Travel diaries- Kanha

There is complexity and beauty in the simplest of things. There is depth in the most mundane things. Having barely reached Kanha National Park, the forest taught me the 1st lesson of the trip.

Trees are something that we see everywhere we go. Being in a forest, I was surrounded by them all around me. Each and every tree is unique. One stand-alone tree would look weird and may not be helpful, however, multiple trees of different species, with different characteristics growing together created a wonderful landscape and ecosystem. These trees together support wildlife and create a huge biodiversity area.

Imagine these trees as people. Each individual is different and unique. If all of us came together, with our special qualities, appreciating the differences and the strengths, the world would be so much a better place and would grow so much more. One person cannot change the world just like one tree cannot support biodiversity, but multiple people can come together and change the world just like multiple trees can create a forest and support the growth of birds and animals.

While we were in Kanha, it started raining for a bit. Monsoon is my favorite time of the year because it inspires my artistic side. We were sitting on an open platform while it was raining and I could see the lighting. I could hear the thunder, the pitta-patter of the raindrops falling on the ground and leaves. I could see the ripples created by the raindrops on the lake. I realized how much I loved being in nature. The wind hitting my face, the smell of the rain, the colors of the sky, the melodious chirping of the birds, everything just seemed to motivate me in general. The sound of music and some of the things that make me happy!

Kanha being a National Park, is popular as a tiger reserve, and we being wildlife enthusiasts who enjoy the sight of birds, animals, and reptiles as much as we enjoy capturing them and their surroundings on the camera, safaris were a no-brainer. 4 safaris and 18 hours in the core forest – wildlife couldn’t be far away. Every time we visit the forest we realize that the forest guides, jeep drivers and naturalists are all focused (nearing obsessed) on spotting and sighting the big cat. Dis-proportionate time is invested (spent!) in looking (often waiting!) for the Big Cat and in the process missing out on the other species that make the Jungle a place to be. This time was no different…but we still managed to enjoy the company of many from the Deer family – Barking Deer, Barasingha, and Spotted Deer and spent some time with them as they played and went on their hind legs for the fruit from the tree.

Birds kept us company at times, and the Tiger did give us short meetings. The tiger amazes us always, with their majestic persona, they are always a delight to spot – almost fearless most of the time, no matter how many jeeps crowd around them. Yes, the younger ones can be more circumspect, and the 2 brothers we saw, were surely worried about the Jeeps and kept away from the road for long periods of time. For me, landscape photography has been my "calling" and among all our wildlife-oriented trips, kanha has the best landscapes and terrain. Kanha has a diverse landscape of grasslands, hills, and lakes. There were parts where I felt like just sitting and admiring the beauty, as the world went by on its journey.

My Kanha Blog cannot end without mentioning the resort we stayed at: "Bagh Villas". It is a family-run hotel with 12 tents which were the rooms. The owners of Bagh Villas treat all their guests like family. It feels like home and hospitality that can match any luxury resort. We have a bonfire at night where all the current guests and the owners come together with drinks and just chat away the hour – mostly talking about the various forests and their experiences.

(For pictures of Bagh Villas-

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqUWcBCIv5-/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY= )

The drive back to Raipur for the flight is always a quiet one – as we started missing the beauty of Kanha and the majesty of our friend the Tiger!