I could barely believe my eyes, the paw marks were large enough to confirm the sighting. Just before my curiosity drew me to the spot where I was watching birds, a few men had looked down and then passed nonchalantly ahead. They were on a morning walk and from their nonchalance I could make out that the paw marks were a regular occurrence.
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| Doopgarh Pachmarhi |
I was not in a tiger land, I was at the edge of Pachmarhi Township buzzing with tourism activity. It was early in the morning, I was on a trip with my clients whence I met Puneet the ambitious owner of a busy resort named Golf View. He became interested in hiring me as a bird guide for his beautiful hotel in Pachmarhi aptly named due to its proximity to a golf course in Pachmarhi Township.
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| Tiger Pug Marks |
The trip was supposed to test my birding skills, and we were on foot. This was against the advice Puneet had stressed upon. In the rugged landscape of steep jagged cliffs draped with tropical greenery and the serene ambiance of Pachmarhi my favorite hill resort in Central India, I decided not to be on a noisy vehicle. The town was sleeping as we left on foot with Puneet's jeep on the toe.
"Birds shy off the jeeps, and this is no way to spot avian," I said. " I am ready for a long haul". The resort owner said nothing. He ordered his jeep to follow us at a distance.
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| Pandav Caves |
Pachmarhi First Sight & Food
The spirited terrain in the township is uniform, but the sudden eruption of cliffs after a short distance can be jarring at the first sight for the uninitiated, but nevertheless, the panoramic grandeur soothes the surprised nerves. Outside the town limits, the activities come to a stop (the visit was in the off-season) and the World comes to a standstill as if frozen back in time. At that time, the noisy tea stalls were in slumber about to wake up for their lazy customers. Pachmarhi is not for people who need a bite at the first stroke of dawn. Luckily, I had a sumptuous breakfast at Golf View.
Near the township, visitors have varied options for meals mostly vegetarian but nevertheless delicious. The hill station incites deep hunger in the prevailing salubrious environment, and local street food is good enough. For upscale tourists, restaurants in luxury hotels are beckoning but few do venture out to try the local stuff.
Pachmarhi Hills Big & Small
Pachmarhi accords a feeling of an esoteric charm whence you are alone, and the geological formations mesmerize at one fleeting glance. Impressive by all means, the panoramic spread at steep heights cannot be encountered anywhere. You have to see to believe. The striking features of the larger hills are the dense green clothing of trees and bushes, the tapered pinnacles, and the sloping contours. In between, the steep bare cliffs stand out like silent sentinels warning intruders not to dare.
The streams in the glens are most enchanting when they glisten as sunlight fall on them. The twinkling stars erupt in the daytime as the rivers silently snake through steep cliffs and dense canopies. The natural formations are striking and pleasing and not only amazing. They accord a true holiday feel in the wilderness.
Being a wildlife sanctuary and now part of Satpura Tiger Reserve, the holiday resort is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts as well as holidaymakers on sprees. The place is popular as a romantic getaway with cold winters and not-so-hot summers. Couples arrive here in large numbers to initiate and get familiar with conjugal life in the cool, salubrious confines of the resort with plenty of spots for complete isolation.
You can see the newlyweds most often at the multichambered Pandav Caves situated within the township amidst a clutter of tea stalls, shops, and DIY car parking. Yes, taxis and cars are parked just anywhere in this hill resort on a first come first stop basis. Holding hands, they are quite conspicuous but ignored by the crows busy with sightseeing and enjoying their brunch.
Some of the old hotels and bungalows date back to the British Raj in India and stir reminiscence of the era of Raj a turbid rule nonetheless full of romantic grandeur created by the Sahibs. The Sahibs loved this destination, the summer capital of Madhya Pradesh. The rest house at Dhoopgarh was to witness revelries unprecedented during the Raj powered by scotch, and the wood-fired Indian food that khansamahs created in the dingy set-aside kitchen. Standing in front of the vacant rest-house, I could realize how ordinary nonelites could be. Unlike in the case of Sahibs, a visit to this hill station is a privilege we can ill afford.
