Hello travelers! Here is something new and exciting for you. The Kunzum Travel PhotoTalkies are here! The title for the first of these was The Big Cats of India. And now the latest one is out – The Wild Elephants of India and Nepal. And they are FREE!! View the complete list of titles published so far by clicking here.

What are PhotoTalkies? Simply put, these are photo essays – only packing a bigger punch. With more images and supporting text than an essay you would see in a newspaper or a magazine. Current versions have been designed as a PDF – to be viewed on any device supporting this format. But it is best seen on an iPad.

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Elephants playing in Manas National Park 2 On Canvas

High quality, archival prints of this image are for sale. Ordering info is given at the end of the post.

About the Image
Image Code: AJ072
Title: Elephants playing in Manas National Park (2)
Photographer: Ajay Jain
Year Taken: 2010
Material: Canvas
Standard Size: 36″ x 25″

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The deciduous forests of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

The day started with a flat tyre. Then I took the wrong road from Chikmagalur to Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary – drove 20 kms (13 miles) before coming all the way back.

A kindly cop gave me the correct directions the second time around – and also suggested I get some lunch packed from ‘Town Canteen.’ Thank you Sir, but I should survive till I reached Bhadra.

The Town Canteen in Chikmagalur recommended by a cop (with no personal interest) for getting lunch to-go

Checked into River Tern Lodge, a wonderful property – surprisingly since it is run by the Karnataka Government owned enterprise, Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd. More on this later.

After spending an afternoon in my balcony overlooking the Bhadra reservoir, I was off for the safari as the only passenger giving me space to move around in the jeep and have the attention of the guides all to myself.

The weather continued to be perfect from a perfect weather point of view – cool, overcast with clouds and the sun playing hide and seek, teasing me with possibilities of showers. Of course, rains would have ruined my safari but I was not worrying till it actually rained. A light drizzle early on in the safari was all that happened.

Clouds may have been bad news for photography but it did not matter – the thick deciduous forests with teak and other trees do not allow for much of sunlight to filter through anyway.

One of the first things I noticed were mounds of salt by the sides of the tracks we were driving on – these are left for animals by forest officials who consume these to make up for any deficiencies in their system.

The sanctuary has been included under Project Tiger, a Government initiative launched a few decades back to arrest the decline of tiger population and to conserve this endangered species. It is not easy to spot a tiger though here – I would not be lucky. Other guests at River Tern had been only two days back.

But I did spot many other species. I have noticed if you are not fixated on stars like tigers, other inhabitants of the forests are a delight to observe too. Including the commonly found Spotted Deer – you see them all over India very easily, but somehow I always love looking at these animals again and again. Especially their big eyes.

A herd of Spotted Deer at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

The Barking Deer is one animal less seen and more heard – he literally makes a sound like a dog barking, only it pierces the quiet jungles especially when warning others about a big cat around. They scamper away at the slightest sight of humans, but I was finally lucky to find some who stayed still while I clicked.

A rare to click Barking Deer at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

Also had ample sightings of the Sambar Deer, one of the largest in the deer family.

A Sambar Deer at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

A scampering Sambar Deer at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

A Sambar Deer at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

I was hoping to see herds of elephants and after a while I did – only, I could not sight all of them very well because of the thick forest. According to the guide, I could have seen all them around a water hole if only we had reached a few minutes sooner. Who is to blame for this?

An elephant at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka. Notice how the thick forest cover managed to camouflage a full herd of elephants.

Bird sightings included the Jungle Fowl, a Crested Serpent Eagle in the twilight zone, Black Drongo, Black-Headed Ibis, a Woodpecker (guide said it was a Golden Woodpecker – but this variety is not listed as found in Karnataka), Peacocks, Green Bee-Eaters, Kingfishers, White-Breasted Waterhen, Hornbill (guide said it was Malabar Hornbill – was it Malabar Grey Hornbill or Malabar Pied Hornbill? Could not get a picture to be sure later.) besides others.

A Crested Serpent Eagle in the twilight zone in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

A Green Bee-Eater in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

Black-Headed Ibis at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

A Peacock (above) with a Peahen (below) at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

A White-Breasted Water Hen at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

An Indian Pond Heron at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

A female Grey Jungle Fowl (if I am not mistaken) in the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

I had seen a Red Squirrel in Agumbe but could not click it but managed to sight one very well here. Only it was high up on the trees, pushing my zoom lens to its limit and requiring me to do neck exercises after an extended period looking skywards.

