A Journey Into The Forest

 

An escape from the city life into the wilderness is sure to make us rejoice after a long tiring work schedule. When we were invited to stay for a couple of days in Dimbam resort, we got a chance to explore the Nilgiris biosphere reserve forests and Biligiri wildlife sanctuary. When we were into the habitat of animals, we were the strangers there and not the animals.

 

Dimbam is situated 1150 meters above sea level and has a cool climate throughout the year with frequent showers. To reach Dimbam we have to climb up 27 hairpin bends through Bannari. It was a unique adventure for me to drive along the hilly trails for the first time. On the way from Dimbam to Hassanur a Ghat road starts in the right side that leads to Wodeyarpalya. If you are lucky you can spot some wild animals on your way and they usually show up at the dusk.

 

 

We started off in the morning at around eleven and entered the forest area. Half of our route was located in Tamil Nadu and the remaining half in Karnataka. So we had to cross many check posts and answer their questions. This area was once the abode of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan with Thalavadi, Bargur and Chamrajnagar adjacent to that.

 

As we moved along, the cool air started kissing our car. We entered the magical realm free of any hustle bustle of the city. The winding way over the hillock with green valley below was just enough to trigger the poetical mood in me. The poets are usually highly romantic in nature and the pervading sweet atmosphere was apparent to instill the romantic spirits in me and this romance was entirely for nature and for the wonders of nature. I just love everything around me that makes me joyful. I wanted to run into the trees, bushes and shrubs and completely escape into the nature and enjoy the eternal bliss of solitude where no worries could haunt me and no question would be asked.

 

Simple things like the chirp chirps of the birds, the gushing water, the swaying leaves and the endearing climate are just enough to make me happy. The path was winding, we felt like jig jagging on the nature’s system. We went up and we came down along this snaky way. The rich flora with colorful flowers was real feast for my eyes. My mood took me to a Utopian land, my own beautiful little world devoid of all sorrows. I was basking in the ethereal ecstasy that could not be said but only felt. The nature welcomed me to cheer it a bit and I was not aware at that time that these sweet memories are to linger in my heart forever.

 

 

The fresh aroma of the eucalyptus trees entered our nostrils and filled our lungs. We made our way to Wodeyarpalya in Karnataka and from there we made our way to Dondenling Tibetan settlement colony. It appeared as though we have entered the Tibet itself with all Tibetan faces waving their hands to us cheerfully as a mark of welcome. A beautiful Buddha temple is located there and we had to travel along the deep and rugged terrain to reach the temple. It was rather worth visiting and appeared colorful just like our mood. The fantastic landscaping all around chained our vision for a very long time.

 

I felt that something was lacking to fulfill my happiness and yes I got it at last. The cool and radiant Nimbus started its mild showers and the smell of the soil filled my senses. I stopped my car and loved to walk along in the mild pour singing a lovely song to myself. I walked along to a lonely spot where no one but nature could hear my song. Nature made me rejoice and I sang to it in return as a mark of gratitude.

 

 

After traveling about 50 kilometers into the forest, we started our journey back and it was already getting dark. We were fascinated to find any animal on the way. With ranger torches in our hands, we were gazing at the dark bushes along the sides. We could see monkeys, buffaloes, wild boar, a bear cub, mongoose and squirrels and some beautiful birds that we had never seen before. We were very eager to spot a stag or an elephant.

 

The sun had taken refuge beyond the hills and the complete darkness hovered on us. The gadding mists were screening our sight and we could not see anything beyond few feet. Our fancy showed dark shadows of wild plants as elephants. We heard some strange sounds of some wild animals from at a distance. This gur bur sound made our hearts pound fast. The thumping heart and thrilling spirit was too much for us to bear.

 

What was that we saw on the road? The elephant dung still wet and the broken branches of the trees were just enough to speak that an elephant herd had just passed by. It was a just miss but we would have been scared a lot if we were able to see them really face to face in that utter darkness and we all unknowingly felt grateful that they had passed and not there anymore. Many of our aspirations could be compared to this incident. We chase them without knowing whether we really want them.

Article Posted By : SumazlalView All Articles

I am Suhaina Mazhar working on India travel guide features. Writing is my passion, writing is my hobby and writing is my career. I want to write till the last moment of my life.

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http://www.veethi.com/articles/a-journey-into-the-forest-article-858.htm

Keywords :
Dimbam forest , forest tour , nature

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