NAGARHOLE 1

NAGARHOLE 1
Where the river runs wild
By Anurag Mallick

Once an exclusive hunting preserve of the Maharajas of Mysore, Nagarhole National Park was renamed after the late Rajiv Gandhi, but faces the same fate as Delhi's Connaught Place and Connaught Circle which are still called by their popular old names. So it is with Nagarhole. The park, situated in the Deccan Plateau, forms an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Nagarhole River winds through it and finally meets the Kabini, the largest river draining the forest. A dam built on the Kabini has created a splendid lake to the south of the park, which separates it from Bandipur Tiger Reserve. To the south-east lies the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary while to the west, coffee plantations separate the park from Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.

This entire stretch is one of the finest remaining habitats of the Asian elephant. Huge herds hang about in Nagarhole, and it's said that summer is the best time to see them. It is held that Nagarhole is worth visiting in the dry season, when wild animals are spotted in large numbers near the water bodies but don't bet your money on it. Successive dry spells have shrivelled the water sources so much that the animals feel content lying in the shade, away from view.

Then, as the pre-monsoon showers bring the forest alive with streams, the resident birds start their breeding activities and the air resounds with melodious calls. Sprouting grass in the meadows and view lines attract elephants and gaur in large numbers. As rains intensify, the river resuscitates and the grandeur of Nagarhole slowly begins to unfold.