Wildwonders

IN THE EDEN OF KANHA

2008-08-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

IN THE EDEN OF KANHA

I reached Kanha on th 30th of May in the night.Checked into Kings Crown Resort.It was late,so after dinner,went to sleep.
Safari-1-Reached the Kisli gate at 5.30 for the morning Safari.My guide joined us there.As soon as we entered the park,I could make out it was going to be a different experience.

The lush Sal forest,and the rich wildlife was visible from the gate itself.This range has the greatest biodiversity in Kanha.The feeling one gets in such a jungle is divine.It is a truly wild experience.The first wild dwellers to make an appearence were the peacocks,and there are plenty of them.I could see the males dancing to woo their mates.Whoever said that peacock dance heralds rain can go for a toss.Here in Kanha,I could see them dancing everywhere in peak summer with no sign of rains.
As soon as we reached the Kanha road crossing,my driver showed me the tiger pugmarks.He said it was the Kisli male.We followed it for sometime and then parked the gypsy and started waiting.The wait was not at all boring,as I could see a number of birds going about their routine.There were Raquet Tailed Drongos,Rollers,Rufous Treepies.And the various rutting calls and alarm calls of Chitals,Sambhars and barking deer keeps one engrossed.Even after waiting for an hour,there was no sign of the king,so we moved on,and reached Nakti Ghati waterhole.This is a real happenning place.At all times we could see various animals and birds at this place.It was morning time,and a herd of Bisons were quenching their thirst,with a group of chitals waiting for their turn.Nearby on a tree,a CSE was perched intently looking for anything to pounce on.We spent an hour at the waterhole and then decided to get back to Kisli.
on the way back,stopped at the Banyan tree,which houses the famous Kanha owlets.There were five of them.Mom,dad and three kids,perched on various branches.I spent an hour photographing them.It was time for us to return.

Safari-2-We reached the gate at 3.30 for the evening safari.It was really hot,but as soon we entered the forest,the shade provided by the sal trees gave us some relief..First we decided to check the place we left in the morning.And what luck.The Kisli male,a handsome,young tiger,was sitting in a depression,under a tree.Only the front portion was visible.But since it was just next to the safari tract,it was a real thrilling experience.Soon a number of gypsies joined us.The king looked tired after a heavy meal,and the heat,and didnt move from the place for an hour,inspite of the ruckus created by the admiring tourists.The guide informed us,that this male is three and a half years old,and killed his illustrous father around eight months back.As the crowd became awfully loud,he got up,stretched,and vanished in the denser part of the forest.
I was really happy and content after an hour of tiger treat,and just roamed around Kisli range for some time.The sight of a tiger is an inebriating experience,and hardly anything matters after that.
Here I would like to mention,that the guides at Kanha are really passionate about their forest.I showed an image of a tiger from Bandhavgarh,and they seemed to be totally disinterested.After sometime the guide commented,Kya saab,humara tiger dekho,kitna bada he.Aur do saal me to double ho jayega,Bandhavgarh me to chote tiger hain.Point noted.
I never breached the subject of Bandhavgarh again.

Safari-3-This morning we decided to go to the Kanha meadows.The meadows are grasslands growing on relocated villages.There are numerous such meadows,and Kanha meadows is the largest.Its a huge tract of grassland,with clumps of Sal trees in between,appearing as islands.As part of the grassland management,no tree which can retard the growth of grass is allowed to grow.I saw a number of felled silk cotton trees.

There is a spot called Centre point,which houses a huge canteen and refreshment centre,near the meadows.Its a pretty huge complex,with very clean toilets,and tourists stop there for some time.Crows have a field day there on leftovers.
The meadow is a herbivorous paradise.Chitals,Sambhars,and Bisons are plentifull,grazing on the green grass.The birds like Peacocks,Red and Yellow Wattled Lapwings,Painted Francolin can also be seen there.There are numerous water bodies with eagrets,Ibises and pond herons around them.Medha Nala waterhole is one of the bigger one,with source of water to the animals of the meadows.These waterbodies are replenished daily by tankers in summer.In Kanha the habitat management is superb.
I asked the guide about the Barahsinga.He said they are not seen in theKanha meadows recently.Still we drove around looking for them,and saw two females grazing very far from the tract.
While returning,the guide showed us the enclosure,where around fifty Barahsingas are kept for breeding,with a few released every year.The fence is really high,so its not possible to see inside,and tourists are not allowed inside.

