Dawns the hour and everybody is up, cameras are loaded and we are all ready to be thrown at the lions. We are packed into three Maruti Gypsies with a guide in the lead vehicle and ride through Sasan into the forest proper.

The path through the forest is a jeep track, dusty and of course very, very rutted. However, with everyone quartering the forest to spot wildlife, comfort was the last thing on one's mind. The dappled sunlight among the stands of teak and deep shadows of nullahs and stream beds seemed to hide animals by the dozen. We did see some Chital on a number of occasions, but then coming as we were from Velvadhar, the deer did seem small prey.

An hour into the drive, we came to a small reservoir in middle of the forest. Hereon we returned back by another route with our guide using his wireless all along to get "Lion Intel" from rangers in the field.

Another hour driving through a relatively drier (and dustier) part of the forest and some more sightings of deer and we were through with the first round.

The lions of Gir had thrown disdain at us.

As we were to have another round in the evening, most of the guys decided to relax near a stream that flows through the forest and Sassan. En route, we visited a Crocodile breeding farm.

At around 1 in the afternoon I decided not to laze on the stream bank and headed for Somnath with Kyle as company. From Sasan, Somnath is 45 kilometers (I must have taken a longer route it was 65 on the odo), but the roads are really rutted and humped most of the way.

Somnath is by the coast and the temple is built bang on the beach. This temple must be one of India's most famous ones thanks to the loot-minded Ghaznis and Ghauris of history who have ravaged and destroyed it again and again. But then, faith can always rebuild itself. The current temple was built by Sardar Vallabhai Patel and is surprisingly of concrete. Unfortunately we were pressed for time so I couldn't really do anything much but get a Darshan.

Rushing back the way we had rushed in we reached Sasan by around 4 in the afternoon, Kyle hanging on for dear life on my pillion.

Our luck was better in the evening. This time we were going into a different part of Gir, one that's more of natural forest and of course one where the track was even more dustier. Just 15 minutes into the drive my entire face was covered in dust and my moustache suddenly reddish brown in colour. We again saw deer by the dozen and then our luck changed with the sighting of a crocodile. A bit more into the drive and our lead vehicle screeches to a halt.

The reason is obvious, there are two lionesses not more than 70-80 meters away, sprawled comfortably and looking as if they are posing for a photocall. Later on, I came to know that one of the lionesses wears a radio collar and is used to the presence of humans. Maybe the reason why both the lionesses did not even turn a hair while we were assaulting their senses with click after click.

The light was failing rapidly now and yet we were lucky enough to sight another lion. A juvenile this time springing away from just besides the jeep track to turn back and give a polite growl.

On the way out of the forest we also passed a couple of huts where people live the way they always have. In the midst of the lions. May those huts always number a couple and may the poachers and timber smugglers be thrown to the lions.



Next...
what a collection of wheels indeed! Ranging across Fords, Bentleys, Jaguars and even an F1 racing car...(read on)


^Top