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| Rest House |
Off-Season Visit
Crowds wash off the fun of being in an enchanting place hence off-season visits are rewarding. After a demanding and lackluster trip to Satpura Tiger Reserve, Pachmarhi was a whiff of fresh air. On the very first day, I heard Malabar Blue Whistling Thrush, the refreshing long-drawn sonorous song is unforgettable. Nothing beats it, even a robust breakfast with a delectable menu.
This holiday destination is a paradise for the ornithologists who are constantly exploring the remote place for that one vagrant that could crown their checklist.
A Predator So Close & Sloth Bears
We stopped for a while, the big cat paw prints were quite fresh but I believed it had gone past from the spot. A couple of days back it had been seen by many near the very spot. It was an aging cat pushed off by a rival perhaps.
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| Golf View Hotel |
Stunned by a predator so close, I hesitantly decided to continue the walk. But it was short-lived. The next warning was that of the sloth bear, which I was told can surprise you in the bush. They can deliver nasty scars when alarmed. On the walk, we encountered bushland with twisting walkways in between, and anywhere the slothy creature could be lurking. On full alert, I know how unpredictable the sloth bear could be. Unlike the tiger, they are known to attack without any reason or threat perception. They have mauled people to death in the past, and to get away with scars is worse for they disfigure and maim for life. Thankfully, this was a rare occurrence and the calm on my face was an assurance for Puneet. We nevertheless were onboard whence we came to dense thickets that allowed no transparency.
We continued on the jeep. Panoramic spread of hills enshrouded in green, and the jagged bare outcrops and precipices are everywhere but each with a differing countenance. You can never tire out believe me.
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| Landscape STR |
Dhoopgarh
Mesmerized to the hilt, we continued towards Dhoopgarh which literary means a fort draped in the sunshine. Yes, this is the highest spot in Central India. The drive goes through nerve-wracking steep and acutely twisting curves and you need to hold yourself calm. The deep ravines support tropical herbs and shrubs nourished by gentle sunlight that enters the inaccessible valleys, and minuscule crevices with flowing water, and are protected by the cool shady confines. Some of the exotic herbs found here have medicinal properties yet are undiscovered. Botanists revel in exploring these inaccessible dangerously steep places in the hill resort.
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| Pachmarhi Forests |
Grandeur in Simplicity & The Bar
At the top of the hill sits a rest house lost in the bygone era. This was the place for revelries during the Raj. Now visited mostly out of curiosity by love birds and the ubiquitous tourists, it is a pointer to British architecture in India. The structure that the British built exhibited grandeur in simplicity, they are enchanting without fail. and blessed with a quiet ambiance difficult to find in modern architecture. No esoteric carvings no domes.
As we roll down the hill memories of past visits surface in the bewildering labyrinth of my mind. The town once a place steeped in serenity was busy catering to crowds of rancorous tourists, and the single roads were full of cars and smoke. Most old hotels face stiff competition from new arrivals but retain their esoteric charm. I used to love visiting the bar at Old Block in the evenings. It is the solitude that appeals the most to town people. Conversation in hush-hush tones amid already prevailing silence, dark draped night impact the yellow lightning in upscale venues that soothe. I was very fond of this bar and spent a few moments in peace here during my past visits.
Thanks to the notification, the town is unable to expand. Mercy! Out beyond the town limits, there are plenty of geological formations and wilderness full of birds and wild animals. The big mammals are elusive but the natural formations are not at all disappointing.
We did not see the tiger but nevertheless, it was memories springing back of days whence I used to visit with my extended family members.
Pachmarhi Hill Resort is a five hours drive from Jabalpur Airport, and a little less distant from Bhopal Airport the Capital City of Madhya Pradesh. Reserve your accommodation in advance and schedule the visit in summer with a bit less of a crowd. Do not worry summers are tolerable here.
A number of MPTDC hotels with good enough locations and modern amenities are the best accommodations to seek. But book well in advance.
Read Pristine Pachmarhi
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Uday is a blogger and offers Seo + Content For Digital Marketing Services.
He teaches digital marketing (SEO) in Jabalpur.
He freelances as a naturalist/birder at Kanha National Park. He loves to write on travel.
He can be contacted at:
pateluday90@hotmail.com
09755089323
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