In our eagerness, we were at the Bijarani gate of Corbett Tiger Reserve quite before the sunrise on this chilly December morning. Like a student rehearsing the important answers before entering the examination hall, I was trying to recall all the Jim Corbett stories that I had read trying to find one answer – How to track the Tiger ?

People of Kumaon are in absolute awe of anything and everything connected with tiger and that was amply clear at Bijarani gate when we were told about the do’s and don’ts to be followed once inside. Any thoughts of childish pranks during the safari ride had to be banished.  If we were to ignore the dangers lying inside for a moment, the view from the gate was very welcoming.

Monkeys and deer are said to be the eyes and the ears of the Jungles and this was very well demonstrated by this herd when all the elders raised their heads in unison at a distant monkey call.

Visiting Corbett Tiger Reserve is not necessarily about sighting tiger.  We were lucky to have sighted fresh tiger pugmarks and they reminded me of Jim Corbett’s knack at deducing the age, gender, weight and even whether the lord of the jungle was in a hurry or on a leisure walk, at a glance of these pugmarks.

At one point inside the forest, the guide asked the driver to stop the engine as he was trying to fathom the direction of a distant roar. For a moment we could hear what a ‘pin-drop’ silence means. But very soon presence of some other sound was becoming very obvious in our other wise  uneventful Safari  – in Corbett, an event is defined as sighting a tiger. It was the incessant sound of dew falling off the taller trees on the dry leaves and the bushes below. It took our urban sensitivities some time to register it.

My concern on such family holidays has always been the choice of locations especially since I took to bird-watching as a serious hobby a few years ago. This hobby can be extremely annoying to the family members but Kumaon region provided an ideal setting as the avian life there is so rich, I did not require to leave my family behind to take bird watching walks. We came across quite a number of new amazing species of birds and many of them posed well to my camera.  It was such a pleasure to look at them on their natural perch and not on the electric wires and poles.

And of course not to forget the loveable Barking Deer who allowed a close-up

Club Mahindra Corbett Safari Resort was located in Dhikuli and apart from Tiger Safari we had enough other activities planned. We had located a good local guide, an experienced birder himself and that made our outings extremely fruitful and enjoyable. Resort itself was located right next to river Kosi and tea in the foggy mornings in the balcony or lawn outside offered a good view.

Within a couple of kms from the resort was the suspension bridge and  Girajamata temple both along river Kosi and on the first evening when we had nothing else to do, we decided to take a walk in their direction. The bridge happened to be a hub for adventure sports so we, myself with daughter, returned to the spot next day ready both physically and me more mentally. We thoroughly enjoyed the varieties of river crossings and the credit goes to the trainer who encouraged us to take part in the sports and whose deft hands tying those confident life-saving knots gave us enough strength to accept his challenge to overcome the fear.

Kosi river near the suspension bridge was buzzing with a lot of bird activity with different types of Kingfishers, Redstarts, Wagtails and even a fish eagle who had made his home in a tree across Kosi.

All our days through out our tour started well before the sunrise and at the end of the day looked forward to simplest of the meals cooked in the well equipped kitchenette in the apartment.

My role was limited to dish washing at the end of the meal but that was a sort of win-win situation for all as I got to work in warm waters which was very comforting in that weather. Before I forget, I should also mention the other areas outside the reserve forest where we visited and enjoyed.

A good guide with a 4-wheel drive was a great help and obviously the rules here are meant for humans and not for animals and the birds. So you find them everywhere.

Visit to Corbett National park can not be considered complete without a visit to Jim Corbett’s bungalow at Kaladhungi where he lived until 1947.

It is now a museum of his personal belongings and for anyone who has enjoyed his writing and admired his love for the nature, it is worth a visit. There we purchased the one book of his that I would like to read again and again i.e. ‘Jungle Lore’.  And that brought the trip to a great end .

