|
Perhaps a TigerTrailing Tigers in Central IndiaBy Suna Kanga
The Pench Forest Reserve is one of the most accessible tiger reserves in India. Just an hour’s flight from Mumbai transports us to Nagpur, a bustling city at the geographical centre of the country. Most visitors pre-book a car to convey them directly from the airport to the Reserve about 90 km north of the city. The busy road from Nagpur to Pench winds past townships, farms and rivulets before entering the magical “Tiger State” of Madhya Pradesh, a setting evoked by Rudyard Kipling in his Jungle Book. (Incredibly, the world of tiger Sher Khan was entirely based on accounts by naturalists and correspondence with locals). Three-year-old Bagh Van, (Tiger Garden), where we spend a night, is one of five lodges on the fringe of the Reserve. Here, we would live in close proximity to wildlife, savour the silence of the forest and enjoy glimpses of wild animals. Perhaps, a tiger!
Peaceful Pench is an unsophisticated charmer when compared with Indian parks such as Ranthambore, Corbett and Similipal which are noted for scenic beauty. Pench is the southern extension to Central India’s better known Kanha National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park which attract large groups of tiger enthusiasts. The parks are connected and animals are free to wander from one reserve to another along corridors which are kept open.
Twice, the jeep’s engine is cut for naturalist Samir Bakshi and spotter Saleem Ali to listen for the high-pitched ‘warning calls’ (sometimes confused with mating calls) from animals alerting the forest to the presence of a tiger. We speed to a call only to be rewarded with fresh pug marks of a fleeing tiger, one of about 50 within this reserve. Will we spot a tiger today?
Meals are buffets of simple western and local dishes and desserts served by friendly and efficient staff. It is acceptable for a guest to walk into the kitchen and get chef to rustle up a favourite dish with available ingredients. Long dining tables offer international guests an opportunity to intermingle and share experiences. The staff’s enthusiasm and ability to understand English eases the unfamiliarity of living in the wild.
Bagh Van, according to Peacock, is a commitment to responsible tourism. For the owners of Bagh Van, the private resort is a culmination of a shared love for the wilderness and experience in adventure tourism. The resort focuses on eco-friendly practices such as harvesting of rainwater, recycling liquid waste, use of degradable materials and the careful disposal of waste. Training and employment opportunities are offered to the local community and nearby tribes such as the Gonds. Colourful artworks by local children are displayed on the dining room walls.
“Pench
is one of India’s best kept secrets. You can drive through the forest all day
and pass just one car,” observes a naturalist.
We do not see a tiger during our brief stay but it does not matter. For us, the Pench tiger remains a hidden presence lurking in the riverbed outside our cottage or trailing us during game rides. For our citified group, a brief communion with the wilderness from a charming base is reward enough. Just being in the forest, yielding to the soundless majesty of the terrain with senses prodded to awareness by warning calls and darting wildlife -- these are rewards enough. Next time, perhaps a tiger… Logistics: India’s Pench Forest Reserve is easily accessible by road (90 km) from Nagpur, an hour’s flight from Mumbai, a major gateway. One can also fly to Nagpur from Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata. For more information: www.wildindiacamps.com. Photographs by Suna and Rusi Kanga, and Bagh Van lodge. Copyright Kanga Concepts |
|
TM
The
lady lay on the ground, stunned and trembling as she looked into the tiger’s
eyes. This is the end, she thought. Three days later, she told us her story at
the picturesque Pench Forest Reserve in Central India. “I thought the tiger had
got me,” said the Finnish tour leader who was dislodged from an elephant during
a safari. Quick action saved her. An elephant was prodded to its knees and she
was literally lifted from the jaws of danger. “It was scary -- but I will be
back,” said the feisty lady who received prompt medical attention and continued
her tour.
Scenic Pench Tiger Reserve, created in 1992, is the 19th
Reserve within the Project Tiger network of India. It is covered in prime teak
forest and grassland along the foothills of the Satpura Range. The Pench River,
a vital waterway for man and animals, divides the land into two section. The
Pench National Park, (292.85 sq km), is a core zone carved from the Reserve’s
total area of 757.86 km.
Our
sanctuary is a perfect base from which to explore the jungle. Bagh Van is owned
by four partners, among them Hashim Tyabji, one of India’s most respected tiger
experts and ornithologists. The well-designed units, which reveal artistry with
local materials, offer modern conveniences for 30 guests.
The main pavilion, an airy meeting place for meals, opens
to a paved terrace surrounded by trees. The cheerfully appointed and pristine
cottages are set back amidst tall trees, each comprising two connected units of
bedrooms, baths and verandahs to sit and contemplate the world. At sunset, the
terrace makes an attractive setting for cocktails around a fire followed by
dinner at long tables set with white tablecloths and gleaming wine glasses. This
is the hour to exchange tiger tales and wildlife stories from around the world.
Game
rides are the highlight of a day in a safari park. Twice a day, we set out in
specially designed open jeeps to cruise through the beautiful woods within a
gently undulating terrain. “Enjoy in harmony with nature…” says a notice
welcoming visitors at the gate. We sit back and let our eyes wander through the
beautiful trees. The crunch of gravel breaks the silence of the enchanted forest
as we cruise past some amazing specimens: giants with twisting tentacles and
arched branches, sculptural and ghost-white ficus racmosa with bleached
roots clasping black boulders and lofty teak trees with dusty leaves.
“It’s a game of chance. Visibility is higher during the
main season, the dry months from March to June. The park closes during the rainy
season, from June to mid October,” says Samir. We head for the elephant camp
within the park where tourists from various lodges converge by jeep to boast of
animal sightings or talk of elusive tigers. After refreshments, the hunt goes
on…
Jungle
babblers flutter high in the trees. Sambar, chital, nilgai and barking deer
sprint gracefully through the bushes. Then we come upon a memorable scene at a
stream: a herd of about a dozen tawny, white legged bison (gaur) with young ones
in tow, swinging their tails to keep flies at bay. For several minutes, we spy
on the splashing bathers. A lone jackal sneaks by and we catch a fleeting
glimpse of a wild boar. All too soon, it is time to head back through trees
awash with rosy sunset hues, along gravel pathways sparkling with mica.
Tomorrow, perhaps a tiger…
Back
at Bhag Van, there is time to chat with wildlife buffs, thumb through library
books on flora and fauna and enjoy a drink at the well-stocked bar. Apart from
the tiger, leopard, blue bull, sambar, barking deer and many other animals, the
forest reserve is home to 319 varieties of birds. Serious birdwatchers compare
notes on sightings in thickets and around water bodies which provide refuge to
migratory waterfowls and other water birds.
India
has the largest tiger population in the world and much of its tiger country
remains untouched. The network of parks within Central India is one of the best
places to see tigers in the wild. Notes Mary Peacock who manages Bagh Van with
efficient camaraderie: “Although we may not want animals disturbed, people do
want to see wildlife in safari parks. Without tourist interest the tigers would
be gone and without tourism India cannot afford to keep the parks adequately
staffed to control poaching. So without tourism the tigers would be gone. It’s
a double-edged sword.”
For the energetic, there are
boat-rides on the Pench reservoir to observe birds and wildlife, guided nature
walks in the park, picnics in quiet locations, cycling and walking in the
countryside and visits to the local villages and colourful bazaars.