The Jungle ReTREAT!!

Safar-i: In search of the Naked prey...

An overland jeep-journey that we, the three of us, undertook as part of our Jungle Retreat to watch and SHOOT close-up the big game of the wild animals, was a very pleasant and wonderful game drives. That memories I still cherished... The jeep that drove into the Bandipur and Muddumalai forest, compacted within its small area, holds a treasure of wildlife and millions of people imagination and unforgottable moments. Excitement rises high in its wilderness. It ain't liked the wilderly wild like in Cinema or in Animal Planet or in African Safari, but it had got its own delight. Andthe Safari made me experience a profound stiring of my soul.

That Safari, the wonderful game drives, was undertaken alongwith the watchful eyes of our tour-guide (who also had got safe hands for manoevering the jeep) and a well experienced mouth which could speak the parlance of elephants and other wild creatures. I had seen him squeaking with a shrill voice like eak eak calling out the elephants out in the wild. He also suggested to hide the white color tees and wear a different color as long as it wasn't white or yellow. I always thought that it was the red color that animals doesn't like. He was narrating a fierce incident of an elephant chasing them (their jeep) for a long time. Seeing him driving the jeep I realize that he (they) were safely home from the chase but help me wonder if any of the people was wearing a white colored tee/shirt. I didn't question him and left it to my WILD imgination! I doubted if I should questioned him about the 'color blindness' of animals. Inside me was saying, "animal eyes doesn't have cone cells", out loud. But it didn't came out, maybe because of the wild animals outside. After few glimpses of wild elephants and deer then he drove us saying that we would show us an elephant from a nearby. He drove as if he knew the exact spot and halted the jeep. As we were gazing all over the direction, we heard a wild elephant trumpet from behind and next to our jeep. I was shaken. I really didn't know what I exactly did, but I remembered that I was shouting along with the other guys in the jeep, except of our guide. I vividly remember our guide asking us to take a close-up SHOT of the elephant and 'oh-my-god' what a (horrifying) view it was. He was as cool and calm as he should have been as if he had planned the incident. He was unruffled among the cacophony and little dejected about our being not able to capture a close-shave of that WILD mammoth but nevertheless he promised more excitement in the safari.

'Blow your trumpet!!!'

All of us failed to SHOOT the wild elephant but got a few glimpse of his back. Phew! that trumpet wasn't music to us, BUT it kinda reminded me the very definition of wild in the wild jungle. My friend who was wearing a whitish jacket, took out his jacket immediately and we drove off rushing out of the place. The feeling was a concoction of a bit of nervousness along with an excitement blend with a pinch of relief from the wild mammoth. Everybody couldn't hide the fear. It was overwhelming. The doubt that prevailed me over the rods and cone cells seems to fade away in the midst of the cacophony in front of my eyes. It was a moment whom everyone feared to face but eventually became a moment of truth and pride when you go back in history and narrate to your friends and siblings with great pride and pleasure. Likewise, childhood is a great place to visit when you are old.

In this game of hi(de)ke and seek in Bandipur-Madumalai dry deciduous forest, we seeked some wildlife (sloth bears, wild boars, elephants (also a makhana), bison, dholes, deers, a variety of birds, etc.) at close quarters on our trek. The birds are particularly varied and exotic, and I couldn't singled out one and named it. As we unfold the secrets of the forest and share our vision with the wild, enticing the morbid fear with the thrill and interest of the so called nature-lover. It was a richful experience rich with prideful stories to narrate to those unseen and make their heart pop out from their eyes. After a couple of hours we retreated from the jungle back to our den. It was the end of our safari. I'd admit that it was nothing great compare to the wild safari ride in deep Africa seeking predators like lion and tigers. But for a first timer like me, it was worth a trip and a fulfilling safari ride for me. And I slept over it, looking forward to the new day after the wildlife extravaganza.

But Nature has something in store for all of us. The next day as we were coming back to our hut from IAPAN Center, we had given one of the staff of the resort a ride (whom we had already became acquaintances) in our hired jeep. Earlier, while leaving for IAPAN centre, we had noticed a lot of dogs barking and running in and out of the jungle, BUT while coming back it was adifferent scene. We noticed a kettle: a group of vultures (white stripped) circling in the air, probably scavenging on the carcasses of a dead animal. We were preety animated over the citing of the vulture. Having our acquaintance in our jeep, whom we gave him a ride, proved to be a blessing in disguise. He suggested that we should go inside the jungle and trek to take a look. He was preety confident that there was a dead deer being hunted by some predators and the vultures were waiting to feed. He was also of the opinion that since the vultures were still circling in the air, it was possible that the predator must be still having his lunch. It was preety scary and dangerous with the risk of a predator atacking us and feasting on all of us for the whole week or month but he told us that the predator won't attack us since he was full with his prey unless we try to take away his prey. Neither we didn't have the desire to challenge the prey but thinking about the sight of seeing the predator's prey was quite enchanting that we decided to follow our guide. We took a trek into the virgin but protected forest and follow the air-steps of the vultures. We were huddled in a group just in case if we sight the predator and taking a step carefully. We noticed some vultures from close range and bingo we got to see the carcass of the remains of a dead deer.