It was probably five in the morning when I woke up to the call of the wild. As my eyes accustomed to the darkness around me, I had the peacock calling , in a persuasive tone, almost pleading with me to wake up. I opened the door and stepped out. It was dark and the moon was in no mood to let go of the sky. Drenched in its light, I saw the bamboo groves standing still . No sign of the peacock though, although its continuous calls echoed through the Nilgiri mountains and reached me at the Club Mahindra resort in Masinagudi. It was probably more than a couple of hours later that I managed to get a glimpse of it, as it gracefully walked around the resort.

Wake up call from the peacock – Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Finally it took more than a couple of hours for the sun to displace the moon . The birds that greeted me immediately were the spotted dove and a magpie robin . Sipping water were  the red whiskered bulbul and a flock of noisy seven sisters – the jungle babblers.

A spotted dove looks on – Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Flitting in the leaves – a magpie robin ; Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Mind if I drink some water asks the Red whiskered bulbul .Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Jungle babblers quenching their thirst – Pic “: Lakshmi Sharath

I looked at the dense canopy of bamboo and spotted a tickell’s blue flycatcher basking in the morning light. I had repeated sightings of the bird almost throughout the morning session.

Sightings of the Tickells Blue during the day – Pics : Lakshmi Sharath

Then came the great tit but it flew away , distracted . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Soon we joined the manager, Atul and a group of enthusiastic guests from Mumbai who were birding for the first time. While most of them were senior citizens, their excitement at sighting a new bird was similar to a school boy who was gifted a candy.

Looking down at the photographer – Malabar parakeet . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

An iora looks on – Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

The enthusiasm and energy was infectious as we sighted several birds – the malabar parakeet, the brahminy starling, the common iora, a grey wagtail, the jungle fowl  among others.

Standing still – A Brahminy starling

Standing right on the way – a grey wagtail . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Jungle fowl in the wilds – Pic : lakshmi sharath

We walked towards a dry stream and the not so common kingfisher was waiting for its breakfast in those little puddles of water.

Looking away – A common kingfisher . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

We  walked a bit further and the remaining guests left us while Atul and I sat on the rocks and looked around.

Chased away : An orange headed ground thrush . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

We saw a orange headed ground thrush being chased by a small bird which turned out to be the Indian pitta. Excited and happy to see it at eye level, I sat on a rock and watched it. It seemed oblivious to me, busy chasing the thrush as it surveyed the scene.

This is my turf says the Indian Pitta . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

I dont know if the bird saw me or not, but it seemed perfectly at peace. Nothing like observing a bird with your own eyes – no camera lens or even a binoculars was required to watch its behaviour. It hopped from rock to rock, walking around in the greenery, with its brilliant colours merging with the scenery around.

I watched it for a while, until an excited Atul pointed a male paradise fly catcher perched above me , camouflaged well in the leaves. Only its long white tail fluttered around as we saw it fly into another tree. Soon it was followed by the rufous tailed paradise flycatcher and the female bird , without the long bird. We watched them for a while as they remained hidden amidst the leaves. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, we managed to tear ourselves from the stream. As we walked back, we saw the pitta still out in the open, walking around and chasing the orange headed ground thrush . And what a morning it has been in the company of the pitta, the peacock and the paradise flycatcher .

Look at me and my colours – the Indian Pitta . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Casa Deep Woods in Masinagudi almost feels like the continuation of the forest, with bamboo trees and dense foliage surrounding your rooms. While the birds greet you in the morning, you often see a herd of deer drinking water from the stream behind. This property is a haven for birds. Just a walk in the morning and one can see a myriad range of colours flitting through the woods. Come here for a weekend and refresh yourself in the company of nature.

It feels like an evergreen rainforest the moment you enter the portals of the Club Mahindra resort in Coorg. The sun ‘ s rays squint through the dense canopy of trees as the trees shelter you from the afternoon heat . It is late afternoon and the birds are calling . You catch a sight of a wing here and there as they flit around the bushes . The coffee blossoms are in bloom and the botanical garden is in bloom. I grab a quick lunch and head out into the verdant greenery around with a pair of binoculars and a camera in tow.