Safari-4-That evening we decided to look for the Kisli male again.We went to an area called Sanduk Khol,but it was not there.After an hour of roaming around,there was no sign of it.
There is a safari tract called Kanha Main road,which has an artificial pool,where tigers generally spend their day.
This road had been closed for tourists a fortnight back as the tourists were causing a lot of disturbance to the tigers.We saw two guys coming on a bike from that road.They were canteen workers.They told us that a tiger was lying in the pool.
Now that left us in a great dilemma.The driver was reluctant to enter the road as if found out,it entailed a huge fine,and two weeks ban for the gypsy.I somehow convinced him that I would pay the fine if caught,and after making sure there were no other gypsies around,we entered the road.As soon as we reached the pool,and the king was lying in it,lazily watching the surroundings.We spent around ten minutes there watching him at close quarters,with the fear of being caught in this illegal endeavour.
Then as soon the driver started the gypsy to leave,we saw two guys coming on a patrol vehicle in Khaki,forest guards who had seen us.But our driver was smart,he took them aside,and after a few minutes of arguements,they came back smiling.I wound not like to go into the details of the matter,but it was settled with a promise of hefty Chai Nashtsa.
Came back happy at the superb sighting,and also guilty of breaking the rule.

Safari-5-We decided to go to Mukki range to try and see the Barahsinga.We had started early.As we were nearing Mukki,the driver located the pugmarks of the Tiger,and it was fresh.We started following the lead.Suddenly we came across a huge herd ob bisons.I told the driver to stop,and started photographing.My guide was was coaxing me not to stop as he was sure of finding the tiger.But since the herd was close to the road,I did not want to miss the oppurtunity to photograph these gentle giants.
Gaurs have really thrived in Kanha.According to the last census,their number was around two thousand.I could see them in herds in every range.
As we moved on following the pugmarks we reached a place where a gypsy was parked,and on seeing us the guide of that vehicle gesticulated at us to come fast.We rushed towards it.With a big smile the guide informed us that they had seen a huge male sitting on the rock next to the road for full twenty minutes.In his words-Sir,bees minute idhar hi baitha tha.Muh khola,dant saaf kiya,utha fir baitha,per uthaya,maaza a gaya.Aplog kuch minute se miss kar gaye.We nodded in agreement with grim faces.My guide was really upsethe told me-sahab ap to bison par latak gaye,nahi to hum bhi dekhte the.Pura mehnat bekar ho gaya,and stood on one side.I had nothing to say,as I too was regretting stopping for the bisons for so long.
To add salt to the wound,the guys offered us the vidio they had shot in their camcorders.Saw it with a heavy heart,and what the other guide had told us seemed to be entirely true.They really had a super view as we could see in the footage.After some more depressing thinking,gathered our wits and moved on.My guide as if to assuge my feelings said,sir ye to Radiocollar wala tha,photo me kuch khas maaza nahi hota.Even I tried to think so.
As we were crossing the fireline into Mukki,I saw a Muntjac standing on the fireline.I had seen these deers in all my safaris,but could not get any photograph,as they vanish real fast.But this one stopped there,maybe waiting for its mate,and so we got to see it for around ten minutes,a long time by Muntjac standards.
Mukki range is a bit different.There was a huge fire last year,and the effect was visible.But since the Sal tree ar not destroyed and get back the leaves fast,the damage was not huge.The animals are seen less frequently in this range.

After some roaming around,got to see a huge herd of Barahsingas,with a big male,going for the drink.Observed the for around half an hour.They look real magestic,with dark orange coats,and very dignified way of carrying themselves.They must be the king among deers.

On the way back,its around thirty five kms from the Kisli gate,got to see a CHE,a pack of wild dogs from very far,and a few Grey Hornbills.

Safari-6-Spent ths safari in the Shravan Talab area.There was a herd of female Barahsinga near the talab,and also a huge herd of chital,the chitals were mock fighting,and the barahsinga grazing.

On the way back saw a pair of Jackals,feeding on lizards.Tried very hard to get some images of RaquetTailed drongos and Treepies,but could not.

Safari-7-Went to the Kanha meadows.There is a particular area in the meadows where a few Yellow Wattled Lapwings are seen.After photographing them,was roaming in the meadows when we saw a couple of gypsies rushing towards a nullah.We joined them.We saw a female tigress who was stalking a herd of chital,who were standing on higher ground.But in a few minutes the chitals saw her,and started their alarm calls.She just vanished in the grass.The guide told me that this was the same female who had killed a mahout a few months back.Thereafter we roamed the meadows,and saw many herds of Bisons,Chitals and Sambhars.Sambhars are also plentiful,and I could see herds of Sambhars in Kanha.Previously in other parks I had seen Sambhars,but not in such large numbers.

