Wild Encounters in the Land of Corbett
Edward James Corbett once intrepidly scanned every inch of this land............ Rudyard Kipling once described this land as primal jungle……and then one day, in this land I saw the perennial tug-of war between life and death unfold…
Nestling in the foothills of the Himalayas in the Garhwal hills and Nainital, is the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR). The present area of the Reserve is approx. 1318.54 sq. km. including 520 sq. km. of core area and 797.72 sq. km. of buffer area. The inviolate core area forms the Jim Corbett National Park, while the buffer contains reserve forests of an area of about 496.54 sq. km, as well as the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, which is about 301.18 sq. km in area. The Reserve is situated at the junction of three distinct hill regions of Uttaranchal, Garhwal and Kumaon.
Everything about this place is Awesome! Right from the thick cover of Sal trees, the precarious growth of lantana bushes, the dense elephant grass, the varied species of flora and fauna to of course, the king of the jungle, the Tiger - everything is Spectacular.
We were a gang of 21 people coming from absolutely diverse walks of life. The only common factor that seemed to bind us all together was the exhilaration of visiting the 'Land of the trumpet, roar and song', the magnificent land of Corbett.
At around 10:30 pm on the 1st of December, 2008, we all boarded the Ranikhet express; destined to Ramnagar, a town in Uttaranchal. As our destination approached, our hearts were beating faster and faster with excitement.
We reached Ramnagar station early next morning. The Cold winter breeze was sending chills down our spine. We got into our jeeps and rode towards Dhikala; one of the five tourism zones of the Reserve, approx. 20km north of Ramnagar.
Chandni Goel, one of the interns with the CEL explains the experience in her own words, “Our first destination was Dhikala, where the Forest Rest House was booked for us. The rest house was about 30 km further deep inside from the entrance point of this sensitive protected area. One of the members of our group suddenly uttered, ‘Yes, we were going to stay within the jungle!’ As warned, the temperature seemed to hit the negatives, and all the woolen hats and gloves slowly surfaced from the bags, as we boarded the convoy of jeeps, that was waiting for us outside the station. The number plate, at the base of my jeep read in bright green letters- “Wild Adventure Camp”, and this is when it set in. We were off into the wild………...”
As we proceeded towards the Dhangarhi Gate, which is the entrance to the Dhikala tourism zone of the CTR, we learnt from our guide/driver that CTR has been divided into five mutually exclusive tourism zones, namely, Bijrani, Dhikala, Jhirna, Domunda and Sonanadi, each having separate gates for entry namely Amadanda, Dhangarhi, Khara- Kalagarh, Durgadevi and Vatanvasa respectively. This demarcation of separate tourism zones was taken up with the objective of streamlining tourists as well as providing expediency of tourism services within the Reserve.
As Chandni puts it, “On inquisitive enquiries from the driver, we learnt the features of the famous National Park. Located in the hills of Kumaon, a legacy of the legendary hunter and conservationist, Jim Corbett; it is the oldest national park in the Indian subcontinent. The Park is home to one of the largest tiger populations in the world, and several other species of animals and plants. According to the estimates of our driver cum guide- Salim, the reserve houses about 164 tigers, 26 reptiles, nearly 600 species of birds and 60 leopards. The first sighting of our animated first morning was the ‘Barking Deer’, commonly regarded as solitary species that move alone or in pairs of two. Next, we spotted the ‘White Throated Laughing Thrushes’, a vibrant flock of birds, popular in the region. The ‘Cheetal’ or the spotted deer were hiding subtly behind the bushes, and gave us some of our first gorgeous shots in the wildlife. As we moved further, we stopped to see the distantly parched ‘Brown Fish Owl’.”
The topography of the land is splendid. The forest is thickly covered with various floral species, the dominant of all being the Sal (shorea robusta). In the park there are tigers, elephants, leopards, chitals (spotted deer), sambars, barking deer, wild boars, jackals, rhesus monkeys and black face langur monkeys…….many of which we were about to encounter. The reptile populous includes the gharials, muggers, monitor lizards and one can also find a wide assortment of birds. Many water birds can also be found on the Ramganga River.