Robusta flowers in blossom . Pic – Lakshmi Sharath

The sun birds and the flower peckers tease me with their energy as they play hide and seek with me. I try hard to get them to sit still but they refuse to pose for me. The red whiskered bulbul however is more obliging, although it gives me just a few seconds to take a picture.

A red whiskered bulbul looks on. Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Suddenly the skies darken and there is a shower. The birds take refuge in the leaves and we can hardly spot them. The rainforest is however full of surprises. I see a common crow with a snake in its mouth but am distracted by a yellow browed bulbul flying past me with a cicada in its beak.. We try hard to take a picture but the bird refuses to show itself. However a velvet fronted nuthatch stops for a while as it climbs a tree.

On my way up – The velvet fronted nuthatch. Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

The skies get darker and the impending rains stop the birding activity and we cheer ourselves by walking in the garden and admiring the flowers. Nevertheless we see some activity as a brown shrike surveys the scene.

A brown shrike looks for its meal. Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

We decide to head out to a small lake , located barely half a kilometre outside the resort and the birdlife does not disappoint us there.

A pied wagtail in the lake. Pic: Lakshmi Sharath

An egret in flight – Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

We see egrets, wagtails, sandpipers, cormorants, kingfisher, swallows and an ibis as well. The rains however come tumbling down as we return to the resort.

A sandpiper basks in the evening sun. Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Morning however seems more promising although it is still dark and cloudy. I am woken up by a whistle ; the school boy is on my balcony. I jump out of the bed and rush out , but the malabar whistling thrush , often referred to as the schoolboy for his whistling song jumps on to the branch of the tree and all I see is his silhouette. It is still dark out there and the dense canopy makes it look even darker.

Good morning says the lorikeet or hanging parrot. Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

We head out towards the Adventure Valley and are greeted by the malabar parakeets, the lorikeet , and the copper smith barbet.

Wake up people says the malabar parakeet. Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

A yellow browed bulbul perches for a couple of seconds and flies away followed by a golden oriole. We spot the racket tailed drongo, the rufous treepie and even a malabar grey hornbill whose silhouette was all that I managed to photograph.But the vibrantly coloured blue capped rock thrush was hiding amidst the leaves and didnt seem to mind me around.

Off to look for breakfast says the blue capped rock thrush . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

We walked back to the reception and who should be waiting there , but for the brilliant blue and shining malabar whistling thrush, right out in the open , spending a good fifteen minutes foraging around , looking for food.

Foraging for breakfast – Malabar whistling thrush . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

I wait patiently for it to have its breakfast and then head towards mine.The sky darkens again and my birding session ends, but for me the bird of the day remains the school boy.

Whats out there asks the malabar whistling thrush . Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Club Mahindra’s resort at Coorg is located near Madikeri and is an absolute  birding paradise and looks right out of a tropical rain forest. The luxuriant greenery is a perfect haven for birds. The botanical garden, the dense canopy of fruiting and flowering trees, small plantations of cardamom , coffee and pepper takes you into an entirely different wrld. Stay with us  at Coorg and open your doors to nature.

It is four in the morning and the eyes are still getting used to the darkness around . An icy breeze tugs at you, awakening the silent waters of the River Kosi flowing through the Club Mahindra resort. Standing on the banks of the river, I watch the moonlit ridges of the mountains, towering above, almost touching the jeweled sky. While some of my fellow travelers are star gazing, a few are attempting night photography. I , for one am just lost in the silence.

The summons arrive on the mobile and we are hurriedly on our way to keep up our date with the tiger in the forests of Corbett . It is our second attempt out there to meet the most coveted denizen of the jungle, having spent an entire day in the wilds . But the tiger probably was aware that almost 20 vehicles would be entering through the Jhirna zone for a rendezvous. So it left us high and dry, leaving behind its pugmarks as we saw several jeeps bringing in all types of tourists including international students who would break into a jig at the very sight of even a deer. We did see several birds, butterflies and smaller mammals, but for the “tiger tourists”, the sightings were just not enough.