A Red Squirell high up on the trees in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

Saw some Wild Boars scurrying away as always – and some Langoor monkeys too playing the fool as mentioned in their job profile.

A Langoor Monkey in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

We took a break at a clearing where forest officials have made dwellings and administrative buildings. Mobile signals were faintly working here – a forest guard borrowed my phone to make a call but could not get through. Did he have an emergency call to make or is he in the habit of borrowing guest phones just to call home?

Only guests at River Tern can go for a safari in this sanctuary – and I noticed this in many reserves in Karnataka. You have to be a guest of Jungle Lodges, or a few other hotels. Otherwise you can either not go at all, or will have to take those 20-seater canters full of hysterical tourists and kids. Works out expensive at times and, if these hotels are full, you cannot go in at all. This may keep the traffic low in the forests, but looks a bit discriminatory.

And Jungle Lodges should seriously consider doing away with their Mahindra and Mahindra jeeps – they are very uncomfortable. And invest in the Gypsy made by Maruti Suzuki.

It would also help if guides could speak languages other than Kannada – I did have a problem communicating with their sparse knowledge of Hindi and English.

Overall, the safari was great and the guides quite cooperative. Would like to go back someday.

A sign at the entry to the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka. Only guests of River Tern run by state owned Jungle Lodges may enter the reserve.

The Bhadra River

Dwellings for forest guards inside the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

A Mahindra and Mahindra jeep used for safaris by Jungle Lodges

Twilight in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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If you are planning to go to Velavadar, here is some useful information for you.

* Distance from Ahmedabad: 200 kms (125 miles).

* Distances from other places: Bhavanagar (52 kms), Palitana (110 kms), Lothal (125 kms), Alang (107 kms). Do check these for sure, I have taken these from official brochure.

* Safaris: You have to take your own vehicle, the park does not have any. Or ask your hotel to arrange one. Guides are usually available for a nominal fee, but some of them go off for farm work during low season. The official at the entrance will help you call them on their mobiles.

* When can you visit: The park is open from sunrise to sunset. It closes from June 16 – October 15 for the rainy season.

* Where to stay:
(a) The best option is The Blackbuck Lodge, a wonderful property a mile from the park gate. Contact them at www.blackbucklodge.com / reservations@theblackbucklodge.com / +91.9228000496 / +91.9825161212 / +91.79.40020901 / +91.9824019877.

(b) Alternately, you can stay the Forest Department Guest House within the park. They have 4 rooms. Contact for booking: Assistant Conservator of Forests, Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar-Bhal, F-10, Annexe, M.S. Building, Bhavnagar; +91.278.2426425. The Range Forest Officer at the park can be contacted at +91.278.2920222. Room charges are Rs. 1,500 (US$ 75 for foreigners) for air-conditioned rooms; Rs. 500 (US$ 50) for non-AC; Dormitory per person: Rs. 50 (US$ 10); Tent (per tent): Rs. 200 (US$ 20)

The only other stay options are at towns close by.

* Entry Fee (brackets give fee for non-Indians in US$, but paid in Rupee equivalent):
Adult: Rs. 20 (US$ 5)
Children (3-12 years): Rs. 10 (US$ 5)
Students on Educational Tour: Rs. 10 (US$ 5)
Vehicle Fee (for upto 6 persons): Rs. 200 (US$ 20)
Vehicle Fee (for upto 15 persons): Rs. 500 (US$ 50)
Vehicle Fee (for capacity upto 60): Rs. 1750 (US$ 175)
Guide Fee: Rs. 50 (US$ 10) for first 4 hours; Rs. 20 (US$ 5) for every subsequent hour. But you can pay more if it pleases you.
The fee is for a full day and you can go in and out as you like.

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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An Indian Antelope or Nilgai

The reserve has no predators like tigers and lions – leaving the animals largely free from danger. Romance blooms, and the population increases. Good for them!

Velavadar is also mostly off the tourist circuit. All this means animals and birds lead undisturbed lives – and visitors generally have terrific sightings. I did.

After Blackbucks, the highest population in Velavadar is of Indian Antelopes, known as Nilgai or Blue Bull. Herds roam the park, and make a graceful sight when they trot away when they sense people close by.

Like the Blackbucks, familiarity breeds contempt amongst them too – saw a few sparring head-to-head. I really wonder what animals think when they fight. Any clues? Here go some portraits of these animals:

Surprisingly I also saw many Wild Boars up close. They are to be easily found in Indian forests – but not easy to click. They really know how to disappear fast at the slightest hint of danger.

