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| The eye of the Jackal PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
Day1
We have been looking forward for this date since months.
It had been few months since our daughter had returned to her university. We were itching to spend the Dussehra vacations with her, this time preferably in the northern wilderness of our country. Jim Corbett National Park was our unanimous choice, for multiple reasons. Firstly, we were fans of the shikari literature of India's grandest hunter-turned-conservationist after whom the park is named. The park is India's oldest and was established in 1936 during the British rule. It was initially named as Hailey national park. In 1956, a year after Jim Corbett passed away, it was renamed in his honor as he had played a major role in its establishment. This is the first national park that came under the Project Tiger initiative as well.
Leaving from Bangalore in the morning, we picked up our daughter from the NCR around early evening. The weather is mild in October in the north. Monsoons had just receded, and the onset of winter could happen anytime. Enjoying all the updates our daughter had in store about her college and stuffing her with some of her favorite south snacks, we headed to Ramnagar in Nainital district, the seat of the national park. Enroute, we had a brief stop at Rajaji Haveli Dhaba for some lip-smacking parathas, lassi and Matke-ki-chai.
The iterinary of the entire trip was well planned and executed by Mr. Jatin Rautela +91 70887 23314
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| Pitstop PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
By the time we reached the resort in Ramnagar the chills of the Corbett night embraced us. We quickly checked in and fell asleep. Next few days were going to be excitingly engaging for us.
Day2
Up by 5am. As informed beforehand by the safari operator, we were ready by 5:30 Donning camouflage jackets, hats, binoculars and the camera. We wanted to gel well with the natural surroundings and at the same time layer ourselves from cold winds and harsh sun. The open jeep was ready at the reception. Each safari lasts around 4hrs.The drive to the gate of the national park was refreshing, catching our first glimpse into the daily routine of the town. We were surprised to see quite a few joggers that early, many of them youngsters. We were at the Dhela gate at 6am. It is the common entry point for two safari zones - Jhirna and Dhela. Today we were covering the Jhirna zone. The driver and the naturalist who accompanied us shared some insights into the biodiversity of the Jhirna zone.
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| PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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Dhela Gate PC: Kalirajan Subramanian
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Jhirna Zone is one of the popular zones among the six ecotourism zones in the Corbett National Park. In order to extend the Tiger reserve zone, the farming lands of the Jhirna village and other two villages were included in the reserve territory and the villages were relocated at some other place nearby. And then, the land was redeveloped and turned into an exotic lush forest. The topography of the Jhirna zone primarily is a dry deciduous type and consists of a large grassland (Chaur) known as the Laldhang Chaur. This big Chaur is the favorite place for the herbivores of the zone like deer, chitals, nilgai and elephants. Numerous water streams in this zone nourish the wildlife of this zone and adding the natural ambiance of the zone. Also, the zone is considered an excellent spot for bird watching.
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| Lush grasslands of Jhirna PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| One of the morning sights PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Dance of the mist and morning rays PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
While crossing the lush green grasslands we first spotted a black shouldered kite at a distance. Soon after the grasslands came the riverbed layered with white pebbles and rocks. Here a pack of jackals were having a playful time under the mild morning sun. The jeep took the winding road up the riverbed in which fresh pug marks of a tiger could be seen. This instantly raised our curiosity and hopes but past experience advised us to be neutral. In the woods, everything is a matter of chance. Pug marks do not guarantee a sighting. Hoping that the odds favor us, our driver moved on. Rhesus macaques and langurs are the primates of these forests. A group of rhesus macaques with tiny babies could be seen on either side of the forest road. Their playfulness and facial expressions were quite captivating. Following there was a corner where many Chestnut-headed Bee eaters could be seen. Their chestnut-brown crown and nape glowed in reflection of the sun's rays. The Jhirna zone has an area with residential quarters for the forest staff. All the safari vehicles briefly stop there for refreshments and exchange of sightings. No one else had spotted the cats or elephants that morning. So, we decided to drive back to the main roads where the chances of cross overs were high. When we reached the stream bed again, there was a safari vehicle intently waiting and gazing on one bank. The people in it said a male tiger briefly popped out from the grasses on the bank and there was commotion and alarm calls among the Deers gazing there. Multiple jeeps stopped there at once and all our interests spiked. Each one was looking at possible angles from where the tiger could possibly emerge. Few jeeps moved ahead and waited near the starting of the road at the end of the stream hoping to glimpse the cat if it decided to retract to the other end. It was like a movie chase. In the next few seconds, the tiger dashed across the main road in lightning speed that hardly one vehicle could spot it.
