The Jungle Book.....Re-opens...

Jungle jungle baat chali hai pata chala hai...


Arre chaddi pahan ke phool khila hai phool khila hai






Well! These lines will echo in our mind whenever we will read or hear about "Jungle Book". Especially those who lived their best years when an obscure little Mowgli used to enthral us  back in the mid nineties, every Sunday morning on....hold your breath...Delhi Doordarshan.




Now after more than two decades we have the world of Disney present an absolutely stunning portrayal of the "jungle", the enigmatic Bagheera, the adorable Baloo, the mysterious Kaa and the ever evil Sherkhan, not to forget the soulful and gorgeous Mowgli and his band of brothers. Only the Disneyworld can render some commonality between Mahatma Gandhi and Bagheera. Well! Mr Ben Kingsley played the Mahatma and yes....he rendered his vocal chords to Bagheera in the English version.
Barring maybe a few minutes, the redefined Jungle Book definitely took me back into a joy ride into my amazing wonder years. My favourite moments were Baloo's dramatic entry to save Mowgli from Kaa and the last scene where Bagheera, Baloo and Mowgli are lazing around on a branch and the scene transforms into a sketch from "The Jungle Book"




Most importantly it was my son who was ecstatic during and after the movie and I was happy to realize that no matter which era, certain things will universally fascinate children and the jungle with its mystic chants is definitely one of them.

First Road Trip......Into the Wild

I was excited. It was the 23rd Dec and it was going to be my first ever road trip.Apart from the excitement I was thrilled with the thought that I would be seeing the rising sun after God knows how many months. With these thoughts, I fell asleep.
It was a typical winter morning as you associate with Delhi-misty, COLD and the roads were dark and lonely. Although we started around an hour and a half late, it was a blessing in disguise as it was quite foggy in some stretches of the road. After around 30 minutes we finally hit the highway on NH-24 and on our way to Dudhwa National Park.
This wasn't a popular place like the Jim Corbett's, Bandhavgarhs etc but I found it quite enchanting as it seemed to be pretty much a virgin forest from the write-ups on the internet. Dudhwa is around 420 km from Ghaziabad and right at the door step of Nepal as the border is just 25km from the park.
We took the Ghaziabad-Bareilly-Pilibhit-Khutar-Lakhimpur route and it was a great sight to find the roads in such good condition. Barring a 30 km stretch from Pilibhit to Khutar, the drive was so smooth that we didn't take a break for the first 6 Hrs. We crossed Bareilly and took the NH 730 to Khutar. This road wasn't good at all with pot holes all around and at some places construction was also in progress. After an hour on this road we crossed Pilibhit and on the road to Puranpur we pulled over at "Pandit ji ka Dhaba" for lunch.  After some hot rotis and spicy curry, we started the last leg of our journey at exactly 1pm and we had another 150 km to go. The road here was a double road but it was good without much traffic. With lush green farmlands drenched in the afternoon sun on both sides of the road, it was an absolute treat to drive through.
We finally reached Dudhwa National Park at sharp 4PM after a 9.5 hour drive including a one hour lunch break. Dudhwa had just one rest house in the park's vicinity and its quiet and serene look was inviting. We checked into our cottage and found it to be pretty decent for an obscure place like Dudhwa. It had all the modern furnishings and was quite spacious. Food was however a let down and with only one food outlet, it had a monopoly in that place.
The view of the setting sun from the top of a Machan was spectacular and there was an eerie calm that prevailed in the surroundings. With no television and extremely choppy mobile network, we had hardly anything else to do apart from rejuvenating ourselves far from the madding crowd, right at the lap of mother nature.That said, I , my wife (Sarbari) and son (Mrigank) were fast asleep with the excitement of the early morning safari next day.
We woke up at around 5 AM for a 7  O clock jeep safari that would take us to another location inside the jungle from where we would commence our elephant safari.  Mrigank was visibly excited for this and his questions just did not end. I and Sarbari were also looking forward to our first ever elephant ride into the jungle.
The forest authorities had cordoned off a section of the jungle for conserving the one horned rhino and that's where we were supposed to go. We also learnt that the elephants understand a specific language that is common across India except Tamil Nadu. One of the words commonly used by the mahouts is agaet meaning "move front". The ride was quite thrilling as we went through some of the unchartered territories in the jungle. As we waded through the long grass, we spotted a family of wild boars roaming around at a distance. After covering some more distance we saw a rhino and her calf grazing around. We also spotted a couple of stags. Overall the elephant ride was quite adventurous and exciting.
On our way back we again spotted a rhino and loads of deers. While waiting for the elephant ride we took a detour and explored the surrounding areas and spotted different varieties of trees one of which had a triangular base. We also saw "The Crying Tree" as it secretes water continuously and a tree which had the skin like that of a crocodile.
We returned to our cottage at around 10 AM and had our breakfast and got ready for our final tour at 4PM. Around 1 PM, we drove down to the bridge upon the river to check out if we can sight anything. This proved to be a good move as we spotted some crocodiles sun bathing, river turtles, kingfishers and a few more species of birds.
After a fruitful session of wildlife sightings, we were all geared up for our final safari at 4 PM. It was a good one as we spotted varieties of antlers and a herd of wild elephants. It was an endearing sight to see the herd moving around and the younger ones playing amongst themselves. As the sun faded away into the horizon, we made our way back to the rest house, to end what was an eventful trip. Although we did not spot the big cats, it was still a satisfying trip to  one of the most dense forests of India.
There was still some drama to unfold as we started our journey back to Ghaziabad. It was a wrong decision to enter Bareilly for filling up the gas as we lost some crucial time. If that was bad, worse was having a flat tyre a few hours later. We finally sorted out all these issues and had our dinner - spicy chicken curry and hot rotis and finally started the last leg of our journey.
We reached home around 1 AM after a tiring but an exciting and eventful first road trip. All three of us have decided to visit all the national parks with a dash of adventure and our next sojourn is going to be Kanha....