Wild Boars paint a ferocious image, so why do they run away? Maybe they know what happens to their domesticated cousins, the pigs, in the human food chain.

Another elusive species is the Jungle Cat. Camera shy, I was not just lucky to spot one, but it also stayed put. Why? It was out hunting for food. Rats specifically.

As I watched, the Jungle Cat stood still in a crouching, alert position for a long time. And then it jumped. Literally. High up in the air to grab its prey. But missed. And walked away – pride hurt, stomach empty. It did look in my direction, embarrassed with the miss.

Here goes the series of shots I took of the cat:

I was keen to see a Hyena too – and I convinced my guide to take me to their home. It was a hole in the ground – with bones of consumed animals lying around. The species found here is called Striped Hyena.

We waited – and waited. And then, out of the blue, someone darted out of the hole into the grasses. It was a Hyena cub – quite big for a kid – who was home alone. Mom was out to pick dinner.

The cub would run a few yards, stop, look back, and then be off again. Did not quite know how to react to intruders in the neighbourhood. Mom, hurry up will you!

Hyenas are not really hunters. They wait for animals to pop off, and scavenge them. There are enough animals in Velavadar for one to die naturally every few days. Hyenas even eat the remains of those hunted by others. They hunt small animals at best. Lazy guys.

As scavengers, hyenas do play an important role in sanitizing the eco-system. A bit like what vultures do. Everyone has their role chalked out by Mother Nature.

Hyenas have powerful jaws and large teeth – great for bone crushing. They chew up large bones from carcasses, thus enriching themselves calcium and phosphorus from these.

The Cub Hyena

Despite more than a fair share of sightings, I egged my guide to show me wolves, the Indian Grey Wolf to be specific. Especially since he had been boasting there are good numbers around. His professional credibility was at stake. And he delivered.

Three wolves, that’s what I saw. At a great distance. But yes, I could see them well through binoculars. And they noticed me too, without any aids. And then the chase began.

For literally miles, I drove towards them and they sprinted away from me. I through caution to the winds, kicking dust as I accelerated. And they ran faster. Eventually they won – they reached the cover of forests before I could get close enough to take any pictures.

Unlike Hyenas, wolves make a greater effort to feed themselves. They hunt in pack, blackbucks being their staple diet. For variety, they pick on rodents, hare and feral dogs.

A blurry image of the wolves I was trying to get close to

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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But don’t let the gentle beauty of Blackbucks fool you. They always take home the silver medal in running events clocking speeds of 80 kmph (50 miles per hour). Only the Cheetah pips them to the post.

Velavadar has the highest concentration of the endangered Blackbuck anywhere.

I happened to call upon the Blackbucks during their peak fawning period of March – April (the other being September – October). When the males are not mating, they are locking horns to get the women for themselves.

More than a pair were spotted fighting by me. Each male has its territories, but we know how politics works. But do they really need to spar? It seemed there were more than enough females going around for all. But then again, men will be men.

The male blackbucks sport horns; the younger ones have a brown coat that get blacker as they mature. No racist talks here. Females are brown. And they all like to live as large herds. Any room in the harem?

The open grasslands of Velavadar suits the blackbucks just fine. They have a life span of up to 15 years, can be 120 cm long with shoulder heights of 73-83 cm and weigh between 32-42 kilos.

I could have looked at Blackbucks for hours. Even they would not stop looking at me – curious about the Martian in their land. But a single step in their direction, and they would flee.

A male Blackbuck chasing a female. Will he get her?

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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Finally I strike gold – it is a day when I spotted four lions in a single safari. To the credit of my driver and guide.

The first was a big lioness sitting stop a hill. Royally. It could not be bothered with the sudden vehicular activity a few metres away. It looked around, yawned, and lay down for an afternoon siesta.

Just when I thought the safari had paid for itself, I was in for a bonus: a lioness with two cubs, a male almost two years old and another six months. The gender of the younger was not clear yet.

The guide managed to bend the rules and take the car off track, close to where the lions were resting. Allowing me to click away up close and with some time at hand.

Usually lionesses give birth once in three years said the guide. They mate only when the offspring is almost an adult. But in this case a male lion with a raised libido must have got the better of her. Thus the small age difference between the two cubs.

A lioness must also protect her cubs from male lions. A male can kill the cub if only to evoke a desire in the woman to have another kid and thus be available for mating.

Each forest has room for only one male lion; they fight it out otherwise till only one is left standing and alive. Only twin males cohabitate, like in the forest area I was in.

