In the Deep of the Forests – Beyond the Comfort Zone

We live a life that is so routine, mostly planned and structured, most days go on as expected with maybe some delays or deviations but mostly very predictable and certain being in the comfort zone of familiarity.

Variety and uncertainty are what is outside the Comfort Zone, nothing that is familiar, nothing that is planned and structured, nothing that is routine. It was all about being alert, focused, taking risks, pushing the limits, odd timings of work, sleep and food.

Let me share my most recent experiences of being outside the Comfort Zone.

I am fortunate to be part of a 4X4 SUV Group that volunteers with the Forest Department to support their firefighting challenges and efforts to keep the forests safe during the summers.

The background is that there are vast forests that get dry once the summers sets in. A small spark unintentional or intentional can set the forest on fire that would be difficult to put off. It takes a lot of time, limited resources, risk and danger to get the fire under control. The Forest Department have Anti-Poaching Camps (APC) deep into the forests, away from human settlements, which are manned by Foresters who patrol the area on foot, walking miles every day.

Having a 4X4 vehicle gives the department better patrolling options as more larger areas can be covered day and night in rough and difficult terrains to prevent and fight forest fires.

As a volunteer I get the opportunity to be in the Forest Range for 4 days and 3 nights driving into the deep forests that are not accessible to general public. Stay with the Guards and Watchers in the APC for the night, listening to the trumpeting, rumble or the breaking of the branches by the elephants, the roar of the tiger, the calls of the deer, langurs and waking up to the chirping of the birds and a beautiful morning sunlight and the sights around the camp and sleeping with the sight of the open skies, twinkling and sparkling stars and glowing moon.

Life is tough, with scarcity of water, the dry scorching heat, dusty, rough and tough terrain roads, the danger of encountering elephants ready to charge if they see you as a threat to their infants or a lone male in musth, unpredictable bears, dhole (wild dogs), snakes, crocodiles, etc.

Living in the minimal, eat the simple staple food three meals that they cook, stay in the camps some rustic and old, some newly built, learn to manage water when its scarce, decent lighting thanks to solar power, difficult network connectivity and sometime completely cut off.

What you need is to own a 4 wheel drive SUV, willingness to drive in difficult terrain for long hours and volunteer your time and fuel, to be able to experience the life of a forester for 4 days and 3 nights.

Here is my recent experience….

I began my day early morning driving more than 3 hours to reach the Range Forest Office. Met the concerned Officer completed the paper work and we ready to begin.

The day in the range was started in the afternoon sun. The thrill of being in the forest was by itself a great feeling. The landscape was barren and dry, the natural water holes were completely empty, devoid of any signs of life and then we reached this pond which was a relief and pleasing to the eyes to see that it had sufficient water. This was thanks to a CSR project that pumped water using solar power. Thankfully there are two such ponds in this area. Insufficient rains and the scorching summer will take a big toll on the forest and the lives that it supports.

This range showed a lot of promise of sightings based on the visibility of elephant dung all over as we drove. Through the afternoon and evening there was no glimpse of any wildlife, except for a single spotted deer but plentiful of birds.

We began the late evening, driving in towards the APC. Reached, looked around, followed by dinner in the moonlight, just a day or two after the full moon was enchanting. The night patrolling began from the APC and the excitement began with the sighting of a Russel Wiper, 5 feet plus just by the path. Plenty of hare, then wild boar and then finally 3 elephants close to midnight. We went back to the water hole that had we had seen in the evening. Being near the pond seeing the moon in its full glory, the shining stars in the open sky was nature at it best. I was soaking in the sound of the frogs croaking, it was like the background music in this tranquilizing setting and then the trumpeting of the elephant pierced the night sounds. It was like an announcement that the star was making it entry. As we awaited the arrival of the herd, we could hear more trumpeting from other directions. It appeared there were three herds around the water hole. The eager anticipation and the thrill of being in that setting, at that moment and the sounds was something that would remain as a lifelong memory.

Almost an hour went by since we stopped but none approached the water. Were they apprehensive of us or were they still far away, were they waiting for us to leave or were they feeding around, we did not know. We were the intruders in their space.

We then decided to leave and drove away from this location. In a short while a little away from the path, an adult elephant and a calf feeding were sighted but quickly disappeared into the shadows of the woods. 

We also came across many Red-wattled Lapwing and Nightjars on the path. The Nightjars in particular, kept flying a little further and stopping on the same path. We had to keep stopping to shoo them away and wait until they finally fly away to the side. Imagine someone shining a bright torchlight on your face while you are sleeping at night. We were disturbing their habitat.

We were back to the APC past 1:00 am and settled down to rest. This APC did not have sufficient water, just managing to get a small tank filled up for the day. The water scarcity will be a challenge this year for sure here.

