Day 2 of my trip to Bhangarh Fort was starting, I had covered the main destination of my trip the previous day. But I would accept Bhangarh Fort was never the main attraction of the trip, it was later on decided to move there as well, from the starting trip was dedicated towards watching Tiger at Sariska Tiger Reserve or Sariska National Park.
Early morning 6.15 Am we were at Sariska national park, we had pre booked the safari on the previous night from the hotel as well, Alwar Bagh. I had observed this on my previous safari’s also at Jim Corbett national park that every body suggest to leave early and try to be on the first lot of safari’s going inside, like human beings tigers also have a breakfast time and early morning they are out after a long overnight sleep.
We had entered right on time, fingers were crossed which is obvious like every tourist we were expecting to end our day with a satisfaction of watching the Tiger at last that day, what was going to happen was still blurred just like the beautiful morning, fog every where and making me more doubt full about watching the tiger in this foggy situation.
Sun was out and thanks to that foggy morning I could say good morning to him watching right into his eyes, temperature had dipped a bit but it was manageable, and I was in my normal summer clothes.
Second to welcome us to Sariska National Park were the National bird of our country, just off from the forest after a long over night sleep came out to do the surya namaskar, this was my first thought about this peacock after watching him entangled in his own feathers like watching sun in a yoga position.
We were getting anxious, wanted to see tiger. My brother had told me to plan Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore or Kanha National park if want to see tiger but this trip was just a weekend drive from Delhi, we were not sure whether there are tigers in Sariska National Park or not. Our guide told us that presently there presently 9 tigers in this 866 square km national park, suddenly chances became more blurred.
Suddenly our jeep stopped and showed us these pug marks of a tigress, I still don’t know how they surely told that it was of a tigress, may be the size of the claw differentiates as far as I know.
According to them she had passed from here at 5.00 Am towards the lake, now this was something which I think they were making up, how is it possible to predict so much. But I would say our guide was doing his best to make us watch tiger today, talked to some forest guards who were roaming in the forest like a second home for them, in fact it is for them.
GPS enabled collars have been put on Tiger’s at Sariska National Park to track their movement and keep them safe from poachers. Our guide asked about the tiger’s movement, he asked his colleagues on a walkies talkie and suddenly our jeep was on full speed. But it is obvious tiger is not going to wait for us and again same pug marks at the spot.
On the way these Sambar deer were sitting, we stopped for while to click some pictures of them but our guide was more into babbling about they being the favorite food of Tiger, like Tiger was suddenly going to come here and give us the opportunity “See this is how I hunt, want to film me”.
We had reached quite deep into the jungle, just some deer, wild pig and plenty of peacocks were sighted, and now we were moving towards Pandu Pole, a sacred place where Hanuman ji had a chit chat with Bheem and challenged him to just move his tail and he will allow him to pass from there.
Just from the back of temple, a waterfall originates, it is said when unable to find the way to move forward Bheem struck a blow to the mountain and made a cave and waterfall erupted.
2 Hrs had gone and still we were in the search of Tiger, we had moved extra 11 km on those muddy roads to reach to Pandu pole and it was time to go back towards the exit gate.
Wish I had not been to Sariska National Park after the monsoon, I surely would have clicked a marvelous picture of my life, a Dancing Peacock which is a dream of every photographer. But what to say its nature and nature plays it game, peacock shed their long tail after monsoon.
But for me it was not over and I was waiting for my click of the day, though I love this Dancing peacock picture also but I was looking for something different.
Suddenly saw one huge white bird flying like a Jaguar going from the above, but till the time I could focus my camera towards it he was into the trees. Thanks to our guide somehow he managed to place his jeep at right spot so that I could click this beauty.
It was a White Breasted Eagle, our guide told me he has got so much power that he can lift a peacock.
My trip was coming to end, after leaving from here we were heading back towards New Delhi. We came with the dream of watching tiger, though not able to watch him we were not at all upset, specially me I have seen this white breasted eagle and I was very happy with this only.
Same thing had happened with me at my Jim corbett visit also, came back just watching a 13 feet long python. I can understand watching a tiger in such dense forest is not that easy, it neither depends on our luck nor the times we visit a National Park, It just depends on the Tigers mood and his timing.
All in all a fantastic trip to Bhangarh Fort ( The most Haunted Place of India ) and Sariska National Park ended with lots of happiness and good memories which is the most important thing to happen after a trip.