Corbett has been a favorite jaunt for tourists and wildlife lovers since ages. Established in 1936, the reserve has seen a drastic increase in the number of tourists coming here. Presently, every season more than 70,000 visitors come to the park from India and abroad. All through our jeep ride too, we had come across many vehicles filled with fellow tourists and wildlife enthusiasts. But what was amazing was that despite extensive tourism activities, the park somehow managed to retain its primeval ambience, where man must walk timorously, in awe and with a strong sense of his own insignificance……… As soon I realized this, the ambiance of the land suddenly seemed to overtake my sprit and I fell really silent. I had developed an instantaneous respect for the wilderness of this primal land.
As I was admiring the beauty of this primal land, suddenly, something unthinkable happened. We hadn’t even reached the rest house when we saw something that most visitors only dream of. We had spotted our first Tiger….. Or should I say, our first Tigress. What a privileged lot we were. The majestic feline was crossing the road just meters ahead of us, walking past our vehicles, paying no heed to our presence. She gave us a royal ignore as though our existence itself was utterly inconsequential in front of her regal pride. In Chandni’s words, “Even before reaching the rest house, Day One had already begun.” As she puts it, “The driver, clearly more thrilled than us, paced the car toppling a few of us who were standing, to find a clearer view. The sheer poise, form and the calm strength of the ‘king animal’ is astounding, little alone the brilliant photographs it gave us. This moment was the single largest high of the very first day”.
The tigress then casually strolled towards the stream to bask in the warm winter sunlight again completely unaffected by our presence. She sat there indifferently for about ten minutes. Then suddenly she got up and vanished from our sight, clearly indicating to us that she was annoyed by us, the meddling creatures, and preferred solitude.
After this electrifying royal encounter, we proceeded towards our rest house at Dhikala occasionally stopping for sporadic wild encounters with various mesmerizing creatures of the untamed jungle.
“In the afternoon, after a quick lunch, the troupe split in two halves, one left for the elephant safari, wide into the grasslands and deep forests; and the other for a second round of a long and detailed open jeep safari. I was a part of the latter. The focus this time, we found, was on landscape viewing and ‘Birds’ and the experience was apt for that moment: subtle and refreshing. Some among the many birds sighted were the Common Stone Chat, the Long Tail Shrike perched next to the beautifully azure Kingfisher, Koels and Woodpeckers as well as a few raptors like the Eagle, falconoid and the Osprey. The day concluded with a documentary on ‘Wild Elephants’ screened by the rest house. After an early dinner followed by a feedback session with the Coordinator, we called it a day”, recalls Chandni.
Sanjhi Jani, one of the other interns with CEL echoes Chandni’s thoughts by saying, “Elephant safari was by far the best of all events while at Corbett. The ride takes one through the depths of the forest, something that one could only dream of otherwise. Watching the sunset in the middle of the forest, on elephant-back on the banks of the river, you know that your visit to Corbett is worthwhile and complete. Right in the deep interiors of the jungles of Kumaon accompanies the excitement, bonhomie of a large group, documentaries on wildlife screened by the park management and a humble but scrumptious meal wards off the exhaustion. This was followed by discussions among the diploma students about their course with the WWF’s Centre for Environmental Law.”
The next day began at 6:30 am with yet another spectacular elephant safari. We were all ready to see the virtual rawness and beauty of this mysterious land. Chandni was on a separate elephant riding ahead of me. Providing a prelude to my experience on the elephant on day two, Chandni says, “The mahout of the elephant rode us deep into the heart of the forest, and though he intended to take us to the Kosi riverside and through the misty grasslands, the pugmarks detracted us to another chase for the ‘tiger’. To our sheer luck, and utter surprise, the elephant marched towards a tiger, hidden beneath the dense shrubs with its kill, which was completely emerged under the thick forest undergrowth. Though we could not see the tiger, it roared at us in retaliation and whisked away to another location only to be found by another set of wildlife enthusiasts on the second elephant.”
