Corbett National Park- an adventure in itself !

This was our 2nd visit o the Corbett national Park. It was a hassle free planned tour this time and we had an advance booking for stay in the Dhikala forest guesthouse too. We reached Ramnagar at 05:00 a.m. in the morning and reached the booking office to get the permit which was then closed..obviously. But the gypsy owners were waiting outside and were on lookout for customers. When they came to know that our stay was for 3 days, all of them were eager to take us as it would fetch them a good money in a single trip...after negotiations, we decided for Jalees bhai's gypsy which was in decent condition and soundless one. Since this was a forest adventure trip, hence to watch animals in their natural habitat, no disturbance should be made and there should be silence as much as possible. Hence we made it a point to hire a gypsy which would produce as little sound as possible.

The jungle way

At around 08:00 a.m., we got the permit and headed for the Dhikala gate, the road from the gate till the forest guesthouse is amazing....long tracks with forest trees all around and the Ramganga river flowing alongside....really wonderful!! Corbett forest reserve is very rich in terms of the bird species found-Pied Kingfisher, Riverchat, Great Tit, to name a few. While we were enjoying this scenic beauty, we decided to take the route to the forest guesthouse via the 'Crocodile Point'. The river at that point transitions into a beautiful turquoise color with green forest in the background giving a perfect contrast for photography. Just as we were photographing the nature at its best, we saw something moving at the edge of the river...binoculars made it clear that it was a tiger having an afternoon bath! Without wasting any time, we took some very beautiful pictures of 'his majesty'...and soon we saw something which was an unforgettable experience...the tiger started swimming across the river...that too so swiftly! How could we forget to capture this in our camera...

Tiger crossing the river

We were more than happy to see this and thought the visit has been successful as we saw tiger on the very first safari. So we decided this time we would concentrate more on the other kind of animals, birds, natural landscape etc. But our luck went in a different way.

We reached the guest house at around 02:00 p.m., took some refreshments and then started off for the evening safari, captured some wonderful photographs of the landscape and finally when we reached the 'Bhimsingh Rapta', we saw few gypsies searching something in the bushes. There was a tigress resting in the bushes...! At times she would turn around giving the impression that she would get up, but eventually did not...:(.. I tried a lot to get the glimpse of her....but unfortunately could see only her paws..:(. To add to my glum, huge number of gypsies immediately gathered to have a glimpse of the animal which now made it impossible for a better view. One thing I would like to mention here is, while watching the wild, we human beings should in no way cause any hindrance to their natural chores.The most disturbing one being the whispers(which is actually something more than that) which automatically comes in whenever we get excited. Anyways, these 'whispers' made the tigress reluctant to come out of her hide and in distress some gypsies left to proceed further. After sometime when the vehicles had left, the tigress stood up and and was in a mood to move towards the road on which we were waiting... there were 4 gypsies at that time and we all had positioned our vehicles in a such a way that when the tigress came out she had 2 to her left and 2 o her right...Hurrah...!! What a picturesque view!! Pin drop silence everywhere, nobody taking , only the cameras clicked, and then came the moment when this giant animal was face to face with us, we were hardly 20 meters away from her...she looked once at us, then at the other side and very calmly crossed the road without bothering for our presence, after all, it was her area!! What a magnificent moment! A scene o remember for ever.

A close encounter

The whole day went wonderful throughout. We decided to sleep early so that we could go out for the early morning safari. Forgot to mention, the guesthouse provides very delicious food, and the staff is very friendly too. This made our stay more comfortable. Next morning we woke up at 5:30 a.m. and were ready for another adventure safari . The gate opened at 6:30 a.m. and our gypsy roared through the grasslands to reach the 'Sambhar Road'. We were lucky this time too...;). There was this tigress walking right in front of us on the road, we followed her for 10 minutes...and then she vanished into the bushes.It was very early in the morning, and probably the tigress as moving inside the deeper areas of the jungle to save herself from the summer heat, which would in a short while cover the whole forest. We moved forward and saw some very beautiful birds, some of them were rarest of the species. The Corbett landscape is at its best in the morning, so if you plan to take some very nice pictures, don't miss the early morning safari. By 10:00 a.m. we were back in the guesthouse for breakfast, looked around the library which has a good collection of books on animals and forest adventures, rested for a while and finally after freshening up, got ready for the evening safari. This time we could not see any tiger but enjoyed watching wild elephants in the grasslands. the reservoir and the grasslands blend so beautifully that you cannot stop yourself from taking some really wonderful snaps!

