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Exciting as an African safari

The BR Wildlife Sanctuary near Mysore is about adventure

An exciting beginning is all you need to perk you up at a seemingly peaceful getaway. A tiger had made a kill near the camp we were to stay in; sambhars and langoors had filled the forest air with their cacophonic warning calls the previous evening.

So if you are expecting the name of an exotic African safari, don't. Because it's called Kyathadevarayana Gudi, or K.Gudi for convenience and it's in the range of the Biligiri Rangana Betta or B.R.Hills. And this heaven is almost in your backyard, near Mysore.

K.Gudi is a forest camp — it's supposed to be one of the few lucky ones to be bang in the middle of a sanctuary. It is snuggled in the 540 square km BR Wildlife Sanctuary, named after Lord Ranganatha, who is believed to guard it (his extra-large paadukas are used to bless devotees).

The brochure of the Jungle Lodges and Resorts, that runs the camp at K.Gudi, was full of pictures of the verdant green, promises of jeep safaris and elephant rides, log-huts with languorous hammocks and a neatly chalked out programme (complete with timings). We dismissed it all for what it was — just another brochure.

So the promised green that greeted us as we wound up the hill in the middle of summer, was hard to believe. And then we remembered. It's been raining the last few days. And with that sprung hope that everything else on the brochure would be true. Amen.After a quick check-in, `hi-hellos', and a lazy winding path later we reached our log hut perched high up on solid concrete stilts, the last in the row of tents and huts, overlooking a steep valley. As I climbed up the stairs to the door, I decided what I'll do next. I quickly threw in my bags and sat on the cane chair outside, gazing at the green canopy rolling down and up the surrounding hills, entranced in the sound of silence. The only sound competing for attention was the constant buzz of the insects and moths and the occasional call of birds.

B.R. Hills was Veerappan's territory for long and had been virtually shut off to tourists. But with the fear now gone, they are making a comeback and how — the resort's booked most of the time (watch out for cancellations). In fact on the jeep safari, the jeep turns back at a point from where the Tamil Nadu border begins.

At the evening's tea gathering, the whole lot of tourists staying at the Jungle Lodges got a briefing from naturalist Kalyan Varma, and there was palpable excitement as we climbed into open jeeps for our sojourn into the forest — high on my wish-list were the leopard and the tiger. We sighted herds of the spotted chital, the lone barking deer, a shy sambhar hiding behind the tall jungle scrub, small herd of the Indian bison or gaur, elephants languorously munching grass, and even a sloth bear. Thapa, the alert driver, and Kalyan pointed out all that our eyes couldn't see. The sanctuary is home to over 300 species of birds, and we were excited even to see robins, Kingfishers, woodpeckers, babblers and Drongos. Nightfall brought with it more strange noises, the unbelievable sight of fireflies lighting up the night in innumerable twinkling specks, and hurricane lanterns. Sleep is slow to come as the silence scared me. Morning greeted us with light rain and the surprising chillness from the mist that cloaked the betta. Plastic is banned at this camp, and the resort has made an effort to keep things basic out there. The pathways are lit by hurricane lamps at night. Each hut or tent gets one too. Electricity is on for only about six hours every day at the lodge — it's lights off at 10.30 p.m.

Drives and more drives

As we stayed back a second day, we got to take another safari, this time a good 45 minutes deep into the forest, to see the legendary Doddasampige Mara, the giant champaka tree that is said to be over 1,000 years old and revered by the Soliga tribals (a group of whom still live in the sanctuary). Climbing the 249 steps down to it was easy. But uphill... A visit to the Ranganathaswamy temple (said to be over 600 years old) ensures a colossal view of the entire hill range and valleys below. We winded up the next morning after breakfast and a quick elephant ride.

At first the tariff of Rs. 1,650 per head per night seems exorbitant. But when you realise it's inclusive of the sumptuous food, the elephant ride, the long safaris (think fuel), you feel it's worth it. We came away with some wild memories and a bottle of honey gathered by the Soligas. Check www.junglelodges.com.

BHUMIKA K.

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