Part 1

Elephant hunt. AUTO BILD INDIA travels to the Rajaji National Park in Uttaranchal for a weekend to explore the untouched beauty that are the jungles set in the foothills of Himalayas and shoot some elephants. With a camera of course. Read on to learn more about the place.

We waited a good 20 minutes, but they never came. We could hear their noises, not too far away either but it was a no show. “We should go to the machan…they usually come there at this time of the day,” said the forest ranger who was accompanying us. So we turned around to reach the tower strategically placed near a watering hole in the hope of catching a glimpse of even one of the pachyderms we had heard a little earlier.

We were looking for some Asiatic elephants who have their home in the Rajaji National Park. Located in the Shivalik range and at a distance of just about 20km from Dehradun, Rajaji National Park is famous for its elephant population. The pachyderms though were nowhere to be seen.

The park itself remains open from November 15 to June 15 every year before closing down for the onset of monsoons. If visiting during spring and summer carry sunglasses, T-shirts and shorts as it gets hot during the days. The nights though are cool. If visiting after monsoons, carry raincoats and all weather sandals.

We had reached the national park in the morning and entered through the Mohund gate, on the Delhi- Dehradun highway. A few hundred metres into the forest and we reached the first of the many tributaries of the mighty Ganga that scythe their way through the park, providing vital water for this ecosystem and its biodiversity.

However when we visited the park during the summers what we encountered were mostly dry river beds. We were told it becomes diffi cult to cross the tributaries ones it has rained and they are swollen.

After a few kilometres of jungle trail we reached the forest ranger’s quarters where we were welcomed with a cup of hot tea. A small break and an invitation for a guided tour in the evening later, we headed off to the rest house at Beribara where parkwe would be staying the night.

Part 2

Located in the middle of the forest, the rest house is a hundred-year-old building with a huge porch up front. The old world charm is retained inside too, thanks to period furniture and a fireplace. The keeper at the rest house also doubled up as the cook – a throwback to the khansama/ chowkidar from the days of the Raj.

After a hearty meal we set out on the jungle trail again, hoping to spot a few elephants. An hour of driving later we met up with the ranger who informed us a tusker had been spotted just minutes before we had turned up. Hurriedly we went in the direction he pointed us at. The trail led us to another one of the tributaries.

Again 20 minutes of searching yielded nothing, so we headed off to the machan. From a higher vantage point we were able to spot a few cheetal, nilgai and a group of mischievous langurs. The lack of elephants though was made up for by the beautiful landscape. If you are a nature lover Rajaji is the place to be. It has a wide variety of animals including Himalayan black bear, monitor lizard, cobra, leopard and tiger.

The park is a mixture of sub-tropical forest and grassland. The grass can grow to more than a metre in height, providing a good cover for the carnivores to hunt their prey. And to add to the drama of the hunt, the hills provide a picturesque backdrop and the sounds of the wildlife provide the background score.

It was soon getting dark and we had to head back to the Beribara rest house. Guards with double barrels were present when we reached.Apparently a leopard or two have a habit of turning up when least expected, we were warned.

We didn’t get much sleep that night, but thanks to hordes of mosquitoes and not leopards, and were up nice and early to head back home.

We didn’t get much sleep that night, but thanks to hordes of mosquitoes and not leopards, and were up nice and early to head back home.

Since the park is a reserved wildlife area there are a few things to be kept in mind. Don’t light a fire or throw cigarettes as it’s a fire hazard area. Don’t shout at or tease the animals. Don’t litter the park and keep it clean. Don’t venture out alone, especially after dark.