TRYST WITH ROYALTY

The three-hour drive from Somnath to Gir is pleasant enough with mango orchards on both sides of the road and a few villages here and there. After a couple of hours on the road,we enter the forest,dense and hush with the promise of game. This is not your typical tropical jungle. The terrain is undulating and there are frequent streams criss-crossing your path. The ecosystem is specific to saline soil.

Even as our eyes feast on the verdant jungle,our ears are cocked for that singular soundthe majestic roar of the king,but all we hear is the hum of our car engine. Occasionally there is the sound of a twig cracking. Spotted deer,the most ubiquitous of all deer species move with remarkable stealth and grace. A Neelgai takes a break from feeding to gaze at us with utter boredom. Warblers alight and take off with a mere swish of their wings,hardly audible.
Naturally,residents have right of way and our driver is careful not to disturb any game,tame or otherwise. Overhead,birds of prey cruise in circles,indicating the remains of a recent kill on which they feast. But still no sign of the king.

The forest department brochure brags that Gir houses 359 Asiatic lions,311 leopards and more than 3,000 wild boar. Where are they hiding? Could they be lurking behind that thicket? Sensing our disappointment,our driver pops a question. Do you want guaranteed sighting of lions or do you want to just explore the jungle? Were perplexed. Of course,we want to sight the king,we respond in chorus. He suggests we go to Devaliya first.

At Devaliaya,12 kilometres from Sasan,there is a Gir Interpretation Zone,whatever that means. We join the queue for a ticket and board a bus with reinforced glass windows and an African driver. Soon enough,were in the vicinity of a couple of mature lions,a male sprawled and snoozing,his mane askew and a female relaxing by his side. The bus and its gawking occupants doesnt bother them.

Just a couple of hundred yards away,I spot an open truck and a driver lounging around,with not a care for the big beasts on the loose. Our guide explains somewhat sheepishly that the lions must be well-fed in which case they dont attack humans. I suspect the animals are also radio-collared. Otherwise how would our driver drive straight into them in a corralled enclosure of over four square kilometers?

Were eager for some real adventure. So we drive to the main Gir sanctuary and national park,and take an open jeep ride through real jungle,not a corralled enclosure. Our guide,barely out of his teens,tells us in no uncertain terms that there is no guarantee of spotting lions,but he would try his best. We drive through mud tracks in utter silence. Gnarled tree trunks sport parakeet nests and we spot an occasional owl or two. On the banks of a lake we see a crocodile sunning itself. But even after an hour and a half of this ride,we spot no lions. Our guide points to barking deer and wild boar but we sulk and refuse to look.

Then suddenly he perks up. The silence is rent by frantic alarm calls of langurs. A deer darts in terror and disappears into the foliage. Our guide cranes his neck and signals the driver to stop. We reverse our jeep and wait with bated breath in a spot close to a clearing.

And then we see them,two young lions,obviously well-fed,their lustrous coats advertising their youth and excellent health. My lens is at its maximum zoom,waiting for them to emerge from the thicket into the clearing so that we can get a full view. Eventually they do emerge,their faces turned away from us. Their pace is brisk and their countenance attentive,as though they are sniffing the air for possible prey. My fingers freeze and I cant take my eyes off them,and just about manage to click a couple of pictures before they vanish from my frame into the forest.
Though it was just a fleeting moment,the glimpse of the majestic creature in its natural habitat is something one cannot forget in a hurry.

HOW TO GET THERE:
From Ahmedabad,Sasan is 408 km away. Take an overnight train to Veraval. The sanctuary is a one-and-a half-hour taxi ride away. Or you could fly to Keshod,the nearest airport,60 km away from Gir.
WHEN TO GO:
If you want to see migratory birds,travel between October and December.
WHERE TO STAY:
Forest guest house in Sasan or stay at Somnath and take a taxi it takes two hours. Somnath has many budget hotels.
WHAT TO DO:
Explore the jungle at leisure and enjoy the variety of fauna. A jeep ride into the sanctuary could cost you Rs 800. To use a still camera you have to pay Rs 100 and for a movie camera you have to pay Rs 500 per day.