Safari-8-This was my last safari,so after roaming for an hour in the Kisli range,went back to Kanha meadows.After roaming for sometime,went near the Medha nala waterhole.A herd of female barahsingha and a few chital were having a drink.After sometimes the chitals left.A fawn of chital was left behind.He looked bewildered and lost,and not finding his brood,went and stood besides a female Barahsingha.Till the time we left,both were standing there,and god knows what happenned later on.The next day,I left for Nagpur on my way back.

Kanha is a beautiful and vibrant wilderness,nothing like I had seen before.This Eden is the one of the last bastion of the Tiger,Hardground Barahsingha in central India,and with the superb management there,I hope and wish ,it remains that way.

2008-08-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

A Paradise called Bandhavgarh

Reached Bandhavgarh at 1 pm on 27thMay..Checked into the Maharajas Royal resort,which I had booked after seeing the reference in Chirdeep Shettys trip report.It is a decent place with a huge campus.They have Cottages,Airconditioned suites and Non Ac Rooms.Their Ac suites are the best and cottages quite bad.Luckily I had got the first Ac suite,which is very spacious and the best in that resort.

Planned to go for the evening safari,which in summers starts at 3.45 pm.

Safari-1.-Reached the gate at 3.30.There was not much rush compared to Bandhavgarh standards and there were hardly 20 gypsies waiting.I met a Japanese tourist who was coming to Bandhavgarh for the last 8 years.Saw his wonderful Tiger snaps which he was showing to all and sundry who bothered to see.I was really moved by his love for an Indian Forest.
As we entered the forest my heartbeat was increasing with the prospect of seeing tigers lying everywhere as seen in photographs.It took me sometime to realize that life is not all fantasy.But Animals were everywhere.Chitals, Sambhars and Peacock could be seen in plenty.One thing I noticed here was the visibility of animals compared to other forests is high.Could be due to the Very good protection offered by Project tiger coupled with the topography.
As we reached the Chakradhara meadows,we saw a few gypsies lined up.Came to know that B2 and the Chakradhara female were mating in the grass. But nothing was visible.We could hear growls coming from the nullah side,but as light was fading,my guide said it was no use waiting.I was thrilled to hav atleast heard the king.
We drove up for a few kms,saw the usual Chitals,Peacock,and a lot of birds.As it was first day with the slr,wasted a lot of time fumbling with various modes,and could hardly get many photographs.

Safari-2.-The morning safari in summers starts at 6.I was a bit better prepared now.As we reached the Chakradhara meadows,we could see the usual gypsy line up.The mating royalty had moved closer to the safari tracks,but was still in tall grass and invisible to us except a few who were enterprising enough to stand on their toes on the topmost rods of their vehicle with their necks craning in the grass.We waited,and after half an hour we could decipher some movement in the grass.Finally we could have a glimpse of the two.They stayed close to each other,enamoured by each other,and as there was no place on the tract to cross,as it was full of vehicles,they moved further inside.
We also moved on. .My guide took me to the Rajbehera meadows,which is home to a female with cubs There was no sign of them but.But near a small bridge I could see a few Red Headed vultures feeding on a bird carcass.One was perched high on a tree.There was a long Billed vulture sitting next to a stream,and a lone jackal trying to approach the carcass.
These meadows are absolutely beautiful.They are brimming with life.The thinly wooded areas abound in Red Jungle Fowl.I could see Grey Hornbills,Drongos,Yellow wattled Lapwings.Chitals,Sambhars and Peacock r also in plenty.One can really enjoy these creatures at close quarters here.

Safari-3-The evening safari,I decided to go to Badi Gufa area to see Bats.As we entered the gufa,the smell was nasuating.I could hardly bear the stench but the excitement to see the Bats made me lug on.I could see thousand of bats hanging upside down in the various gufas.Took some photographs and came out.
On the way back a forest guard took lift in our vehicle.On the way we reached the Gopalpur waterhole which is a very good place to observe Deer,Wild boars,Peacocks and other birds in the evening.
I started a conversation with the forest guard,who seemed to be a very wise fellow with a lot of experience.He asked me whether I was able to see Tigers,and I told him I had just heard the mating ones in Chakradhara.He gave a very wise reply-RAJA hain,Khate hain,Sote hain,and Mating karte hain.Very wise,it made me ponder on the life of us commoners.My driver rather wicketedly commented to the guard-Apka bhi to yehi kam he.The guard blushed like a newlywed bride.

