On the Leopards' Trail in Marwar

Alert Leopard on a boulder in Bera

Trying to sight a Leopard (Panthera Pardus) in a jungle is perhaps no different than trying to find a needle in a haystack. On the many trips to the jungles of India, with some patience and luck, one can have excellent sightings of tigers, lions, even the shy sloth bear, and other mammals. But the leopard is an elusive beast. It can hide itself in any nook & cranny of the jungle, is smaller than the other carnivores, enjoys excellent camouflage, prefers hunting in the night, and with its acrobatic skills can perch itself on trees and boulders. Even if sightings occur, they are more in the nature of blink and you miss it. Though, we have heard stories of people seeing a leopard, sitting nonchalantly in plain view of the human eye, in the jungles of South India, such reports have been fewer from those of North India.

Despite several trips in the wild, we had thus far been unlucky in the matter of leopard sighting. The closest we ever came to sighting it was when we spotted a leopard’s kill but, not the perpetrator himself!

No longer wanting to leave things to a chance, we decided to take matters in our own hands and headed straight to Bera, a dusty village in southern Rajasthan amidst the Aravalli mountains and surrounded by water bodies. Here our abode was Thakur Devi Singhji’s orchard or rather the Leopard’s Lair Resort as it is officially called.

Devi Singhji & Me

Thakur Devi Singhji is a legend in these parts of Rajasthan for his work in the field of leopard conservation. The mountains in this belt do not have enough of a natural prey base for the leopards to feast upon; hence they were forced to hunt calves and goat. The villagers, who were naturally incensed on losing their livestock, would often kill the leopards. This was until Devi Singhji stepped in and started compensating the villagers for the loss of livestock. Thanks to his efforts, the man-animal conflict in the region has reduced to a great extent. Today, there is a thriving population of about 20-25 leopards in the area surrounding Bera! No wonder the place is on its way to planting itself on the wildlife tourism circuit of India.

Presently there are two properties in Bera that provide stay facility and game drives - Leopard’s Lair Resort (run by Thakur Devi Singhji) and CastleBera. We of course chose the former.

The leopard safaris (game drives) are lead by Devi Singhji himself and it is a pleasure spending time with him while waiting for the leopards to put in an appearance. A thorough gentleman, extremely polite and hospitable, he is a fountain of knowledge. Leopard sightings are very regular thanks to Devi Singhji's expertise and the fact that their territories are well defined. There's a rocky hillock, close to the farms, where a leopard's family is known to reside (male, female and two adult cubs) and it serves as a starting point for the safari. The leopards can be easily seen resting on the rocks or perched on the dry trees. The absence of any dense vegetation on the hillock makes the sightings easier (though for us mortals it takes a minute or two to sight the leopard in the yellow grasses). Devi Singhji also proudly informed us that he can count on his finger tips the number of days in a year when there are no sightings! Impressive!

We had visited the place in winter which, as Devi Singhji informed us, is also the best time for leopard sightings. This is because, unlike summers when they emerge out late owing to the heat, in winters they stroll out of their caves between 5-6:00PM, bask for a while in the warmth of the setting sun and then proceed to make their kill. The only negative, from my perspective, was that during winters the Sun sets exactly behind the hillock. As a result, leopard sightings occur in fading light and getting some good images becomes difficult. Though, we were more interested in the sightings (given our luck earlier) than in images.

The evening safari extends into the night and if one is lucky he might even sight leopards feasting on their kill.

Zara & her adult cub

On the first day, we got to enjoy the sight of a female leopard (named Zara) and her adult cub (named Nivaan, if my memory serves me right) for over an hour. They would occasionally rest on the boulder, move about on the hillock, and play on tree tops until they chose to disappear into the bushes, presumably, to make arrangements for their dinner! It was almost night time by now and Devi Singhji drove us around in the territory hoping to sight leopards indulging in some activity. In case you are wondering how it is possible to sight leopards in the dark - well, a helper sitting in the rear of your vehicle employs a large spotting light to sweep the area for any signs of the beast. The beast’s eyes reflect back the light thereby betraying his presence. After a long drive we did manage to sight the two leopards again (Zara and Nivaan). However, upon sighting us humans, they quickly made for the bushes and we lost them thereafter.

Our subsequent visits were not as fruitful. But we had enough memories to carry back home. On the first day, while waiting for the leopards, we sighted a pair of Indian Grey Mongoose and as the legend goes, sighting them in a pair is extremely lucky for the beholder. Well, so we were!


For a slide show of complete set of pictures from Bera, please click Here. 


A note on the resort: The resort package includes crocodile safaris which are conducted in the morning. These are a complete waste of time and should be exchanged for the morning leopard safari. The crocodile safari is lead by a village bumpkin who can barely tell a crow from a pigeon. As such if one is interested in bird / crocodile watching near the Jawai Dam, we would suggest that he personally hire a vehicle and drive down to the dam and explore the birds at leisure than be at the mercy of an idiot.

