For a good 4 to 5 days, I have been living in the jungles of South India - probably my best jungle escapade so far. All these days, I thought multiple times to blog about the experience and finally I am back to civilization where one of the few recompenses would be access to the net.
I was privileged to get familiarized to diverse existences as I stayed in places which placate you with diametrically opposite comforts. The first couple of days were in Cicada resorts - Bandipur; The resort offers ultimate comfort and the staff pamper you with everything you think you require. Other than the wildlife safari and nature walks the resort offers the pool, the spa, a wonderful bar and great food. Rooms are comfortable and cozy. And the view is awe-inspiring. The staff is highly competent and the service offered is overwhelming. Though the resort is undergoing some massive renovation, there was hardly any fracas over it.
Next I move onto Glen-view resorts in Masinagudi for a good 3 days. I could still feel the chill in my spine when I recollect a singular instance. In Glen-view, I was enjoying my drink post supper outside my room, when I heard the leaves rustle in a nearby bush and it was pitch dark (Read Sinisterly dark). Something big was around me and I just ran into my room. For the rest of night, I lay anxious thinking what it could have been. Leopards/other big cats, do frequent the place, but it’s a rarity. It couldnt have been an elephant, though the bulls were sighted recently outside the resort a while away. Could have been a bear or a mongoose or a big rodent and to supplement this, we could hear the dogs in the nearby resort barking incessantly. But that’s what Glen-view could offer you as it is the last resort in Bokapuram and shares its boundary with the hill/jungle. Glen-view has decent rooms and the staff are one of the most hospitables ones around. Service, whatever could be offered in that confined space, was dealt by the staff with supreme efficiency. I could vouch for this as they took care of dear friend of mine who was suffering from severe cold and cough. The foliage is so thick that sun-light hardly penetrates and this can be currently attributed to the monsoons as well. And hey - dont be surprised if you find a monkey shredding your roof off if you take up the tree house. Glen-view is still understood as a part of the core jungle by the inmates of the forest and they don’t seem too keen to share this space with you – Atleast not in the near future.
One unfortunate incident that I want to throw light on, is the despicable attitude of the local safari drivers show towards the animals in the reserve. They try to taunt the animals into retaliation and thereby believe that they have provided you with the ultimate amusement. Acts like swirling the jeep towards a bison and blinking the head lamps at it and provoking it by raising the engine throttle etc are considered to be intrepidness. But when I intervened I was looked down as a coward incarnate.
Imagine this: You are sitting with your family and loved ones at the dinner table and suddenly someone barges into your house and disturbs your meal, scares your kin and irritates/abuses you. The effect of this may not be immediate, but with this consistent pressure on animals, there may be a day when they charge at innocent non-interfering clueless trespasser who actually respects the wilderness.
But whose fault would this be? Its all ours; Its us for whom these localites try these stunts on these animals and try to make a buck or two than normal. Apparently, a group had told the driver a day before that "They want to be chased by an elephant"; Another Santro driver offers my jeep driver some free money to help him sight some wild animals. And he believes that he could maneuver his car as good as this localite does with his jeep and the icing on the cake is the fact that he planned to do it with a 4 year old in the car. Has he lost respect for his own life or does he believe that his 4 year old is expendable at the cost of his silly tricks with his car with wild beasts?
I pledge hereby that I wouldn’t be a part of these safaris anymore as it dawns on me that I am violating seclusion of endangered living-beings, in realizing one of my many asinine dreams. I am also planning to bring in some kind of education to these jungle residents to edify the value that wildlife brings in to this world and more so for them as they live for, by the wildlife. It’s a thin line that we are treading on. I would welcome any suggestions to get this going.
And yes...watch out for some pictures here soon...
