The Praying Monk

Pray. Coz you're never too lost to be saved.

A Wild Encounter: Bandhavgarh

My dad is a wild life enthusiast, an ardent fan of channels like Discovery and Animal Planet. Undoubtedly, I have inherited the same likings. I have grown up watching wild life shows starring Steve Irwin and Bear Grylls. 

A place which had been for long on my mind was Bandhavgarh National Park! This national park located in Madhya Pradesh is believed to have highest tiger density in India.

Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in the year 1968 having an area of 105km square. It is believed that Bandhavgarh hillock was gifted by Lord Ram to his brother Lakshman with the expectation to keep a watch on Lanka. Hence the name Bandhavgarh i.e. Brother's Fort.

It has four main zones: Tala, Magadhi, Khitauli and Panpatta. Panpatta is not open for safari's. Tala is the premium Zone and the rest two are non premium one's. The best time to visit Bandhavgarh is between Feburary to early June. The park remains closed  between July to September. The nearest airport is Jabalpur and nearest railway stations are Jabalpur & Katni.

I reached Bandhavgarh on the morning of 17th June 2014. After an extensive research and a lot of contemplation I had booked my 3 Nights 4 Days stay in TigerGarh Resort. This resort overlooks the boundary of the National Park and is very close to the Tala Zone gate. For once there was a place which tremendously outdid my expectations. 

Mr Gagan, a wild life enthusiast and nature lover owns and runs the place. There are close to 14 cottages in the Resort. Each cottages is called a den and named after a Bandhavgarh tiger. He has done the place meticulously keeping in mind the smallest of all things. The place is truly rustic and wild. But at the same time comfort isn't compromised! The interiors are well decorated and every small little thing in the resort accentuates the village theme.

Gagan has a great team to his backing. Both, the house keeping and kitchen staff are well groomed, trained and efficient. They are humble, polite and available at the drop of a hat. There is a separate dining area which is equally beautiful in design. Each meal is hygienic, lavish and scrumptious. Moreover, everyday you are treated to a new menu. Ranging from Continental to Italian and Indian to Chinese.

 

Deluxe Rooms

Day1 (17th June 2014):

The resplendent sun greeted us on our arrival. With our high energies and overflowing excitement we geared up for our tryst with tiger. We treated ourselves to a hearty breakfast and explored the resort a little. Post lunch as we started to get ready, we got face to face with our worst nightmare ever... Rains! Tiger sightings become difficult when it rains. Water is available everywhere hence tigers prefer relaxing in their dens.

Our evening safari starts at 4pm . By the time we started, rains were almost gone. Just a little drizzling continued. As the jeep went deeper and deeper into the forest. We kept feeling the tiger would appear suddenly out of the grasses. But it never did.

All we could spot were the Sambhar and Spotted Deers. Our spirits weren't tamed by the day's experience. We were still happy that we enjoyed a rainy ride into the Jungle. We were hopeful of sighting tiger in the next day's early morning safari.

Sambhar Deer

Day2 (18th June):

Day2 began with an early morning safari to the premium zone: Tala. The morning safari's are from 5am to 9.30am. We woke up not to the alarm ringing but to the sounds of rain and thunder storm. This was our second and last safari booked. We were determined to trace the wild cat.
By the time we were ready to leave, rains had completely stopped. My dad pointed that this was the perfect weather to spot a bear.

My dad's word actually came true and deep into the forest we descried a bear. The guide pointed that bear sightings were rarest of rear. We were all the more elated. The Bear was just a feet away, digging the ground searching for termites.

Bear searching for termites

Ahead in our safari we espyied Bisons, Wild boars, Monitor Lizards, Peacocks, Vulture and a few other birds.

Wild Bison

Open Space @ Tala Zone

Even though we didn't see the tiger I was happy we spotted a bear which was something no safari anywhere guaranted.

Tiger's Message brought a smile on my face.

Day3 (19th June)

Day 3 began with a morning picnic to the beautiful Chenchpur Waterfall.  My gut feeling was we would surely spot a tiger today. Haven't you heard of the saying: Third Time Lucky! However, the problem was we didn't have a safari booked for that day.

In Bandhavgarh the safari's are limited and pre-booked months in advance. Few Safari's for each day are reserved for VIP's. Half an hour before the safari, the reserved safaris if unused are given to the people public on first come first basis.

We checked at the counter an hour prior to the evening Safari. There were safaris available for the Magadhi Zone. Without giving it another thought we purchased the tickets. As the safari began, our eyes scanned the forest as far as we could.

"This is serious business. Lets Focus" demanded the guide. He further added, "Tiger ko track karne main hi toh asli mazaa hai". The guide took our jeep to every possible spot trying to trace the wild cat.

It was already 6pm and we had nearly covered the entire permissible region of forest. We started to move towards the main gate. We were sulking but the guide said we shouldn't give up til the last minute. Just then, a few kms before the gate, far in the open fields, camouflaged by the tall dried grass, the majestic Tiger was walking. He walked pass the entire length of the boundary and disappeared in the forest again!