Asian Openbill Stork (@ Jawai Dam)

The resort by itself has a nice rustic ambience. The property is fairly large and the Thakurs have planted a wide variety of trees in the orchard, thereby providing habitat to diverse species of birds. One can easily spot about 30-35 species of birds within the campus itself. The food is home made (in traditional Rajput style) and tastes ok. 
The rooms are well appointed, large and clean. The sour point is that the hotel staff is not well trained in hospitality and their mannerisms can put one off at times. In such instances, one just needs to speak to Devi Singhji or his wife and things will be immediately taken care of.

Room Tip: Choose the ones near the bonfire site.

All in all, visit this place for sighting leopards, understanding their behaviour, watching birds and to soak in some tranquillity. We would suggest spending minimum 2 nights at the place.

Sun rises over Marwar

How to reach: The nearest railhead is Jawai Bandh. From here, the drive to the resort takes ~ 20-30 minutes. The nearest airports are Udaipur (East of Bera) and Jodhpur (North of Bera) both of which are a good 4-5 hours’ drive from Bera. We would suggest that you include in your itinerary a visit to Udaipur and the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary for a wholesome experience and to make the most of your time and money.

Plum Headed Parakeet (Male)

List of birds sighted by us in the region: Large Cuckoo Shrike, White Wagtail, Common Hoopoe, Yellow Wagtail, Asian Openbill Stork, Black Winged Stilt, River Tern, Red Wattled Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher, Eurasian Collared Dove, Laughing Dove, Spotted Dove, Plum Headed Parakeets, Rose Ringed Parakeet, Little Ringed Plover, Indian Pond Heron, Ruddy Shelduck, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Black Shouldered Kite, Indian Robin, Common Tailorbird, Common Crow, Rock Pigeon, House Sparrow, Long Tailed Shrike, Black Ibis, Black Headed Ibis, Little Cormorant, Little Grebe, Common Greenshank, Red Throated Flycatcher, Indian Peafowl, Jungle Prinia, Desert Wheatear, Oriental White Eye, Large Billed Crow, Red Vented Bulbul, Purple Sunbird, Jungle Babbler, Little Green Bee-eater, Black Drongo, Indian Roller, Grey Francolin, Oriental Magpie Robin, Crested Bunting, and Black Redstart.










Copyright Maneesh Goal. All Rights Reserved.

Malshej Ghat, the Prince of Sahyadris! - a perfect weekend getaway from Mumbai!

Malshej Ghat, view from the plateau

Not many would believe it, but Mumbai is still a blessed place! As Mumbaikars we are indeed privileged to have places like Malshej Ghat at a driving distance of only 3 hours.

Malshej Ghat is a quaint hill-station located ahead of Kalyan, at a distance of about 150 Kms from Mumbai. Cosily nestled in the Western Ghats of Pune District, it is a place which has acquired fame (and some notoriety) for the unparalleled sights it offers during the monsoon months. Indeed the best time to visit the place is during monsoons when the swirling wind, heavy showers, verdant mountains and numerous waterfalls weave an atmosphere of magic in these jungles. But, on weekends, these delights also attract a lot of merry makers for whom the idea of enjoying this nature's bounty is to consume bucketfuls of liquor and then create ruckus in broad daylight along the streets and at the plateau beside the MTDC Flamingo Hill Resort. Aside from this, Malshej Ghat is a place where the waves of commercial exploitation are yet to reach. It has only two hotels worth the name - MTDC Flamingo Hill Resort and Su-shant Resort. Consequently, it is an ideal destination for people who want to spend time in solitude and soak in the tranquil atmosphere.

For a slide show of complete set of pictures from Malshej Ghat, please click here.

Malshej Ghat Panorama

The place is equally impressive even during the non-monsoon months. In fact Malshej Ghat is a place which has something to offer for every class of traveller. If you are of the adventurous kind, then there are numerous trekking points around here - Harishchandragad (a place which every trekker worth his salt swears by, being one of the most difficult points in this part of the world), Shivneri (birth place of the warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) and the numerous nature trails in the rolling hills around Malshej Ghat.

For wildlife lovers, the place is a paradise of sorts. Located in the Western Ghats, one of the few biodiversity hotspots in the world, it is home to several species of birds (resident and migratory), butterflies, flowers, reptiles, etc. including its most famous visitor - the beautiful Flamingos, who have perhaps rightfully chosen this place to breed during the monsoon months. The area around Pimpalgaon-Joge dam (located about 5 Kms from the MTDC resort) is an excellent birding hotspot which attracts a host of migratory birds during winter. One could even go Leopard tracking in the dense jungles nearby or in the adjacent Junnar area - Wikipedia tells me that "Junnar taluka in Maharashtra has the largest density of leopard population within a 500 km² area", Gulp!

