So, I live around Chandigarh and there is this place close by, called Morni hills, nothing huge but just a close get away. And enroute Morni hills are some 2 or 3 monsoon only canals / nalas.
I have been to Morni hills many times but looking at these Nalas from the roads above, always bring a sense of little exhilaration, as I have never seen anybody going down them and also because they look like a promising off-road terrain and yes the place comes under the less popular, a so called Berwala bird sanctuary.
This last time, when we were enroute Morni hills, I saw this Nala again and upon returning, I checked the place on Google Earth 🌍, and was a little fascinated upon seeing two small marks ahead in one of the Nalas. They appeared like small reservoir. So yesterday, I decided and took the bike for my little off-road exploration.
I went there, parked the bike at the base and climbed upon a small cliff, with a plateau like structure at the top. Nice and clean. Upon arrival, I was welcomed by a grey coloured deer, who literally honked upon seeing me (I didn’t know some deer honked, until yesterday) & vanished into the thicket.
Upon descending, saw this wall and lying around some crushed bones, only wondering if there was a leopard around, if yes and if choose to.. then, which way would it come from, wherever it would be, it sure would not be this wall. It looked a little; too difficult for the big cat itself.
So, I had my earphones on and a pint down.. or maybe two. Let’s keep it to one. I kept on riding, until I reached this hauntingly calm spot, I plucked the earphones out, and the place was so quiet that I could hear the silence.
Man!! And it had to be that calm because, that was the spot where the big cat would either hunt or otherwise bring its hunt down to, to satiate its hunger.
Did use my Sherlock instincts, to find out which it was! And based on what I saw, I did come to the conclusion that it was the place where the big cat would bring its hunt-down to, and the hunting would have taken place not very far away from the spot either, because the hunts were all deer, big deer 🦌 and dragging them there from somewhere far doesn’t make sense.
So, this is what I saw. Not one or two but six carcasses.
The last one –just the head, makes me wonder, if the other parts have been eaten already or are lying around somewhere close by or maybe are, still being feasted upon.
And ahead was this road block, which I did not mind much, because by the time; somewhere, deep inside, even I had a feeling that exploration for the day had to stop there, for it was about to get dark as well.
A good thing, because it doesn’t happen quite often that you visit a place and you are done with it. There’s some … Aray yaar vo rh gya ghoome bina always left. At least with me.
So, I did turn the bike around, and now that there were no earphones and the beer was also fading away, did I realize, how deep I have come.
Also, there was a full proof plan ready, in case the hunter comes, which basically included the bike to be a barrier, and I was supposed to be on the side of the bike opposite from the hunter and I had to show no fear and in case of an emergency, I had to pick up a big stone. A big stone or a strong kick in his tummy, there was some confusion between that.
And just while returning, I did hear some movement in the bush and I did stop for a minute. I am not sure if it was after assaying the situation did I find it better; to stop and see, rather than keep on going_ endangering myself with the risk of the cat_ if it was the cat_ coming from behind and snatch me away from the bike or if it was the thrill.
But I did stop there and there was a feeling, a mixture of a little fear but fear of the known, yet it was not. Mixed with the little left high of the beer, with some contentment of having a reliable bike on me, a sense of achievement and the readiness to not get caught under any circumstances. All of it together & it was a good feeling, only that I did not have anybody to share it with. So, here I am.
Icing on the cake – I am not sure if the picture will be clear enough – for they are all phone photos. But, I was met by this family of wild boars, all healthy, 6 of them. One macho boar did stand with a very peculiar stance and would start approaching me. I honked but to no effect, I revved the engine but no stopping him, then following in his footsteps I started off towards him and all of them vanished into the bushes. The macho went in the last. All in All making my day.
It was a happy day and Bagga must have sensed it, and he did use that to carry out his own agenda of finally being able to sleep in the sofa, which otherwise, he is strictly not allowed to do .
And he was right, I did let him sleep there.