Tusker in grassland area

Next day was our last day of the trip. We had booked for the morning elephant safari. This is a great experience in itself, as elephants take you deep inside the jungle, cross the river , take you close to the areas which are otherwise unreachable...and what not! Just as when we were returning towards the guesthouse from the elephant safari, to our surprise, the elephants stopped near the canal behind the guest house. And then we saw the reason...A huge male tiger was sitting beside the canal with its kill kept beside. It had killed a buffalo which had strolled inside the forest area from a neighboring village... We took some very closeup shots of this full grown male tiger.

This tiger was sitting behind our guesthouse

Finally it could be concluded that the elephant safari also provided something which was far beyond our expectation. Now it was time to return to the guesthouse, pack our stuffs and head for the railway station ....

The wonderful expedition ends here which has in turn built up a lot of enthusiasm for future forest adventure trips..:)

The Corbett landscape

Tips:

1. Always carry binoculars, they come very handy in forest adventure trips.

2. Try to maintain silence as far as possible, this would in turn help you to enjoy better.

3. Time to visit is October- June. June month is open for current booking, no advance booking. Best months being- March- April, since the tigers are easily viewable in the open grasslands.

4. Open gypsies are the best, as you can have overall view and enjoy the trails to the fullest. Each gypsy ride costs around INR 1200 , which might vary according to the seasonal rush.

5. If you want to explore other areas- like Jhirna, Bijrani, you need to have separate permits for them. For that you need to reach the Ramnagar office well in advance as people queue up since early morning- as early as 6:30 a.m. Else your resort or tour operator can also do the arrangement.

6. Staying in Corbett is not at all a problem as there are very good resorts. All of them are outside the forest gates. Hence for true experience try to book for forest guesthouse in advance. For Dhikala you need to have a night stay if you need to go for a gypsy safari.
Otherwise you can opt for the cantor rides which are operated by the forest department. Again you need to fill up form for that at the Ramnagar office for the permission.


How to reach:

From Delhi, there is a train connecting Ramnagar Railway station(Ranikhet Express).

Otherwise you can hire cabs from Delhi itself and head for Corbett National Park. Its an overnight journey.

Go Goa!

If we think about beaches in India, every imagination leads towards Goa. This place has definitely got some charisma which makes it a truly unforgettable experience.

The long beaches, the fun filled environment added with elegant cuisine and pouring drinks make it a place where every person of any age would find a good reason to leisure.

The most attractive reason defining Goa are of course its beaches. Spread across a north- south belt , Goa has around 26 beaches. The young tourists are mostly attracted for the North Goa beaches, mainly comprising of Baga, Anjuna, Calengute, Vagator to name a few. My personal favorite is the southern group of beaches- Varca, Colva, Covalossem, Pallolem.

The beaches in Goa have every facility for modern water sports available which add more fun to this wonderful holiday experience. Parasailing, paragliding, banana boats, speed boats, jet skiing are a few to name.

We were also lucky to get a chance to see Dolphins. This was one of the most beautiful experiences which I had in Goa, where Dolphins were jumping out of the sea and swirling in the air in the twilight. Perfect timing …I must say!

Apart from the beaches , there are several other attractions in Goa. Panajim, for example, can be a good place to shop around. If interested in historical aspects, then visit to old Goa is a must. The Goa Museum is a very informative place to know about Goa, and also the old Goa church, where the last remains of Saint Thomas are still preserved. The Chapora Fort for instance which was built during the Portuguese presence, is a very good place to spend some quiet time , watching the Arabian Sea and city of Goa on its shore. A wonderful view, second to none.

If your trip is not very short and can spare a half days’ time, visiting Dudhsagar waterfalls will be a good idea. This magnificent waterfall is surrounded by green trees and rocky mountains, which add more to its beauty. Walk through the rocks and there you are….in front of the huge Dudhsagar waterfall. The fall derives its name from the fact that its crystal clear water when falls from such height, resembles huge pour of milk, so the name ‘Dudhsagar’.

The Goan cuisine is a delight for the non vegetarians, with fish as its prime. Sea foods cooked in Goan style are mouth watering experience!! Try once, and you`ll be tempted to try it again..

Travelling to the adjoining places in Goa in not very difficult since Goa has very well connected roads. Local cabs can be hired at reasonable rates.

How to Reach Goa: Since Goa is prime tourist destination in India, it is well connected with major airports – New Delhi, Mumbai, etc.

By Train- Goa is well connected with all the major railway stations in India.

Best Time to visit: September-February.

Khajuraho- Absolutely Amazing..!!

