Day Three

I woke up a little later today at 6am. I wondered if I could carry on with these timings once I got back to the city. I doubted it! The first excitement of the day was the narration by the construction guys about the events of the night gone bye. All of them refused to agree that they had all been petrified. Except one truthful bloke who let the cat out of the bag as he cracked up laughing while describing the huddled positions of his brave companions.

Still laughing over the conversation, we drank our tea sitting in Kamlesh's verandah before heading off on our trek to an area I was really looking forward to visiting. It was a stream named "Gorkha Sot". It was infamous for destroying the small bridge built across it due to the force with which the water came down every year during the monsoon season. The bridge offers one of the most picturesque views below it of the river Ramganga but I had always looked up the stream and wondered what lay above.

I had always wondered what lay beyond what one could see at Gorkha Sot

Well...today I was going to find out! The aim was to climb all the way up the sot and then up the highest hill in the area to a watchtower that offered a view of almost the entire reserve. I was dying to get there! It's a different matter altogether that I almost died getting up there. More about that later. Read on...

There was another surprise in store for us today. Yesterday, we had almost completed the entire trek before we came upon the only set of tiger pugmarks. Today was different. Very different! Only some 500 yards down the same main road we'd taken the previous day too, we came upon the first set of tigress pugmarks. At least we thought they were a tigress' pugmarks. Then as they seemed to diverge a little further on, we realised we were seeing pugmarks belonging to two tigers, both female, walking together. We sat down and traced the pugmarks even though today was "erasing" day.

Today we found more pugmarks than we could have ever imagined to

For some reason, the census had been divided into a routine. First day you check and record pugmarks, next day you erase all pugmarks you come across and on the third day you get them checked by the authorised personnel. As some of the forest guys explained, this doesn't make too much sense as a tiger takes around 3-4 days to cover it's territory in Corbett Park, where they tend to be quite considerably smaller than those of tigers in other parks.

That is why most of them felt it was necessary to record the pugmarks even if they came across them on "erasing" day. I totally agreed with them. In any case, these guys live here every day of their lives. They know exactly how many and which tigers there are in their areas. It's just a matter of putting them down on record.

After having completed the tracing, we carried on. As we crossed the next dry stream, we saw the fresh pugmarks of the male we had recorded the previous day. He had gone perpendicular to the track and was heading upstream. As we had already recorded his pugmarks, we erased them as we had done with the other two after the tracing. We walked on, still a while away from Gorkha Sot. As we rounded the bend, we were in for another surprise!! This was enough to even surprise the forest guys. There was another set of pugmarks!! These coming towards us from the opposite direction. Man!! Did these tigers party last night or what?!! We recorded this last set of pugmarks which belonged to a younger female too. However, there was one difference in these marks. The others seemed to have been made sometime last night but these were fresh. So fresh that some slightly large dust particles still clung to the edges. I could see them fall off right before my eyes with the slightest breeze.

It's normally the view below Gorkha Sot that captures the attention of most visitors

Our senses now on full alert, we arrived at Gorkha Sot. I took a deep breath and turned right and began climbing. I first took one look at what I, and all other tourist normally always see, a dry stream coming down a narrow gorge ending in a small waterfall just short of the road. This then trickled past under the road and finally merged with the river Ramganga around a hundred feet below and to the left. How I'd always craved to explore what was beyond that waterfall, mysteriously blocked from view by a few large boulders. This was my chance!

I hopped from rock to rock behind Kamlesh and Taxi. It was really important to focus on your stepping because one faulty move could easily result in a broken bone here. Some of the rocks one was jumping from and to were over three feet high and a slip from one of them onto the smaller ones below could be quite painful. However, there was a slight problem here. If one kept looking down at the rocks, then one was ruining any chance one had of seeing any wildlife that may be further up ahead. The area was so beautiful, one felt there just had to be wildlife all around and the only chance one would have of seeing them would be during those fractions of a second as they darted for cover. It then became a matter of timing. A quick glance up just after you were sure your step had landed and gained a firm foothold. Then eyes down again for the next take off and landing. One more small problem here - In the middle of all this, keep a lookout for pugmarks!!

After just 30 minutes of climbing, I could see the gorge turn to the left. As we took the turn, I gasped in disbelief and immediately realised why this stream blasted away the bridge below year after year. The angle of the ascent ahead of us now was tremendous! Kamlesh told me that in the monsoons, the initial deluge here also brings with it trees, huge rocks and boulders. I could just about imagine the sight and sound of this tremendously destructive force of nature. Anyway, right now the mind had to get back to the task at hand. Climb up the steep incline! After going another half hour, Kamlesh sat down and said we should take a break. Thank goodness! I was soon going to recommend it myself. It was a warm day and there was very little breeze here. The worst factor was the humidity.

The angle of inclination of the stream was tremendous

A little above where we rested, we noticed a porcupine that had perished in the gorge

Sweat poured down until all T-shirts were big sopping mops. After the break during which we noticed a poor porcupine a little further up that had met it's fate in the gorge. The forces of nature were already at work on the body, which seemed like it had been only a day since all life had been drawn from it. Feeling a lot better and rested after the short break of 4-5 minutes, we got up to carry on.