After the high-octane moments we checked the time. It was quarter to 10 and the time for gate closure was nearing. So all the vehicles drove out. We came back to our resort for a late but hearty breakfast. Unexpectedly, we were told that the gates would open next at 2pm itself. 6-10am, 2-6pm were the safari timings. So we were to start at 1:30pm for the next safari. After a shower and brief rest, we headed out for the second safari of the day to the Pha(n)to zone.
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| Phato Gate |
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| Woolly necked storks atop a tree PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Oriental Magpie Robin Female PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Indian Paradise Flycatcher female PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Indian Paradise Flycatcher warming up its tail-wings under the afternoon sun PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Indian Paradise Flycatcher (female) Busy calling PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| One of the many spectacular scenes PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
Soon after we entered the zone another jeep that crossed us informed that elephants could be seen. Our naturalist checked for the location and took us along that route. On the right side of the road a young female elephant which was busy grazing got startled by our jeep. Our driver switched off the engine and waited in silence. She crossed over to the other side of the road in few minutes. There we saw her partner, a tusker with a single tusk! That was a rare sight, a risky one too as elephants with single tusk are known to be temperamental. The lack of the second tusk impairs their basic functioning there by making them frustrated often. Additionally, our driver had known that the jeep of another guest from our hotel was charged-at by this dude this morning! Precautious, he drove to a safe distance away from the pair and then stopped. The single-tusker emerged on to the main road. We could notice that he was in musth too. Here we were, having quite an unpredictable beast in our midst!
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| The road block PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Dirty rugged and handsome maverick PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Single-tusked male elephant in prime musth PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
By then, another safari jeep came few meters close to him from the other side. Irritated, he trumpeted and mock-charged against them. The driver of that vehicle duly reversed his jeep rapidly to avoid any further trouble. This calmed the tusker who then vanished into the trees. With our adrenalines pumped, we drove along.
There were a few vehicles filled with high school students who were on a trip to Corbett. Their curiosity was palpable through their faces whenever our vehicle bumped into theirs. The latter part of this safari was filled with birding - spotting Indian Paradise Flycatchers male and female and then a Changeable hawk eagle perched on a tree on the banks of a water hole. Few sambar deers and chitals could also be seen.
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| Hawk-eyes! Changeable hawk eagle PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Silently and keenly perched on a dense tree branch above a water body. Waiting for its catch PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
Day3
This morning, on our third safari so far in JCNP, we were taken to the Garjiya zone. Personally, this was the zone that I felt to be quite beautiful with its hill slopes, meandering stream beds and dense forests. Here we had few surprise sightings though some of those could not be clearly clicked at the moment. A barking deer (a small and quite shy type of deer) that was calmly grazing on a small slope sensed us from more than few hundred meters ahead. Slowly but steadily, it moved on to the other side of the slope escaping our gazes. What was worth noting was that it didn't leap out of sight immediately rather made calculated steps with the intention true to its reclusive nature. Wild boar was another sighting nearby. Further ahead, a pair of Indian Pied Hornbills, Brown headed barbets, Himalayan bulbul, Indian Paradise Flycatcher male and a Changeable hawk eagle (a.k.a Crested Hawk Eagle) with fully developed crest made themselves visible.
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| Indian Paradise Flycatcher Male PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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Himalayan Bulbul PC: Kalirajan Subramanian
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| Brown headed Barbets in an extra-ordinarily camouflaging habitat PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Changeable Hawk Eagle - One leg stance with Three protruding crest strands PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Raptor with a royal look- Crested Hawk Eagle PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
By this time, we learnt from another safari vehicle that at a tri-junction a barking deer was emitting alarm calls. So, our naturalist drove us there, switched off the engine and waited in silence. After few minutes from the shrubs to the left corner of the trijunction periodic alarm calls started arising. We could not spot the barking deer as it was also somewhere within the dense bushes. There was no other vehicle moving around. Total silence only interspersed with the alarm calls! Those 10 minutes will be etched in my mind forever. We got the true glimpse of the jungle, just as how it would be after the safari timings were over. Deep silence with only the denizens going about their chores. Though we didn't get to spot any predator, albeit the big cats, this was a very memorable experience.