Today , however as we board our jeeps, there is a feeling of hope. It is an auspicious moment, as the Bijrani Gate of the Jim Corbett National Park is to be opened  today ,months after the monsoons. The other gates, am told are still closed.

As we drive away in the darkness, hoping for an encounter,  we have no idea  what is in store for us .The experience begins at the government office in Ramnagar.. A couple of members from our group are already waiting there for the last hour to get the requisite permits and documents for the safari. I am told it’s a bit of luck and some push here and there. Then we see the never ending queue for the permits. And that is when I learn a bit about the trappings of tiger tourism . We wait there for what seems like hours.

Finally there are smiles all around as we make our way to the gate. And then the never ending wait begins as another 20 odd jeeps queue up around. Dawn breaks and the sunlight filters as restlessness sets in. The drivers exchange notes and the topic of discussion veers around the recent strike by the forest guides who are demanding more rights. “In fact “says my driver “the opening of the gates was postponed by a few days because of the strike. “  I ask him why we are still waiting and he says some officials have to come.  We laugh wondering if there is some form of an opening ceremony and to my surprise, a television crew lands . The interviews with the officials are on ; the cameraman takes some footage of us , sleepy eyed and hungry waiting to enter the national park . And finally after more teas and pakodas, the green signal is given and after almost a couple of hours wait,  we enter the national park

The sunlight filters through the tall sal trees as we drive along the safari route of this deciduous forests, squinting through the dense foliage . The naturalist in our group Karthikeyan Srinivasan keeps us engaged , spotting birds , spiders and small mammals.  . Corbett he says has about 600 species of birds, of the 1200 recorded in India. We spot a mongoose , while our friends see the rare yellow throated marten ,besides langurs and deer . But then the tiger, probably having spotted the jeep load of tourists, has again moved on , leaving its footprints on the sands of time. As we head back, the birders in our group are happy , but the tiger tourists are a tad disappointed .

As for me, Corbett is more to do with the man,  Jim Corbett himself than about the tigers he hunted .Corbett National Park, the oldest in India was earlier known as Hailey National Park before it took the name of the famous naturalist, author of several books. And having grown up on his “Man eaters of Kumaon,” I saw the villages and the forests vividly in front of my eyes, as I had imagined while reading the book.

My favourite memory of Corbett is visiting his house, now a museum in Kaladhungi,  walking around it, looking at the paintings and imagining him being on call from villagers when a man-eater struck in their hamlets. And as I walk away , his words remain in my mind .. “A tiger is a large-hearted gentleman with boundless courage and that when he is exterminated – as exterminated he will be unless public opinion rallies to his support – India will be the poorer by having lost the finest of her fauna. “

However, I am sure,  I will get a glimpse of  this “large hearted gentleman “someday in the forests .

This story was published in The Hindu Metro Plus as a part of the author’s column, Inside Story. The author was part of the Bloggers’ Meet in Corbett. For details regarding the resort, please visit here

The noise is deafening but I am much thankful about the ability of human brain to totally phase out the distractions and transport one to a different time and day altogether. This Diwali, the sound of crackers is slowly fading out as the gentle echo of the flowing river is ringing in my ears. A vision forms in my head, of a huge glass window, of a comfortable bed, of green forests beyond and a charming river called Kosi. A week before, I spent few days in the foothills of Himalayas, wandering in the dreamy realms of forests around Corbett.

Few weeks ago, when I was invited for a blogger’s meet hosted by Club Mahindra Safari Resort, truth to be told, I was more excited about meeting fellow bloggers than being in Corbett itself. I think I had forgotten what it felt like, to be in forests. I thank Corbett for reminding me of the grandeur of the woods! I thank club Mahindra for taking me there to begin with.

