RanThambore @ Rangeela Rajasthan - First Day First Show - Camp 29 (Author - Amol Kulkarni)

RanThambore @ Rangeela Rajasthan.........I am calling it as first day first show because within first hour of my safari I witnessed two tigresses. Some people call me lucky. Well what can I say, "Jaha Sher Waha Sherni". 😋.

With this blog, I would like to take you to our journey to RanThambore. Intention is to increase excitement in people and encourage them to go on such safaris.
Before I start on it let me tell you somethings. Feeling of jungle safari is a unique experience. I have been to lots of treks and particularly stayed one night at Rajgad in hot summer with clear sky. It was mesmerising experience having stayed in place where few hundred years earlier Shivaji Raje was living. I have played plenty of cricket matches having part of few breath-taking ones. It was plain happiness. Still Jungle safari was different experience. Not only Tiger seeing but trying to find birds and animals in forest is same as that of trying to understand beautiful girl's mind. Anyway, enough of philosophy and let's get going.

I started towards Pune station from my home only to witness rare halt for train crossing on actual road carrying army trucks, jeeps and other things. When I reached station Tanmay and Prafulla were already arrived proving of my late latif tag. AC of train was very relaxing specially when train reached to Khandala. Nature is beautiful over there. It would have been better in rainy season. When we reached to Kalyan, Shrikanth joined us tallying our count to 4. Kedar had plan to join us by train but some people planned road journey and so he join them. People say that travel make you meet new people. We accompanied one government official from Bharatpur only to increase our knowledge of RanThambore. Homemade dinner and sleep made way to next day reaching to Rangeela Rajasthan. People are in their traditional clothes which in Maharashtra I have seen on traditional day or in some hotels people wearing it. We reached at Sawai Madhopur railway station around 11:00 feeling hot environment as we came from AC compartment. While coming back I didn't feel that heat may be because I am from Solapur where I witnessed such temperatures. But caution to people that Sawai Madhapur is hot in summer so take care when you want to plan for it. Our driver took us to the hotel where we had bath, lunch and prepared for my first safari. We divided in two groups. In first one there is Kedar, Francis, Dr. Dilip Shah, Kalpesh, Shrikanth and me. In another there is Tanmay, Prafulla, Amit, Anoop and Saurabh. Some of us are nearly professional photographers carrying expensive and amazing cameras and lenses. I saw photography from one such lens of Dr. Dilip Shah or otherwise I could have been termed it as rocket launcher. Just kidding. I myself bought Olympus 10x50 binocular and sightseeing from it is fantastic.
I am narrating this blog from my safari but others have witnessed same excitement and some Tiger sightseeing.

I wore full clothes with hat and something to cover face to protect from heat and dust. Our gypsy took us to entrance gate where I bought one hat because I lost one due to fast driving. We are visiting zone 4 of jungle. Once we entered I started seeing animals like monkeys, deer, peacocks in large extent, well why shouldn't I, after all it is their home. At RanThambore you can spot lots of animals including different types of owls, different types of deer, crocodile and so many birds like thikani, kingfisher, eagles, vultures etc. The jungle is rich of these living things.

Drivers of the jipsies are talking each other to see if someone spotted Tiger. I am eagerly waiting for the Tiger. Our vehicle is running with optimum speed on straight roads, on turns while we are trying to see things at both sides of roads. After some time at one turn there she was. People shouted! she was inside bushes and wow I saw her, my first Tiger sight in actual jungle.......She was not visible clearly but then she moved to closer to water and we all can see her. Below is her name and photo. What a view, everybody around her is excited to see her. But as usual tigress is in her own mindset not to bother about surroundings. Photographers are clicking from their cameras trying to see from all possible angles and all her moods.


Kid of T60(f) which is Meera........Kid's naming ceremony is yet to happen. Well hopefully Meera will invite us.

Kid of T60(f) which is Meera

Kid of T60(f) which is Meera

As there is water there are animals. One such group of spotted deer was approaching to drink. They are distance away from water and Tiger. Male animal from the group approached water slowly sensing there is some danger. Now we can see Tiger and group of spotted deer. And in between them is large bush and behind the bush is male deer. Everybody is waiting to see what will happen next! And male deer shouted so loudly that group ran away, birds ran away and tigress herself shocked and tried to see what happened. This is a call indicating there is danger at water. "Saawdhan". Once tigress woke up and tilted her head all photographers started capturing the moment. And sound at that time was like this.....click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click.....Well I could not capture this video on my iPhone, how come I? Nobody knew what is going to happen.

