The peacock is the national bird of India and found throughout the country. When peacocks start their courtship it usually heralds the onset of the monsoon and therefore is regarded as an auspicious symbol.
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TAJ AND TIGER TOUR 15/06/09
The late night flight arrived on time at the new improved Delhi airport and what a change in the place. Queues are quicker and the arrival hall is more spacious and less claustrophobic than in the past. The game of “spot your name on the board” still remains as you search a sea of eager faces lined up on each side as you emerge from baggage reclaim.
Even at midnight there is still a buzz about Delhi but at least the traffic is not so congested and it wasn’t long before I was snuggling down in what must be one of the most comfortable beds in Delhi at Claridges.
An early morning tour of Delhi showed us some of the major sites. It allowed me to revisit the Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque. Ladies are now required to wear hideous spotty long shirts which did make for some interesting photographs. I climbed to the top of one of the minarets (single ladies cannot climb unaccompanied) and was rewarded by splendid views of the old city.
After lunch we fly to Nagpur in central India and then transfer to cars which take us to the luxury of Singinawa Jungle Lodge. Morning and evening safaris are taken in the lodge’s 4x4 jeeps each with a trained naturalist. From experience, it is absolutely essential to have a knowledgeable guide accompanying you. It can transform what may seem a boring “tiger free” drive into a voyage of discovery about trees or herbivores or butterflies. To be focussed purely on the elusive stripey cat means guests will not enjoy the full jungle experience. After all, my typical tiger caveat, a tiger will be seen ONLY if he chooses to be seen!
Luckily this year has had fantastic sightings in both Kanha and Bandhavgarh and in the latter park there are several families with cubs of different ages making the tiger population very healthy indeed.
Kanha is a much bigger park with rolling meadows of open grasslands. There are herds of deer, including the highly endangered Barasingha (swamp deer) and Gaur (Indian bison), only seen in this park on this trip.
It is always a thrill to see your first tiger of the trip from the back of an elephant. It allows guests to get up and close and a bit personal with a snoozing tiger and as long as we don’t go too close both animals are happy and the only disturbance is the constant clicking of cameras.
The journey between parks is long but gives an interesting view of rural India, and allows guests the chance to sit back and watch a constantly changing scene. India is always full of surprises. I was looking out of the window as we passed a vacant piece of land. In the distance I could see goal posts. As we got closer I couldn’t believe my eyes. An old man was dangling upside down, his knees wrapped around the cross bar and he appeared to be in a meditative yoga pose. Of course by the time I reached for my camera, took off the lens cover, switched it on and then resumed my position at the window I had missed him. I did think of shouting “rukiye!” which I think means stop...but it was one that got away! India never fails to surprise.
Bandhavgarh this year gave me one of those moments where a lump comes to your throat with sheer happiness and you know in that second, that life can’t get any better. I am a frustrated zoologist at heart and I will never, ever tire of seeing tigers. On our last day we were driving slowly along, having had a quiet day when one of the ladies in the jeep just happened to turn around and shout “tiger!” There, reclining in the shade, was a magnificent female tiger. Once you saw her it was hard to believe we could have driven straight passed her...how many times had we done that on this trip you wonder!
We sat with her for about an hour. She only moved once to get into some early evening sun and by that time another couple of jeeps had arrived. But we were in prime position and I had NO intention of surrendering that.
It was amazing, once the flurry of photographs died down, you could just sit and observe her. Licking her paws, stretching like all cats do, flicking her ears as the occasional fly buzzed her. Then she would nonchalantly gaze in our direction and for a brief second you actually looked into the eyes of a real live wild Bengal tiger and you could literally feel your heart miss a beat. Never will I experience that connection again. A treasured memory indeed.
The overnight train to Agra was typically fun, mixing with lots of new Indian friends and answering the same questions about name, place of birth, age and marital status. Travelling by train is an experience not to be missed, just go with the flow!
We chilled at the hotel in Agra and in the afternoon visited Agra Fort. Then the highlight of the trip, a visit to the Taj Mahal. I always catch my breath when I first come through the gateway and get my first glimpse of the monument. The cloudless sky provides the perfect backdrop and the colourful saris comprise the classic photograph.
It is lovely to sit on the grass beside the Lotus Pool and people-watch as the sun dips in the sky and bathes the Taj in a pink glow. The crowds slowly drift away and peace descends on the tomb. It is a perfect way to finish off a memorable trip. What could be better, plenty of tigers and the romantic Taj Mahal.
March 2009