I was lucky enough to be one among this ‘another set of wildlife enthusiasts on the second elephant’. The tiger, cornered by the first elephant suddenly came face to face with our elephant. It was a startling moment from both the ends as the encounter was as sudden and unexpected for the feline as it was for us. My heart skipped a beat and I felt a sudden hot pang all over my body on the chilly winter morning. I could see the same level of shock expressed by the tiger as we had. And then suddenly, in just a split second, he just turned back and vanished as though he had evaporated into thin air.
Now that we had spotted the tiger yet again, the other group wanted to catch a glimpse of the beast as well who was still around somewhere hidden amongst the thick bushes. That was when we started to track the drag marks of the kill that the tiger had made with the hope to see him once again. However, by this time, the elusive beast as well as its kill had entirely disappeared mysteriously.
The chase across the jungle and the following of the drag marks was absolutely exhilarating. Later during the day we set out yet again for a jeep safari. Wheeling around in the pristine woodland we proceeded towards the ‘Machaan’, or the watch tower. The Machaan was a heaven for all birdwatchers. We spotted numerous birds like Coppersmith Barbet, Crested Kingfisher, Cinereous Vulture, Crested Serpent Eagle, Collared Falconet, to name a few. It was a delight viewing these aerial marvels. We also got a bird’s eye view of the entire savannah landscape spread out beneath us. The swiftly flowing Kosi and animals drinking by it was one of the many mesmerizing spectacles.
As the evening set in, we wheeled around cautiously with the hope to catch a glimpse of the tiger one more time. Our guide asked to stop the jeep as there was a “call”. We waited in anticipation for half an hour but nothing happened. In the meantime, other jeeps also joined in. Then suddenly, we spotted the king of the jungle……. Our wish had been granted……..Luck was on our side……….This was our third tiger in a span of just two days.
It is very unusual to spot the mysterious beast even once in the wild and we had spotted three…… There were no bounds to our exhilaration. But this was also the last time we saw the unruly beat in the wild.
But it is not just the tiger…..it is everything in and about Corbett that captures your psyche.
Chandni Goel recounts the events following the last encounter in her own words, “The day faded as early as 6:00 p.m. The seemingly long night time with the out of range cell phones gave satisfying time to appreciate the dazzling night sky. The second night also featured a documentary and ended with a round of ‘Antakshari’, dinner and conversations.
On the third day began the second leg of the trip. We packed our bags and left Dhikala for the main city of Ramnagar where we were to spend the next two days. On the way, we stopped at what was known as the ‘crocodile pool’ and sighted Muggers and Gharials. Sighting Cheetals, Wild Boars and the Barking Deer became increasingly frequent. Upon leaving the forest reserve, everyone shopped for souvenirs and paid a visit to the Museum at the Dhangarhi gate.
After a long ride back to Ramnagar, we reached our second rest house known as ‘Eco-tourism Centre’. Towards the later half of the day, there was a nature walk to the nearby mesmerizing waterfall locally called ‘Baaraati Row’. Upon our return, the Director of Corbett National Park came to visit the students for a seminar. He discussed at length the variety of issues facing the preservation and maintenance of the National Park in particular, and the Environment in general. We learnt that the local communities living in hamlets on the park fringes are heavily dependent on the forest for fuel wood and fodder. They are constantly engaged in battling with the wildlife due to situations like tiger cattle lifting and elephant crop raiding. Earlier that day a piece of news was reported about a young village woman being mauled by a tiger, on her way home. The Director spoke greatly on the animal-human interface resulting in their conflict, and the fine balance that needs to be sought between the interests of the two. He also spoke on issues such as poaching, deforestation, forest fires, illegal trade and development which faced the administrators of the Park. The prospect of a healthy relationship between the Forest Department and the State Police was discussed in an open ended, yet healthy spirit with the enthusiasm of all students, and particularly that of an IPS officer, who was also a participant of the environmental law diploma. Law students, media persons and members of WWF-India working within the environmental sector all raised their voices of concern. Thus far, the day was the right blend of experience and discussion.”