I turned and started heading further upstream, only to be halted by Kamlesh. "No Sir, we have to climb this way". Was he kidding?! He was pointing at a hillside that went almost vertically straight up! Initially I gulped at the thought of the exercise ahead but the excitement of some really adventurous climbing was much more overpowering. I trotted off like a child on his first camping trip behind Kamlesh. Until I almost collapsed in exhaustion! This was around 30 minutes further up. My leg muscles, arms and fingers were all totally all right but my lungs seemed like they were about to burst.

As taxi put it - the climb was enough to remind you of your grandmother

As Taxi put it, the climb made him remember his grandmother and maybe his great-grandmother by the time we got to the elusive tower! The effects of city life and pollution were now showing up and that's after I consider myself quite a bit above average as far as fitness levels go! We took one more break another half hour further up after which I decided I would die before embarrassing myself with another break. Nobody said anything about not being able to stop and take a photograph of the incredible view. Thank goodness I had that excuse! Finally, we caught sight of the watchtower! Kamlesh warned us that we should carry on at the same pace and not get excited and hurry through the last bit. Was he crazy, get out of the way! I want to get there and then die! As I was almost dying, I caught sight of two pairs of Paradise Flycatchers.

The males had exceptionally long...pure white tails. I wondered if I had already entered heaven! Finally we were there! I felt like hugging someone but kept far away as we all left a long trail of sweat behind us.

As we climbed the tower, a huge swarm of bees flew through. Kamlesh told us to stay absolutely still. They would pass, he said. I hope so! They did and we got to the top floor of the tower. The moment I looked around, all thoughts of tiredness and fatigue just vanished from my mind. What a view! I couldn't believe the vastness of the scenery. I later realised that this was probably the one point in Corbett Park from where almost every corner of the reserve is clearly visible.

The elusive watchtower finally came into view

The south, central and northern ridges were all clearly visible. I sat for ages with Kamlesh, understanding exactly which area was what.

One had a bird's eye view of the entire park from the watchtower

It looked so different from up here! I made notes of what I could see and then took a series of panoramic shots of the scene that I planned to put together on the computer back home. It took me 13 snaps to cover the entire scene! I had to retake a couple of shots because just as I was about to click, some fly would decide to investigate either my nostril or my ear. After enjoying the view another ten minutes, it was time to head back. Downhill!! Yipee!

The descent was much more relaxing and the only halt we took was to trace a tiger's pugmark that was plum in the middle of Kamlesh's shoe print made on our way up! I wonder how close behind he had been! Next time onwards, that's another thing one will have to keep in mind. Find some way to look back too while jumping from rock to rock! The rest of the walk was uneventful and we returned to the rest house, en route retrieving the plaster cast we had set the previous day. I was spending the night at Khinanauli today. So after a little bit of well earned rest and a beautiful chilled water bath, I set off in my car with Kamlesh's brother who was taking a lift with me till Dhikala. We discussed all kinds of stuff, mostly pertaining to the treks and findings during the census.

On the way down, we only stopped once to trace a pugmark made right in the middle of our own shoe prints made on the way up!

Just as we were a couple of kilometers from Dhikala, I noticed some movement in the trees to the left of the road ahead. I slowed down gradually and took a look into the jungle. It was a beautiful tusker. He was enormous and had tusks that were really long and almost crossed in front of his trunk. I was going to take a photograph but a thought, which may be termed silly or a superstition, suddenly crossed my mind. After having read so much about the poaching of tuskers in these areas in the recent past, I didn't feel like taking any chances of providing those sick minded individuals with proof of the existence of such a magnificent specimen. It may have been a foolish thought but it crossed my mind and it resulted in me not taking the shot. I still don't have any regrets.

After a lovely lunch and some chilled soft drinks, during which I met an interesting family on their first visit to the park, I headed for Khinanauli in time for the evening trek. Tripathi said we would leave a little later once the heat reduced a bit as the walk was not going to be a very long one this time. I met some enthusiastic youngsters who arrived here around this time and it was interesting to hear them talk about what all had been happening lately in the Delhi.

The tiger had obviously spotted us and darted into the thick undergrowth behind Tripathi here getting ready to trace it's pugmarks

Tripathi, a helper and I left for our trek around 4:30pm. We took a similar route to the one we had taken the last time from here. After we had crossed the river and had turned right along the opposite bank, we heard a loud alarm call just ahead of us. We approached cautiously and saw a trail of pugmarks leading up from the water on the left to the small island of thick khair trees on the right. From the gait of the tiger, it was obvious that he had spotted us and darted into the dense island.

A couple of calls rang out even as we traced the pugmarks. It is an unexplainable feeling that one experiences when one knows that you are on foot and in the vicinity of a tiger, who is probably watching you at that very moment. It's a mixture of excitement, caution, tension, apprehension and a host of other such feelings. This feeling stayed with me all the way back to the rest house. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the tiger but judging from the alarm calls of the deer that followed us all the way back, I had no doubt in my mind that Sher Khan had kept a close watch on us all the way. That was good enough for me.

The evening was spent having numerous discussions, first over tea, then some refreshments and lastly dinner. Regardless to say that all food tastes delicious in these kind of surroundings. Although most of the stuff these guys cooked would taste great anywhere! The initial plan was to sleep on the terrace but due to some storm clouds building up, we scrapped the idea and dozed off indoors. I shared Tripathi's room, since my actual booking was for Sarapduli. I had a heavenly sleep that night, broken only once around 2am by the sound of some galloping feet right outside the window. Whatever it was, it was running at a tremendous speed and before I could gather my senses and look out, it had vanished from sight in the brightness of the moonlight. Back to sleep...

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