Finding a title for this blog was tough as it is very difficult to capture the entire essence of Khajuraho in one adjective. Whenever we hear about Khajuraho, the one aspect which gets highlighted in our mind is- its erotic sculpture depicting the various poses from Kamasutra.
After visiting this place, I can say that there is definitely something more to add to its credit. The sculptures do not only depict the erotic postures, but also explain how the day to day life used to be in those days. Marriage processions, people singing and dancing in happiness, elephant fights, various avatars of lord Vishnu, Ganesha statues...and what not. The temples in Khajuraho are classified in 3 groups- Western, Southern and Eastern. Out of these, the western group is the most well maintained ones and attracts the major proportion of tourists.The western group consists of temples- Lakshmana temple, Kandariya Mahadev temple, Jagdamba temple, Chitragupta Temple, Vishwanath temple, Chausath Yogini temple.

Kandariya Mahadev temple

We got down at Mahoba station early morning and reached Khajuraho by 10:30am. After having light refreshments from the hotel restaurant, we headed for exploring the temple groups. The temples are properly maintained by the MP tourism department, some were also undergoing renovation. The temples depict the excellence in craftsmanship during the ancient era of the Chandela dynasty.The outer side of all the temples depict the various activities of day to day life- like warriors proceeding for battle field, sword fights, celebrations, various dance postures and of course,status where women are being embraced by their male partners,depicting various love-making postures. Apart for these , there are also statues of Hindu Gods and Goddesses- Ganesha, Durga, Lakshmi, status showing various incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

Carvings on the pillars of the Khajuraho temples

The inside of the temples have a mandap(flat platform) , with pillars having carvings of nymphs and royal men and women, shown as offering prayers, and worshiping the statue of the God kept in the inner sanctum. There are narrow corridors around the inner sanctum is used by the devotees for circling around the deity, as this a common ritual followed while offering prayers to Gods and Goddesses.The temple ceilings are beautifully sculptured just like any other part of the temples. All the temples in Khajuraho have the same theme and almost similar architecture. Each temple is dedicated to different God and Goddess.

Art at its best

The Lakshmana temple which is on the left side after entering the premises is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The garbha-griha(inner sanctum) has a large statue of Vishnu, considered to be the 'Organizer' of this world in Hindu mythology.
The Chausath Yogini temple id dedicated to Goddess Kali.
The Kandhariya Mahadev temple, as is evident from its name, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built by the Chandela king to mark his victory over Mahmud Ghazni.Adjacent to it is the Jagdamba temple dedicated to Goddess Parvati. Next to Jagdamba temple is the Chitragupta temple, dedicated to Lord Surya, the Sun God. His majestic idol can be seen riding a chariot, carved on a stone base.A little far away is the Vishwanath temple. This temple has a Shiva linga inside it . There is a large statue of Nandi outside the Vishwanath temple, facing the Shiva linga.

The Nandi in front of Vishwanath temple

After exploring these magnificent monuments of ancient archeological supremacy, we headed to explore what nature had in store at Khajuraho. The Raneh falls are a little distance away from the city of Khajuraho. These falls are in full flow during monsoon.The river Ken(pronounced as 'Cane') rushes through the rocky canyon of granite and dolomite rocks, forms a waterfall at the ridges of this sharp canyon. The Ken also hosts alligators and crocodiles and there are some very good viewpoints to see them in the river.

River Ken

In the evening we went for the sound and light show, organized by the MP Tourism Board and narrated by none other than Amitabh Bachchan. He speaks the voice of the sculpturers of Khajuraho, the creators of this historical treasure. The story revolves around how and what circumstances encouraged the Chandelas for building temples at Khajuraho, how the temples underwent destruction during the invasion of Mahmud Ghazni. After many years of their anonymity, it was British Captain Burt who once again revealed them to the modern world.
In spite of the partially destructed sculptures and only a few temples from the lot remaining today,still they have retained their charm and silently elocute the history they have witnessed so far. In one phrase, they are simply amazing..!!

Marvellous...!!

How to Reach:
By Train: From Delhi reach Jhansi. There are a lot of trains for this route. Buses both private as well as good luxury buses of MP Tourism run from Jhansi to Khajuraho.
Alternatively, one can get down at Mahoba, and then hire a cab to reach Khajuraho in 2 hours.
A new railway station is coming up at Khajuraho itself.
By Air: Khajuraho has its own airport, there are direct flights from Delhi to Khajuraho.

Where to stay:
There are good and well maintained hotels run by MP Tourism at Khajuraho. They also provide the facility of online bookings and are very much affordable.
There are also several other hotels, including major hotels like Radisson in the city area.