The last day was spent visiting the locations in Ramnagar where WWF-India had taken up conservation work. We visited low-lying areas such as the clusters of hamlets around the park. We visited the village of Mankanthpur which is estimated to have around 135 households and a population of nearly 1200 villagers. Chandni states that, “Visiting an approximate of 6 locations within the village, we were made to witness the different stages of development of ‘Bio-Gas plants’ that help in generating a renewable form of energy through ‘bio-fuel machines’. The village households are funded by WWF-India for the development of these plants. The Project leaders for this programme, who showed us these community based initiatives, demonstrated immense dedication of effort. The magnitude of impact owing to these developments left everyone with a lesson to be learnt. Later in the day, we visited as matter of rule, the Corbett National Museum. After all, without this, the trip would be incomplete.”
Sanjhi too recalls her pleasant experience in her own words, “In Chhoti Haldwani and Mankanthpur, we visited rural homes and witnessed the alternate fuel mechanism followed by the villagers. Gobar Gas plants and vemi compost pits, sponsored and funded by the WWF, is helping reduce rural dependence on the forest. Discussions on the human-wildlife conflict with the Director of the Park revealed that the path from Ramnagar to the park, which is now crammed with resorts and restaurants was once an elephant corridor for the migration of the tuskers. The villagers have to withstand the worst of this seasonal migration as wild elephants raid their sugarcane crop. We heard of a woman being mauled by a tiger in a nearby village. Cattle’s lifting is another major economic loss and threat to the villagers.
Our visit to Chhoti Haldwani, the Corbett village, which houses the saga and legacy of the legendary hunter and conservationist Jim Corbett, was the highlight of the day. His one-time winter residence is now a museum portraying his life and achievements through pictures of him and his family. The souvenir shop outside the museum sells handicraft and articles made by local women from self-help groups. This was followed by a trip to the Corbett Chaupal where Corbett conducted regular meetings with the villagers to help them follow efficient agricultural and irrigation practices.”
Chandni Goel sums up her gripping escapade with these words, “The four day trip was the perfect balance of understanding not only the environmental, but also the social angle that pertains to the region. After all, ‘Sustainability’ is best understood in relational terms. It was a thoroughly gratifying and educative experience. In the span of four days, the words of Boris Pasternak kept finding their way to my mind and senses…
Everything about this place is Awesome! Right from the thick cover of Sal trees, the precarious growth of lantana bushes, the dense elephant grass, the varied species of flora and fauna to of course, the king of the jungle, the Tiger - everything is Spectacular.
We were a gang of 21 people coming from absolutely diverse walks of life. The only common factor that seemed to bind us all together was the exhilaration of visiting the 'Land of the trumpet, roar and song', the magnificent land of Corbett.
At around 10:30 pm on the 1st of December, 2008, we all boarded the Ranikhet express; destined to Ramnagar, a town in Uttaranchal. As our destination approached, our hearts were beating faster and faster with excitement.
We reached Ramnagar station early next morning. The Cold winter breeze was sending chills down our spine. We got into our jeeps and rode towards Dhikala; one of the five tourism zones of the Reserve, approx. 20km north of Ramnagar.
Chandni Goel, one of the interns with the CEL explains the experience in her own words, “Our first destination was Dhikala, where the Forest Rest House was booked for us. The rest house was about 30 km further deep inside from the entrance point of this sensitive protected area. One of the members of our group suddenly uttered, ‘Yes, we were going to stay within the jungle!’ As warned, the temperature seemed to hit the negatives, and all the woolen hats and gloves slowly surfaced from the bags, as we boarded the convoy of jeeps, that was waiting for us outside the station. The number plate, at the base of my jeep read in bright green letters- “Wild Adventure Camp”, and this is when it set in. We were off into the wild………...”
As we proceeded towards the Dhangarhi Gate, which is the entrance to the Dhikala tourism zone of the CTR, we learnt from our guide/driver that CTR has been divided into five mutually exclusive tourism zones, namely, Bijrani, Dhikala, Jhirna, Domunda and Sonanadi, each having separate gates for entry namely Amadanda, Dhangarhi, Khara- Kalagarh, Durgadevi and Vatanvasa respectively. This demarcation of separate tourism zones was taken up with the objective of streamlining tourists as well as providing expediency of tourism services within the Reserve.