Lions mark their territory with claw marks like these

Males mark their territories by clawing on the barks of trees, and urinating over it. The smell indicates who is the king of the jungle.

Here go some family portraits:

The mother lioness

The 6-month old lion cub

The nearly 2-year old male lion cub

Lion siblings in the forest

The mother lioness walking to her babies

The mother lionesses stopping to eat something from the ground

And the mother lioness continues to stride along

The cub lion - yawning or practicing to growl?

That’s a grin, right, by the cub lion?

The elder lion sibling

The elder lion sibling

The elder lion sibling

The mother lioness with her cub

Time for the cub lion to follow the family into the forest

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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An eagle sitting on a tree only a few feet away from my safari vehicle; they never stay put for so long with people around.

Spend enough time in a forest and you will cannot fail to spot some of the most memorable sights! It was no different for me in Gir.

Some of the species names are missing or incomplete; have not been able to research these as I am posting on the go. Will update when I have access to reference sources.

A railway line (unfortunately) crosses through the forest; the train on this line connects Somnath with Junagadh. The price of develoment!

The guard who mans the railway crossing on the line going through the forest

The white gum tree, that supposedly glows at night

The guide also pointed out to what he called a Gum tree with a white bark. It was used for making medical capsule outers; and the white ‘glows like radium’ at night he said. Also called Ghost Tree for these special effects.

Tourists are not allowed to get off the vehicles, but sometimes the drivers and guides do. And help you with photographs by borrowing your camera. Working with professional photographers has taught them a thing or two.

Some more spottings are given below.

A male spotted deer

A female spotted deer

A female antelope

White breasted Kingfisher

A Pair of Night Jars, Male (Left) and Female (Right)

A pair of peacocks in a stream

A group of peahens (left) and a peacock

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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A Maldhari with a mobile phone

We passed some Maldhari settlements. They are tribal folks who have traditionally lived inside Gir. While hundreds have been relocated, many refuse to.

A well for water for the Maldharis

They live in huts with no electricity; water comes from wells and streams. They maintain herds of buffaloes – up to 70-80 for some. The milk produced by them provides a livelihood.

One of the many buffaloes of the Maldhari

Camel belonging to the Maldharis

Maldharis used camels for transport at one time, but many have motorbikes and even cars now. Interestingly, they are all vegetarians. Even in the jungles they manage! For jungle folks, they are surprisingly vegetarian.

Lions sometimes kill their buffaloes for dinner, but the Maldharis still glorify the lions. They have learnt to co-habitat, even sleeping in the open on charpoys (cots made of cotton straps or just ropes).

Don’t lions kill humans? Rarely, said the guide. Only when provoked. And that too after growling thrice in warning. After that, only a stupid human suffers.

A spiked buffalo head killed by the lions; it was put on display by forest guides for public display!

Spotted a buffalo skull spiked on a vertical stick; my guide said it was killed by four lions together and he was witness. Quite a sight it was, with one lion holding the legs while another grabbed the flailing victim by the throat.

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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The baby tiger cub, a close-up

Would you ride in an open Gypsy in temperatures in excess of 50 degrees Celsius? With the sun threatening to burn everything in sight, and the desert sand piercing your skin like countless needles? In conditions half as harsh, my sanity would risk extinction. But not if I am on the trail of the tiger in the Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan.
One of the few forests in India where tigers still prowl, you can be almost assured of a sighting – but only if you venture out when summer is at its harshest. This is when water sources dry up, and animals come out in the open to water holes often filled by officials. And the dry vegetation makes camouflaging difficult. The roll of dice can still go against you, or you may be lucky like me –with seven sightings over a single weekend.

The opening act turned out to be the best – and a rare one at that. I spotted a male tiger, named T2 by the creativity deficient authorities, sitting by a water hole and a recently hunted langoor monkey lying in state three feet away. I was not more than ten feet away myself. T2 was waiting patiently, either for a guest or for the dinner bell to sound, when something in the water disturbed him. He slowly turned his head, looked for a few moments through the surface and then it was Pow-Wow in a flash. A poor turtle has floated in, and was probably the starter (or was it dessert) that T2 was waiting for. For the next many seconds, it was splashing all over as the turtle put up a brave fight. Before long, it was all tranquil again. The big cat had expectedly won, but it would be a while before he could carve the flesh out from under the hard shell. Witnessing a tiger in action live beats the most spectacular of hunts you would see on National Geographic.

