Deep inside the wilderness does peace prevail,
But not away from the treasures it unveils....
Disclaimer: This ain’t a movie review. I did go to see Tiger but not Shroff in SOTY 2.
Coming to the point....
Picture this... On a smouldering afternoon, the temperature almost nearing half a century, we step inside a forest to spot our celebs aka the almost elusive Royal Bengal Tigers! We were a perfect mix of six, set out for the adventure that lay ahead...
We had opted for 2 safaries - one in the afternoon ( supposedly evening!) and the other early morning the next day. Each gypsy has a guide allotted who carries an ugly looking tin box in which all the mobile phones are confiscated. We were blissfully unaware of this fact and unwillingly surrendered our extended body part. Only cameras were allowed which we didn’t carry. So we made a pact with our eyes to record everything and save in our memories!
And then the gates were opened and we zoomed inside. Tadoba is a deciduous forest range and the landscape is brown. The muddy track took us deeper into the forest navigating through its peaks and troughs. On our way, we said Hi to Sambar deers, Indian Gaurs and wild boars. There were birds of different hues of blue, orange, red giving us company throughout. We spotted a cute pair of owls popping their heads out of a tree hole and playing peek - a - boo.
I have a song for every situation and the apt song for this was “Jhalak Dikhla Jaa” (from the nose of Himess Bhai) as we were eager to spot at least one tiger.
Patience is indeed a virtue and this would probably be our unanimous takeaway. We were taken to a lake where a tiger was spotted. The gypsys were also stationed there, And the wait began..........
After waiting for almost half an hour, our guide cane up with a brilliant idea to go behind the lake...we went and waited there for another 20-25mins...waiting....waiting....getting restless...
We were just about to leave and suddenly the guide asked us to shut up! We looked at the direction he pointed and there we spotted!!!! Inside the woods, almost camouflaged but the regal walk of the royalty was unmissable. Our gypsy followed further to get a closer glimpse...The tiger was sitting facing us. After a while it walked away deeper inside....Pehle safari ka paisa vasool!
With happy hearts we kept roaming, till we spotted another elusive species - the sloth bear...Unfazed with what’s happening around, it kept sniffing and looking for something in the grass. It was massive but very cute! Super se bhi uppar we felt as we concluded the day one safari.
Cut to Day 2....early morning, 5.30am, the breeze was cool, the josh was full. We again made a pact with our eyes and set inside...
Surprise surprise! 10 mins into the safari and we spot a Tiger named W, strolling around. Initially camouflaged, it’s face started to appear clearer as it moved towards the road. W turned to look at our direction while crossing the road and slowly disappeared....our mouths and eyes wide open! The eyelids didn’t bat a bit!!
Rest of the safari was enchanting as the nature unravelled it’s wonders... It was a liberating experience for me as I could be fully immersed in the journey devoid of any external distractions! It felt surreal and childlike....
Biggest takeaways from the trip : Be exclusive with a royal demeanour like a Tiger. Be focused and task oriented like a sloth bear!!!!!
But not away from the treasures it unveils....
Disclaimer: This ain’t a movie review. I did go to see Tiger but not Shroff in SOTY 2.
Coming to the point....
Picture this... On a smouldering afternoon, the temperature almost nearing half a century, we step inside a forest to spot our celebs aka the almost elusive Royal Bengal Tigers! We were a perfect mix of six, set out for the adventure that lay ahead...
We had opted for 2 safaries - one in the afternoon ( supposedly evening!) and the other early morning the next day. Each gypsy has a guide allotted who carries an ugly looking tin box in which all the mobile phones are confiscated. We were blissfully unaware of this fact and unwillingly surrendered our extended body part. Only cameras were allowed which we didn’t carry. So we made a pact with our eyes to record everything and save in our memories!
And then the gates were opened and we zoomed inside. Tadoba is a deciduous forest range and the landscape is brown. The muddy track took us deeper into the forest navigating through its peaks and troughs. On our way, we said Hi to Sambar deers, Indian Gaurs and wild boars. There were birds of different hues of blue, orange, red giving us company throughout. We spotted a cute pair of owls popping their heads out of a tree hole and playing peek - a - boo.
I have a song for every situation and the apt song for this was “Jhalak Dikhla Jaa” (from the nose of Himess Bhai) as we were eager to spot at least one tiger.
Patience is indeed a virtue and this would probably be our unanimous takeaway. We were taken to a lake where a tiger was spotted. The gypsys were also stationed there, And the wait began..........
After waiting for almost half an hour, our guide cane up with a brilliant idea to go behind the lake...we went and waited there for another 20-25mins...waiting....waiting....getting restless...
We were just about to leave and suddenly the guide asked us to shut up! We looked at the direction he pointed and there we spotted!!!! Inside the woods, almost camouflaged but the regal walk of the royalty was unmissable. Our gypsy followed further to get a closer glimpse...The tiger was sitting facing us. After a while it walked away deeper inside....Pehle safari ka paisa vasool!
With happy hearts we kept roaming, till we spotted another elusive species - the sloth bear...Unfazed with what’s happening around, it kept sniffing and looking for something in the grass. It was massive but very cute! Super se bhi uppar we felt as we concluded the day one safari.
Cut to Day 2....early morning, 5.30am, the breeze was cool, the josh was full. We again made a pact with our eyes and set inside...
Surprise surprise! 10 mins into the safari and we spot a Tiger named W, strolling around. Initially camouflaged, it’s face started to appear clearer as it moved towards the road. W turned to look at our direction while crossing the road and slowly disappeared....our mouths and eyes wide open! The eyelids didn’t bat a bit!!
Rest of the safari was enchanting as the nature unravelled it’s wonders... It was a liberating experience for me as I could be fully immersed in the journey devoid of any external distractions! It felt surreal and childlike....
Biggest takeaways from the trip : Be exclusive with a royal demeanour like a Tiger. Be focused and task oriented like a sloth bear!!!!!
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