We reach Kanha as the sun is homeward bound. From the open verandah of the guesthouse, we gaze at the kaleidoscope of colours that paint the horizon, the hues changing from bright orange to deep blue to purple, till the inkiness unveils the shimmering stars. Ahead in the open grassland looms a huge tree. Our guide calls it an ek mein teen (three-in-one), a banyan, neem and sal rolled into a single marvel. Quite a familiar sight in Kanha, he tells us.
As it darkens a host of sounds accost our ears. The cicadas' incessant orchestration is punctuated now and then by the loud hoots of an owl. A jungle cat slinks in, ferreting rather noisily for bits from the kitchen bin, and a scrunching and grunting has us train our torches to a clump of trees nearby. It's a family of wild boar at their favourite haunt. Deep in the forest we hear the plaintive cry of a deer.
The night is enchanting in this wilderness in the
The jungle cock greets us with his loud crowing and we can just make out his brilliant multihued coat among the cluster of bamboo. Chitals dot the landscape, at times very near, their coats camouflaging them in the brownness of the foliage. It is the right season to be here as animals are most visible now, coming out to slake their thirst in waterholes and nibbling on whatever food is available.
We stop by a pond. It's surrounded by a host of creatures — monkeys, neelgais, deer in perfect harmony, drinking their fill. As we move on, we espy under the tall sal trees a lone gaur, the Indian bison in white-socked majesty. Chewing cud, it stares at us. We stop a bit and, looking into the forest behind him, find his entire kith and kin. This sanctuary is also the only habitat of the barasingha, herds of which congregate by shallow pools.
Diverse trails
Though the circuits are mapped out in Kanha, the trails are diverse enough to sight a number of creatures. It is however in its grasslands that wildlife abounds. As we near one we find it chock-a-block with herds of sambhar. At another peacocks display their finery, while a couple of blackbucks stand, leaping gracefully into the air as they hear us approach. And we witness a stag fight — the deer, horns locked, challenging each other's might! The evening round ends at Bamimi Dadr — sunset point — a spectacular area in the park. We settle here to see the sun go down in the horizon, an orb of red, the shadows lengthening as trees and grasses become silhouettes. Silence falls. As we wait in utter quiet we are rewarded by a rather rare sighting of a pack of dhole — the Indian wild dog.
Kanha is also a birdwatcher's paradise, harbouring almost 200 species of avian life. And so the next morning, binoculars in hand, we station ourselves in a clearing in the forest. The Racket-Tailed Drongo, Indian Roller and Shikra are here in plenty as are Treepies, Kingfishers and Woodpeckers. Water birds wallow in Kanha's many brooks and pools and at Sarvantaal, we catch a few Common Teals and Pintail Ducks.
Another round of the forest, and it turns out to be our chance to see the big cat! For as we are ushered into the jeep, we are told that a tiger has been sighted in the surrounding environs. A gathering twister has us take cover under a clump of trees but as it moves away our guide points to the nearby rushes. And there, with its tail raised high is the mighty beast. Giving us a nonchalant glance, it moves right across, turns around and strides back into the grasses. It's only after it disappears, that we exhale!
Big cat bonanza
Barely have we begun to get over the vision, when we make our way quickly to another spot, deep in the jungle. A big cat has been spotted here too. It's resting in the thickets after its meal. Clambering onto an elephant we sway along, crouching to escape getting entangled in the tree branches. We clutch on to the howdah as our mahout manoeuvres the elephant to stop at a grove of sal and bamboo. The creature is well camouflaged and difficult to sight.
But, as it turns over, the grass moves and we get a peek. It's lazily licking its paws, quite oblivious to our presence...
That's the second tiger we've seen, and we're in for a bonanza. Our guide's talkie gets the message that a tigress has been sighted at the end of our trail. Down a rivulet and up again into the forest we go, when suddenly the elephant stops in its tracks. The tigress must be nearby.
Frantic alarm calls across confirm its presence. We wait in silence. Fifteen minutes later the tigress walks by, a few feet away, two cubs in tow. We barely breathe...
As we get back a new family has settled near our lodge. It's the monkeys. They are there to entertain us for the evening. As we are busy watching their antics, we spot a sloth bear in the distance.
Kanha has surpassed our expectations...
Fact file
Getting there: Kanha is accessible from
Local transport can be hired to get to Kanha from these cities.
The two main entrances to the park are Khatia (3 km from Kisli) and Mukki.
Accommodation: Madhya Pradesh Tourism, Wild Chalet Resort, Tuli Tiger Resort,
Best season: Feb-June. The park is closed from July-October.
No comments:
Post a Comment