It seems the Almighty heard our prayers. A passing Jeep driver informed us that a tigress with three cubs were at a nearby watering hole. A few quick gear changes and screeching tyres brought us right in front of the tigress with her three cubs in a little pond, about 50 feet from us. We were at a height and looking down at the pond. There were almost 10 other vehicles, all trying to inch in closer to get a better view of the tigers. The light this time was bright enough and we had our fill of photographing the lovely animals.
Mapping our drive
How does one really check how good is a GPS navigation device? Does going for a 1,300 km trip across two states without a map book, relying solely on the GPS device for directions, seem like a fare test? Well, that’s exactly what we did. We left the map book behind and embarked on the journey.
The national highways were all covered by the GPS. The device worked like a dream upto Indore. It’s after that we encountered a few issues. Some of the smaller roads were not covered as well as we would have liked. We almost lost our way in Damoh because a new road has been constructed, which was not covered, I’m sure that this will be fixed by a small upgrade. The user interface is fairly intuitive and can be picked up by anyone. Another aspect of the device we really liked was the fact that route recalculation takes place instantly. One can also find the ATM, petrol pumps, places to stay and eat along the way. Most of the places we had our meals at were found using the GPS. This one thing the GPS never went wrong with.
Besides navigation the MapmyIndia ZX150 (the device we were using) could play audio, video and even view images, which is why it doubled up as our music player too, playing music from the SD card. Another great feature is that the device can double up as a Bluetooth hands-free, allowing one to receive and answer calls on the device itself, though we wish these feature could be used during navigation also. All in all, the device offers great value for money and is a must for anyone who
loves travelling.
Karan Dugal
About Bandhavgarh
Bandhavgarh’s rugged topography is home to many other species, including some beautiful birds, sloth bears, deer, monkeys and a variety of snakes. There is a rustic feel to Bandhavgarh, an unapologetic throwback to the survival-of-the-fittest idiom, which many sanctuaries lack.
The reserve is spread over 400 square kilometres. Tiger Guards is an NGO that has taken a very different approach to conservation, focusing instead on reducing man-animal conflict, and making the villagers feel more a part of their natural heritage. In this sense, the lessons learned in Bandhavgarh will be applicable to other forest reserves around India.
There are plenty of resorts in and around Bandhavgarh with varying budgets, including five-star accommodation if you’re the lounge-by-the-pool type. Additionally, if you have deep pockets, you can book an exclusive day-long elephant safari for Rs. 25,000.
The nearest town with an ATM and petrol pump is Umaria, approximately 35 km from village Tala.