It would be morally illegal to have a perfect trip, but I almost did. The following morning I encountered another male, T17 (these tigers will make someone pay for these disgraceful names), looking hungrily at a herd of deer around a small lake. He weighed his options, made some calculations, and was off like a shot – a yellowed silhouette of a torpedo racing through tall grasses at his target. But it turned out to be a dud. The chap could have done with some heat sensing technology, like the Scuds, to home into his prey. Before long, he wandered aimlessly and crossed in front of my Gypsy – a scrawny fellow looking malnourished. Needs to be a better hunter I guess. He also had what looked like a dog strap around his neck. T17 has a tendency to wander outside the reserve area – the installed tracker helps pull him by the ears right back where he belongs.

True to his reputation, he crossed the limits the same evening. I was driving around in my own car around the periphery of the forest when he ambled across on the road. Still looking for food. He finally settled for a stinking carcass in a baoli (stepwell) – certainly not a meal fit for a royal species. But times can be hard for anyone.

The most entertaining was a tiger cub – actually more like an overgrown baby. At three years, he looked  much sturdier than the adult T17. And he has still to learn to hunt. I guess being fed by the mother does have its advantages. Still to be christened, let’s call him Baby T (where is my creativity now), he was lounging in the shade for hours at another water hole, probably waiting for his mother and sibling. A bunch of langoors must have known his teeth and claws carry no firepower yet – and took it upon themselves to tease him. Perched on a long branch above him, they danced and made noises at Baby T incessantly for hours. But our boy made sure he sent a message across – by looking back at them with snarling expressions as if to say, “It is just a matter of time before you guys will be on my plate. So stop monkeying around.” Despite waiting forever, the rest of the family failed to make an appearance for our entertainment.

And there was T40 (aargghh) sprawled behind a spiky bush – I was told he had an injured paw and could not move much. Doctors were on the way to get him back on his feet. Would have been nice had he made an clearer appearance for my camera. An unconfirmed anecdote was also doing the rounds while I was there: a villager was going through the forest recently in his donkey cart. T40 found an easy prey in the donkey and attacked him; instead of running for his life, the villager rushed to save the donkey. Both perished. Who says only donkeys can be dim?

But things were bright for me – I had managed to look tigers in their shining eyes. And lived (in the safety of my vehicle) to share the stories.

Travel Tips
* Booking for safaris can be made online at http://www.rajasthanwildlife.in/ – always a good idea to do so in advance during peak seasons. There is an option of going in a canter bus (seating 20) or in a Gypsy (for 5); the latter is the better option.
* You can drive to Ranthambhore from Delhi – it is 400 km and takes 6-7 hours. Many trains also go to Sawai Madhopur, the town adjoining the park. For a driving guide, click here.

Note: This article was originally published in the Deccan Herald.

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The baby tiger cub lounging in a water pool

T17 on the prowl after a failed hunt

T2, waiting to eat the langoor he had hunted a few minutes before

T2 looking sideaways soon after hunting the turtle

T2 trying to eat the soft underbelly of the turtle under its hard outer shell

Elephants playing with one another at the Manas National Park in Assam, India

This will go down as probably the best moment of all my travels. Setting out early to spot wildlife and birds at the Manas National Park in Assam, I came across a herd of elephants on a dirt track about 50 metres away from me. Initially they seemed just like a couple till I realized they were a full herd – and hidden in the trees and foliage around the track. And what do I see?

They kept coming in and out of the greenery, from babies to giant male members. And all seemed in a jovial mood. They were playing together, pushing each other into the bushes, climbing on top of the other and engaging in friendly duels. I could have watched them for hours – you rarely see such sights. Don’t miss out on their expressions – some are actually laughing.

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This trip was sponsored by TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.

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I finally crossed back into India after three weeks in Nepal as a part of the Great Himalayan Drive; I had entered the country on its western border and came out from the west into India’s North-East. The plan was to keep driving till the Himalayan roads ended in Arunachal Pradesh – a long journey requiring multiple night halts. The first of these happened at the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

I never knew of this forest’s existence until I started asking around for a place to spend the night. Seems like it is quite a popular destination especially amongst Bengali travellers – the two Government run lodges were both full up. But I was lucky to get a room in the Hollong Lodge, located deep inside the forest – the management usually keep a room free should a last-minute VIP land up. My luck no one ‘important’ was passing that day. It turned out to be a gem of a property – will write about it later for sure.