Cricket's “Holy Grail”

After the trauma of being ousted in the first round of the last world cup in the Carribean, the fight for the game’s ultimate glory, reached the Indian sub-continent this year and India started their campaign in style against co-hosts Bangladesh. Following a near loss and a loss, India made it to the knock out phase to meet old foes Australia that really set the tone for the rest of the tournament. India raised the level of the game just when it mattered and beat the Aussies without great difficulty. The prince (not of Kolkata) rose to the occasion and that celebration just after hitting the winning runs will, long be remembered for the intensity and the fact that how much it meant for each of them to win the cup. Next in line was probably the biggest match in probably the last six world cups that I could remember. India Vs Pakistan in a World Cup Semi-Final. It just could not get any bigger than that.

The match lived up to its expectations and India after losing their way in the middle, came back strongly to beat the men in green. Sri Lanka on the other half of the draw had a comparatively easier campaign and defeated England and New Zealand quite comfortably in the quarters and the semis, respectively.

The final was a real humdinger with India starting strongly and then losing the plot towards the end of the Sri Lankan innings. The Lankans led by an absolutely stunning performance from the out-of-form, Mahela Jayawardane, notched up 91 runs in the last ten overs to post 274 in their 50 overs. It was a very good effort and India had to really play out of their skin to not only defeat Sri Lanka but also history as no team had chased 274 successfully in a world cup final and no team had won it as a host country. India started its innings on a bad note with both Sehwag and Sachin falling cheaply but the young guns rose to the occasion. Gautam Gambhir first partnered with Virat Kohli and then the Skipper, who came in at No 4 ahead of Yuvraj and played an absolute blinder . He made 91 of just 79 balls that not only sealed India’s victory but also pipped Gambhir’s 97 for the Man of the Match award. M.S.Dhoni led by example giving an exemplary display of batting under immense pressure to etch his name along with some all time great captains like Kapil Dev, Clive Lloyd, Imran Khan and Ricky Ponting.

That picture of the Indian team with the World Cup of 2011 will remain etched in my mind for ever. It has given India’s “Next Gen” a chance to experience the euphoria and ecstasy when the team scales the summit. This has also given the greatest cricketer of India the one thing that was missing from his long list of achievements, the winning medal of the Cricket World Cup

mrigank roy

With the onset of dusk on the first Monday of 2010, one more day had passed and the wait was nothing less than agonizing. I had just had my dinner and after speaking to Mishti I thought of retiring for the day. Various thoughts of how things would turn out, on the big day, clogged my mind and I don’t know when I had fallen asleep with those thoughts. When Mishti called up at three in the morning, the next day, I knew that the wait was probably coming to an end and perhaps, the “big day” had arrived.

A few phone calls later I had reached my in-laws’ place and after seeing Mishti in utter discomfort, I knew that my wait to become a father was slowly but surely coming to an end. After the initial confirmation from the doctor, Mishti was admitted to the maternity ward of the local nursing home at around seven in the morning. The pain had slowly begun to take its toll and gradually, it was getting from bad to worse. I was with her throughout till the time the doors were finally closed for me, at around ten.

It was I and Mamoni (My mother-in-law) who were outside, patrolling the corridor in another agonizing wait, hoping for the pain to give way to tears of joy. I was then joined by maa and other relatives. I was then advised by everyone to come back after a quick bite as it may be a long day ahead. Reluctantly, I went down and once I came back, I heard, “It’s a Boy” and my joy knew no bounds. I remember that I just had a smile on my face and was relieved that all went well. When the nurse came out of the ward with my son and handed him over to me, I was transfixed and didn’t know what to say. He had only one eye open, so I asked the nurse if he is fine or is he the next “Captain Haddock”. That was definitely the most unforgettable and the happiest moment of my life. Today Mrigank is one year old and the “Circle of Life” continues…

From the Roar to a Whimper

The closest that I could get to the "Royal Bengal Tiger" in the wild, was a glimpse at its pug-marks on one of the sand strips laid by the forest guards to mark the animal's presence in the jungle. This was more than ten years back in the Simplipal Tiger Reserve in Orissa. Once a haven for this magnificent animal, the tiger population has dwindled quite dramatically in the last few years if we go by the last submitted report. The reasons could be many like destruction of its habitat, poaching etc.