Our naturalist took us that afternoon again to Jhirna as this zone had higher chances of cat sighting. By now he and our jeep driver were aware that there had been no sightings of the tiger or the leopard yet (for no fault of theirs). But that is how the jungle safari is. It is a matter of pure chance and that is what makes it all the more worthwhile. Whether or not the sightings of your preference happen you are in the natural setting. So, we rode along what had now become a familiar trail to us. Even then, they took us to few tracks which we had not covered in our previous safari. I must say, the entry itself was exciting this time, as a pair of grey mongooses were abuzz dashing from one end of the road to another. It was afternoon and the sun was out. From a distance, it looked as if they both were either squabbling among themselves or collectively taking on a slitherer. No snake was visible though.
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| Indian grey mongoose PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
The afternoon was unusually quite except for a brief alarm call by a spotted deer. One thing to share at this point is that the forests of Jim Corbett are dense and every single zone that we visited there were pug marks. As the cover is dense, and the Himalayan water bodies were not dry, the predators rather many animals didn't have a reason to venture to the roadside. So, their strolls in the buffer zones were mostly nocturnal or during the time when there was no human movement.
To our excitement, at the turn of a small stream we found a bunch of birds. The backdrop of light was perfect for the reflection of their colors. We happily watched and clicked them for a while.
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| A pair of Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Brown headed barbet PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Brown headed barbet PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Himalayan golden/flame backed woodpecker PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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Himalayan golden/flame backed woodpecker PC: Kalirajan Subramanian
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| Yellow wagtail breeding adult PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Yellow wagtail breeding adult PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Coexistence of Yellow and Chestnut PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Yellow Wagtail non-breeding male PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Himalayan Bulbul PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
By now the Himalayan foothills were ready for sunset. Four of our safaris were over. The last one remaining was the day after. Our naturalist-driver duo was well aware of this. They tried their last chance of the day by slowing down our return back to the gate. Driving at 20, we were steadfast in observing every ounce of nature around us. A thin layer of mist had started setting in. The Jhirna grasses were glittering in golden green. Warblers were fluttering about their fluid strands. A cheetal with medium antler turned towards us from within.
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| Moments etched in memory PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
On the other side of our track was the bed of a stream. Two changeable hawk eagles each at various stages of crest-growth had lined up in perfect symmetry few meters away from each other. One was right on the floor and the other on a log of fallen wood.
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| Hawk One -Upright and alert PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Hawk Two-busy PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Hawk Two - Alert and Still PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
The setting was so serene. At the turn of the stream, the jackals could be seen again playful in their home turf. Beyond them, three peacocks were peacefully quenching their thirst in the stream.
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| PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
A magical play of soft golden light over the white Himalayan rocks and pebbles, the gleaming Jackals, silky blue plumage of the peacocks, genteel stream, subtly descending mist... the evening was ethereal. We rode on. Just to add the right dosage of miracle to it, a tall grey Sambar sprinted across the road, savored a bunch of leaves from its favorite tree on the roadside and slid into the grasslands.
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PC: Kalirajan Subramanian
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PC: Kalirajan Subramanian
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And all of these unfolding with no artificial noise around except for the mild hum of our slow-moving engine. i had completely melted away into the moment. no words, no thoughts, no i. it felt as if everything was merging into a grand Oneness. Jungle safaris need not only be about big mammals and cats. It is the totality that matters as each entity that is a part of the jungle, is the jungle in itself.
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| PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Mobile click |
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Mobile click
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Day 5
Our last safari in Jim Corbett happened a day after the evening in Jhirna. In between, we had been on a birding trip to Sattal about which there will be a separate post.
This morning, we visited the Dhela zone.
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| Morning enroute safari |
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Mobile click
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A chance and easy sighting here of the Great Indian Hornbill and few other birds, the one that we went at lengths to spot in
Dandeli, reiterated the truth about the jungles.
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| Common woodshrike PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
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| Common woodshrike PC: Kalirajan Subramanian |
Great Indian Hornbills are one of the largest of the hornbills found in the Indian subcontinent. Its population is under the Vulnerable category of IUCN which means their population is declining.
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Great Indian Hornbill PC: Kalirajan Subramanian
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The rulebooks of the flattened human mind don't apply in the jungles. The woods are always unpredictable and are for those who are ready to receive what it reveals. The whole trip was like a
dream within another.
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