As Chandni puts it, “On inquisitive enquiries from the driver, we learnt the features of the famous National Park. Located in the hills of Kumaon, a legacy of the legendary hunter and conservationist, Jim Corbett; it is the oldest national park in the Indian subcontinent. The Park is home to one of the largest tiger populations in the world, and several other species of animals and plants. According to the estimates of our driver cum guide- Salim, the reserve houses about 164 tigers, 26 reptiles, nearly 600 species of birds and 60 leopards. The first sighting of our animated first morning was the ‘Barking Deer’, commonly regarded as solitary species that move alone or in pairs of two. Next, we spotted the ‘White Throated Laughing Thrushes’, a vibrant flock of birds, popular in the region. The ‘Cheetal’ or the spotted deer were hiding subtly behind the bushes, and gave us some of our first gorgeous shots in the wildlife. As we moved further, we stopped to see the distantly parched ‘Brown Fish Owl’.”
The topography of the land is splendid. The forest is thickly covered with various floral species, the dominant of all being the Sal (shorea robusta). In the park there are tigers, elephants, leopards, chitals (spotted deer), sambars, barking deer, wild boars, jackals, rhesus monkeys and black face langur monkeys…….many of which we were about to encounter. The reptile populous includes the gharials, muggers, monitor lizards and one can also find a wide assortment of birds. Many water birds can also be found on the Ramganga River.
Corbett has been a favorite jaunt for tourists and wildlife lovers since ages. Established in 1936, the reserve has seen a drastic increase in the number of tourists coming here. Presently, every season more than 70,000 visitors come to the park from India and abroad. All through our jeep ride too, we had come across many vehicles filled with fellow tourists and wildlife enthusiasts. But what was amazing was that despite extensive tourism activities, the park somehow managed to retain its primeval ambience, where man must walk timorously, in awe and with a strong sense of his own insignificance……… As soon I realized this, the ambiance of the land suddenly seemed to overtake my sprit and I fell really silent. I had developed an instantaneous respect for the wilderness of this primal land.
As I was admiring the beauty of this primal land, suddenly, something unthinkable happened. We hadn’t even reached the rest house when we saw something that most visitors only dream of. We had spotted our first Tiger….. Or should I say, our first Tigress. What a privileged lot we were. The majestic feline was crossing the road just meters ahead of us, walking past our vehicles, paying no heed to our presence. She gave us a royal ignore as though our existence itself was utterly inconsequential in front of her regal pride. In Chandni’s words, “Even before reaching the rest house, Day One had already begun.” As she puts it, “The driver, clearly more thrilled than us, paced the car toppling a few of us who were standing, to find a clearer view. The sheer poise, form and the calm strength of the ‘king animal’ is astounding, little alone the brilliant photographs it gave us. This moment was the single largest high of the very first day”.
The tigress then casually strolled towards the stream to bask in the warm winter sunlight again completely unaffected by our presence. She sat there indifferently for about ten minutes. Then suddenly she got up and vanished from our sight, clearly indicating to us that she was annoyed by us, the meddling creatures, and preferred solitude.
After this electrifying royal encounter, we proceeded towards our rest house at Dhikala occasionally stopping for sporadic wild encounters with various mesmerizing creatures of the untamed jungle.
“In the afternoon, after a quick lunch, the troupe split in two halves, one left for the elephant safari, wide into the grasslands and deep forests; and the other for a second round of a long and detailed open jeep safari. I was a part of the latter. The focus this time, we found, was on landscape viewing and ‘Birds’ and the experience was apt for that moment: subtle and refreshing. Some among the many birds sighted were the Common Stone Chat, the Long Tail Shrike perched next to the beautifully azure Kingfisher, Koels and Woodpeckers as well as a few raptors like the Eagle, falconoid and the Osprey. The day concluded with a documentary on ‘Wild Elephants’ screened by the rest house. After an early dinner followed by a feedback session with the Coordinator, we called it a day”, recalls Chandni.