Someone told us that there is one more tigress near current location and we geared our jipsy towards that location. Well we spotted her but then as there are already other vehicles, only head is visible. Once one hour had gone still tigress hasn't moved, our vehicles started to move one by one allowing others also to see her. When our time arrived, we have seen her from very close as she just sits near the road. We clicked lots of photographs and videos. I am not big fan of selfie but this is the time where I should have clicked one. We started to come back to hotel. People clicked photo graphs of kingfisher and other birds while return journey. We are also lucky to spot an owl. Hotel greeted us with pakoda and tea and which ended my first safari.

Noor

Noor

Second day in morning @ 5:45 our second safari started. This time we are all in one open truck (cantor). At the start of the safari itself we spotted a full grown male leopard but before we set our cameras he ran away. Still some of us were successful to capture him. It is very rare to see leopard as he was very shy animal. This time we are visiting zone 3 but we are not successful to see any tiger. So, we captured lots of birds like parrot feeding others, crocodiles, peacock dancing etc.
Other animals of the jungle are also worth seeing and not only Tiger but still Tigers are the king of jungle.

Leopard

Next safari is planned @ 3:30 and we had time till that so we decided to visit RanThambore fort. We took one guide and went there. He narrated creation of fort, various names of lake like Padmavati lake, Rani lake. He also showed puzzling door mechanism which was used to protect the fort and misguide the enemies. We visited Ganesh temple over there. Rajasthani forts are little bit different than Maharashtra forts. As they built on ground we can still see their remainings. Most of the Maharashtra forts are built on high hills so because of wind and rain now a day there are little remainings. Government and social organizations are doing their best to preserve them. Guide was telling that leopard was spotted at the fort in the morning and evening though we didn't see any. We finished fort visit and started return journey. We all are sweaty and waiting eagerly to have a bath at hotel.

Entrance of Jungle

RanThambore Fort

Shiv Temple

Ganesh Temple

At our next safari, we are visiting zone 2. This is different zone than zone 3 as it was mostly barren and little lakes are present. One driver told us that he spotted tigress at some point. And we raced away there to see it. We saw a cub and its mother together. Both are taking rest and we are busy clicking photos.

We had to leave that location and our driver took at one place where we hoped to see tigress. After some time, tigress came but not at the position we were hoping. She is the same one which we saw just a while ago today. What a luck it is. She is climbing down the hill and our gypsies are running parallel to her. She was walking along side us for almost 45 minutes, just taking some time to rest. We have captured plenty of photos and videos of her. We followed her till the point she went in to jungle deep where vehicles couldn't reach. She is walking so smoothly and confidently that it reminded me Sachin's straight drive and Federer's forehand shot.

Laila (T41)

Laila (T41)

We started our return journey by achieving a great day. And suddenly at one corner we saw a jackal killing little spotted deer. It grabbed the neck of the deer and was not letting her go. There are other big deers which are trying to save her. After some time, deer stood up and started running but jackal eventually killed her. Well that’s how jungle works but honestly, I was silently hoping for deer's life. Our guide told us that he was working here for 10 years but never saw such killing. Below is the photo, viewers are advised to see on their own. Once we came out of zone gatekeeper told us that there is male tiger near another gate and we went to see that. It just glimpses of tiger and not able to capture any photos or videos. We again greeted at hotel with Tea and Pakodas which ended our quite busy day.

Jackal killing spotted deer

Crested Bunting

Coppersmith Barbet

Peacock

Rose Ring Parakeet

Next day in morning we again visited zone 3 but not to see any tigress or tiger. We wondered here and then there to see lots of crocodiles, birds etc.

