Tadoba Again- Craziest of the Crazies

What do Navy Veterans do?

Keep holidaying! Forever.

That's OK, they have the all the time. But how do they beat the heat?

By travelling to the hottest places?

In thick of the summer?

Yes.

They must be crazy then.

Sure they are! Probably the craziest of the crazies!

Who are these crazy lot?

Six Navy Veterans and spouses.

Yes, here are six grannies and grandpas all Navy Veterans. They all  ventured to leave the cool confines of their homes in Delhi/Noida and Secunderabad and face the heat and dust of a jungle safari. 

Inspiration? To see the king of the jungle-- Royal Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat. Meet the six all in their sixties with ladies first.

Now the turn of Navy Veterans.

Why go in summer?

Because the grass dries up and the heat forces the big mammals including Tigers to come out to drink water. The chances of sighting a tiger therefore, increase. In fact, the tariff for rooms in MTDC Resort at Moharli, (one of the entry gates to Tadoba) is the highest from 1st May to 30th June every year.

Where is Tadoba located? Why the name Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve?

Why choose Tadoba when there are other Tiger Parks in the vicinity?

As we can see, tiger density per sq km is the highest in Tadoba. Our statistical research has been proven right in the past. Hope it gets validated again in a few days time when we are there!

How to reach Tadoba?

Four of us from Secunderabad chose to drive down 430 kms in CP's Maruti Brezza. It is a car suitable for Indian roads with good ground clearance. See the route map below.

Whereas Aditya and Seema took the overnight train from Delhi to Chandrapur which is a mere 30 kms from Tadoba.

One can also take a flight to Nagpur and then drive 140 kms south to reach Tadoba via Navegaon gate. See the earlier map.

As senior citizens packing our bags for this wildlife trip, we realised that apart from personal stuff like caps, sunglasses, clothes, ID etc, we also have to carry our medicines! Another tale of grannies and grandpas!

As we proceed on this adventure, wish us luck for tiger sightings!

   -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/22nd May 2019

#tadoba #tigers #junglesafari #TATR #navyveterans #buddiesinsixties #wildlife #india #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb

Driving Through Assam

What is the favourite pastime of grannies?
And of grandpas?
Read on to find out.

Pictures will tell the story. But before that the context. We were a team of 20 Navy veterans and spouses all in their late late-60s. We bring you a set of stories based on our visit to Manas National Park in November 2018, which should be read together. Quick links are given below:

1. Who were the travellers?
2. Guwahati the Gateway to North East India
3. Driving through the Bamboo land (this story)
4. Manas National Park- What is so great? 
5. MNP- Where crickets sing like Temple Bells
6. Bodo Village- Living with Nature
7. Where to Stay in Manas
8. Deepor Beel A Ramsar Site

Back to the tales of grannies and grandpas. Let the pictures do the talking.

In fact Saraighat Bridge was the topic of 13th edition of Kaun Banega Ghumakkad (KBG) an on-line contest. Read more about the bridge and winners of the contest here.

Count again! There are 14 nests clearly visible in the picture. On the tree there must have been 50 or more! 

Cultivated and green countryside like Assam, attracts many birds. In a harvested field on the way, we spotted a large bird. It was naturally camouflaged. With my 50mm lens, this is what I got.

If you zoomed the picture, this is what you will see. A Lesser Adjutant Stork of the Stork family. Painted storks are more common. We earlier spotted Wooly-necked Storks nesting on a tree on the highway.

India has plenty of rural wisdom which ensures pollution free and eco-friendly living. Like the fuel cakes made of cow-dung and mud paste! See the picture below.

 Special thanks to Dr Chitra Shanker for identifying the flowering plant.

Interacting with people on the way, we felt that tomorrow's India is full of hope and promise. Like what the eyes of this child convey!

Thanks for browsing.

We will take you on a Tiger Safari in the next story. Stay connected.

    -Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 19th Apr 2019

#Assam #India #bamboo #grannies #grandpas #guwahati #saraighat #brahmaputra #dhabas #handicrafts #manas #highwaydriving #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb #tigersafari