The stay was only for a night – I had leave the following morning for Manas National Park in Assam. But it gave me enough time to explore the sanctuary a bit. Some things of note:

* At night, the authorities leave mounds of salt for animals like the bisons; these animals need their intake of salt just like we humans do.
* Managed an elephant safari lasting an hour early morning. The elephants were look quite under-nourished though despite the abundance of natural grass and other foods to eat. The guides did show us some varieties of deer, a rhino and some peacocks – but the ride was too rushed to get any good pictures.
* Interestingly, I was asked to park my car inside the garage at night – lest any passing by wild elephants damage it.

The sanctuary has lots more to offer – as you can see in the images attached – but like for any wildlife spotting, one needs to set aside time and be patient. Next time for sure.

A wild male tusker comes looking for a 'female friend' at the Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

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Valentine’s Day can be a lonely affair for many. When it is for a wild male elephant on heat during its mating season, it could spell bad news.

The morning of day 18 of the Great Himalayan Drive started with animated excitement all around Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, the property inside Chitwan National Park I was staying in. A wild male elephant had sauntered in, walking around the camp. It made its way through the driveway, around the dining area, the front lawns before making his way to the elephant stables.

Your impressions of an elephant may be that of a giant yet gentle animal. And mostly it is. But a wild tusker like this one is really, really big – and thinks little of anyone or anything in its way when it is in even a slightly aggressive mood. Scores of staff at Tiger Tops cautioned everyone to keep a safe distance – and they did too – even as they tried to ‘shoo’ it away. But what was the tusker doing here anyway?

He had come looking for a ‘friend’ said one of the staff. The elephant had apparently not found a wild female in the forest and may decided to try his luck with a domesticated one. It kept coming close and walking away for a couple of hours – keeping the staff on their tenterhooks. The over one dozen – including an even bigger tusker owned by Tiger Tops – would have been no match for the wild one had it decided to assert his authority. The only thing keeping him at bay was an electric fence – more like a length of wire with a mild current running through it. But these elephants know how to overcome these also if they want to: they either uproot the poles holding the wires in place, or get a tree trunk to smash it all.

Fortunately, on that day, the tusker decided otherwise and eventually walk away. But you can never be too careful around these creatures.

This trip was sponsored by TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.

Valentine’s Day is a day of hugs and kisses from those who love you. Not one to be told there is no love lost between you and a rhinoceros.

Out for a jungle walk in Chitwan National Park, I was hoping to see some exotic animals and birds up close and personal. Even a tiger if I am lucky – not giving much thought to what happens when you see a tiger in the wild without being on a jeep or an elephant.

After some tame sightings, we came across a rhino lurking in the tall grasses about 20 feet from the track we were on. As I fiddled to get my camera settings right, I failed to hear some snorts from the big animal. I realized something was amiss when my guide started beating a stick on the ground, making some incoherent noises and gesticulating in the direction of the rhino. In what seemed a long time, the beast must have chosen to play it safe and walked away.

What was this all about? The guide told me the rhino was possibly going to attack us. It usually does not, but it may have felt disturbed for the wrong reasons. Maybe it was protecting its baby which we had not seen. Had it decided to attack, what should our options have been? Pray. Run in any direction. Pray more that it does not follow you. For you cannot outrun this animal. Even if you were in a jeep, it can easily overturn one by butting into it. It was our lucky day. The Gods loved us on this Valentine’s Day.

And during the rest of the visit to Chitwan too. I got some great sightings and pictures of rhinos during a jeep and an elephant safari I undertook. It was the first time I was seeing rhinos in the wild. They are impressive creatures. A joy to observe. What a beautiful world we live it. Hope we keep it safe.

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How interesting can journeys get? Very, if you are headed to Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in Chitwan National Park in Nepal.

I set out from Kathmandu to Tiger Tops, one of the few places to stay deep inside the forest. And possibly the best considering they have been the pioneers in wildlife tourism in Nepal for decades. The first challenge was finding Meghauli Airport. As I got approached Bharatpur, it was tough to find someone who knew about this airport. I was repeatedly directed to the more popular Bharatpur airport. Eventually though I did reach the correct one.

Tucked away in the forest itself, it seemed more a grazing ground for goats and cows than for flights to take off and land. I would learn later that only limited flights came in, almost exclusively for the elite guests of Tiger Tops. My car would go no further – I had to park it in a private garage of Tiger Tops at the airport.

Passengers and bags were then loaded onto antiquated Land Rovers, possibly dating back to World War II. It is a wonder some of these still run. A bumpy but exotic drive was interrupted at a river. For everyone and everything to be transferred to a boat steered by a long pole. And onto another set of Land Rovers waiting at the opposite bank. For a ride through thick forests. It almost felt like we were some kind of explorers – a tiger or a rhino could be a few feet from us and we would not know.