The first thing that struck me as we reached our rooms was the view, it was gorgeous! Usually resorts almost always do have a good view, but the reason I liked this view so much more was the resort’s proximity to the river and the cozy feeling surrounding it. The nights were comfortably cold as opposed to the piercing cold winter nights which made it possible to walk by the river side and watch the hills beyond till late nights. While the mornings were quite pleasant, nights were spectacular. Starry skies used to surround us as darkness descended. Whiling away time waiting for shooting stars and watching the moon rise over the hill reflecting the silvery glow in the flowing waters were some of the best memories of the trip. To think that there was a time when darkness used to scare me! [Frankly speaking I still am afraid of darkness, well in weird places. ]

If that was about idling in comfort in nature’s lap, the eclectic mix of people was just as fun with varied conversations and discussions. With social media experts to naturalists and travelers to photographers, the group had it all. What such different people brought along with them were such different perspectives. Few were happy watching the colorful avifauna, while few were interested in observing spiders and insects, few were busy trying to spot mammals, few were enjoying being in the forest and I was busy light stalking.

Like I said earlier, I had forgotten how it felt to be in the jungles. The moment we entered the jungles of Corbett, the show began! The forest came alive. The golden glow of the early morning sun and the greenery painted an unforgettable picture. I was gaping at the jaw dropping scenery unraveling itself at every turn and every once in a while when I turned back, something like this was happening!

The gleaming beams of sun rays from behind the leaves left me almost blinded at many occasions. Yet, I tried and tried to see through the lens, if not my eyes, the lens could have been burned for sure! Sunbursts, they are called, and I tried my best to capture as many as I could. Whenever the vehicle stopped for the bird watchers to observe, the sudden calmness instigated a desire to the listen to the song of the forest.

Next day, driving though the verdant jungle of Sal trees, I was all too eager to spot some magic again. Of course the light didn’t disappoint me! Golden glow and faint silhouettes was the picture being painted today by the gods. Watching the streaks of rays through the canopy, I was smiling involuntarily. As much trouble it was, waking up at ungodly hours to reach the forest by the golden hour, it was all worth it!

I came back charmed by the forests and stunned by the play of light, a photographer’s delight! Don’t you agree?

Neelima was one of the bloggers who was invited to Club Mahindra’s resort at Corbett for the Bloggers Trip 2011

Dragonflies ruled the air. When they evolved some 300 million years ago, they were unquestioned masters of the skies. They were also large – a fossil dragonfly had a wingspan of about 75 cm! Today, we do not have such giant dragonflies flying about. However, they still continue to be strong, powerful and agile fliers. They are also among the fastest flying insects in the world.

Armed with powerful mandibles and 6 spiny legs that form a neat little basket just below their heads, they are also excellent predators. Dragonflies can catch their prey in mid air. They are known to make a meal out of mosquitoes, mayflies, butterflies, moths, and a whole lot of other insects. They virtually feed on anything that they can overpower.

Dragonflies, though predators themselves, must be wary of other organisms which could feed on them. Birds particularly, pick dragonflies with ease. Lizards, frogs, spiders are all potential threats to adult dragonflies and their dainty cousins – the damselflies.

During a recent visit to Corbett National Park I stayed at the Club Mahindra Safari Resort. What I saw here took me completely by surprise. I was walking up the ramp to the dining hall when something on the railing caught my attention. I ventured closer to understand what was happening. To my amazement, I saw a robberfly holding on to a dragonfly. The robberfly was in complete control of the situation – with a firm grip on the dragonfly and the proboscis pierced into its neck, the dragonfly had no chance of escape!

Robberflies are powerful predators too. I have often seen them prey on non-predatory insects much larger than themselves. To see a dragonfly, a powerful predator itself, becoming a meal of a robberfly was a learning indeed.