Bandhavgarh- where tigers rule

Ever since we visited the Corbett national park, I and my husband have developed a deep liking for wildlife adventure trip. This time we specifically wanted to see more of tigers...as many as possible, as close as possible, and what can be a better place than Bandhavgarh, which is considered to be housing a good portion of tiger population in India.

Tiger in Bandhavgarh

Bandhavgarh is located in Madhya Pradesh and is famous for having the highest density of tigers in India. This national park is open from October till June for tourists. We visited Bandhavgarh during the Diwali holidays of 2008 October. We took a cab ride from Khajuraho at 8:00am to reach Bandhavgarh at 2:00pm. The journey though a tiring one, could not stop us from having the evening safari on the same day. There are 3 entry gates to the Bandhavgarh national park- amongst them Tala is considered to be the best with respect to the abundance of wild animals, naturally beautiful landscape, etc. The tourists can enjoy the safari in open gypsy, following the natural trails inside the forest land watching the wild by themselves. Spotting the tigers during evening safari is a matter of luck which is most of the time in favor of the visitors, simply because of the high density of tigers in the region.

Jeep safari in forest trail

The moment we entered the forest, we were greeted by a heard of spotted deers...which are in abundance in the entire forest area. As we moved on, we spotted a jackal coming from the opposite, looking equally curious as we were. It seemed to be in a hurry and immediately opted to go into the bushes and search for its food. Just then a gypsy came from the opposite direction and the driver informed us "Show khatam ho gaya..." which he meant that tigers were spotted, but have now moved inside deep jungle....ohh...we just missed by few minutes!.. :(..
There were only lucky few who could spot the tigers that evening. As we met our "alikes" proceeding further, the feeling of discontent ultimately vanished and hopes to spot tigers next morning were building up. The evening safari lasts for 3 hours, from 2:30pm-5:30pm. All the jeeps have to come out of the forest and report at the gate at 5:30 pm sharp, otherwise penalty charges are observed.

Spotted deers posing for photograph

After having a good nap that night, we woke up early in the morning for the morning safari which starts at 6:30am. We reached the forest gate at 6:00am to find a long queue of gypsy with enthusiasts from all corners of the world. Bandhavgarh has such popularity that it draws people from all around the world. As the clock struck 6:30am, the vehicles rushed through the forest gate, to begin a new search.....fresh search to see the wild in their wilderness. Of course, we were again greeted by the heard of spotted deers, but could also see wild boar, sambhars, and wide variety of avian fauna- Lesser Adjutant Stork, Red Wattled Lapwing, Crow Pheasant, Fantail, Serpent Eagle, King vulture, Parakeet Alexandrine, Green Bee Eater, White Heron, to name a few. As we moved ahead, we saw some gypsys standing close to each other trying to locate something inside the bamboo forest. There is a tiger lying on the grass!! Another one was sitting and resting under a nearby tree. All of us were so thrilled for we had spotted tigers ourselves...:). It was a great feeling..as if something great has been achieved!! Immediately all the gypsy drivers rushed their vehicles to reach the 'Center Point'- an area in the middle of the forest for having some refreshments, snacks, and above all...to get the tokens for the tiger show which is done with the help of trained elephants. The elephant rides are organized by the forest department and are very popular here, because they take the visitors very close to the tiger spot, which in turn gives good photography options. We could see the tigress with 2 cubs. The cubs were 18-19 months old, as told by the mahaout(one who guides the elephant). Our mahaout made some sound, to which the tigress reacted with a huge roar, enough to scare us humans.

Tigress enjoying the sunbath

Having taken some wonderful pictures and videos of this majestic creature , we moved on to explore the other areas in the forest. The morning safari ended at 10:30 am . After having lunch, we again went for the evening safari, this time we saw the Sesh shaiya - A 10th century statue of Lord Vishnu resting on Sheshnag. The river Charanganga which flows though the forest of Bandhavgarh, originates from the feet of this Lord Vishnu statue.

Sesh shaiya-10th century Lord Vishnu statue

The other place we saw was the Badi Gufa, which was used by the kings of Bandhavgarh to have secret meetings. These are the only two places inside the forest, where visitors are allowed to get down from the jeep. The Bandhavgarh fort is another good place to visit, it is on the mountain top , for which again separate permit has to be taken from the forest gate.

We took two more safaris for enjoying the forest wildlife, and could manage to see some rare species of spiders, a common vine snake and of course the supreme of all wild animals..Tiger. The spiders can be colorful too..:).

