Shoved down a quick lunch and set off for our entry into the park in a canter. As usual there was some deliberation and people were being shuffled from one canter to the other. One boy with a girl's name and our sweetest friend was unceremoniously asked to leave our canter much to our dismay. This did much to dampen our mood. And then we set off!!! Super excited at this point of time.
The hill ranges rise up majestically on the right with wide expanses of land and then slowly the landscape turns more rocky with plentiful streams tossing out of some secret place. Vegetation too become denser as one goes deeper and at some places they knot themselves threateningly. It's very dark then and you are reminded that here you are nothing but an outsider. You don't belong here. We were allotted Route 1 and boy the twists and bumps we were subjected too!! The canter surmounted impossible rocks, squeezed itself through the narrowest paths while we remained mute spectators-the landscape was too captivating too elicit any word of protest from us. We were lost back then, the eyes always searching for some sign, some hidden movement, some glistening of the eye-hidden treasures of the forest all. We exclaimed only when someone spotted the deer, sambar and the neelgai. But the tiger remained as elusive as ever. But in the end that really didn't matter. Going inside the park itself was an event for me. The fact of missing a tiger doesn't stir up any charge in me though I would be be the last to deny the fact the that sighting the tiger would rise up my emotions sky high. In other words I would simply be mesmerised and wanting to sigh a sigh that only erupts when the magical wild spell-bounds you and you say-that's beautiful. So this dream has to mark it's time for another day. The tiger will wait for me.
And so we spotted the usual fauna of Rajasthan. Wild boar was and so was the call of the leopard that we heard while on our way out. It silenced the forest into stillness. The langurs on the tree didn't move an inch and then the sambars called out to each other. Something was not right for them. We hung around for a quarter of an hour but lady luck didn't budge to smile at us. The tour guides said that the leopard is going further away from us. Perhaps the leopard sensed the fact the idiotic tourists were waiting to gape at it with mouths hung open. It must have been a long way off before we decided to quit and move.
Evening we drove into town and loitered around. Had dinner at a useless place which thankfully had a television. Had a good time pulling faces at my class-mates. After dinner I was with a friend in her room. She was not keeping well and we both were sitting just yapping. That is when we heard terrible banging anf laughing erupting from the corridors. One of tour senior's had been locked into her room by the hotel staff and she was banging the door from inside. The other girls were outside holding the sides and laughing uncontrollably while the hotel boy sped to get the key. And lo! behold! he opened the door to find it empty! Our ever enterprising senior had risen to the job magnificently and had flied the coop! ( read-she had escaped from the bathroom door into her neighbour's room) and while the hotel boy was searching for her, she turned up from behind. The night was just beginning!!!
The infectious atmosphere spread and she decided to dress up as a local with a toy doll and scare our Ma'm who is mortally afraid of appearances like these. The plan was made and the lead actor ready. A black skirt, bangles, heavy payals and a dupatta covered her fhead and face. The doll completed her outfit. She was sneaked into our Ma'ms room and the lights were switched off. All was calm and quiet on the front. And then-out came the scream and alongwith it our Ma'm running out of her room with her hands over her ears. She was bone-scared by this apparition which called to her from the bathroom in the dark. And then out came the monster tumbling with tears of mirth. It was most hilarious. Ma'm recoverd enough to give us all a spanking on our butts. It was well worth it.
Next morning was again to be a lazy one. Others were catching an early morning canter ride and now much to my chagrin I'm regretting my foolishness of turning down the opportunity. They spotted a Caracal! I, however was more intent upon recovering from my illness and wanted a nice bit of morning rest.
On entering our room it looked as if a tornado had swept through it. It was a horrible mess. But we didn't care. I don't remember much now. I think I just plonked onto the bed and was fast asleep.