Safari-4- Two days gone and no proper Tiger sighting.The third day morning we reached the gate early,and were the first to enter the forest.Our route was different this time.It was through the Barua nala area.And as soon we reached the nala,we were in for a shock.The Bhitriwali tigress was sitting on the nulla bed hardly ten metres from us.I started clicking with a big relief on sighting the big cat at last.Early bird gets the worm is a true saying I believe.
Here I would like to mention,a parked gypsy with a clicking tourist acts like a very strong magnet in the forest.In no time we had around ten gypsies jostling for space.The tigress got wary,and vanished in the bamboo forest behind the nulla.I looked towards my guide and he said she would emerge on another road as she would go to Sita Gufa for water and rest.We parked our vehicle on the said intersection and patiently waited for her.After about an hour she showed up in the thickets.We started clicking.After some time she nervously crossed the road and vanished.But these few minutes of sighting was pure bliss for me.The majestic beast with a glistening coat and a kingly gait is no ordinary creature.
Rest of the safari passed with me listening to the boasting by my guide how he knew this lady would be definitely seen there,with me fully knowing he hardly had a role to play in it.It was sheer luck.

Safari-5-The evening I told my guide to take me anywhere.There was no tension now as I had sighted the king.Just after crossing the Chakradhara meadows I saw an eagle sitting on a dried up tree.It was a juv CSE,as I came to know later.
We kept on driving and reached a place where few gypsies were parked.I asked the most repeated question in a safari,dikha kya?
There are two types of people in the safari crowd parked at a place.The ones with an ear to ear smile and beaming face are the post Dikha ones.And the ones with anxious look and sweating face,staring alternatively between the dikha people and the patch of the forest,are the non Dikha ones.One can easily make out .I joined the second group.
After sometime two cubs became visible behind a rock.They were the cubs of the Jhurjhura female.We were delighted and the cubs nervous..The mother and the 3rd cub were not seen.Probably, they were going to drink water in the dam,and poor kids were scared with all the commotion going on behind them.They kept on running,keeping themselves hidden in the bushes with the gypsies following them,till they vanished for good.
We waited near the dam for half an hour and they did not show up.We returned feeling happy after a long productive day.

Safari-6- This was my last safari ,so told my guide to take it easy.We parked ourselves in the Rajbehera meadows.The meadows are real theaters of nature.The morning sun was throwing its golden light on the golden grass.I could see Hornbills,Treepies,Drongos and so many other birds going about their daily routine.Chitals,Langurs,monkeys,Wild Boars carried on theirs on the ground.I thought I could spend countless hours here.
While returning,went to see the Brown Fish Owl,and got bitten by honeybees.Rushed back to the resort.
The pain was nothing compared to the pleasure this forest had given me.

Bandhavgarh is a Natures showcase,Wildlife at its best.A small paradise.

IN THE EDEN OF KANHA

2008-08-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

In The EDENS of KANHA

Reached kanha on the 30theMay.Checked into Kings Crown resort in Mocha village.Since I had reached very late,just had dinner and went to sleep.

Safari-1-I got up early,and was at the Kisli gate at 5.30.The guide joined us at the gate,and entered the park.

The main gate at Kanha is located in Kisli,this range has the most biodiversity in Kanha.As soon we had crossed the gate and entered the forest,I knew it was going to be a different experience.I could here animal and bird calls from all sides.The density of wildlife in the Kisli range is tremendous.Hardly a moment passes without anything interesting not happenning.The forest in Kisli is predominantly Sal forest with pretty dense undergrowth.Even in summer,it was lush green.The feeling one gets in such a jungle is divine.It is a truly wild experience.The first wild dwellers to make an appearence.
were the peacocks,and there are plenty of them.I could see the males dancing to woo their mates.Whoever said that peacock
dance heralds rain can go for a toss.Here in Kanha,I could see them dancing everywhere in peak summer with no sign of rains.

