place where love flutters in the air and hearts flutter along with it.
It’s truly an awesome structure, approximately 1063 feet in height! It’s so tall that its top is said to sway by a few centimeters because of might winds at that level!!

So far, we had walked for nine god hours. But on seeing Eiffel, our enthusiasm hit such high notes that we dared to climb the first 1000-odd steps on foot to reach the 2nd storey of the tower. When our breaths couldn’t match our zeal, we took the elevator to the top, top, top most level of the tower. By then it had grown dark – lights started blinking far, far down and all around below and wow, would I be able to put in words how I felt there?!

The panoramic view of the city, its lights, the lights on the cruise boats floating in the Seine, the distant lights of the traffic – I felt heady. With the winds howling and the tower falling to great depths below, one truly feels that he’s on the top of the world and if jumped out, he’d just start flying!

Of course, one would long for that perfect company for such flights of fantasies, and such pangs are just aggravated by another authentic French stuff, the French kiss, which isn’t too rare at this place.
We stood there taking in the world around us for a long, long time. We knew not that the time was racing past 1 AM in the night. We had forgotten the disappointing moments of the morning. We had forgotten that we had tighter plans for tomorrow. We didn’t care who we were with. We felt comfortably numb, as Pink Floyd had sung and we felt happily content with life.

As Eiffel began to sparkle with its 2000-odd lights, we silently thanked God for putting us at that place at that time. We had had a trip of our lifetime.

There is something about wilderness which attracts us. Maybe, living in a concrete jungle with predatory humans for company, the tree filled jungles where real predators and their prey remain in harmony seems a better option. Of course, being a city dweller since birth and knowing nothing of rural life, I wonder if I will be able to live happily in a village for more than a few days. All the same, it is wonderful to get away from the sea of humanity during the holidays, and we are always on the lookout for a place which will take us far from the madding crowd. This time, all our wishes were fulfilled when we spent the best 48 hours of our Christmas vacation at K.Gudi near Chamrajnagar (Karnataka).

We started from Ooty early in the morning, and weaved our way along the highway which passes through Masinagudi, Mudumalai and Bandipur. (If any of you are planning a similar trip, it would be a good idea to combine a visit to the sanctuary along with the journey towards Mysore). Since we had already been on the jungle safari earlier, we did not stop, but went on with our journey. We were, however lucky to see some herd of deer on the way. I found myself with better shots of the deer this time, than on our jungle safari! The journey from Ooty to K.Gudi took us about 3 ½ hours.

K.Gudi expands to Kyatadevara Gudi, named for a tribal deity who has a temple here. This is a small hamlet about 20 Kms from B.R.Hills. This place is a discovery of the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore, who found it a convenient location to build hunting lodge. This structure stands here till date, of course, after some renovation, and is now the main reception and office of Jungle Lodges and Resorts, who have built one of their eco-friendly lodges here. Today, this place is part of the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary – the Belligiri Rangaswamy Temple Sanctuary – and is one of the few places in India where you can stay inside the sanctuary itself, with the full permission of the concerned authorities. Right opposite the lodge is the forest department guest house, also an old structure, now renovated, but dating back to the British era, believed by some to be haunted!!!!

We were welcomed on our arrival at the resort by Mr. Narayan, who is the naturalist at the resort. One who grew up in a village on the banks of the Kabini, Narayan has a close relationship with the flora and fauna of the area and was extremely helpful as well as informative. Samhith was thrilled to hear that we would be leaving after lunch for our first jungle safari, and that we would be going for one every morning and afternoon. However, what captured his attention was a pair of elephants in the lodge, one of which was bathing in a lake just outside the resort. It was the first time that I saw an elephant bathing, and it was a wonderful sight. I couldn’t stop taking photographs!!!

There are about 8 tented cottages and 3 log huts available at the resort. There are also a few well appointed rooms at the hunting lodge which also houses as the main office. We had tried to book one of the log huts, but even more than 3 months back, they were all booked, and we had to settle for the last tent available. However, staying in the tented cottage itself was a wonderful experience. Two easy chairs outside beckoned us, and inside, it was roomy and contained a double bed and a couple of tables and clothes-hanger. A door behind the tent led to a large bathroom. Very basic, but sufficient and comfortable. We were warned to strictly keep the door closed at all times, for the area was full of monkeys who wouldn’t hesitate to take over our room at the slightest chance.

We were ready at 4 PM after lunch and a short siesta for tea and an introductory talk given by Narayan. He spoke about the lodge, its history, and the kind of animals that made the forest their home. He was very clear, and emphasized that we wouldn’t see all the animals, but only some, and that too, with a bit of luck. An interesting and encouraging thing was a list on a whiteboard right outside, which listed all the sightings of animals in the last 2 weeks. It was extremely encouraging to note that leopards had been seen no less than 6 times, and a tiger had been sighted twice. He specifically asked everyone present not to use the flash during taking photographs. It was only then that I realized that I had no idea how to switch off the flash in my camera, and he happily obliged. We set off in an open jeep for the safari.

