The Undisputed Kings

Anticipation and excitement filled our hearts when we disembarked at Umaria station. It had been my husband's idea to do a wildlife holiday instead of the usual beach holidays.We were pleasantly surprised at the miniature size and cleanliness of the station.An hour's ride and we were at Nature Heritage Resort at Bandhavgarh by lunchtime.The rooms were well designed with a lot of usage of bamboo,abundantly found in the area.We could barely wait for our jungle safari and after having a delicious lunch ,we were enroute a rugged jeep for our 1st safari.Our three year old daughter was as excited as us.Our resort was very close to the Tala entry gate.(The resort has 3 distinct areas and entry gates but the Tala part is the most commonly visited and also has the most sightings) so it took us only 5 minutes to reach the gate.A guide (made compulsory by the Tiger Reserve)hopped into our jeep. A tip to those planning a visit - It would be foolishness to take your own car inside the reserve since the terrain is rough.

We loved the jungle as soon as we entered. A dense forest with a mix of sal and bamboo trees ,it was the beautiful aroma of the trees and the picturesque landscape with hills and meadows that completely enchanted us. We did not have a tiger sighting that day but saw abundant varieties of deer,langurs and birds.

Tea and coffee and a warm bornfire awaited us when we returned to the hotel and we were regaled with gripping stories of the tigers of Bandhavgarh and how the owner of the resort who was one of the best naturalists of the area risked his life and jumped at a tigress (even pulling her by her tail!) to prevent her from ravaging some tourists in a jeep (A rare occurrence – this particular one happened only because the tigress was severely injured in a car accident and was further annoyed by jeeps hounding her).

The next day we woke up at 5.30 am in the morning and after a quick cup of tea,left for the safari again. (There are 2 safari's a day – morning and evening) It was still dark when we left and when we entered the gates,we could still see the moon clearly and soon the forest was bathed by a soft pink light making it look ethereal. We were provided with blankets in the jeep since it was bitingly cold in the green cover of the jungle...We didn't hear any animal calls( alarm calls by deer/monkeys when they sight a tiger) nor did we see much of animals.The jungle seemed to be still....which has a beauty of its own.After having a quick tea at Centrepoint – a break point half way in the safari,we set out again. Within5 minutes,our guide spotted pug marks and whispered-' these are very fresh....shhhhhh'. And we saw the jeep 50 yards ahead of us pointing towards the left side at the hillock. And we saw a tiger strolling down!

Our hearts stood still. I panicked and couldn't focus my camera on the tiger.After a few minutes ,he was joined by another tiger.These were actually 18 month old male cubs.Our guide said that the mother must also be around somewhere. Both the cubs crossed the road behind us and went down to a stream and happily drank water for 12-15 minutes.Soon,we heard a growl from the other side.It was the mother calling her cubs.The growl turned more persistent and angry when the cubs did not pay heed.One of the cubs got up and slowly went to her.The naughty one continued to drink and took his own sweet time to join her.As we were all busy looking at the trio on one side,our daughter said softly-"Look Mama- another tiger ! "And we looked at the other side to see the majestic father- called B2, just a few metres from us ! He had wounds on his face and legs.( A new male tiger had ventured into his area and they had fought for claiming/defending their territories) He nonchalantly crossed the road just 2 metres away from us and now we knew why tigers were the undisputed king of the jungles.

The winds stopped rustling the leaves,we literally stopped breathing,the animals broke into a frenzy of alarms,the peacock close to the tigers just froze .It was one of the most memorable sights that we would behold. We had been blessed .Even if we did not sight any more animals in our whole trip,it would not bother us.

The next day we went to the Fort and a temple within the tiger reserve -10th century and atop the biggest hill .The hill had small temples singularly dedicated to all avatars of Vishnu.Kabirdas had also spent some time there and a temple was dedicated to him too.There was a bautiful bawadi(tank) which gets frequent animal visitors including a tigress and her cubs which inhabit that area.At the bottom of the hill was a huge statue of a reclining Vishnu (10th century )and the holy CharanGanga river originates from the foot of the statue.

We saw a tigers everyday of our 3 day trip and we also equally enjoyed the other animals and abundant birds in the reserve.It was a most memorable holiday and we were now permanently converted to wildlife lovers.

