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| Rhinos |
“On a hard jungle journey nothing is so important as having
a team you can trust.”
― Tahir Shah
― Tahir Shah
Nothing can be truer even in the safe journey of a jungle
safari in the wild life sanctuaries or reserve forests. Our trip to Pabitora Wildlife
Sanctuary got almost blotched up since group of upstarts thought forest is a
place of frolic rather than savouring the beauty of the flora and fauna in
silence. Luckily they left and peace was restored peace in the Prasanti Lodge
of Assam Tourism Development Corporation.
Pabitora boasts of being the densest habitat of single
horned rhinos, almost 90 in 38.81 sq km. You can find Leopard, fishing cat,
barking deer, wild pigs, feral buffalos, 9 species of amphibians, 27 species of
reptiles, and more than 300 species of migratory birds.
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| Haduk Hanging Bridge |
We undertook the
Elephant ride which took roughly one and a half hour.We were lucky to see two
rhinos locking horns to regain territory while the air was filled with
revengeful squeaks and snorts. Soon, though, the weaker showed a clean pair of
heels. We were guided towards the Haduk bill, a water-body where migratory
birds flock in winter. Here there was a constant sound of their chirps which
was silenced by a greater sound of their flapping of feathers when they rise up
en-mass following some unseen command. Green
jeeps came there some time ago carrying in its wake a cloud of dust and some
tourists clad in bright clothes. Probably this group is also one of those first
timers who hardly know the basic rule that bright clothes should be avoided in
the forest. Boating can be arranged here. The jeepwallas went off as hastily as they came crossing the Haduk
Hanging Bridge.
We returned to our lodge and went to see the adjacent museum
which tells about the history of the sanctuary and some details of the plant
and animal life. We were told that we can trek to Mayang Pahar (hills) or go to
the Mayang Village to have first information of Black Magic, of which this
place is famous. We decided the second. Many local pundits were engaged in
clairvoyance or apparently shooing off chronic ailments of their customers in a
jiffy. I didn’t try my luck. Probably, I wanted to keep the darkness in me in
the dark, rather than to let a rustic conjurer throw some light on it.
Navigator: By Bus
from Guwahati ( Guwahati – Marigaon Town Bus of ASTC) 50 Kms or by car.
Safari: Elephant safari Rs 500/-; Jeep- Rs 1300 ( for 6 persons including tax).
Best Season:
November first to March end.
Place of stay:
Prasanthi Lodge: For booking Manas Thakur ( Manager) -09854092192; Hiren Kumar
Saikia (Tourist Information Officer)-09854945261.
Pics: Courtesy Hiren Kumar
Saikia (TIO, Pobitora) / Concept : Joyjit Sinha Roy