The tiger generally finds its abode in the dense forests or forests in and around water bodies. The reason for this is, the tiger resorts to stealth for hunting and needs the cover of the dense forest to make successful forays. The gradual human encroachment has led to the decline of forest cover, making the tiger vulnerable to the poachers. Even though the Government has strict laws in place for the protection of tigers but it has failed in its implementation. Poaching is still rampant in most of the national parks and sanctuaries and there is no doubt that authorities walk hand-in hand with the law breakers. A very disturbing fact is that tiger meat is served as a delicacy in Arunachal Pradesh on auspicious occasions and also in other north eastern states.

This is indeed a grim situation and if the trend continues, then its only time when the tiger would be reduced to a mere picture in science books of school children or a piece in the zoos.

Saving the tiger is not only the prerogative of the Indian Government but also the duty of every Indian citizen. What is required is consciousness and awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation. Things like avoiding the use of wooden furniture, following the rules and guidelines while visiting national parks are few of the minor things that we can do. However, most important is spreading the message across.

Hail the "Tiger"!!!
Save the "Tiger"!!!

Religion: The Intoxicating Truth

I am a very dormant participant in any discussion about politicians and their politics. Somehow, this topic has failed to interest me time and again. However the turn of events in the last few days prompted me to write this note on the prevailing campaign styles adopted by political parties which are abhorring to say the least. The inherent adoption of religion as a potent weapon to glorify one’s standing makes it all the more intolerable. This not only sparks communal tension but also creates a very unhealthy and sickening ambience. I won’t take the names of any party in particular as I feel that both the major political powerhouses are responsible for what is happening in Gujarat and a few other states. The hunger for the “Chair” and the power associated with it is so insatiable that one is ready to take any step right or wrong to achieve it. Making religion an issue and by targeting the minorities the politicians are actually digging their own grave as, such public outcries are bound to create a negative influence in the heart and mind of the minorities. There are a few others who try to cash in on such inflammatory remarks by their counterparts by lending their shoulder to the targeted mass to cry on. I can only say that India has thousands of problems to sort out and the glorifying or demeaning of any religion should be the last on the list of our leaders.

The Election Commission should make its presence felt by intervening in between as they did earlier by putting a limit to the amount of spending by political parties during elections and by implementing a few other steps in order to ensure a smooth and fair election. Chief Ministers and other leaders should concentrate on the development of a region or state and not in the demeaning of any minority community. By doing this they are leading by example in the promotion of lawlessness, crime and intolerance.

A Prelude to the Final Test.

The cricket caravan for the India Pakistan series has reached Bangalore, the “Beer Capital of India” and the Garden City for the third and final test beginning tomorrow. It is very difficult to give a verdict as both the teams are very unpredictable and can raise their level of performance quite dramatically on a given day. However, looking at the past series of events especially the drawn test at Kolkata, the injuries to Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Sachin Tendulkar and M.S.Dhoni, and Shoaib Akhtar coming back to full fitness, the scales are tilted towards Pakistan who would be playing this match on one of their favorite hunting grounds. Moreover, India have a very dismal record at Bangalore in test matches where they have lost four of the last five tests played here.

In spite of all these factors it would be utter foolishness to write India off as two of the best players of the world, Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid would be playing on their home turf. Moreover, Sourav Ganguly, Wasim Jaffer and Laxman are in fine nick. The bowling department is definitely the weak link of India in this match with a completely new pace attack comprising Irfan Pathan who would be staging a comeback and probably Ishant Sharma who has played just one test match before this one. All said and done, if four of the top six batsmen fire and at least two of the four bowlers click, then India should be able to pull this match off. As regards the bowlers, I would like one of the spinners making it big in each of the innings along with one fast bowler. The rest can provide support from the other end by keeping things relatively tight if not taking wickets.

As far as Pakistan is concerned the dark clouds seem to have given way to rays of hope and glory. Both the “Ys” that indisputably form the back bone of their batting line up, are back in form and also the revelation of Misbah Ul Haq as a solid batsman has given a real shot in the arm to the lower middle order. The opening however looks to be the only chink in the armour as far as batting is concerned. The bowling again looks to be the weak link as barring Shoaib Akhtar and Danish Kaneria to some extent, the rest of the bowlers on display hasn’t looked penetrative at all. I believe, Mohammed Sami is going to give way to Rao Ifthikar as he looked a much better bowler during the one-dayers. The bottom line is, the setting seems to be perfect for the final match of the tour and promises to be an absolute cracker.

Let the better team win!!!