"Predator's prey"

I first noticed the stomach and the sight was filthy and our guide was of the opinion that the predator was a cheetah/leopard and was not very far away from the spot and the predator must be taking rest on a tree along with the "Take-Away". There isn't nothing much to say and share about the incident for you can see the recorded incident by your own eyes. I Hope you get the same experience of thrill and excitement seeing the REAL true WILD world.

*The video plays with the song, "Born to be WILD!" and then with Nusrat singing Najar Gulabi hain...

“The soul that can speak through the eyes, can also kiss with a gaze"

Those were the ... Days!!! ~ “Rustic fond memories”

“All roads lead to …”

Thank God, it’s Friday! And towards the evening the friends would call up asking Kari Planno? i.e. What’s up? What’s the plan (for the weekend)? A fun way to shake off all the blues. It is also a wake up call for our small friends circle comprising of six to seven motley crews that frequently huddles for binging, courtesy Yong-Hanuba, Old Monk and pork, and fashion-mongering over Beyonce’s well manufactured arse, or buzz(ing) to the current new singing sensation (*read as sexy gals) Moulli Dave or Pooja or Charu or Deepali, or there were times when we just sat down and enjoyed the view; spotting birds, under the influence of the king of good times, Kingfisher…which came in various sizes and shapes that we strive to outline the stature, and figure out the form and define the mystery... those sensation ... jo Anku ke ghar ke saamne thi. Unlike Salim Ali, who had named and defined almost all the birds of his type, I didn’t have a damn clue to their names but honestly I am of the opinion that nature is to be appreciated and beauty lies in the vital statistics of the birds you are watching. Well this was just a slice of the cake.

Most of the time I never got a straight reply to Kari Planno and usually end up with a reply from the other end saying that he will configure and convene the rest for a simply friendly 'Kari Planno party' sometimes signed out with one or two Signature. I usually used to end up spending my weekends @ Brookefield (because I got to meet Winston Churchill) or @ Vivek Nagar (since one of the crew went home not been able to bear the grunt of the ruthless timing of the boredom and the other one got moved to Banasvadi as he was mingling and socializing a lot with the surroundings, Love thy neighbour). These days I/we usually nestled @ Banasvadi or Tavankare or Koramangala covering our spirited networked hobbies and Dus Phabi with the 10s of diamonds and aces and clubs and hearts under the careful pensive eyes of Yong-Hanuba while the time sips away enjoying the king of good times, Kingfisher.

No longer the mundane routine of eye-bewitching hobbies holds interest when the alcohol infected blood and the acquired taste of the power factory adrenaline rushes to ones ugly brain (read as mouth) when one among the motley crew start calling Nandi. It is not the penchant towards the bull or milk factory or a gals' name to hook onto but a waathi, a travel or leisure experience to be savoured. It is a must-do thing at night or midnight. It might intimidate newcomers but I guarantee that Yong-Hanuba will take care of the rest. But who is to blame! Bangalore doesn’t throw up too many options for such situations and even Mysore or Pondicherry is always at the receiving end (Ask Shyam, if you DO NOT believe me). As Nandi is called by the alcohol infected mouth and as the rustic bliss powered adrenaline maneuvers the Gaadi (vehicles) towards the brightly lighted and ironically empty lanes of Bangalore, the road to Mysore or Pondicherry subsides and all roads lead to Nandi. In one such occasion of Kari Planno party, we decided to take a Nandi break and rushes off to Mysore (who else will receive)with a unique blend of fun and mania it occurred that the phantom of Nandi took over the consciousness of the infected ones and forced us to take a U-turn from the Bangalore University campus towards Nandi. In between there had been many sojourn under the influence of hide and seek effect of dozy and tire eyes to put a definite brake to the Gaadi but the ghost of Nandi succeeds and finally landed at one of the highest point of the city as we drive and walk into the clouds. The sight of breaking the dawn or breathing more pure air or stealing some romantic moments (as we peek into the bushes and corners) has not been the issue (not for the first timers; this motley crew has had experience before). As the peak is conquered and as the clouds roam freely and the rustling of leaves breaks the silence of the midnight, the Yong-Hanuba surrenders to the starriest night for a memento of the companions of the ugly mouthed motley team for the next Kari Planno party, leaving with a pinch of memories and traces of nostalgia.

The Sun also rises...

Things hadn't changed over the past weekends but Time has changed and the motley crew too. The days had passed by and as we all sit and look back, we just laugh over it without blinking ... those were the days...

These days.... for Mano(RAN Mano RAN) ... all roads lead to JayaNagar, Lallu(IT) is discovering new places (roads and eating joints) in bangalore; thanks to HIS new "HER", Don(NY) is always busy being the BIG daddy of the BIG Bazaar, and for Anku (check his orkut profile)... the mobile is still ringing; Rom with his age-old romantic lineage is inspiring e'one and we all miss his CAR (Roam-ing and steering away leaving behind memories behind the wheels) And as pour moi, with all the feelings of nostalgia, I ease my memoirs and close my eyes to shed a little dream and with pleasure I have uploaded this video during my passtime. The time is slipping away through our fingers leaving traces of footprints in the sands of time.

We all know that the phantom menace of Nandi is still calling out... Can you hear the whisper?