Often such amazing things happen around us and we are blinded by the urge to see more charismatic things. An open eye and mind can cause far less disappointments when we are in the outdoors for nature always has something on offer, albeit for the discerning eye and mind.

Karthikeyan Srinivasan is a renowned naturalist based in Bangalore and was a member of the Bloggers Trip to Corbett in September 2011.

Kabini National Park, in my mind, is one of the best national parks in the country and definitely the best one in peninsular India. Hence, this park is always in high demand throughout the year. Bookings need to be made at least a month in advance if not more.

And this rush is omnipresent irrespective of the budget limits. Even most of the premium accommodation options always run full round the year.

The wildlife lover to Kabini National Park is exposed to the twin jewels of this place. One, the Kabini river and near bouts and the second is the thick and diverse forests of Nagarhole National Park (Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary) that runs contiguous with Kabini National Park.

While the Kabini river is best explored on a boat, the Nagarhole jungles are best suited for the jungle jeeps. Both these places offer great avenues to explore the wild in its true sense. But, the Kabini river area is where most water fowl and fishing birds are found. The odd pachyderm and tiger are also seen here.

Even India’s national animal, the Royal Bengal Tiger is also sighted here quite frequently, though the dense foliage do not make for great visibility. Both Kabini and Nagarhole are very popular for its pachyderms. This stretch of forests houses one of the highest populations of the Great Asian Elephant in South India.

During the summer months, a lot of tourists and wildlife enthusiasts and photographers arrive at Kabini to see the grand spectacle of a massive herd of elephants (about 100-300) grazing together on the banks of the Kabini river.

It is believed that during the summer months when the river waters recede, fresh tufts of grass make their presence felt and it is this very grass that is considered a delicacy by the elephants. And hence this mass congregation.

Kabini and Nagarhole are also known for another type of predator and this one hunts in packs. They are the Wild Dogs or locally known as Dhole. They look like your typical domestic dog, but pack a meaner look and possess a great killer instinct. The wild dog packs are known to bring down large opponents.

These forests also house other mammals like the sloth bear, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar deer, gaur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, hanuman langaur, bonnet macaque and wild boars.

In terms of birdwatching, the river side offers great views of the black necked stork, black ibis, black crowned night heron, river terns, spot billed ducks, painted storks, darters, Great Cormorants, little cormorants, large/intermediate/little egrets, grey headed fishing eagle, brahminy kite, black shouldered kite and many more.

And when it comes to the jungle, the birds are much smaller in size, but offer a great balance of colour and sound. From woodpeckers to jungle fowl and from hoopoe to cuckoo and from peacock to Indian Roller, the jungle offer a magical concoction for the birders.

So depending on your preference, you will either take a boat and explore the river side or take a jungle jeep and explore the various trails inside the forest. The forest is open from sunrise to sunset, but jungle safaris are typically arranged for early morning and late evenings as these time slots are best for sightings and the slant rays of the sun are ideal for photography

A long weekend (3 days) would allow you to indulge in a total of 4 safaris (1 each on day 1 and day 3 and 2 on day 2). A normal weekend would give you 2 safaris. Most of the jungle stays offer their own jungle packages around these models. Such weekends or long weekends would include a half day drive from Bangalore to Kabini on Day 1 and another half day drive on Day 2/3 from Kabini to Bangalore. The distance is close to 230 kms and could take you between 4 and 6 hours depending on traffic and timings.

Drive down 40kms north of Bandra on the Western Express Highway and you will land yourself in the Ovalekar butterfly garden.

It is a naturalist’s haven and a photographer’s delight.

Mr.Ovalekar is always at hand to guide every visitor round his painstakingly built butterfly park. The entry charges are just Rs.50/- per head which includes a guided tour of the garden by Mr.Ovalekar.

Do call him prior to your visit to know the best time to visit. Now do have a look at what I saw on my visit in April this year and the butterfly season had barely begun.
To get there : Drive down the Eastern or Western Express highways to reach Ghodbunder Road. Owla is a non-descript village near the Suraj Water Park on this road.

