The rays of the evening sun struggled to seep through the blanket of leaves. The canopy of trees engulfed the muddy forest path, and it felt like driving under a pocket of nature. The mighty banyan trees reached out like overhanging limbs, plunging most of the area in shadows. It was dark, except for a few irregular patches of light that escaped through the leaves, landing on earth in different shapes and sizes. An upgrade of disco lights.
I stood on the backseat of the white Gypsy, and a gentle breeze brushed past me that carried a wild aroma. I had to admit, for a tiny moment, my wanderlust got tamed.
The clock struck 4:15 PM. I was in the middle of exploring one of the jeweled wildlife destinations of India, the Manas National Park. Located at the Baksa district of Assam, this place held such an extent of natural beauty that stayed beyond human comprehension. After a three-hour-long journey from Guwahati, I reached the Smiling Tusker Elephant camp that gloriously stood in the middle of the tea gardens. It was the place where i booked my stay.
A tall and bulky forest guide in the lodge advised taking a Safari into the jungle during the evening. According to him, it was a decent time to spot the animals. Experience never goes out of style, the guide was right. I had completed the safari of the entire south side of the forest, and I got to see some wild boars, a herd of wild Indian Buffalos, and the elegant Indian Rhinoceros. With a heart full of warm memories and eyes gleaming with wanderlust, I was returning to the lodge, but the forest of Manas had one final surprise left for me.
Before we crossed the final elephant checkpoint, our guide suddenly signaled the vehicle to stop, and the passengers were confused including me until the guide signaled towards the right. And there it was, a mother elephant and her calf. Unfazed by our presence, they were enjoying a leisurely walk down the valley. Our guide warned about a herd being near, and before we could pull out our cameras, a quick tap on the metal bar of the vehicle echoed, and our ride zoomed ahead. Stunned at the sudden turn of events, i shot a look at the guide. No words exchanged as he sharply pointed backward, and what i saw next blew the brain off my head. Precisely at our previous location from the thick blanket of tropical shrubs walked a complete herd of wild Indian elephants. They appeared like the wizard of Oz from a cloud. Sudden yet elegant.
They walked like they owned the place, which they technically did. In seconds, the entire herd disappeared into the wilderness, and with that, we finally returned to the camp.