A colorful Giant Wood Spider

The wilderness of Bandhavgarh is incomparable. The landscape, rich fauna and well administered forest sightseeing is a memorable experience for lifetime. For more pictures of Bandhavgarh, visit my picasa album.
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/sonali.mukherjee/BandhavgarhNationalPark

Sunrise in Bandhavgarh

Best Time to visit: October- June. Summers are best time to view the tigers. Watch towers at Chakradhara and other areas in the forest can be good view points for tiger viewing.

How to Reach:
By train: Umaria is the nearest railway station. Direct train from Delhi- Utkal express. From Umaria private taxi can be hired or even the hotels arrange for pickups. Katni is another major junction nearby having connectivity with other cities in India.

Nearest airport: Jabalpur, Khajuraho.

Where to stay:
There are large number of resorts, hotels outside the forest gate. MP Tourism forest guest house is also there, offering the facility of online bookings. Local eateries in the Tala area offer good Indian food.

Useful Tips:

• Tigers in Bandhavgarh can be spotted in most unexpected trails. Take a route not frequented by other jeeps. Tigers donot come out of their hides when there is noise around.The chances of a chance encounter with a tiger is higher where there are lesser number of vehicles.
• Only 45 gypsies are allowed per gate. Book at least one trip in advance, ie, if you wish for the next morning safari, book for the permit while you are coming out of the gate after the evening safari.
• Carry plenty of cash, as there are no ATM in Tala.
• A good binocular is a must for any wildlife trip.
• The general rates for each gypsy ride is Rs.1000 per safari. The rates may vary during special time of the year- New year, etc. There are separate charges for permit for entrance into the forest area, elephant ride for tiger show, etc. The rates are different for Indian nationals and foreign tourists.
• The early mornings and late evenings can be very chilling even in early October. Its handy to carry some woolen clothes along with regular ones.
  

Chitrakote- The unforgettable experience

I was born and brought up in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. But inspite of that fact, this was the first time I got a chance to explore the beauty of my own place...this was my first visit to the Chitrakote waterfall, a mesmerizing experience just a few kms away from the town of Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.

The moment I had the first glimpse of this majestic waterfall, I was sure that this will be an unforgettable experience throughout my life. The Chitrakote waterfall is formed when the river Indravati falls from a height of 100ft and forms an arc shaped fall. Irrespective of which time of the year one visits this place, a rainbow can always be seen just at the place where the waterfall merges with the riverbed. Anoop, my husband was lucky enough to capture this in our camera as can be seen in the picture.

Rainbow Formation- Chitrakote Waterfalls

There are stairs to descend to the bottom of the fall and reach upto the Indravati...after it forms a riverbed. One can then get the real experience of this gigantic waterfall. The roaring sound made by the fall, adds to its magnificent beauty.

Chitrakote Waterfalls bottom view

After having this wonderful experience, we headed for the Tirathgarh waterfalls and the Kutumsar caves, where the stalactite and stalagmite formation form a natural scene of beauty. Since it was early October, the caves were closed for the tourists since monsoon fills the inside of the caves with rainwater, making it difficult for the visitors to walk through the caves. So we moved forward to enjoy the Tirathgarh waterfall. Both Tirathgarh waterfall and Kutumsar caves are in the region of the Kanger valley national park, almost 2 hours distance from the Chitrakote waterfall. Tirathgarh added to our adventurous trip , as it was all together a different experience. This stream of water falls from several levels, and hence there is a series of falls. There are staircases leading till the bottom of the fall.

Tirathgarh Waterfalls

While descending through these steps, one can see huge waterfall formation of this crystal clear mountain water stream. Several small and huge waterfalls can be seen in this entire stretch which altogether give you a picturesque experience.

Tirathgarh Waterfalls

Having experienced all this, it was now time for us to return to Delhi. But the wonderful memories of the Chitrakote as well as Tirathgarh would always stay with us.
More pictures of Chitrakote, Tirathgarh can be found in the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/sonali.mukherjee/Chitrakote_Tirathgarh

How to Reach:
Chitrakote is 40 kms from Jagdalpur which is approx 300 kms south of the state capital- Raipur. Raipur is well connected with all metro cities by flights, trains.

Best time to visit:
Around the year. The falls are in their majestic best during and after the monsoon. The Kutumsar caves are open from November till June.

Where to stay:
There are large number of hotels in and around the city of Jagdalpur with affordable room rates. Bookings are readily available.

Normally the local jeeps/ cabs in Jagdalpur take approx. Rs.1500 to tour all these places. The hotel helpdesk can arrange for such facilities.