One can also take a train to Thane and exit by the western side of the station to take an auto rickshaw to the garden. BEST bus number 700 (running between Thane and Borivali stations) also passes this way. You can mail him at ovalekarwadi@gmail.com .

Pulicat or Pazhaverkadu is a small coastal town with a historic past – a port that dates back to ancient days, ruled by the early Tamil kingdoms to the Vijaynagar kings. It had its bit of international regime too – by the Portuguese, Dutch and British .

Straddling between the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh is a vast saline lake here that beckons several birds, flamingos amongst them every year .

As we sailed towards the Bay of Bengal , we saw in the distant , small specks dotting the horizon. Out came the binoculars as we collectively heaved a sigh of excitement. They were flamingos .The boatman refused to change the course, citing that it was lowland and the boat would get stuck. We started negotiating in the middle of the ocean and he finally agreed . We sailed towards the flamingos with the sea behind us and then the boat was pushed physically as we came a bit close. There were millions of birds, some juvenile as well.

We stopped, stared, photographed and spent moments in silence .And then as the boat inched a bit closer, the birds flapped their wings collectively, displaying their bright orange and pink hues . And then in a moment , it all happened. A giant leap and there was such drama in the waters . The waters splashed, the wings fluttered and the calls were loud as the entire sky was abuzz with orange, pink, white and black colours and the entire flock of million birds flew above our heads to another shore.

We stood there for a long time, watching the sheer spectacle in silence, awestruck at the rainbow of colours painted by these creatures. It was one of those moments which I would say is inexplicable ,defying all words and expressions.

A longer version of this story was published this month in a Delhi based travel magazine,Terrascape

Radha Rangarajan continues with her narration on her Agumbe trip from Part 1 and shares her encounters with the snakes .

One evening, we made a trip to the Jogi Gundi falls. We walked under trees that made us feel like we are a few cms long, climbed over fallen trees, stepped over rocks, slipped down some leaf litter and reached a lovely waterfall with creamy white water gushing down the rocks.

Green colored moss-laden rocks, wild orchids, lizards and frogs added to the beauty of the scene.


And leeches. They were everywhere, crawling up our leech socks till we flicked them away, on our bags, cameras, there’s no getting away from them. The only way to not let them bother you is by not paying them any attention, alas, I am yet to reach that stage. I’ve had my share of experiences with leeches in Valparai, but the sheer number of leeches here was distracting. Much to the amusement of everybody in the group, a leech made its way to my camera neck-tag and then on to my cheek and gave me a peck before I managed to flick it away. As morbid as it sounds, yes, I’ve been kissed by a leech!
It was a cloudy, rainy day and we didn’t expect to see the Sun set, but we still went along to the sunset point to check out the view. As expected, the clouds had taken over the valley and every time they drifted apart, I tried to get a couple of images. Finally, the shy Sun made a brief appearance before the clouds took over completely.

If you are staying at the ARRS, a night walk is a must. Agumbe is a different person entirely at night. It gets insanely dark and all kinds of creatures are up and about. Armed with torches, we set out to look for snakes, scorpions, tarantulas and frogs. One of the first things we heard was a female Sri Lanka Frogmouth calling and we followed its call for quite some time before we spotted the elusive beauty. Mandy told us that no Frogmouth images had ever been made in Agumbe, our records of the sighting would be the first.

Typical to rainforests, you can find exotic fungi at every step.


A vine snake was hanging around the evening before we left, it bid us adieu.

It was pack-up time already. We drove past ‘Dodda Mane’, Malgudi Days was filmed here and the ancient bungalow was the home of the endearing little Swami. On the way back to the ugly urban jungle, I promised myself that I would return to Agumbe, for a longer trip, knowing that no amount of time spent here can be enough.
Until then and forever, there’s one image that will remain etched mind from this wonderful trip.
The King’s stare.