The 8 km journey from the airport to Tiger Tops took 45 minutes. It would turn out to be one of the many interesting multi-modal journeys I would undertake on the Great Himalayan Drive. Keep reading.

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The closest big town is Coimbatore which is around 80kms away. One has to head to Pollachi (40 kms), then to Anaimalai (another 15 kms), onwards to Sethumadai (10kms), to TopSlip (15kms). A Ticket is required to pass through the Forest checkpost in Sethumadai before a 15 km journey to reach 800Ft above sea level in Topslip. Being totally non-commercial, the only means of staying overnight is in Forest Guesthouses which have to be booked well in advance.

The Drive To Topslip

Reaching the Anaimalais, greenery abounds in every direction. Shady tree lined State Highways surrounded by Coconut Plantations on either side makes the drive up to Sethumadai.

A Forest Checkpost charges tickets for travelers. If one does not stay in the Forest Guesthouses in TopSlip and are only going up for a day trip, they are required to descend the forests by 6pm.

Climbing up the short twisty ghats lined with Bamboo trees, one faces a number of hair pin bends. One cannot help but start admiring the scenic green drive.

On Reaching Topslip

One needs to be careful of Monkeys as they are looking for a quick bite always. Troops of Nilgiri Langurs can be seen traversing through tall trees – a fascinating sight of acrobatics. Forest Guesthouses beckon vistors staying overnight.  Visitors on day trips can avail a Forest Guide and drive around and/or can book an Elephant Safari.

Elephant Safari

One starts breathing easier in this pristine forest environment. I presume it must be all the greenery creating a natural Greenhouse effect. Same day visitors can buy tickets for an Elephant Safari. If lucky, one can see Wildlife – Bisons, Wild Boars, Spotted Deer etc.. Really lucky ones can spot leopards! Tickets cost Rs. 400 per Elephant Ride.

The TopSlip Forest has 22 elephants for it’s forest work in the Kozhikkamuthy Elephant camp. Six to eight of these elephants are used for the elephant Safari. After loading on to an elephant – up to 3 to each side, one takes off into the dense forest for a bumpy but exciting ride.

The ride typically last for up to one hour. Lucky visitors get to see wildlife – bisons, spotted deers, boars, wild hens etc..

We rode on a 33 year old Male Tusker named Surya. Surya has been domesticated now for 8 years. Surya was different than the other tuskers in that his tusks were off center and not symmetric. Surya rested it’s trunk on it’s right tusk a lot of times – signs of old age?

The Safari takes one through fairly dense forests. Apparently there were a lot of Gaur (Indian Bison) sightings the previous day but we were not that lucky. We caught a brief glimpse of a spotted deer behind the bushes and that was it. In this Jurassic Park like atmosphere, one almost expects to see plant eating dinosaurs peek through the tall trees.

Scenic Beauty

Visitors can drive up to the Kerala border where the checkpost to the Parambikulam Sanctuary exists. The drive is both scenic and refreshing. Private vehicles are not allowed after this checkpost but one can avail Forest vehicles to head into the Parambikulam Sanctuary.

Gaja Poojai

Pongal or Sankaranti – the Harvest Festival is celebrated all over India around mid January every year. This is followed by Mattu-Pongal – a celebration of the Harvest Festival for cows as they are so critical for agriculture in India.

While everyone knows about Pongal, most are not familiar with another ritual – Gaja Pooja or Elephant-Pongal – held every year in Topslip in the Anamalai Mountain Ranges to celebrate the usefulness of elephants to the Forests. While Elephant Safaris can be had round the year, the Gaja Poojai is a special once a year affair that lucky visitors have a chance to witness usually in the third week of January.

The Forest Elephants are lined up on this day, and sandalwood paste is applied to their foreheads to decorate them. This is one chance to see elephants of all sizes lined up next to each other on this special day – the young cub drawing the most attention with the children.

While the daily feed to the elephants is only 10kg of Raagi (Finger Millet) – the rest coming from the forests, Gaja Pooja is a special day for the elephants as they are fed delicacies to satisfy Lord Ganesha! The end of the Pooja is marked by a Salute to all the visitors by the assembled elephants. A sight to behold.

Entry Fomalities for TopSlip

If you are visiting the park for the day you can go directly to Top Slip (Entry INR 50). The Sethumadai checkpost is the entry point to TopSlip.