Sanjhi Jani, one of the other interns with CEL echoes Chandni’s thoughts by saying, “Elephant safari was by far the best of all events while at Corbett. The ride takes one through the depths of the forest, something that one could only dream of otherwise. Watching the sunset in the middle of the forest, on elephant-back on the banks of the river, you know that your visit to Corbett is worthwhile and complete. Right in the deep interiors of the jungles of Kumaon accompanies the excitement, bonhomie of a large group, documentaries on wildlife screened by the park management and a humble but scrumptious meal wards off the exhaustion. This was followed by discussions among the diploma students about their course with the WWF’s Centre for Environmental Law.”
The next day began at 6:30 am with yet another spectacular elephant safari. We were all ready to see the virtual rawness and beauty of this mysterious land. Chandni was on a separate elephant riding ahead of me. Providing a prelude to my experience on the elephant on day two, Chandni says, “The mahout of the elephant rode us deep into the heart of the forest, and though he intended to take us to the Kosi riverside and through the misty grasslands, the pugmarks detracted us to another chase for the ‘tiger’. To our sheer luck, and utter surprise, the elephant marched towards a tiger, hidden beneath the dense shrubs with its kill, which was completely emerged under the thick forest undergrowth. Though we could not see the tiger, it roared at us in retaliation and whisked away to another location only to be found by another set of wildlife enthusiasts on the second elephant.”
I was lucky enough to be one among this ‘another set of wildlife enthusiasts on the second elephant’. The tiger, cornered by the first elephant suddenly came face to face with our elephant. It was a startling moment from both the ends as the encounter was as sudden and unexpected for the feline as it was for us. My heart skipped a beat and I felt a sudden hot pang all over my body on the chilly winter morning. I could see the same level of shock expressed by the tiger as we had. And then suddenly, in just a split second, he just turned back and vanished as though he had evaporated into thin air.
Now that we had spotted the tiger yet again, the other group wanted to catch a glimpse of the beast as well who was still around somewhere hidden amongst the thick bushes. That was when we started to track the drag marks of the kill that the tiger had made with the hope to see him once again. However, by this time, the elusive beast as well as its kill had entirely disappeared mysteriously.
The chase across the jungle and the following of the drag marks was absolutely exhilarating. Later during the day we set out yet again for a jeep safari. Wheeling around in the pristine woodland we proceeded towards the ‘Machaan’, or the watch tower. The Machaan was a heaven for all birdwatchers. We spotted numerous birds like Coppersmith Barbet, Crested Kingfisher, Cinereous Vulture, Crested Serpent Eagle, Collared Falconet, to name a few. It was a delight viewing these aerial marvels. We also got a bird’s eye view of the entire savannah landscape spread out beneath us. The swiftly flowing Kosi and animals drinking by it was one of the many mesmerizing spectacles.
As the evening set in, we wheeled around cautiously with the hope to catch a glimpse of the tiger one more time. Our guide asked to stop the jeep as there was a “call”. We waited in anticipation for half an hour but nothing happened. In the meantime, other jeeps also joined in. Then suddenly, we spotted the king of the jungle……. Our wish had been granted……..Luck was on our side……….This was our third tiger in a span of just two days.
It is very unusual to spot the mysterious beast even once in the wild and we had spotted three…… There were no bounds to our exhilaration. But this was also the last time we saw the unruly beat in the wild.
But it is not just the tiger…..it is everything in and about Corbett that captures your psyche.
Chandni Goel recounts the events following the last encounter in her own words, “The day faded as early as 6:00 p.m. The seemingly long night time with the out of range cell phones gave satisfying time to appreciate the dazzling night sky. The second night also featured a documentary and ended with a round of ‘Antakshari’, dinner and conversations.