As soon as we reached the Kanha road crossing,my driver showed me the tiger pugmarks.He said it was the Kisli male.We
followed it for sometime and then parked the gypsy and started waiting.The wait was not at all boring,as I could see a number
of birds going about their routine.
There were Raquet Tailed Drongos,Rollers,Rufous Treepies.And the various rutting calls and
alarm calls of Chitals,Sambhars and barking deer keeps one engrossed.Even after waiting for an hour,there was no sign of the
king,so we moved on,and reached Nakti Ghati waterhole.This is a real happenning place.At all times we could see various
animals and birds at this place.It was morning time,and a herd of Bisons were quenching their thirst,with a group of chitals
waiting for their turn
>
. Nearby on a tree,a CSE was perched intently looking for anything to pounce on.We spent an hour at the waterhole and then decided to get back to Kisli.on the way back,stopped at the Banyan tree,which houses the famous Kanha owlets.There were five of them.Mom,dad and three kids,perched on various branches.I spent an hour photographing them.It was time for us to return.

Safari-2-We reached the gate at 3.30 for the evening safari.It was really hot,but as soon we entered the forest,the shade provided by the sal trees gave us some relief..First we decided to check the place we left in the morning.And what luck.
The handdsome,young tiger,was sitting in a depression,under a tree.Only the front portion was visible.But since it
was just next to the safari tract,it was a real thrilling experience.Soon a number of gypsies joined us.The king looked tired
after a heavy meal,and the heat,and didnt move from the place for an hour,inspite of the ruckus created by the tourit.
The handdsome,young tiger,was sitting in a depression,under a tree.Only the front portion was visible.But since it
was just next to the safari tract,it was a real thrilling experience.Soon a number of gypsies joined us.The king looked tired
after a heavy meal,and the heat,and didnt move from the place for an hour,inspite of the ruckus crea

tourists.The guide informed us,that this male is three and a half years old,and killed his illustrous father around eight
months back.As the crowd became awfully loud,he got up,stretched,and vanished in the denser part of the forest.I was really happy and content after an hour of tiger treat,and just roamed around Kisli range for some time.The sight of a
tiger is an inebriating experience,and hardly anything matters after that.Here I would like to mention,that the guides at Kanha are really passionate about their forest.I showed an image of a tiger
from Bandhavgarh,and they seemed to be totally disinterested.After sometime the guide commented,Kya saab,humara tiger
dekho,kitna bada he.Aur do saal me to double ho jayega,Bandhavgarh me to chote tiger hain.Point noted.I never breached the subject of Bandhavgarh again.
Safari-3-This morning we decided to go to the Kanha meadows.The meadows are grasslands growing on relocated villages.There
are numerous such meadows,and Kanha meadows is the largest.Its a huge tract of grassland,with clumps of Sal trees in
between,appearing as islands.As part of the grassland management,no tree which can retard the growth of grass is allowed to
grow.I saw a number of felled silk cotton trees.
There is a spot called Centre point,which houses a huge canteen and refreshment centre,near the meadows.Its a pretty huge
complex,with very clean toilets,and tourists stop there for some time.Crows have a field day there on leftovers.The meadow is a herbivorous paradise.
Chitals,Sambhars,and Bisons are plentifull,grazing on the green grass.The birds like
Peacocks,Red and Yellow Wattled Lapwings,Painted Francolin can also be seen there.There are numerous water bodies with
eagrets,Ibises and pond herons around them.Medha Nala waterhole is one of the bigger one,with source of water to the animals
of the meadows.

These waterbodies are replenished daily by tankers in summer.In Kanha the habitat management is superb.I asked the guide about the Barahsinga.He said they are not seen in theKanha meadows recently.Still we drove around looking
for them,and saw two females grazing very far from the tract.