Coppersmith Feeding chicks

Oriental Darter

Rat Snake

Sloth Bear

Neelgai Female

Brown Fish Owl

Honey Buzzard

Spotted Deer

Royal Family's bathing place

Parrot Drinking Water

Spotted Deer

Gypsies :)

When we returned from the safari we had to hurry because Jaipur - Pune train was scheduled at 11:35. I know it was a long journey (I had thought of flight journey also) but thanks to one lovely kid in train with whom I played and my time went quickly. But that is at later stage. As here I am standing at Sawai Madhopur railway station waiting to go to Pune after visiting enchanting jungle. It only reminded me movie where Harry Potter was waiting at Hogwarts to reach to home.

Thanks to Kedar for arranging this trip. Thanks to all my trip mates for sharing photos and making this journey wonderful. And finally thanks to all those unknowns who contributed to this.

With this I, Amol Kulkarni signing off.


List of tigers we saw in the trip.
1. Kid of T60(f) which is Meera
2. Noor(f) T38 which has 3 cubs
3. Male Leopard
4. Laila (T41) and her cub
5. Laila walking
6. Unidentified Tiger

Photo Credits:
1. Dr. Dilip Shah
2. Kalpesh
3. Kedar Kulkarni
4. Tanmay Gadakari
5. Amol Kulkarni

A paradise called Pench - Apr 2016 - Camp 23 (By Rucha Sahasrabudhe)

First Flight:

With wings of hope, feathered with care,

We began the journey, yet unaware,

Of the beauty awaiting us at bay,

Of the dry lands where wild animals play,

In windy sun and mildew of night,

We found our way through harsh sunlight,

And in these forests of Pench we saw,

A myriad of changes in the foot, claw and paw,

Oh what a cherished sight it made,

To see how far the forest laid,

It's trees so scattered and so few,

It's life so fresh and death so new,

Yet it wasn't the sorrow, there was no strife,

For in the wild, this is the circle of life.

Pench national park is a beautiful place to be in. It gives you peace of mind and the silence after the city lights is a blessing. So is the dark night filled with stars that one can see almost from horizon to horizon.

Pench National park is located between Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. It can be accessed from two gates.

Despite a recent attempt at poisoning the lake, all is well in the park. The authorities have also now made sure that no such incident takes place again. Security at the gates has been increased and checking is much stricter. For more information about Pench National Park please click the link below:

Pench National Park

A ride among clouds and trees:

The anticipation of seeing a tiger, the hope of seeing nature at it's best, the will to wait it out till these wishes are fulfilled is what makes the journey from home to the jungle so exciting. And of course there's the ice-breaking with new people and hoping we find a friend in them all. We started our journey, all of us, with dreams of rustling of leaves,crackling of gravel and the scent of the earth, for we knew we were to find it all where nature flourishes.

That morning was one of enjoyment as we gathered to celebrate a birthday.

In the evening we had some introductions and laughter. The youngsters all had a celebration of their own and we were all hollering as we teased some and backed some up on our debate of how 5-3-2 is played.

All of us were rather tired after reaching Hotel Baaz. Our bellies full of idlis and dosas, and dosing from time to time, yet euphoric, we began traveling for our first ride.

We saw many birds that day. A jackal strolled out from the bushes to walk beside us for quite some time. A pack of wild dogs lounging near a small pond of water and deer grazing calmly with peacocks strutting along...These were the sights that told us how sleepy the forest was feeling. It did show promise of activity later though and we returned with satisfied spirits.

It was in all a wonderful start. We ended up after three days, exploring bits of ourselves as we explored the forest!

In midst of the woods:

There we were, early next morning hoping for a wake-up call from the forest. This second ride was the best of all. It merits a poem :-

As dawn rose against the April sky,

I found birds are not all that fly,

For our thoughts flew right into space,

Our heartbeats tried to keep them pace.

For we had hopes in our minds of a good sight,

As in our eyes we had some sleep to fight,

That day was a fair share for us all,

And we returned with memories of more than a call.

So how does news travel in the forest?

Among animals, it travels with the speed of sound;literally. Whereas among us humans it travels with the speed of gestures. The center point is like the listening side of the wall.Here the news is passed from mouth to ear swiftly.

Our gypsy was stationed at the center point and we were having breakfast. Out of the blue (or rather, green) it seemed, a tigress had come our way;literally. We didn't stop to debate, there was no thought. As a unit,we packed up unfinished breakfast in a hustle and drove away like bats in hell. To see Collar-wali rumored to be spotted on Route 1. 

