The next day started out well in an euphoric mood; atleast for me, as I was wearing a new milk-white party-frock.
At first we had been to the 'Elephant camp' ;-
It was such an incredible sight,seeing these pot-bellied ones..indulge in a host of activities..ranging from fetching logs to 'exercising!!!
The 'mahout' actually exclaimed that we were lucky, as they were in a cheerful mood that day.!
He 'introduced' us to twin -elephant-calves, named,Yamuna and Godavari; looked like both Yamuna and Godavari were in full flow too: they showed us a few somersaults and all the while, like our Tamil film heroines, were being fed on juice and drinks..every now and then!
In fact Yamuna and Goda were real 'Heroines'..they had 'acted' in a recent movie of "Devar Films"!!!After feeding them, sugar-cane and jaggery, we had to part with those cutie-pies. The twins' mother is nothing less to the human moms..all the while having an eye on it's 'babies' and "gets into action" if it spots any stranger in the area, imagining it to be a threat for the calves.
Just a few kms. away, only was Kargudi, which is like the starting-point for the 'Mudumalai' forests!!:At first my grand pa had opted for the 'Elephant Safari' where we could sit atop an elephant and take a ride into the jungle;But, later it was decided, that we travel in our own jeep, being escorted by a guide.
'The Mudumalai forests' was such a. rustic haven..nestled in the foothills of the spectacular Nilgiris mountain range.. 3000 feet above sea-level.
Wow! there was utter Serenity everywhere... the kind.. one can never find in the chaotic atmosphere of the cities.
The sparkling streams, virgin- thickets and an eerie silence transformed all of us into Jim Corbetts and Rudyard Kiplings!
To enhance our excitement, the guide added that one could usually spot a few wild tuskers enroute...
Me..the dubious one kept nagging him,whether they would harm us?!?He patiently kept answering my queries.."It's not dangerous if they come in a herd, dear,..but if it comes alone..then it is dangerous!"
We were gone almost to the interiors..but were not lucky enough to spot any;but atleast we were lucky to see the cute blue birds playing in the crystal-clear stream; and a few dainty-toed deer. We got out to "capture those deer".(I mean through our camera!)
All the while the luck that had evaded us, finally made our way!!
Just as we had walked a few yards more, we saw an elephant, which also started walking towards us.
Alas! it took a few seconds for us to realize that it wasn't part of a herd ..but a LONELY single-tusker!
Stay tuned to Hairpin bend-3
At first we had been to the 'Elephant camp' ;-
It was such an incredible sight,seeing these pot-bellied ones..indulge in a host of activities..ranging from fetching logs to 'exercising!!!
The 'mahout' actually exclaimed that we were lucky, as they were in a cheerful mood that day.!
He 'introduced' us to twin -elephant-calves, named,Yamuna and Godavari; looked like both Yamuna and Godavari were in full flow too: they showed us a few somersaults and all the while, like our Tamil film heroines, were being fed on juice and drinks..every now and then!
In fact Yamuna and Goda were real 'Heroines'..they had 'acted' in a recent movie of "Devar Films"!!!After feeding them, sugar-cane and jaggery, we had to part with those cutie-pies. The twins' mother is nothing less to the human moms..all the while having an eye on it's 'babies' and "gets into action" if it spots any stranger in the area, imagining it to be a threat for the calves.
Just a few kms. away, only was Kargudi, which is like the starting-point for the 'Mudumalai' forests!!:At first my grand pa had opted for the 'Elephant Safari' where we could sit atop an elephant and take a ride into the jungle;But, later it was decided, that we travel in our own jeep, being escorted by a guide.
'The Mudumalai forests' was such a. rustic haven..nestled in the foothills of the spectacular Nilgiris mountain range.. 3000 feet above sea-level.
Wow! there was utter Serenity everywhere... the kind.. one can never find in the chaotic atmosphere of the cities.
The sparkling streams, virgin- thickets and an eerie silence transformed all of us into Jim Corbetts and Rudyard Kiplings!
To enhance our excitement, the guide added that one could usually spot a few wild tuskers enroute...
Me..the dubious one kept nagging him,whether they would harm us?!?He patiently kept answering my queries.."It's not dangerous if they come in a herd, dear,..but if it comes alone..then it is dangerous!"
We were gone almost to the interiors..but were not lucky enough to spot any;but atleast we were lucky to see the cute blue birds playing in the crystal-clear stream; and a few dainty-toed deer. We got out to "capture those deer".(I mean through our camera!)
All the while the luck that had evaded us, finally made our way!!
Just as we had walked a few yards more, we saw an elephant, which also started walking towards us.
Alas! it took a few seconds for us to realize that it wasn't part of a herd ..but a LONELY single-tusker!
Stay tuned to Hairpin bend-3
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