We started moving ahead and just about 2 kms from the gate we saw a jeep halted and the people looking into the fields. Voila! Another tiger hiding behind the grasses. He popped his head up checked us out. Hearing the commotion he decided to be there for some more time until we were gone..

The park was to close down in next 5 mins, so we didn't bother him much. I couldn't capture them in my lens. The first one was too far and the second one didn't give me much time. But at the end it didn't matter if they were far or close. It didn't matter if I was able to capture them or not. I was relieved we we weren't going home disappointed. We had managed two tiger sightings!

Bandhavgarh was an out an out amazing experience. The jungle has an extensive species of animals, plants and birds. Each zone of the forest has a different terrain. Although its a lesser popular park, it is rich in beauty, wildness and diversity.

Do visit for a truly Wild Experience!

Alluring Kashmir.....Part1

My heart skipped a beat as I switched on the television set. Kashmir, the Switzerland of India, was hit by unprecedented floods. I felt extremely helpless seeing that the place which gave me an experience of a lifetime was struggling hard to survive. Almost 400 villages in the Kashmir valley were submerged in water.

Today, as I write this post Indian Army has managed rescuing 1,34,000 people so far. Relief material is being passed on to every village in need. The entire nation owes a debt of gratitude to the army men.

My brain flash backs; Exactly to the time when I was smitten by the beauty and mesmerizing aura of Kashmir. Kashmir exhaled love, warmth and peace in its every particle. Every minute I had spent there got etched in my memory. Every nook and corner of Kashmir is like a canvas beautifully painted by GOD.

The most common tourist places in Kashmir are Srinagar, Pahalgham, Gulmarg & Sonmarg. Each one equally vibrant, aesthetic and mesmerizing. Srinagar is the center point of the four.

I travelled to Kashmir this year, in the month of May on an all women group tour. Generally it doesn't rain in May but this time it did. Well, I wouldn't lie, it did became a spoiler. But overall the trip was just close to perfect

Srinagar, the summer capital of JnK is known for its Dal Lake and Mughal Gardens like Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh,Cheshmashahi and Pari Mahal. One would need atleast 2 days to enjoy Srinagar. Adi Shankracharya Temple is one of the ancient temples of India situated on the mountain top. Delight your eyes to the breath taking view of Dal Lake from the Temple. Pari Mahal meaning fairy's abode is a beautifully build garden on the ruins of a Budhist monastery. It is a 7 terraced garden overlooking the Srinagar city and some parts of Dal Lake.
 

Nishat Bagh

Pari Mahal

Living on a House Boat is a lavish and must not miss experience.  The House boats are finely designed with Deoder wood which doesn't decompose in water. There are close to 4000 house boats on the Dal Lake. The House boats are anchored in the water. They might tilt a little here and there but it's altogether a different experience to live on water. Each house boat has 3-4 rooms along with a common room having a dining area.

Dal Lake, Srinagar

 

House Boats

The house boat owners have their boats just behind the tourist houseboats. They are very warm and welcoming people. On the house boat  we were served home cooked hygienic but extremely delicious food. The food was a mix of Kashmiri and Punjabi Dishes. They use a small boat called as Shikara to commute in water. You could shop for amazing paper mache articles and jewellery on the floating market while enjoying the Shikara ride.  However, for authentic Pashmina Shawls and Kashmiri embroidered suits you should go to some government recognized shop.
 

Old Man selling vegetables on his Shikara

There is an uncanny thing I came to know about the people of Srinagar while I was chatting with the house boat owner. The kashmiri's like the house boat owners and staff , who stay on water are the water community and the one's from the land are the land community. The water people don't marry the land people and similarly the land people don't marry anyone from the water community. The water community spends almost their entire life on water. Their weddings as well happen on a Shikara. They shop, live and do business on Water. Ain't is amazing!

Women rowing on the Dal Lake

Coming to my favourite part of travelling, Local Food!

Ahdoos

When in Srinagar don't miss to savour your taste buds with Kashmiri food in Ahdoos. Adhoos is one of the oldest and finest restaurants serving authentic Kashmiri Wazwan. If you are a vegetarian like me don't be disheartened. There are some amazing dishes you could try like Kashmiri Dum Aaloo and Kamal Kakdi. Kamal Kakdi is a vegetable prepared using lotus stem in curd curry. In desserts try out the Kashmiri Phirni. Its is basically a rice pudding. I just couldn't resist having another bowl of it! It had the perfect sweetness and right flavouring of kesar and cardamom.

Kashmiri Phirni

You have a lot to see in Srinagar. But I would say, hold on , capture the beauty of Dal Lake as much as you can. I indeed lost my heart to its calmness. :)

Sunset @Dal Lake

Me ..@Dal Lake

Dream Mobiles & Dream Husbands

A few months back I had explained here, how difficult life is for a single unmarried 20 something girl in India. Now let me elaborate on how complications increase buy leaps and bounds when you finally decide you are ready for that big thing called marriage. Actually, not when you are ready but when you are forced to believe that you are ready.