I suppose the most important factor in a safari is luck. We saw a number of deer – spotted deer (Chital), barking deer and S?mbhar. However, the most interesting animal we saw was a herd of Bison (Gaur). They were returning from a water hole, and obliged us by standing still for a few minutes. Lady luck parted from us at this point, for we just missed seeing a couple of leopards which were seen by people in the jeep before us. The driver alerted our driver through the wireless, but by the time we reached the place, they were gone, and didn’t return.

We returned from the safari, feeling cold to the point of shivering. Coming from Ooty, we felt that it wouldn’t be too cold, and thinking we could bear the slight chill, we had neglected to carry our woolen clothes for the safari. The temperature in the higher reaches of the forest soon chilled us to our bones, and we decided never to venture out again without sweaters. Tea and snacks at the lodge proved to be welcome, and a documentary on the Cobra kept us entertained.

Incidentally, I must mention that the lodge is powered by solar power, and in the winter, thanks to the sun being invisible most of the time, electricity is limited, and is confined to the times of absolute necessity. The lights come on in the morning at 6 AM, acting as a wake-up call, and stay just ling enough for us to get dressed and ready for the morning safari. After that, the electric supply is restricted to the office every evening, the lights come on at 7 PM, when a wildlife documentary is screened, and stays on till 9 or 9:30 PM. The geyser and the main light are operated centrally, so as to minimize wastage. We had to use the power supply in the office for charging my camera batteries and chose to leave our cell phones un-charged. We thus were totally unreachable, a wonderful feeling!

We were woken up the next morning by the light coming on at 6 AM, followed almost at once by one of the staff with hot tea and coffee. In a few minutes, we were dressed, and ready for our second venture into the forest. This time, we were welcomed by a mother and baby elephant, who moved closer to the bushes as we approached, but otherwise showed no great fear of us, the two legged creatures, aliens in their land. We only saw a few other deer on this trip, and returned rather disappointed to the lodge.

Breakfast was ready when we returned, and we happily tucked in, surprisingly hungry, for we hadn’t done anything but sit in the jeep! At 9:30, we were told to go to the lake, where we would go for an elephant ride, the next programme on our itinerary. We had to wait fir our turn, for there were a number of youngsters who had hastened there, looking forward to the ride. Samhith was getting restless at the long wait, and they volunteered to take him along, at which he was absolutely thrilled! He went with a family with a number of kids, and was rewarded with the sight of a snake slithering into a hole. We went next, and he came along with us too and excitedly pointed to the place where the snake had disappeared, but we were not as lucky, and the snake never re-appeared.

We hung around the lake for some time after the ride, looking at the various birds which came looking for fish, and we noticed a Brahminy kite flying overhead. After a few trials, I managed to take a photograph. How do I know the name of the kite? Well, in the resort, every cottage is marked, not by a number, but by a board with a bird on it. Well, our tent had the Brahminy kite on it, which is why I was able to identify this one bird at least.

Our next expedition was to the temple which lends its name to the whole range of mountains, and also to the sanctuary – the Belligiri Rangaswamy temple. This temple in BR Hills is 20 Kms from K.Gudi, and we went by jeep through the highway which wends its way through the jungle. Just before we started, there was a commotion among the monkeys and heard some noise which, we were told was the alarm sound of the barking deer. It meant that there was a predator nearby. We went looking for it, but were unlucky once more, and decided to go straight to the temple.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the form of Rangaswamy in a standing posture. It is believed that this idol was installed by Sage Vaishtha and some other rishis. Ages ago, a devotee felt that the lord’s feet would hurt since he resided in a thick jungle and decided to offer him sandals. This has, over time, become a custom here, and there are a pair of sandals (Padukas) beautifully decorated with zari and semi-precious stones offered to the lord by his devotees. Another, older pair is kept outside and is used to bless devotees by placing them on his/her head. The name Belligiri comes from the word “White Mountain”, for the stone on which the Lord rests is white.

After lunch, it was time for a safari once more, and we started, taking care to wear our sweaters this time. We hadn’t been in the jungle for even 15 minutes, when we came across a female elephant. She was standing among the bushes near the road, waving her trunk to and fro. To our surprise, our driver totally stopped the jeep, and we saw another jeep approaching from the opposite side of the road. Neither jeep tried to move, which kept us wondering, till we saw the elephant charge towards us. The driver was obviously expecting this, for he moved backwards, which seemed to reassure her. She then tried the same thing with the other jeep, and they too moved backwards. We wondered why she was so agitated, but then we saw a baby elephant approaching from the bushes. So this was the mother and baby we had seen in the morning, and now we saw how protective the mother was, of her baby, as she gently guided her child towards the other side of the road, flanking him/her first on this side and then the other, pushing him/her forward all the time. It made me think of Samhith and how I still have to help him cross a road, guiding him, making sure he doesn’t get hurt, keeping my eyes watchful. A mother after all, is always a mother, whether human or animal. I was happy to have seen this touching scene, for we didn’t see many more animals on this trip, except the inevitable deer.

