Ranthambhore-A story of Hope

Before I start with the actual safari experience, in the Jungle of Ranthambhore, I'd like to share a story of my nephews Dhruv &Kartik. They are 5 year old twins. In the May of '15 they had come to my place for their summer vacation, which was on the verge of its end because June had already started and pre-monsoon rains were being experienced every evening. One evening I was home and it was raining with heavy winds and Lightning. It was dark since the power supply was cut by electricity board as it usually happens in India. I was sitting on my study table, when I heard screaming and giggling.  I was annoyed at first because I love peace when I'm home. Since mother and father were out I was the one who was supposed to take care of them . I ignored at first  but as time went on their giggling increased and it started pissing me off. I walked into the hall, to watch them both standing in the window, holding the window grill and watching the rain. I stood there for a moment,  to see why they were screaming and laughing. Very next moment a lightning flashed outside and it illuminated the  otherwise dark city for a fraction of second and my nephews laughed and screamed. I wanted to scold them but I totally got carried away with their smile, surreal illumination of the city and the curiosity of the kids laughing at the Lightning. This curiosity followed me for  2 long years till the jungle of Ranthambhore answered it. 

Ashish, my old friend had come up with start up business in the travelling sector, forwarded me a message of Ranthambhore trip. He is the co founder of TravelEarth360 along with Deepesh and Ajinkya . And since I admired his idea of  start up,  and I, myself wanted a break from an otherwise hectic and depressing schedule, I went up for it the very next moment.  Waited 3 months after the booking to embark on the train that was supposed to take me to Sawai Madhopur, which is the closest junction to Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. In the beginning I was a bit sceptic about how the trip will go and whether I'll be able to enjoy it or not. But the moment we took the berths and started playing Mafia, I  knew it was going to be a hell of a trip. I never felt like I was away from family.  Jyoti and Kanchan aunty never treated me or the other members any  different than their actual kids. And whenever they offered me eatables, it reminded me of Aai. Shivani, Malvika, Deepali and Aishwarya quickly became my mafia rivals in the train and eventually at the bonfire talks, they became close friends.  Shirish the small town guy became the talk of the bonfire town because of his accent and one-liners. Deepesh, Ashish and Ajinkya the most polite and brotherly organizers I've ever seen in my 8 years of travelling experience. Aarti and Asmita, became the only friends with whom I discussed the philosophies and eventually my stories. I got everything I didn't expect from this family away from the family.

  And eventually the actual tour started. First evening we had been to the Rathambhore fort.   Famous for the valor of Hammir Dev is situated at 1108m above MSL.  Guide told us about the history of how the fort has seen the up-rise and downfall  of various dynasties and how it has been the witness of the change the country has been through for a almost a millennium. On the first night at the bonfires everybody got  properly introduced. And next morning onwards safaris started and with that, started the  urge to see the stars of Ranthmabhore, The Tigers. Though I wasn't fully expecting  the sight of it,  nobody was.  At least everyone was pretending to be okay if they couldn't see the tiger. But deep down everyone was hoping for it. Everyone. As the tour went on progressing and 2 out of 4 safaris finished and nobody could see the tiger, we shifted our focus on other things of the jungles that fascinates the wildlife lovers. Birds, animals, reptiles, rodents, insects their ecosystem. The rules and regulations the animals strictly follow.

 One story that made me laugh and pity humans at the same time was the one the guide told us. He told us," Whenever a tiger defecates, he covers his faeces with soil so that the other animals whose territory it might be, shouldn't get to suffer because of the smell it." As soon as I heard that I remembered the co-passenger who made his son throw the empty chip bag out of the window while on our way from Mumbai to Sawai Madhopur.  

 We saw Black breasted buzzard, Long beaked vulture, Indian Scops owl, Indian eagle owl, Collard scops owl, Lesser goldenback woodpecker, Black tailed Mongoose, e.t.c. But the wish list wasn't fulfilled yet. Our eyes were still searching for the stars of the Rathambhore Reserve. The tigers. But luck didn't seem to favour us. We followed every warning call. We followed every water body. We tried to track it from every possible paw mark.

  We tried and listened to the every call by maintaining utmost silence in the otherwise chirp-filled jungle. But all in vain. Some of my friends told me that I chose the wrong season to visit the tiger reserve. And my heart along with 16 others started sinking down. At the end of the 4th and the last safari we had given up all hope and had convinced ourselves that the jungle is not only about tigers and that we enjoyed the trip to our fullest.

 But our inner-selves were begging for the sight of tigers, though nobody seemed to admit it.  And we started heading back from last safari to hotel. Hearts sank.

               As we came out of the main gate of the Jungle from where the core area ends, we saw a crowd. Just outside the flexure that marked the end of the jungle, a mild traffic jam was there. 2-3 canters and 2 gypsies along with some bikers has jammed the traffic and all were looking in the east direction. Our driver asked some pedestrian about the jam and he told him about the sighting of the tiger just across the road in the golden yellowish hay. My heart jumped as well as my whole body from the seat and I stood up and I started looking for tiger along with the crowd.   Some cheered, And Malvika sitting next to me screamed, "There it is. There it is !!!" I still hadn't seen it, but trying to track it through the dried shrubs and grass. I rubbed my eyes and cleaned my specs to see it. But all in vain. Suddenly our driver ran the engine and started to take us away from the place.  I didn't understand what he was doing. He said," Saabji koi taigar nahi hai, sab jhooth bol rahe hai." meant 'there is no tiger, everyone is lying.' But Malvika said," Stop I've seen it." Driver didn't listen. And I lost my cool, which is very rare, "Take the fucking gypsy back!!!" I yelled at him. He retorted and took the gypsy back. I still haven't seen it yet. And finally!!! It moved. I witnessed the movement. It yawned. A Royal Yawn. My heart started jumping. I took my camera and tried to take a picture but,  useless. I didn't have a differential focus lens so couldn't take the picture. Stood on the hand-rest of the gypsy in spite continuous warning of our guide, I just couldn't resist. Deepali held my one leg, Malavika held my one arm and I was standing on the hand-rest trying to take a picture. And there he was . Sitting in the grass, totally camouflaged. I just tracked the outline of its back. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't take a picture of it but it was nothing compared to the joy that my heart was overflown with.   I asked his name.Guide replied,"Lightning hai ji." 'Its lightning T-83'

               Lightning. As soon as I heard the name my mind went back to my nephews and the screaming and giggling. And my curiosity. And now this Lightning has answered all my questions about that lightning. I found my inner self jumping and jouncing in the joy in the wilderness. Just like my nephews.  That evening in front of bonfire, I recalled the series of events and how the universe had a plan for me to watch the T-83. I learnt one thing, and I'm going to quote it , no matter how cliché it sounds,  Hope always works.  I figured it out that it wasn't totally about trip, tigers, people, Rajasthan, though it mattered a lot. In the end what matters is Hope. 4 safaris, 4 guides,12 straight hours in the jungle, 120 kilometers into the wilderness,  1200kilometers away from the family and all this eventually taught me to never give up on the hope. 

And finally with wet eyes and a heart full of people,memories and hopefully lifelong relations, I once again stepped onto the train towards Pune. I never properly thanked all the people who accompanied me on this journey like Ashish, Deepesh,Ajinkya, Shivani,  Aishwarya ,Deepali,Malvika, Jyoti Aunty and Kanchan aunty. And I don't think I'll be able to, out of the social awkwardness. But this blog is all because of them and dedicated to them and lastly to T-83, the Lightning.