To me this Indian Arrange Marriage set up looks like a forced suicide. Somehow its really difficult to keep your self alive through the entire process. The stress and anxiety are sure to kill.

I have contemplated, analyzed a lot and finally come to the conclusion that the Arrange Marriage procedure can be compared to mobile shopping. In the theory that I share below remember Mobile is synonymous to bride/groom.

When you decide to purchase a mobile, different people around you have different suggestions. Some say go for an android, some suggest iphone, others say a windows phone. No one wants to understand your requirements. Everyone wants to suggest the handset which THEY feel is best.

But it's really not about their best, isn't it!
It's about the one that matches your requirements. That is why there are so many models in market. So that each one of us can pick the one that suits us the most. What if you are hardly into photography and someone suggests a phone with high end camera. It might give great pictures but what is the use. You don't enjoy photography. Similarly someone suggests a gaming phone with nvidia card but its almost useless for you because you dont like to waste your time on games.

After patiently hearing the so called Encyclopedia's of Mobile Phones you realize, its not really worth asking others for opinions. So you sit down and prepare a checklist of what you expect in your dream mobile. A stylish mobile which is sleek and durable, has good battery life, camera with decent pixcels, latest processor etc. You begin the hunt for a mobile that fulfills all these points on your checklist.

You visit different stores suggested by friends & family in search of your dream phone but somehow your heart is not fully convinced in buying any available handset. You are just not able to find all requirements in a single handset. You start doubting if a dream mobile even exists! Disappointed, you start prioritizing and omitting the requirements on your checklist.

Once the checklist is revised, you start a fresh search. You have compromised but you are still hopeful. You still believe you would be able to find a close match if not a dream one.
Alas! There is still no sign of such a mobile. Every phone is more or less the same, having similar features just packaged differently.

That is when your friends suggest to check the online portals. They claim online portals have wider options and are quick and hassle free. They give examples of other friends who have found their dream mobile on web and are living happily ever after. While you are determined to give it a shot, you face a lot of opposition from your nosy relatives and parents. They say its not wise to trust these online websites. They brainwash you to stick to the traditional ways of buying mobiles. The conventional procedure of going to a store and physically seeing the mobile.

Everyday you see FB updates of your friends and acquaintances getting their dream mobiles. You wonder where you are going wrong. Relatives keep checking if you have been successful yet, as if they are on a high priority mission.You are asked to be patient and wait because there is one special mobile for everyone. :P

With time running out , few become anxious, scrap their list and choose one random handset. Others attain the great enlightment and just take a break. Believeing: 'When it is meant to happen it will happen!'

And for such people my friends thus begins the endless wait..........


~~~~~~Sometimes on the way to the dream you get lost and find a better one ~~~~~~~

Capturing Positivity

 

I took this picture at the time of Ganpati Visarjan 2013 & is one of my favorites. It seems the Ganesha idol is radiating up teem positive energy. There is tranquility and serenity all around it.

Ganpati Visarjan

~~~Remember, GOD is bigger than any of your problems. He will always show up at the right time and place.~~~

The youth stuck between two cultures!!!

Yesterday, I was wondering how contradictory our actions have become.

Like when I drive I feel d auto rickshaw drivers, pedestrians are at fault, when I am commuting in a rickshaw I feel the people who drive are at fault. And when I am walking I feel everybody using the vehicle is at fault. A simple scenario but highlights something important. We mend our ideologies acc to the situations. One moment we believe in this and the very next moment we shift our belief to something else.

We like blaming but when it comes to us we forget things easily. We preach about cleanliness but when we eat a chocolate and don’t find a dustbin nearby we quite easily forget our principles and throw it on the road trying to escape a few raised eyebrows! We preach and teach assuming we never were at that that place or forgetting we ever were at that that place. If we can’t follow a rule we break it.

Our tolerance levels have dropped down like any thing. Not just outsiders even if u have a sneak peek in your own family u would realize its so difficult for us to make adjustments. We fight over d remote control with our siblings. We don’t like much intrusion of our parents in what we are doing. We avoid family get togethers. We dislike changes.

IS this the changing face of the youth of our country?

Are we influenced by the western culture which is soaked in independence?

May be yes! May be the need of the hour is to add the element of freedom, self- independence in the life of the youngsters today. Most of us still live in the shadow of our parents which makes us more and more emotionally, financially dependant on them.

Majority of us still have deadlines at home, still need our parents consent in small little things, still land up marrying someone picked up by our parents.  All these things are silent killers.

Nothing wrong in them but as times have changed the youth of today is not the same as the youth years back. The world has shrunk and so has his accessibility to the different resources. These days the youngsters start earning quite early and become financially independent. But the barriers of family ties and restrictions cling to them even after that. Their definitions of Happiness, fun, friendships have evolved. Whats important is our elders realize that if we are progressing and moving ahead in the ways we dress, we talk and our overall lifestyle then we need to change the way we handle our youth.

A little breeze of independence and freedom is necessary!!!