While returning,the guide showed us the enclosure,where around fifty Barahsingas are kept for breeding,with a few released
every year.The fence is really high,so its not possible to see inside,and tourists are not allowed inside.
Safari-4-That evening we decided to look for the Kisli male again.We went to an area called Sanduk Khol,but it was not
there.After an hour of roaming around,there was no sign of it.There is a safari tract called Kanha Main road,which has an artificial pool,where tigers generally spend their day.This road had been closed for tourists a fortnight back as the tourists were causing a lot of disturbance to the tigers.We
saw two guys coming on a bike from that road.They were canteen workers.They told us that a tiger was lying in the pool.
Now that left us in a great dilemma.The driver was reluctant to enter the road as if found out,it entailed a huge fine,and
two weeks ban for the gypsy.I somehow convinced him that I would pay the fine if caught,and after making sure there were no
other gypsies around,we entered the road.As soon as we reached the pool,and the king was lying in it,lazily watching the
surroundings.
>
We spent around ten minutes there watching him at close quarters,with the fear of being caught in this illegal
endeavour.Then as soon the driver started the gypsy to leave,we saw two guys coming on a patrol vehicle in Khaki,forest guards who had
seen us.But our driver was smart,he took them aside,and after a few minutes of arguements,they came back smiling.I wound not
like to go into the details of the matter,but it was settled with a promise of hefty Chai Nashtsa.Came back happy at the superb sighting,and also guilty of breaking the rule.
Safari-5-We decided to go to Mukki range to try and see the Barahsinga.We had started early.As we were nearing Mukki,the
driver located the pugmarks of the Tiger,and it was fresh.We started following the lead.Suddenly we came across a huge herd
ob bisons.I told the driver to stop,and started photographing.My guide was was coaxing me not to stop as he was sure of
finding the tiger.But since the herd was close to the road,I did not want to miss the oppurtunity to photograph these gentle
giants.Gaurs have really thrived in Kanha.According to the last census,their number was around two thousand.I could see them in
herds in every range.As we moved on following the pugmarks we reached a place where a gypsy was parked,and on seeing us the guide of that vehicle
gesticulated at us to come fast.We rushed towards it.With a big smile the guide informed us that they had seen a huge male
sitting on the rock next to the road for full twenty minutes.In his words-Sir,bees minute idhar hi baitha tha.Muh khola,dant
saaf kiya,utha fir baitha,per uthaya,maaza a gaya.Aplog kuch minute se miss kar gaye.We nodded in agreement with grim
faces.My guide was really upsethe told me-sahab ap to bison par latak gaye,nahi to hum bhi dekhte the.Pura mehnat bekar ho
gaya,and stood on one side.I had nothing to say,as I too was regretting stopping for the bisons for so long.To add salt to the wound,the guys offered us the vidio they had shot in their camcorders.Saw it with a heavy heart,and what
the other guide had told us seemed to be entirely true.They really had a super view as we could see in the footage.After some
more depressing thinking,gathered our wits and moved on.My guide as if to assuge my feelings said,sir ye to Radiocollar wala
tha,photo me kuch khas maaza nahi hota.Even I tried to think so.As we were crossing the fireline into Mukki,I saw a Muntjac standing on the fireline.I had seen these deers in all my
safaris,but could not get any photograph,as they vanish real fast.

But this one stopped there,maybe waiting for its mate,and
so we got to see it for around ten minutes,a long time by Muntjac standards.Mukki range is a bit different.There was a huge fire last year,and the effect was visible.But since the Sal tree ar not
destroyed and get back the leaves fast,the damage was not huge.The animals are seen less frequently in this range.
After some roaming around,got to see a huge herd of Barahsingas,with a big male,going for the drink.

Observed them for around
half an hour.They look real magestic,with dark orange coats,and very dignified way of carrying themselves.They must be the
king among deers.
On the way back,its around thirty five kms from the Kisli gate,got to see a CHE,a pack of wild dogs from very far,and a few
Grey Hornbills.
Safari-6-Spent ths safari in the Shravan Talab area.There was a herd of female Barahsinga near the talab,and also a huge herd
of chital,the chitals were mock fighting,and the barahsinga grazing.
On the way back saw a pair of Jackals,feeding on lizards.Tried very hard to get some images of RaquetTailed drongos and
Treepies,but could not.
Safari-7-Went to the Kanha meadows.There is a particular area in the meadows where a few Yellow Wattled Lapwings are
seen.After photographing them,was roaming in the meadows when we saw a couple of gypsies rushing towards a nullah.We joined
them.We saw a female tigress who was stalking a herd of chital,who were standing on higher ground.But in a few minutes the
chitals saw her,and started their alarm calls.She just vanished in the grass.The guide told me that this was the same female
who had killed a mahout a few months back.Thereafter we roamed the meadows,and saw many herds of Bisons,Chitals and
Sambhars.Sambhars are also plentiful,and I could see herds of Sambhars in Kanha.Previously in other parks I had seen
Sambhars,but not in such large numbers.
Safari-8-This was my last safari,so after roaming for an hour in the Kisli range,went back to Kanha meadows.After roaming for
sometime,went near the Medha nala waterhole.A herd of female barahsingha and a few chital were having a drink.After sometimes
the chitals left.

A fawn of chital was left behind.He looked bewildered and lost,and not finding his brood,went and stood
besides a female Barahsingha.Till the time we left,both were standing there,and god knows what happenned later on.The next
day,I left for Nagpur on my way back.
Kanha is a beautiful and vibrant wilderness,nothing like I had seen before.This Eden is the one of the last bastion of the
Tiger,Hardground Barahsingha in central India,and with the superb management there,I hope and wish ,it remains that way.