Reading this brought some old memories when we had stumbled into an army of butterflies outside Bangalore. Amateurs, with a new found interest, we were gallivanting with camera in the arm searching for lakes, birds and the like. Walking aimlessly, we entered into a wooded area with tall casuarinas and were surprised to see butterflies hugging every inch of trees. Here is an image from the days when I had just bought my first and only film camera.
There was another time I had stumbled upon loads and loads of butterflies. Driving through the forests of Bandipur, we encountered and endless stream of Blue Tigers. Now that I recall it, I am craving to see the spectacle again.
Before I entered the forest of Corbett, it was tiger that I had in mind. I was one of the truck loads of tourists who arrive in forest in search of the elusive big cat. But once I was in there, all my perceptions changed.
Corbett has landscapes that have few parallels anywhere in India. Dhikala’s vast grasslands, the wide riverbed of Ramaganga and the tall Sal trees fill the beholder’s eyes. It is Corbett where I want to spend every winter, I told myself and even figured that it would not be hard for me to find a naturalist’s job. Alas, other attachments pulled me back from there, but I know I am bound to get back there again and again.
Its misty golden sunrises and mysterious forests are something I keep dreaming even though it is more than a year since I was there.
Read more about my visit to Corbett, and photographs from the place.
Here is a summary of all posts on North East India series I had been writing till now.
IMAGES FROM NORTH EAST
* Arunach Pradesh(Eaglenest National Park, Tawang)
* Assam and Meghalaya(Guwahati, Nameri, Kaziranga, Shillong, Cherrapunjee)
ENTERING THE NORTH EAST
* Beginning of the series
* From Bangalore to Guwahati
* Impressions of Guwahati
* Umananda temple and Peacock Island
Brahmaputra flows at Guwahati
EAGLENEST NATIONAL PARK
* Travelling to Eaglenest
* About Vacation For Conservation
* First Day at Eaglenest
* The days at Eaglenest
* Haathi Trail
* About Eaglenest National Park
Rhododendrons at Eaglenest
TAWANG
* From Eaglenest to Tawang – I
* From Eaglenest to Tawang – II
* Tawang Monastery
* Snow and Lakes beyond Tawang
* Around Tawang
* Returning from Tawang
Inside Tawang Monastery
WILDERNESS OF ASSAM
* Nameri National Park
* Arriving at Kaziranga National Park
* At Kaziranga National Park
* About Kaziranga National Park
A One Horned Rhino at Kaziranga
MEGHALAYA
* Lazing in Shillong
* Cherrapunjee
Nohkalikai falls, Cherrapunjee
MORE
* On travelling in the North East India
* Assam’s degrading environment