The Lure of the Jungle:

The hot dry day gave way for a sudden thunder shower in the night. The rain lashed down the whole night and the morning turned out to be wet and chilly. I wrapped a dupatta around me as the jeep lined up in front of the forest gate. Forests and Safaris only meant this desire to spot a tiger…and I was looking forward to my ride.

Thankfully it was the beginning of the week and hence all the weekend tourists were gone. There were only a couple of jeeps, much much to my relief. Our turn came and we drove in…immediately spotting a few deers grazing nearby. A good start, I thought. As we drove on, the forest started to unfold. The silence, the occasional twitter of the Indian Bluejay, the mating bark of the male deer and the darkness with the first golden rays of the sun trying to push its way in through the trees. But what I loved the most was this fresh smell of the forest after the previous night’s shower. I was spellbound.

Everything around me looked and felt alive. I had forgotten how good it feels to breathe in the fresh morning air, to be with nature at her finest. And although I did get to spot bisons, jackals, wild boars, sambars, spotted owl, grey hornbill, a variety of ducks and geese/storks and a leopard, the best part was to just drive silently through the forest and soak in the atmosphere….to know the forest, be a part of one.


It’s a good feeling when the forest also accepts you in return.