The
night had enveloped our log huts in an inky black shroud of darkness. I
shivered slightly in my bed and pulled the blanket closer. The night was alive with sounds. So many different sounds! The sky was rent in between with the shrill
shrieks of the langur. Slowly, the inky
blackness of the sky turned mauve and the first inkling of light on the horizon
was visible. It was beginning to
dawn. The entire stretch of forest and grassland
between our log hut and the large pond ahead was filled with dozens of grazing
deer. There were young calves, just
months old - with their soft feet and dewy black noses - sniffing and nibbling
at the grass below. There were also
large stag horn deer – the group leaders – grazing away to their heart’s
content. The gentle rays of the sun glided
through the tree leaves on to their golden yellow skin, making it glow and
shine. All was quiet. There were no man-made sounds. In the distance, the water in the pond
glistened as if molten gold were sprinkled on its surface. What a sight it was!We
were at “Kanha, ” the largest wildlife sanctuary in Central India. Kanha is spread over 1068 sq. kms. The core area is 903 sq. kms. It has a rich wildlife and abundant diverse
natural foliage. It has grasslands,
tropical evergreen forests, lakes, waterfalls, and gurgling streams. Dense jungles, totally untouched by human
presence are preserved and safeguarded for the benefit of wildlife.After
we were ready, we began our jungle safari in an open-top Gypsy. The safari moves along mud trails, which
crisscross Kanha. We were all very excited at the possibility of spotting a
tiger, that magnificent and ferocious beast in its own heartland! As we moved in to the wildlife park, we saw a
large number of deer and monkeys around our vehicle. The Gypsy moved ahead at steady pace along a long-winding trail,
moving upward towards hilltops. From there, we could see a breathtaking spread
of the jungle. There were so many shades
of green that I saw for the first time. Then we trundled downhill on to tall
grasslands with large watering holes where we saw deer taking in their quota of
water. They turned and watched us as if
surprised at the intrusion.Deep
in the jungle, the driver slowed the vehicle.
There was a herd of bison grazing there at some distance ahead. What a magnificent beast. The male bison looked as if he could easily
tumble over our vehicle with just a slight effort! He looked enormous. We quietly and slowly moved to a different
direction. The landscape changed in hue and color now that the sun was up. We moved from dense jungle to tall grasslands
to rivers, streams, ponds and hilltops.And
suddenly again, we were down deep in the valley. As we crossed a large tree
whose branch overhung our path, I spotted a large python sinuously curled on
that branch! It was almost the size of scooter
tire at its center. High up in the
treetops, we saw a variety of monkeys, easily swaying from branch to branch
with the help of their arms and tail.
There was also the very rarely seen lion-tailed macaque. On a large boulder over a hilltop, we saw a
silver crested eagle.The
Gypsy now entered a dense patch of jungle.
The trees were huge and formidable.
They were also very close- some branches almost intertwining with each
other. Between two such trees, we saw a
giant spider web with a large spider at the center. How craftily the spider traps its prey- the
flies and small insects!The
guide told us that a wild boar or a hyena was difficult to spot. Foxes quickly hid in their foxholes. But the high point of the jungle safari,
undoubtedly, is the spotting of a tiger!And I
almost overwhelmed to say that on that beautiful day, as our Gypsy turned a
corner on the mud trail – from the thick bushes – out jumped a large male tiger
right in front of out Gypsy! It was
almost 10-15 feet away. It was crossing
the mud trail and moving towards the bushes on the other side of the mud
trail. We stared at it transfixed and in
utter silence! The driver shut off the
engine.For a
moment, the tiger turned towards our vehicle.
His golden skin shone with dark black stripes. The stomach moved rhythmically as he
breathed. The large tiger opened its
jaws and moved a long red tongue over its incisors as if licking away the
remains of a recent kill. Its eyes were
like ignited coal. It watched the Gypsy
intently. We all froze! One woman could barely contain herself and
cried out in fright. The tiger suddenly
turned away its head disinterestedly and in a flash, he disappeared in the
thick vegetation ahead.Everybody,
including the drivercould
hear the rapid pounding in their hearts!
It took a while to realize that it was all over.
