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Exploring Dandeli, land of the black panther
We finally got back to our base tents after an evening’s safari through the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, India. Wild fowls, endangered species and an orange-brown Malabar giant squirrel with a beautiful long tail were our other prize watches that day. Forest fowl are hunted for their high medicinal value. Sambhars and bisons (wild buffalo) were in big herds along with many species of beautiful birds. We had missed out on tigers, sloth bears, boars and the very rare black panther.
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A coracle is a round boat with a circular seat in the center that can accommodate four people, including your boat rider cum guide. (*/Anand & Madhura Katti)
T
he single-tusk male elephant stood a few feet from us and looked intoxicated as the fresh raindrops fell on his huge body. Our jeep driver wanted to drive away, but we were curious to observe the giant a little longer. We had to focus all our torches on the elephant to blind him for a while and watch his activity. He was scratching the mud beneath his feet and swaying his trunk rapidly. To stay any longer seemed risky – we had heard stories of the same wild giant killing a person and badly injuring another on two different previous occasions – so we drove off.
We finally got back to our base tents after an evening’s safari through the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, India. Wild fowls, endangered species and an orange-brown Malabar giant squirrel with a beautiful long tail were our other prize watches that day. Forest fowl are hunted for their high medicinal value. Sambhars and bisons (wild buffalo) were in big herds along with many species of beautiful birds. We had missed out on tigers, sloth bears, boars and the very rare black panther.
Kali River Lodge, run jointly by the Karnataka Government’s tourism and forestry departments, is an ideal place to stay during jungle expeditions around Dandeli. Sounds of the rare Malabar Pied and Great Indian variety of Hornbills, bonnet macaques, langurs and giant squirrels wake you up in your luxury tent for an adventurous day.
The camp has nine tents that can accommodate 18 tourists. They are comfortable with attached bath and situated overlooking the Kali River, providing a perfect setting for an interesting stay in the wild. They also a have a few rooms for accommodation in the main building. After dinner, it was time for an exchange of the day’s findings with fellow guests. Sitting around the camp fire on the banks of the river in the wild was sheer luxury for us metro dwellers.
(Read also: The magnificent fort of Chitradurga)
There are also other choices of activities apart from a jeep safari into the wild. The early morning ride down the Kali River in the native “coracle” boat to watch crocodiles, turtles and aquatic birds is interesting. A coracle is a round boat with a circular seat in the center that can accommodate four people, including your boat rider cum guide. We learned that crocodiles are plenty in number – but none have attacked people who come to wash their clothes or take a dip in the river.
After breakfast, we left for the Kavala Caves. A 300-step climb and a 30-feet crawl through ancient limestone caves of Kavala opens into a chamber with huge a stalactite formation that looks like Shiva Ling. It is considered a holy place and a fair is organized here during Shivaratri festival every year. The British couple, who weren’t sure if they wanted to come inside the cave, later said that they enjoyed the whole adventure and deserved a good lunch upon return to the resort. Sykes point here gives a majestic view of the deep Kali valley.
After lunch and a brief nap, we left for another adventure. We trekked to Syntheri rock, a huge monolithic granite structure near the Kaneri River. The climb was steep, though proper steps are provided for easy climbing. The gorgeous volcanic rock’s different shades, cuts, grooves made us forget all our efforts to reach the place. The 300 x 500 foot monolith set in thick forest has some of the most beautiful sights. However, the temptingly clear water beneath the rock is dangerous for swimming as deep gorges inside form whirls that can engulf swimmers.
“I have fished for a 2.5-kilogram Mehseer in this water” says Kamat Ecotours proprietor Vaibhav Kamat who frequents the place with his groups. Mehseer is a huge fish, a prize catch for anyone who fishes for sport.
(Read also: Celuk Village: a century-old home to gold and silver craftsmen)
The other group that left for the safari that evening spotted the sought-after black cat. We weren’t as lucky the previous day as it was very hot and all the animals had gone deep inside the moist deciduous forest in search of waterholes. The group was excited about the rare black beauty but were quite scared to watch it for longer, lest it charge toward the new animal in its territory! The Black panther, with a complete black body and ferocious bright eyes is a rare cat that is endemic to this region. About nine black panthers were recorded in a 1995 census in the 475-square-kilometer Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary of 475. That makes the cat even rarer. The big cat, that has light yellow patches according the guides who have watched it from close, is only found in few other places in Asia, other than Dandeli in India.
Dandeli forest is home to many tribal communities like the Gowlis, the semi-tribal, nomadic grazers and the Siddis, the African slaves who escaped into the forest from Portuguese custody 400 years ago.
A two-day package at the resort includes a visit to the Gowli tribal village a half hour’s drive away in the middle of the jungle. Gowlis are graziers whose main occupation is rearing cows. One can see their huts made of Bamboo and straw. The huts were empty, except for a few calves. It was amazing to learn about their simple lifestyle. All the men had taken their cows out into the wild for grazing. Women were busy boiling milk in big vessels to thicken it for making khoa. Some small children were at the only school in the village. The small room housing about 25 students was kept clean and the walls were decorated with different national heroes. Teacher Mamata is a member of the Siddhi tribe (another tribe in the forest that has its roots in Africa).
Other interesting spots at the forest include fresh water springs at Mandurli and Kulagi, in the middle of the sanctuary, where you can bathe and laze in the flowing crystal-clear mineral water, with the forest providing you with melodious background music. Siroli peak, the highest point in the district, provides a panoramic view of the vast stretches of forest all round. An expert naturalist from Kali River Lodge accompanies you on all activities.
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Anand & Madhura Katti (husband & wife team) are award winning travel journalists based in Mumbai, India. They travel across the country and the world, attending many travel trade, hotel industry summits, and conferences. They also have contributed to many Indian newspapers and some overseas publications for 26 years.
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