On the route were many gypsies waiting for her majesty to grace us with her presence. We silently joined them. After sweating for a long time in a pin-drop silence in the burning sun, we drove a little ways ahead and saw some jackal cubs completely camouflaged by leaves. After a while, we backtracked, and voilà!

There she was, the beautiful Collar-wali. She walked right towards our gypsy and crossed the road, making her way along it for a long time. How awe-inspiring the sight was!

In the evening, we chatted a lot as a group, had some fun....and then went on a night trail!

As stars burn out:

Feathered skies and trailing sun, 

gone in a split over the horizon,

A twilit trace of silent night, 

comes creeping in with faded light.

And the trail began. We were armed with torches, sticks, hope and courage...and as a group we set out, walking a long winding road in the forest. That's the beauty of it.

When the shadows slither in the torch's beam,

when the sounds turn out to be far from what they seem,

you still hear and see the electricity of silence and nervousness,

your tired eyes and ears want to rest,

but you don't feel it as much as you feel the beauty of the forest.

That's the beauty of it.

We reached a gate where we were later to learn, two tigers and a leopard had been spotted not less than a year ago. We crossed a bridge flung over a drying canal where one recorded had walked. Our eyes popped after we realized, back at the hotel, where exactly we'd just been.

There was a lake beyond the gate and we all stood along the bank wanting to get a glimpse of something. Much time was spent in getting everyone to quiet down, and then some in star gazing.

As we sat on the bank with our torches off, I remember thinking,"What if I were alone here?" Imagining that, and it can only happen in that pin drop silence, was truly a blessing. For once, you want to feel like you're all alone in midst of a crowd. And then you are. You forget about everyone as two eyes gleam at you in the dead of the night, whether it's a bird or a tiger.

We were fortunate enough to see two birds flying away and then, as we got up and strolled along the shore, lo and behold ! Out of a shady bush, two green eyes gleamed in the flash of a torch, bobbed up and down in the gait of the majestic walk, paws hushing the ground below.

Had it not been for the lucky swing of the torch and the brilliant eyes of people, we would never have seen the tiger/tigress make his or her way along the shore for about quite a distance. It was rather dark and none of us could capture an image before the tiger or tigress vanished into the thicket. It was more than worth the sight, all the long walk, the keeping a pin-drop silence, the nervousness, the excitement...all worth it.

The next day dawned quick and clear, and it was time for our last ride. We set out like the day before dressed like bandits with our heads and mouths all covered, most of us wearing sun coats.

That's another thing about going out to a camp like this. You don't have to worry about how you dress, how you look. Nobody cares; not even you. You're not there for yourself, as much as that is actually true. You're there for a chance to see some of the most beautiful creatures ever to exist.

The last ride too was like the first one: we heard calls, saw many birds, jackals,wild boars and wild dogs. We said goodbye to the forest with a sorrowful heart that yet vowed to return. And return we will someday to the forest, for the nature is truly where we belong, where we can be ourselves without the pressures of the society.

And as the sun's burn lessened, we felt like the night before, when the stars had started to burn out....it was time to go, and we knew what awaited us. With routine, there's only one way the day and night can go. In the jungle, the day and night hold surprises you never get tired of.

Farewell to the Land of Mowgli:

We were in Haldirams at Nagpur when we said our goodbyes, as half of us were going by train, and half by plane. It was time to go where we came from. But instead of gifts and presents we usually bring home for family and friends, we brought back memories.

And fabulous photos, credits for which go to Kedar Kulkarni, Ninaad Joshi and Amodh Joshi. A long and frankly tiring effort by Shreya Kulkarni, a good friend and birder, is the bird list below the photos. There is also an animal list below it.                  

Card Games

Bus Travel

At Ajani Station

Happy birthday Amit!!

And Celebration

Jo Khayega Ber, Use Dikhega Sher!!

Ready for the Safari!

Deciduous Jungle

Dirt Tracks

Mahua

 

Ghost Tree

Roller with a kill

Catching it

Ready to Eat now!

Malabar Pied Hornbill

White Rumped Vulture

Golden Flameback

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

Yello Wattled Lapwing

Brown Headed Barbet

Brown Headed Barbet

Golden Oriel

Red Jungle Fowl

Pea Fowl Display

Crested Serpent Eagle

CSE

White Eyed Buzzard

Painted Spurfowl

Indian Grey Hornbill in Flight

Grey Headed Starling

Sirkir's Malkoha

Orange Headed Thrush

Jackal

Mom and Me!