This evening, the documentary was a feature shot at Nagarhole, and it mainly concerned elephants, and how modernization and take over of forest land has affected them. I couldn’t help think of the mother-child pair we saw, and wondered what would become of them. The falling temperature made us move towards the campfire, which is lit every evening before dinner, in a small area adjoining the hut where lunch and dinner are served.

The next morning would be our last at the resort, and we woke early for our jaunt into the jungle. Shankar had opted to go for a trek rather than the safari, and I headed with Samhith towards the jeep. If only Samhith was a little older, we too could have gone for the trek! I wish he would grow up soon!!! By this time, I had given up all hopes of seeing anything interesting in the forest. We were so bored of seeing deer, the driver no longer stopped for us to take photos when we came across a herd. Now Samhith can identify not only the spotted deer, but also S?mbhar as well as barking deer. We had already seen a number of wild boars in the resort, but this time, we came across a large group with some of the biggest ones we had seen so far. However, there were two interesting things we came across this time. The first was a herd of elephants which included the mother-child pair we had seen the day before. Apart from them, there was an old elephant, obviously the matriarch of the herd, another female, and a lone male which had huge tusks. They weren’t too scared of us this time, probably because they were in their group and felt secure, but the matriarch kept an eye on us as she munched on the grass, and the mother gently pushed her child towards the bushes.

The only other interesting thing we saw on this is something I had never seen before – pugmarks of a leopard. We saw them on the mud-path on which the jeep moves, and the driver maneuvered his vehicle so that we wouldn’t erase them. While this time we felt lucky to see the tracks of the animal, the creature itself was elusive, and refused to appear before us. Well, we shall just have to try some other time.

While we didn’t really see many animals, this has been the closest to a real jungle I have ever been to. And what a jungle!! As Narayan himself informed us, this range of mountains is part of the migratory path of the animals from the Eastern to the Western Ghats, and sees a number of animals making this transit. Besides, the sanctuary covers a vast region comprising, mountains of different altitudes and valleys. The kind of flora and fauna seen here is amazing! While I am no expert and can hardly identify the various kinds of trees, even to my un-informed eyes, there is a variety in the landscape that I have never seen elsewhere. While some areas are full of bamboo and other tall grasses, some higher reaches are covered with trees like the eucalyptus. Some trees are green and have gaily covered flowers, in some areas, the flame of the forest is the only tree seen for miles. Some trees have red and yellow leaves which have just started to fall, while some others have completely shed their leaves, and stand bare, their silhouette showing up clearly against the rising/setting sun. I have brought back memories galore of my two days at this wonderful resort.

I am no water baby. I prefer water at a close but safe distance – close enough for me to be able to hear the myriad gentle sounds that water makes but far enough for me to feel safe about not drowning (yes, I know but we all have different fears). Cherai is perfect for me that way – just what the doctor ordered. The Cherai Beach Resort where I stay has cottages built around the water, and around the coconut trees – my room had a tree in one corner, growing out through the roof. From my room, I can see the backwaters stretching out blue and green, still but for the occasional splash splash of boats making their way across, or the sea gulls calling out to one another. And from the main gate, the beach is just across the road – Cherai, not yet Goa, not even Kovalam.

At dinner in the restaurant, a couple from Europe walk in with a Bisleri bottle filled with a thin white liquid – toddy. The restaurant manager freaks at the sight of the toddy, hurries into the kitchen and walks out with a sheet of silver foil. He proceeds to cover the Bisleri bottle with the foil, apologizing to the startled couple – no permit… cannot drink in restaurant… can give you tea cups… I overhear snatches of his speech, ears on their table, eyes on my book. He places white tea cups (with saucers, the terrible restaurant variety) in front of them, pours out the toddy into the cups and offers them the cups with a flourish. The couple is terribly embarrassed by now, and I am choking with laughter over my tender coconut water – drunk straight from the coconut, no tea cups for this one.

I could spend hours just staring the backwaters – and I do just that. Watching the birds swoop down to pick up their lunch – or evening snack, as the case may be. And the tiny fish go plop plop as they hop – or do they fly? – on the surface of the calm water. And the fishermen who paddle quietly across the water through the day. As I watch, dawns break over the backwaters, the sky slowly picking up the orange hues of the sun, the water reflecting the tones. Three fishing boats moving in synchronized fashion, they stop at the same spot, their boats forming a triangle of sorts, and spread out their nets at the same time, their hands flying out with the nets in some kind of fascinating water ballet. And then they move on a few meters along the water and the ballet begins all over again.

Another fishing boat comes very close to where I am standing, just by the side of the water inside the resort and I am able to see them in action – one man in charge of rowing and the other, of fishing. Against the morning sun, the waters, their boat and even their silhouettes seem a dull orange… and as they turn the corner, moving away from the sun, they reappear in dull greys and black and white, in some ways even more fascinating than the “color version”.

The Cherai backwaters are not as lively, as vibrant and full of activity as the ones in say, Alleppey where life exists on and along the water. There are few houses I can see on the banks, even during my hour long boat ride in the evening. But then, Cherai is not for those who crave activity. In any case, if the backwaters get too dull, then they can always head out to the beach just across the road…