Jumping back into Ma nature's lap at Dandeli, Karnataka.

Robert Frost wrote,

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." Travelling to the lesser know places are the best ways to discover the true hidden treasures of India. The joys of discovering hidden gems like Dandeli which are yet to be commercialized is unparalleled. The lush greenery, the tall termite mounts, a huge diversity of flora and fauna along with a few of the most elusive animal sightings is truly a boon for travelers like us. Observing a nation which is rapidly growing and is on the way to becoming one of the developed economies of the world, one cannot deny the fact that India is one among a host of tourist destinations. The beauty of the Taj Mahal, the pristine beaches of Goa, the dense forests of Chattisgarh, the hill stations of Ooty, Kodaikanal, Darjeeling, the toy train slowly making its way to Shimla, the sublime Dal lake and the undisturbed natural beauty of the Himalayas have been attraction points for tourists worldwide and Indians alike. These locations are unique and are identified with India if you ask any tourist. While the above locations may whet the appetite of a normal person, they only generate a hunger to discover the true beauty of India by discovering it for ourselves firsthand through experience. Oases, not commonly known to everyone and a true feeling of sleeping in mother nature's lap are the only things which can satiate a hunger for discovery. Dandeli is well known for White water rafting in the winter season during the months of October through December. Surprisingly, we discovered a hunger to track the inhabitants of Dandeli's forest on a failed visit to attempt one such adventurous session of rafting. Two years ago, when we visited Dandeli in an untimely manner, we realized that we could not go rafting due the water level being low in the Kali river. Dejected, we decided to turn around the situation in our favour and decided we would camp overnight in one of the guesthouses inside the Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve's transition area. We zeroed in on Pansoli Nisarga Dhama and decided to make the best of the situation at hand. Having purchased the required raw ingredients for our dinner, we set off in search of the location. The drive to Pansoli village through the Kulgi Checkpoint, belied the adventures and the joy planned ahead for us by Mother nature.  We reached well into the late evening with marinated chicken and prawns in tow, ready to grill at a moments notice. Our host took care of the food and in the interim, we took turns warming ourselves in front of the campfire preparing ourselves for a chilly night ahead. Slowly, as the outdoor lights were switched off, we could hear the symphony of the forest come to life.  The croaking of Frogs, the buzzing of the fireflies, the howling of the wild dogs and a distant tusker trumpeting away in the night announcing his displeasure over his favorite sugarcane fields being barricaded as the embers died away in the campfire. We had a sumptuous dinner and decided to get our aching bodies some rest after a day of driving through some bad stretches along the Belgaum-Dandeli road. We woke up in the morning and decided to go for a stroll, where we discovered a beautiful phenomenon, I had almost forgot since my childhood days! Dew on the plants and trees, as well as the intricate spider webs which started to look like webs of pearls instead of normal spider webs.  The delicate Touch me Not plant was tenderly balancing the dew drops on the leaf tips and the flowers were on a different level altogether.   We proceeded to stuff ourselves with a heavy breakfast and proceeded to try unsuccessfully if we could go white water rafting again. We continued with our road trip down south through Karwar onto Goa with a few unforgettable memories imprinted permanently. .............. Don't worry, the story doesn't end there. We returned for a sequel in the last month. We decided to follow a slightly different path driving from Belgaum to Dandeli through the transition zone instead of the way through Dandeli. We stopped by along the roadside to have our home cooked lunch, ensuring we left no plastic/ non- bio-degradable material on the way as responsible travelers. We also spied a well camouflaged green insect sitting on a broad teak leaf. We reached the Kulgi Checkpost early evening and continued onward at a very slow pace to try an spot some indigenous wildlife.   While we came across a few macaques and langurs, sighting the black panthers, the sloth bear, the hornbills and the pangolins proved elusive. We reached Pansoli Nisarga Dhama, to the warmth of our the campfire again! We freshened up and awaited the beginning of the symphony of the forest come alive as we warmed up to the chill around the campfire, while our host prepared the fish we had bought. Being someone, who is keen on discovering the age old ways of Indian cooking, I was naturally interested in tasting the juvenile Mackerel and the Smelt (Known as 'Belanji' in Konkani). True to the cooks Konkani roots, she fried the fish to perfection. Crisp and spicy on the outside while being moist and succulent on the inside. If you are interested in a recipe, try this link. Cleaning and cooking the Mackerel and the Smelt is a challenge as they are very small finish and pretty difficult to clean and cook unless you know how and have experience preparing fish. The Spicy Egg Curry cooked in Coconut milk was amazing. After gobbling down the superb dinner, we tarried around the campfire till the embers went cold, listening to the chirping and buzzing of the insects in the dense deciduous forest around us. We heard a weird howl in the distance and asked our host about it, who very graciously explained that it was actually a group of Frogs croaking together crying out to the Rain God to bless the earth with Rain. We turned in late at night after a good round of discussion around a variety of topics. After a night of sound sleep, we awoke late in the morning for a steaming hot breakfast of Idlis and delicious Sambar. We decided to go on a short walk to try our luck spotting some wildlife. While we came across many tall termite mounds and woodpeckers in the forest, neither the Hornbill nor the famous Malabar Squirrel crossed us. While we procrastinated on what we should do next, while seated in the open, the backyard of the Pansoli Nisarg Dhama once again, decided to stamp itself in our hearts with this image of a trees competing for the abundant sunlight! We finally made up our minds and decided to visit a scenic viewpoint, which was not too far from Pansoli, Syntheri Falls. We departed at noon from our camp, promising our hosts that we would return in time for a late lunch. Driving through the cool and calm forest at a leisurely pace, we observed that the jungle was surprisingly interspersed with terraced paddy fields fenced to keep the wildlife out. The Scarecrow was the star of the show, sporting bright colors to ward off the birds from the paddy fields. We drove past Virnoli village and a few temples as we reached the Sagave Checkpost early afternoon. We turned left and continued onward in the direction of Syntheri Falls. The Drive to Syntheri Falls is a winding round around a mountainside and while we appreciated the diverse flora around us, we were yet to be blessed by a true sighting. The road, gets rough as you go off track for the last 2 kilometers and we stopped quite often to breathe in the oxygen rich fresh air and to take in the greenery with eyes wide open. We reached Syntheri Falls and were mesmerized with the beauty of the place. A sheer 300 ft Laterite rock and a waterfall is enough to give anyone the goosebumps.  We noticed the Honeycombs in wonder as they were made on a sheer vertical cliff by the hardworking honeybees of the Dandeli Anshi Forest. We huffed and puffed our way back to the car, as the steps descended sharply when we came, we worked up quite a sweat in just getting back to the car.  While returning, it seems our prayers bought fruit and we were blessed with a view of the famous Malabar Squirrel quite close to our campsite. Content with the sighting, we drove back to a hot lunch cooked up by the Konkani cook again. We were famished after the drive and the exercise and hungrily ate the spicy Chicken curry (made in coconut milk) along with the local rice. We felt reinvigorated and decided to rest outside in the open for some time before we made our way back to Belgaum. After an hour, we made our way slowly towards Kulgi and we were surprised again as we managed to sight a Peacock and a few shy deer. Now content, we topped for Tea at Bandekars, at the Kulgi Checkpost. We spotted a wild boar and a non poisonous snake on our way back to Belgaum as well and we reached home late at night. I can assure you, I felt like I was caressed and cared for by my Grand Mothers and the time we spent in Dandeli really seemed like time spent in mother nature's Lap. Until next time, continue on the road less traveled by. Adios!