In case you plan to stay at Top Slip, accommodation must be booked in advance at the:

Summary

TopSlip is a fabulous getaway – serene, calm, unpolluted and totally uncommercial. Wildlife, birdlife are available in plenty and it also offers trekkers great options. Gaja Pooja offers a great opportunity to see tens of elephants at the same time if one can time their visit on that day. While the guesthouse accommodations can be rather basic, TopSlip offers a fabulous gateway into the wilderness – a true nature lover’s paradise!

[This article was contributed by Vijay Ramanathan - a Technology/Gadget enthusiast and Blogger. You can follow his tweets at http://twitter.com/tekdude & his blog at http://tekdude.wordpress.com/ ]

Sunset Storm in Munsiyari in Uttarakhand

This image was taken in Munsiyari, located in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal). Click on the image for a larger view. You can view and order more such images at the Kunzum Gallery

By Shivang Mehta and Kahini Ghosh Mehta

Deep inside the heavily wooded forest of Corbett National Park rests a Machaan that gives shelter to hundreds of photographers, naturalists and tourists visiting Corbett every year. Approximately 30 feet in height, this old machaan gives a panoramic view of the picturesque Dhikala grasslands and the Ramganga river that supports a multitude of life forms in Corbett National Park. “The forest is always buzzing with activity,” I realized this when I spent my 3 hours on this watchtower for the first time in early 2003. Since then the watchtower has been my popular hotspot and has played an instrumental role in helping me witness some of my most memorable wild moments in Corbett National Park.

It was the month of June when I along with Kahini and my dear friend Ankur (who has always been a great support during most of my wildlife expeditions) set off from the Gairal forest rest house in Corbett early in the morning in search of the dominant male tiger in the Khinnauli belt. We had been tracking the 9 feet beauty for the last 2 days and our chances were becoming brighter as we saw fresh tracks early that morning along with frantic alarm calls of spotted deer. However luck was not in our favor again as after waiting for over 2 hours near the river side (where we were expecting the arrival of the tiger) the beast still eluded me and my camera.

As we continued our journey by heading towards the Dhikala grasslands the passing vehicles informed us about tiger movements on the Sambhar Road and we rushed towards our beloved Sambhar Road watchtower which gives the perfect view of the area in which the tiger was prowling. We boarded the machchan at 8:30 am and strained our ears to listen to the faintest of sounds of the alarm calls that would announce the arrival of the king. In the next couple of hours the forest went silent and the cool breeze put our dear friend Ankur to sleep. A watchtower can be a wonderful place for catching some sleep as the calmness and tranquility of the forest is very relaxing indeed.

The silence was broken by a black jungle crow that woke us up with his hoarse calls and to our surprise we sighted a beautiful collared falconet right in front of us. The rare collared falconet is a beautiful little bird and it was thrilling to see the little creature after 2 long years. The atmosphere was filled with excitement yet again as a pair of pallas fishing eagle took off from inside the forest and stormed past the watchtower making a screeching sound giving us a great shot of the flight of the eagle. Following this Kahini spotted a pair of pied kingfishers hovering over the river in search of their lunch. Their close cousins – the white throated kingfishers – followed them and looked stunning with their colorful wings wide open.

Amidst the birding action, a small herd of spotted deer inched closure to the river and boosted our chances of tracking the tiger. The weather was perfect for a tiger to approach a water body as it was getting hotter and humid as the clock ticked. And then the spotted deers in front of us made a low alarm call. We could see that all the deers were pointing in one direction and stamping their feet in the water in nervousness.

The excitement was at its peak as this is what tiger tracking is all about. This is why the tiger sends shivers down the spines of the jungle folk when it moves fearlessly in forests of India. It was only a matter of time now and we were anxiously waiting as everything was falling into place… 10 minutes went by and by now the alarm calls became louder. Kahini’s trained eyes were glued to a patch of lantana from where we were expecting the tiger to come. Ankur’s sleep had vanished and I was ready to shoot with my fingers half pressed on my camera shutter. It was 4 pm and with a slight disturbance in the lantana, out walked the tiger. Those magical stripes were shining brightly in the sun and the tiger walked past the deer herd majestically to choose his preferred spot in the river.

It was a big male and he rested royally in the middle of the sparkling Ramganga for the next 20 minutes!

(Shivang Mehta and Kahini Ghosh Mehta are wildlife photographers and film makers and also run a camp in Corbett National Park in Uttrakhand, India. Learn more about them by visiting www.naturewanderers.com)

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