On the third day began the second leg of the trip. We packed our bags and left Dhikala for the main city of Ramnagar where we were to spend the next two days. On the way, we stopped at what was known as the ‘crocodile pool’ and sighted Muggers and Gharials. Sighting Cheetals, Wild Boars and the Barking Deer became increasingly frequent. Upon leaving the forest reserve, everyone shopped for souvenirs and paid a visit to the Museum at the Dhangarhi gate.
After a long ride back to Ramnagar, we reached our second rest house known as ‘Eco-tourism Centre’. Towards the later half of the day, there was a nature walk to the nearby mesmerizing waterfall locally called ‘Baaraati Row’. Upon our return, the Director of Corbett National Park came to visit the students for a seminar. He discussed at length the variety of issues facing the preservation and maintenance of the National Park in particular, and the Environment in general. We learnt that the local communities living in hamlets on the park fringes are heavily dependent on the forest for fuel wood and fodder. They are constantly engaged in battling with the wildlife due to situations like tiger cattle lifting and elephant crop raiding. Earlier that day a piece of news was reported about a young village woman being mauled by a tiger, on her way home. The Director spoke greatly on the animal-human interface resulting in their conflict, and the fine balance that needs to be sought between the interests of the two. He also spoke on issues such as poaching, deforestation, forest fires, illegal trade and development which faced the administrators of the Park. The prospect of a healthy relationship between the Forest Department and the State Police was discussed in an open ended, yet healthy spirit with the enthusiasm of all students, and particularly that of an IPS officer, who was also a participant of the environmental law diploma. Law students, media persons and members of WWF-India working within the environmental sector all raised their voices of concern. Thus far, the day was the right blend of experience and discussion.”
The last day was spent visiting the locations in Ramnagar where WWF-India had taken up conservation work. We visited low-lying areas such as the clusters of hamlets around the park. We visited the village of Mankanthpur which is estimated to have around 135 households and a population of nearly 1200 villagers. Chandni states that, “Visiting an approximate of 6 locations within the village, we were made to witness the different stages of development of ‘Bio-Gas plants’ that help in generating a renewable form of energy through ‘bio-fuel machines’. The village households are funded by WWF-India for the development of these plants. The Project leaders for this programme, who showed us these community based initiatives, demonstrated immense dedication of effort. The magnitude of impact owing to these developments left everyone with a lesson to be learnt. Later in the day, we visited as matter of rule, the Corbett National Museum. After all, without this, the trip would be incomplete.”
Sanjhi too recalls her pleasant experience in her own words, “In Chhoti Haldwani and Mankanthpur, we visited rural homes and witnessed the alternate fuel mechanism followed by the villagers. Gobar Gas plants and vemi compost pits, sponsored and funded by the WWF, is helping reduce rural dependence on the forest. Discussions on the human-wildlife conflict with the Director of the Park revealed that the path from Ramnagar to the park, which is now crammed with resorts and restaurants was once an elephant corridor for the migration of the tuskers. The villagers have to withstand the worst of this seasonal migration as wild elephants raid their sugarcane crop. We heard of a woman being mauled by a tiger in a nearby village. Cattle’s lifting is another major economic loss and threat to the villagers.
Our visit to Chhoti Haldwani, the Corbett village, which houses the saga and legacy of the legendary hunter and conservationist Jim Corbett, was the highlight of the day. His one-time winter residence is now a museum portraying his life and achievements through pictures of him and his family. The souvenir shop outside the museum sells handicraft and articles made by local women from self-help groups. This was followed by a trip to the Corbett Chaupal where Corbett conducted regular meetings with the villagers to help them follow efficient agricultural and irrigation practices.”
Chandni Goel sums up her gripping escapade with these words, “The four day trip was the perfect balance of understanding not only the environmental, but also the social angle that pertains to the region. After all, ‘Sustainability’ is best understood in relational terms. It was a thoroughly gratifying and educative experience. In the span of four days, the words of Boris Pasternak kept finding their way to my mind and senses…
Oh, how one wishes sometimes to escape the meaningless dullness of human eloquence, from all those sublime phrases…To take refuge in nature, apparently so inarticulate, or in the wordlessness of long, grinding labour. Of sound sleep, of true music, or of a human understanding rendered speechless by emotion.