October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!
Grounds around Samode Lodge
For four days–October 26-30, 2011–we felt at home at the Samode Safari Lodge near the Bandhavgarh National Park. To get there we drove 3 1/2 hours south from Jabalpur in central India. The landscape consisted of large valleys and gentle rolling hills filled with many small fields of rice and other vegetables. As we got closer the harvestable vegetation gave way to tall grasses, clusters of bamboo trees, large bushes and a few broad leafed trees. The road, although narrow, was in good condition except for the last 10 kilometers as we entered the Indian national Forest and eventually arrived at the lodge via a rough dirt track amid thick stands of bamboo and forest trees. Not sure what to expect we were thrilled with the quality and presentation of a delicious lunch. Our accommodations were equally special–large rooms, including two bathrooms–one indoors and one outdoors. It was the perfect place to get caught up on some needed rest. We swam, slept and had massages.
Diwalli celebration at Samode Safari Lodge
As the 26th was the official Festival of Diwalli, the staff was busy all afternoon making preparations. Fireworks were laid out, hundreds of candles were placed on everywhere around the property, a special Indian meal was prepared, sweets were arranged on platters, everyone including staff put on their best clothes and we all gathered at 7:30pm for the ceremony, which takes place after sunset on the darkest night of the harvest moon cycle. First we each put out our hand (women the left and men the right) and had a colored string wrapped around our wrist. Then we opened the palm of the same arm, received a dollop of cooked rice and made a fist. Once everyone was ready we all threw the rice, representing evil spirits, over our shoulder and embraced spirit of prosperity and good fortune symbolized by the string. Immediately fire fountains were lit and crackers started bursting. The children squealed and the adults laughed along. We felt lucky to be included in this intimate family event, something that would not have happened if we had been at a hotel.
Gradually the adults drifted to the outdoor fireplace for cocktails and the children were taken in for dinner. We finally ate at 9pm sitting amid candlelight beside the pool. Although Mark and I were really tired, we were glad we had stayed and participated.
At 6am on the 27th we met our guide, Bacchi, and our game drive mates, Nisha and Karan Grover. They are an Indian couple who live Baroda, a town not far from Delhi. They had decided to come to Bandhavgarh for the holiday as Karen’s father died just three months ago and it is inappropriate to celebrate festivals for a year after a close family member dies. We liked them instantly and began an ongoing conversation that lasted until we parted. Karan is an institutional architect of considerable stature in India. Nisha founded and works full in a school for deaf children. Their family also owns and operates a large winery business in India. Both very interesting people, they were also prone to much laughter and we caught their bug. The five of us, Bacchi could not resist joining in on the fun, laughed our way around the park for three days.
The park itself was a bit of a disappointment for Mark and me as we are used to seeing many animals in the game parks in Africa.
Karan, Mark, Nisha, Bacchi & park ranger
The vegetation was tall and full and most certainly blocked out the siting of many animals. During the three days we managed sitings of some animals that were new to us including: White spotted deer, Black faced monkeys, pink bottomed monkeys and Sambha, which are India’s largest deer. They are a rich mahogany color and about the size and strength of our elk. Very handsome animals. However, our reason for coming to the park–the Bengal tiger–eluded us.
We went for 6 game drives during the three days we entered the park and spotted only the face of a cub hiding in the bush and the tail of another tiger as it disappeared out of sight. Each time we were surrounded by 15-20 vehicles with 8+ people in each, all eyes craning to see, people shouting and moving around. Bedlam. Bacchi, was unhappy with these encounters and tried in vane to show us a tiger without a crowd around. We kept up our good spirits in spite of our disappointment and turned our attention to the living creatures we could spot—birds. We stopped the car to listen to many bird calls and songs and enjoyed the stillness. Favorite sitings included: Changeable Hawk Eagles, Indian Rollers, Indian gray Hornbills, Rufous Treepies, Hoopoo, and a long, forked tail Drongo.
At Samode lodge, dinners were served in different venues each evening. Our favorite was the forest glade. A staff person, met us at our suite at 7:30pm and escourted us by flashlight into the forest. The opening, shrouded by overhanging trees with lights hanging from different limbs, was beautifully lit by lanterns and candles, the tables were colorfully set, the cocktails were waiting and the buffet dinner was served with grilled prawns in the shell. The side dishes were similar to the vegetables and sauces we had received previously, but they were served from large bowls onto our plates this time. Always, the meal was accompanied by hot, fresh Nan.
On the last night we gave our thanks to each staff person, whom we knew by name, exchanged cards with Nisha, Karan and Yadu, the lodge owner, and bid everyone a fond farewell. Our 4 days in the park and at Samode Lodge have been a memorable experience even without seeing a tiger.
Khajuraho temple sculptures
On the road at 4am, our driver made good time taking us to our unplanned next stop, Khajuraho. Originally we were to backtrack to Jabalpur and fly directly to Delhi. The flight was cancelled and our agent in the states rerouted us to Khajuraho for a flight with an enroute stop. I was pleased as Khajuraho is the home of a World Heritage Site that I read about and wanted to see. It had been nixed as Khajuraho was 1 1/2 hours further away and we would have to get up really early. Well getting up early was no problem and our driver got us to the temple complex before 9am. On the way, he arranged for a temple guide to meet us. Everything went very smoothly and we enjoyed 2 leisurely hours visiting the temples and taking photos. The temples were built between 950 and 1310 AD by the rulers of the area, called Chandelles. The theme of the Hindu temples centers around the “Coma Sutre” or Art of Loving. There are 84 different positions for having sex, according to the book. We saw many of them in 2-3 foot tall sculptures attached to the facades of the buildings. The sculpting was lovely and well proportioned. Some of the poses made us laugh and others grimace. We could not imagine how one could physically execute some of the positions. The temples themselves were well preserved and very lovely to behold. Apparently, the Muslim invaders had not bothered to travel away from the commercial centers and the temples, 22 of them remaining, were left to be swallowed up by the jungle for centuries. The British rediscovered them and began the restoration process–not unlike the temples at Angkor Wat, but better preserved.
We ate our lodge prepared, box lunch in a nearby shop and proceeded to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Just as we pulled up to the airport, we were surprised by the arrival of Nisha and Karan. We had not realized that we would be on the same flight. It was fun to have a little more time with them. Once in the waiting lounge we learned that the interim stop was to be Varanasi. Why, we asked ourselves, were we flying all the way to Delhi and then flying back to Varanasi the next morning? With Karan’s cell phone we were able to reach our agent in Delhi and ask if we could get off in Varanasi and spend an extra night there rather than go to Delhi. He agreed and made a reservation for us at the Gateway Hotel Ganges. As soon as that was arranged, Mark and Karan went to work getting our bags rerouted. We probably could not have managed the transfer if not for Karan’s phone and help with the bags. Forty five minutes later we said good bye again to the Grover’s and deplaned. Met by a driver, we were in a room at the Gateway by 3pm. What a day. Finally on our own, we went to a nearby restaurant called Brownie’s at 5pm, had pizza and pasta and were in bed asleep by 8pm.
Adventures with Julia 