Take Me for a Ride!

The Park Elephants at Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Feather Weight

A Myna taking a ride on the back of Barasingha at Kahna National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Vertigo Inducing Video- A Fox Running in Front of the Jeep in Kanha

Fox Running Ahead

It was my last day at Kahna and this was an early morning ride into the jungle. We were heading to the main Kanha Zone and Alger (the driver and the guide) wanted to there reach early. Suddenly this fox started running in front of our jeep. The video is quite blurred because the fox was running and the jeep was moving and it was too much movement for me. Yet it was a rare moment so I thought I would share this vertigo inducing video nonetheless.

A Video from the Taj Safari's Banjaar Tola Lodge

My Room and the Surroundings at the Taj Safari's Banjaar Tola Lodge

Tiger Tales from Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

The Pug Mark of a Tiger, Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Tiger Tale 1: I was having a conversation with one of the naturalists at the Taj Safaris Banjaar Tola resort and he told me an interesting tale. One day the resort vehicle was in the park and the elephant riders of the parks told the naturalists, "There is a Tiger sitting in the grass just 30 feet from the road." The naturalist stopped the jeep for an outside chance that there might be some movement from the tiger. The guests started telling the naturalists, "Let us walk and go see the tiger." You cannot get out of the vehicle in the park apart from designated areas. The naturalist kept quite for some time. When they kept on chanting the same old tune he told them, "Aap paidal jaa tou sakte hain tiger ke pass per vapis aayenge ki nahin uske koe guarantee nahin hai." (You may go walking near the tiger but there is no guarantee that you would come back.)

The 4WD Tata Mobile, Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Tiger Tale 2: We were moving in the Mukki Zone of the Kanha National Park. We met a jeep that had seen the tiger in the same zone but it has given us a miss. We stopped for the breakfast at the point in the picture above (where you can get down of the jeep) and the naturalist remarked, "You guys would have declared me useless by now. Happens all the time with the guests. There are three resort vehicles moving and one of them spots a tiger. Later the guests meet in the dining area and compare notes. Now those who didn't see the tiger are pulling really long faces. They all would want the tiger spotting naturalist for the next ride and declare everyone else useless."

We assured him that we understood that tigers can't be produced on demand!

Conversations with David at Taj Safari Lodge Banjaar Tola, Madhya Pradesh

I met David before a dinner at Taj Safari's Banjaar Tola Lodge. There was Alger (the naturalist who took me to Kanha National Park for all my four rides) an Indian couple staying at the lodge, Mohit (another employee) and myself. All of us were chatting nineteen to a dozen. The Indian couple had a home in Italy and they were talking about some beaches they had visited in the USA. Soon David and I started chatting among our self. Here is how it went.

The Taj Safari's Campsite at Dusk, Banjaar Tola

Me: "So David, what a life, living inside a jungle!"
David: "Yes, this is exactly what I wanted."
Me: "David are you married?" (Hey this was not the first time I was chatting with him. And among Indians this question can be popped easily. OK, OK I know I am sounding defensive).
David: "No."
Me: "Hey no one will agree to come and live with you in this jungle!"
David: "Look at ..., he lives with his family and his daughter loves it."
Me: "So where are you from?"
David: "From Kerela, have you been there?"
Me: "No, but have to go there one day."

The Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

David: "So how do you find the lodge?"
Me: "The room rents are way too high, if you don't mind my saying so."
David: "Hey we are used to hearing this!" (laughing)
Me: "Do you manage to take vacations?"
David: "Yes, recently I was in Nainital. I travel on budget"
Me: "Why, that is such a crowded place."
David: "I went bird watching and in off beat places. I can do brid watching all my life."
Me: "We are also budget travelers, I do such trips usually on sponsorship."
David: "Hey I am sure we would meet in the Himalayas somewhere and say Hi to each other again."

To that he went up and left for his accommodations on the premises.

The Kahna National Park/Taj Safari Article at Gonomad

Dancing Peacock at Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India

My full article about the Kanha National Park/Taj Safari Lodge (in collaboration with the African firm & Beyond) is now up at Gonomad-

I saw Gaurs (resembles a bison), cheetals (a type of deer), peacocks and
even wild boars but there was no sign of the elusive tiger. At one particular
road Alger and the park ranger got quite excited as they saw the pug marks of a
tiger and they tried to track it.

Very Happy with a Zoom Lens

Kingfisher at Kanha National Park

I have clicked photographs for 2 years without a zoom lens. And I would often wonder why can't I take good pictures when it comes to taking close ups! I mean this Kingfisher was sitting really far away and yet I managed a decent picture.

Squirrel at Christ Church College, Oxford, UK

And even though I was quite close to this squirrel, this is the kind of picture I could manage with my wide angle lens. Maybe one day I will be able to click the same scene with my zoom lens too.

And even for the new zoom lens (Sigma 70-300mm) I could not find time to go to Chandni Chowk but Brat 1 managed to do it for me and I am so happy that he bailed me out. I will surely try to head to Bharatpur in season.

But then I am already yearning for a telephoto lens.

Rooms at the Taj Safari Lodge, Banjaar Tola

The Rooms at the Taj Safari Lodge at Banjaar Tola, Near Kanha National Park Madhya Pradesh

I have to say upfront that you would usually not see such pictures at my blog simply because we do not stay at resorts. All the three times when I have stayed at fancy places in India it has been because of sponsorship! I mean check out the room rates at Banjaar Tola. Leaves me speechless.

Pictures from Kanha National Park and a Special Swim

The Taj Safari's Vehicle at Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

I have managed to upload a few pictures from the Kanha National Park. The view from my room was so green that when I close my eyes, I still see green.

The Swimming Pool at Taj Safari's Banjaar Tola Camp Near Kanha

The best part was the swimming pool at the camp. I went swimming after 7 years and what fun it was. Actually, the master chef Manish at the camp was feeding us such good food that I asked them the way to the pool. I told them, "the way you guys are feeding me, if I don't swim, I would gain 3 KG by the time I leave." And Manish told me that as there was a pool side dinner that day, the pool was lit with lanterns and I could use it at night too. So, imagine an outdoor pool, lit by lanterns and flanked by trees with a few fireflies on it. And I had it all to myself!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Malabar Pied Hornbill at Kanha National Park

Malabar Pied Hornbill at Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

I came back from Kanha National Park in the state of Madhya Pradesh today. And no I didn't get to see the tiger. But as they say in the jungles- "So what of you didn't see the tiger, be happy that the tiger saw you."

Stayed with the Taj Safari's Banjaar Tola Camp, and as I said before the trip was organized by Gonomad for me.

I feel all my three trips are now getting mixed with one another, so I need to get down to blogging and sort them out.

Of course a lot more pictures and a post for Gonomad will follow.

And I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Just the thing I needed before I start a new job tomorrow.