This opportunity to be there where very few would ever get to go, to see and get an experience of being in the deep forest, camping in the APC, is just the reason enough to be a volunteer.

Day 2 began with a drive to another dry waterhole before we went back to the office. The alerts we up as there was a fire reported in the neighbouring range and if the fire continues it could spread and engulf this range too. The entire team was getting assembled and we set off to reach the hill top. Steep climb and a tough narrow terrain and we were there, 3 SUV’s climbing up the cliff, taking almost an hour to reach the destination. There were 5 more SUV’s there already before us and our team quickly left to get into the firefighting action around 5:30 pm.

It was a long wait, regular checks on the status and getting food organised for 50 plus people was going on from this base.

Eventually one team returned around 12:15 am with the fire under control in one side. The bigger team of 30 plus Foresters were still out there. Food reached the place at 12:30 am and was just enough for the people here. It was in the meanwhile freezing cold with visibility dropping that a SUV 10 meters away was not visible. On can only imagine what the team were going through in the misty, steep mountains with fire and smoke around.

It was 3:00 am when the entire team finally reached, the fire situation in control and no longer a threat. And then began the drive down the hill, shivering like never before with the biting cold as well as the challenge of the terrain. An hour later we stopped where food had been arranged for this team. It was then about 6:30 am when we could freshen up and get some rest at the quarters.

It was a real test as the path seemed undrivable, the steepness, the unevenness, the narrowness, wondering if its even possible, but the machine seemed to be say, “Come on, this is the stuff I was made for.” I must admit had I been alone, I would have questioned my own ability and that of the machine, but being with the group gave me the confidence to follow the experienced drivers and reaching the summit was a huge validation and relief.

It reminded me of Roger Bannister, running a Mile in less than 4 minutes and creating history as the first man to do so in 1954. Within 46 days the second man did this and 3 more within the year.

Day 3 began late afternoon to another section of the range. Reported to the office here before getting started offroad. This terrain was a little more dense and greener. Peahens and Peacocks, were quickly sighed and we kept going deeper inside.

It then all happened in a flash, as I was driving, I stopped my Thar, suddenly, my heart would have skipped a beat, the sight most desired by anyone venturing for a forest safari was happening. Right on our path I sighted a Tiger, and pointed it out to the accompanying guard. It was a dream come true moment and he could take a photo shot of the tiger, about 100 meters away from us and then a short video. It appeared as if the Tiger was waiting for us to arrive, gave us a sighting, posed for us with a look in our direction and walked away, disappearing into the shrubs, quiet and silent. It was like a dream, a touch and go moment, as rare as it can ever get.

Rare as it was the Guard’s second sighting in almost 5 years in this range.

It was sheer luck and a blessing. Two minutes late and we would have never known that a tiger had just walked past. We would have just drove by not knowing that the tiger was maybe just 10 meters away from us camouflaged in the shrubs. 

In the past I have seen Tiger foot prints, heard its roar in close quarters of the APC, knowing that it is around. How many times in such forest drives or Safaris we return without sighting it, but we never knew it was there and we were there in its sight.

The evening continued with a thrilling terrain drive with ups and downs, driving through dried up streams, sharp curves, visiting 2 APC’s, meeting the Foresters there and then stopping for dinner. Our drive continued again as we were headed to the 3rd APC, our place of rest for the night.

Enroute, we had sighting of herds of spotted deer, hare, barking deer, Sambar. A peculiar incident was sighting an adult and baby hare right in the middle of the path. The adult quickly running away to the side but the baby was there not knowing what to do. I dimmed the lights, but it remained there, put off the lights, but it remained there, we made some noise and then it moved and shifted a little to the side. We inched away slowly making sure it was out of harm reach. It was a realization that the baby hare perhaps saw a machine and headlights for the first time in its life.

In the darkness of the camp, I witnessed the rising of the moon beyond a mountain. Sitting on my bedding and it was a sight to behold. The moonlight and the gentle breeze lulling me to a deep sleep.

On Day 4, I woke up to chirping birds and the sight of a gentle flowing river, just beyond a few trees. In the darkness of the night nothing was visible from the Camp. Went by the river, walking on the sand and sitting on the rocks and witnessing a beautiful sunrise.

We had a long drive along the flowing river sighting a flashing glimpse of river otters and a Croc before finally returning back to the office.

To be in the midst of nature, experiencing it in its raw form, the glorious sunrise, the harsh scorching sun, the pleasant sunset and the freezing cold is not something that happens everyday.

The whole experience so unpredictable, be it the test of driving skills and the machine, dusty rough and tough terrain, the sightings of birds and animals, the emergency response to the fire situation, the cold night on the hill, odd timings for food and sleep. Everything beyond the comfort zone.

Until the next time….