 

Jackal Pup!

Wild Dog

Sambar Deer surrounded by pack of 15 wild dogs

Wild Dog, locking new targets

Kill

Half Eaten, but alive!

My Water hole!

Fight for the remains

 

Monitor Lizard

Thirsty spotted Deer

 

Dead Python!

Eyes of the Jungle in Making!

The Eyes!

Collarwali

Collarwali

Collarwali

Raiyakasa Male

Raiyakasa Male

Territory Marking

Baddeo Female

Collarwali

Baddeo Female Cub

Collarwali

Collarwali

Collarwali

Collarwali

Baddeo Female Cubs

Baddeo Female and a male Cubs

Signed up on Kedar's cap!!

Where is our Kill!

Kids Gang

35!

List of  Birds:

1.    Rufous tree-pie
2.    Brown headed barbet
3.    Crested serpent eagle
4.    Asian paradise flycatcher
5.    Indian roller
6.    Black naped monarch
7.    Jungle owlet
8.    Spotted owlet
9.   Tickell’s blue flycatcher
10.  White rumped vulture
11.  White throated kingfisher
12.  Common myna
13.  Malabar pied hornbill
14.  Grey hornbill
15.  Shikra
16.  Indian peafowl
17.  Wooly necked stork
18.  Black hooded oriole
19.  Golden oriole
20.  Black drongo
21.  White bellied drongo
22.  Racket tailed drongo
23.  Red crowned woodpecker
24.  Black rumped flameback woodpecker
25.  Laughing dove
26.  Spotted dove
27.  Eurasian collard dove
28.  Rose ringed parakeet
29.  Alexandrine parakeet
30.  Plum headed parakeet
31.  Pied kingfisher
32.  Coppersmith barbet
33.  Changeable hawk eagle
34.  Grey headed fish eagle
35.  Tawny eagle
36.  Black shouldered kite
37.  Honey buzzard
38.  White eyed buzzard
39.  Common crow
40.  Jungle crow
41.  European roller
42.  Chestnut tailed starling
43.  Pied myna
44.  Bramhiny starling
45.  Asian openbill stork
46.  Black headed ibis
47.  Painted stork
48.  Cattle egret
49.  Little egret
50.  Pond heron
51.  Yellow wagtail
52.  White browed wagtail
53.  Jungle babbler
54.  Tailor bird
55.  Ashy prinia
56.  Plain prinia
57.  Common woodshrike
58.  Oriental white eye
59.  Red vented bulbul
60.  Painted spurfowl
61.  Red jungle fowl
62.  Oriental magpie robin
63.  White throated fantail flycatcher
64.  Purple sunbird
65.  Gold fronted leafbird
66.  Sirkeer malkoha
67.  House sparrow
68.  Scaly breasted munia
69.  Tricolored munia
70.  Yellow throated sparrow
71.  Red wattled lapwing
72.  Eurasian thick knee
73.  Rock pigeon
74.  Green bee- eater
75.   Indian robin
76.  Orange headed thrush
77.  Greater coucal
78.  Yellow footed green pigeon
79.  Singing bush lark
80.  Pied bush chat
81.  Paddyfield pipit
82.  Indian nightjar
83.  Barn swallow
84.  Wire tailed swallow
85.  House swift
86.  Dusky crag martin
87.  Red naped ibis
88.  Silverbill
89.  Crested treeswift
90.  Grey wagtail
91.  Black kite
92.  King vulture
93.  Great tit
94.  Little cormorant
95.  Intermediate egret
96.  Common hawk eagle
97.  Common kestrel
98.  Asian koel
99.  Small minivet
100. Great egret
101. House swift
102. Yellow wattled lapwing

List of animals:

1. Tiger
2. Spotted deer (Chital)
3. Barking deer
4. Sambar deer
5. Blue Bull (Nilgai)
6. Indian Gaur (Gawe)
7. Wild dogs
8. Jackals (Landga)
9. Monitor Lizard
10.Wild Boar

Thank you all for reading till the end.