JUNGLE SAFARI
Post Diwali holidays this year we went for a sojourn to The Jim Corbett Park. My husband and son were very enthusiastic about it and were looking forward to an elephant ride in the jungle too. As for me, I had no choice but to go along with their plans or else play spoilt-sport which I did not want to! So off we went to the resort where we were booked for three days. We reached the resort in the evening, explored the nearby area, had an early dinner and turned in early ‘coz we were tired due to the day’s traveling and also because we had to be up early for THE jumbo safari!!

As promised, the resort people sent along with us a guard cum guide who took us to the place where were to mount the elephant. My son enjoyed videoing this feat of mine-getting on to the elephant! Making fun of my size, I jokingly told him that he could title his recording as “An Elephant on an Elephant!” After all were aboard Kalina (that was her name!) we slowly started towards the forest. Taking soft and sure steps she meanouvered her way into the thickness of the jungle. With silent, padded feet she walked through tiny, dry ravines and thigh –high green grass and all along she kept feeding herself .I think she coincided the safari with her breakfast!
Deeper she took us into the jungle and deeper. The mahout, from time to time keep shh-shh-ing us in case Kalina got wind of a tiger’s presence. But no such luck. We were lucky enough to see many deer (they so endearing when they gazed at us in an innocent and enquiring manner), in a clearing in the woods. It was so picturesque! We spotted two-three sambar stags also. The swaying movement of the elephant and the silence of the jungle had such a soothing effect on the mind. As we went further into the jungle the only sounds which could be heard were the swishing of the grass as Kalina padded through it and the dewdrops that fell softly from the leaves. There was dead silence and calm. It had a soothing effect on the mind. The mind then wandered in deep recesses of itself, and somewhere along the way this thought occurred to me that we each carry within the self a jungle – our jungle of thoughts. It has its patches of clearing where happy thoughts dance like the sunlight danced on these trees and leaves. And then, it has those dark corners and ominous caverns where violent and wild (angry, hateful and selfish) thoughts lurk around sometimes. And just as we had become alert there amidst the wild in case of facing a dangerous animal so too in life we must become alert and cautious as soon as such thoughts enter our mind , which have menacing repercussions.
The jungle ride on the sweet-tempered Kalina turned out to be a meditative experience for me, something which I least expected, as initially I was so scared of going into the deep woods. It taught me life’s simple lesson –no matter how crowded our mind may become with strongly negative thoughts at times ,we must slowly, softly and surely wind our way out of it all just as Kalina did so staidly. We too can be mental giants and yet not lose gentleness and calmness ,like Kalina, huge in size but possessing desirable qualities- she was silent ,obedient, fearless and focused on the path in the forest.
We came back to the starting point and alighted from Kalina with a feeling of great
contentment! As we drove away from there we made sure we tipped Kalina’s owner and asked him to buy as much ‘ganna’ (sugarcane sticks) as he could for her! It sure had been a wonderful ride and she deserved to be rewarded!! -by Neelam Sethi.

23.11.08.Gurgaon.