Information About the Bandhavgarh Reserve :
Closest Railhead : Umaria- 32 kms
Good time to go : October - June
Convenient route from Mumbai - Howrah Express; Disembark at Katni which is 75 kms
Entry Point : Tala

Love Haikus

1.
Like a parched desert
I soak in your immense love
Now completely drenched

2.
Before you arrived
Love was a four letter word
You gave definition

3.
Most heady sensation
When I drank you completely
Mmm…I am still high

4.
You came in my dream
And I ventured into yours
Interlaced our dreams

5.
The wind brushed my skin
Felt like your caress, so divine…
Aching for your touch

6.
I entered your dreams
Riding on a bright moonbeam
While you were sleeping

7.
My soul taking wings
Touching the face of my beloved
You absorbed me within

8.
Alas, the time is up
With a last kiss, I depart
Are your lips tingling?

Untitled

Everything has taken an insipid brown color

From the pervasive moss on the rock
To the niggling,gnawing thought
From the butterfly flitting flower to flower-
being denied nectar,mistaken for a moth
To every leaf on trees,nearly scorched

The Sun doesn't spare -
Not a thing,not a soul
Crackling emotions,set aflame
The boy on the road,fully dust wrapped
Hungry tigers in the forest-no game
In the neighbourhood,a dog has died
The light wraps him in its scathing flame

Hidden resentments come pouring out
Turned putrid,their odor rise
Death can be sensed in the courtyard
Does it come and sleep in our cots?

The child on the third floor wails and wails
Then,complete silence.Shadow looms
My solitude lengthens- stretches and yawns
So many times,tried to brush it with a broom
The night comes charging in like a train
Darkness devours me from inside

The book falls from my lap

She

The chameli adorning her hair

Now wilted and yellow

It had already seen a few strangers .
A few strands of hair in disarray

The night was still long

The sari,the only saving grace

Yellow,having sucked all color from the blooming amaltas

Tucked perilously below the waist

The left hand resting carelessly on the curve

The pan chewing teeth spat in a monotonous regularity

The habit probably cultivated to keep them away from the zone

Strange

She was probably numb down there

It had to be always a green signal

Sort of an express highway...

Like an amputated limb

It didnt belong to her anymore....

But it was always red pan stained on the lips

No entry

This was her

Throbbing,pulsating,alive

Sacred.

sometimes

I look at you.At times,
तुम नही दिखते
I see a stranger

यह ज़िंदगी

कितनी अजीब सी ये दुनिया है
एक हाथ से देती है
और हजारों से लेलेती है वापस
सब कुच्छ.
कुच्छ नही छोड़ती है हमारे पास
ना सहस , ना उम्मीदें, ना ख्वाहिशें ।

आज सुबह ही की बात है
गाडी मे चल रहा था
आँखें बंद थीं
सुबह ही थका हुआ था
तभी
एक जोरों की चीख सुनी मैंने
कोने पे बैठा
फुटपाथ पर जूता साफ करना वाला
चिल्ला रहा था
उसकी चीख ऐसे
खुदा को भी ज़मीन पर बुला ले।

गाड़ी रोकी तो पता चला
काम पर तो आया था वह बेचारा
बेचार जो था
उसकी एक साल की लड़की
का देहांत हुआ था कल रात'
और अज्ज, एक सेठ
जिसके जूते तैयार थे
पैसे देने से इंकार कर रहा था।

शायद
पिता का दिल आख़िर
उभर ही गया
उन पैसों के लिया ही तो आया था वो


अब क्या जवाब देगा
उसकी औरत को
लोगों को
अपने आप को?

कुच्छ नही छोड़ती है हमारे पास
ना सहस , ना उम्मीदें, ना ख्वाहिशें ।

Close The Door

Strange dreams hold me tight
Curl up like a baby in the womb
Howling trees in the dark of the night
Pellets of ice drop on my hand
Some strange figure making my tomb
Coldness seeps through
Deep into my body,to my bones
My eyeballs freeze in my sockets
My skin has turned to stone
But my thoughts are still humming
The sound reaching a crescendo


Where are you?

I grope for your hand
Touch your fingers to mine
Hold my body close to thine
Help me defeat the darkness of my dreams
That haunt me every night
Like a daily drone of a plane
Searing past the sky in flight
Let me just hear the sound of your heart
Love me all through the night
Closing the dark doors of my dreams