Finally, if you are of the Wodehousian type, looking to spend a quiet day away from the hustle-bustle of the city, just relaxing, repairing and enjoying the simple aspects of life - seeing time fly by, listening to the sweet melodies of the birds, walking bare-feet on cold grass, feeling the gentle wind lapping on your face, reflecting on the how's & why's of life - then Malshej is perhaps the place you need to head out the next weekend.

For the moment we fell in the second and third category. The occasion was my wife's birthday and we were looking to spend a day out without much fanfare. We decided on the place only two days before and thanks to the off-season, managed to get bookings at the MTDC Flamingo Hill Resort (where otherwise getting bookings is very difficult). We got moving at the crack of dawn and as the soft sunlight filtered in through the trees we could see the air and landscape change immediately after we passed Kalyan. Mountain peaks draped in winter mist, monkeys (Rhesus Macaques) waving out to us from the edge of the road, winding and undulating roads, sweet earthy scent of the Indian hinterland wafting from the villages (still unscathed by modernity), and spicy Misal Pav with cutting tea (for breakfast) were some of the pleasures we enjoyed during this small journey.

As we neared Malshej Ghat, we passed through the solitary tunnel and immediately after it, on our left, saw a strange piece of nature's architecture. Overlooking the vast expanse of the Malshej Valley was a lone rock (shaped like Thumbs-up) jutting out at the edge of a small cliffed plateau. There's a narrow passage at the end of the tunnel which leads to the spot. It's a place from where one can photograph the entire panorama and spend a good 15-20 minutes (or more!) marvelling at the rock and the sights. If you are lucky, you could even get to photograph a Raptor flying at eye level!

Malshej Ghat Panorama from Rock Point

We reached the resort by 11:00AM. MTDC Flamingo Hill Resort is located on a plateau, surrounded by jungles and rolling hills, and it came to us as no surprise as to why it was so popular with travellers - there's no better place to get a good 180 degree view of the valley (save for the rock point I mentioned earlier). However, the place is like any other MTDC property - excellent location, trashy facilities!

At a distance we could see from the hotel drive-in that the waters of Pimpalgaon-Joga dam were beckoning us - it was wonderful to see them glistening in the sun. Since we were before check-in time, we decided to take a stroll on the plateau. There were very few tourists currently and the vast expanse was ours to own. The plateau abruptly ends into a deep gorge with dense jungle at the bottom. The jungle seemed calm from hundreds of feet above, but I am sure it was wild and teeming with activity below! The edge of the plateau is perhaps the best place to spend quality time!

Soon after a sumptuous lunch (the food is ok if you stick to the basic items) we headed straight towards Pimpalgaon-Joga lake. The lake has been created by halting the waters of River Pushpavati by constructing a bund or an earth-fill dam. There's a crude road on top of the dam which leads to Khireshwar village - the base camp for trek to Harishchandragad. Stretched expansively under the blue sky, the waters appear azure as far and wide as the human eye can see and one feels like getting lost in that moment. It's one of those perfect postcard lakes - rolling mountains on either side, a village behind us and the waters disappearing on the horizon - mesmerising! The lake is peppered with rocks which serve as perching point for cormorants, terns, egrets, kingfishers, and other water birds. Every now and then a cormorant would do the sorties and keep us entertained.

We slowly traversed the entire cross-section and finally settled down at a small piece of land that merges into the waters at the end of the dam. Once here, we waited for the evening - the crucial twilight time - when all the colours of nature would be on full display. The simple charms of rustic life were there for us to savour - smoke billowing from the stacks on the horizon, buffaloes bathing in the waters only a few feet away from us! We also met a villager who told us tales of misery of the people of the land. His eyes were intense, but there would be a glint whenever he would mention the prices that some pieces of land were fetching! We spent our time chatting, throwing pebbles in the water and photographing birds, including the Common Kingfisher who would intermittently come and perch on a rock few feet away from us.

Evening is when nature's magic show begins...

Time flew fast... soon evening fell and we were joined in by a large family group at this time. It was an absolute riot of colours. Sky was the canvas and God was the painter - from shades of yellow to golden to blue on nightfall - we couldn't have asked for more! With a very heavy heart we left the place and trundled back to our car. Back at the resort, a bunch of college students were having a campfire at the plateau. Amidst all the cacophony of these revellers, we could hear songs like Munni badnam hui blaring from mobile phones... wonder what the resident Gods must be thinking of them! Meanwhile, the night sky was beautifully lit up by the near full moon and countless stars.

Bee-eater readying to take flight

In the morning we ventured out early onto the plateau, hoping to catch some birds and capture panoramas in the soft morning light. The Long-tailed Shrike, Green Bee-eater, Pied Buschat, Blue Rockthrush, Crested Lark were all there for us - somehow shy this morning! Soon the butterflies also joined in and all around us it seemed like a song & dance party of nature! Good things don't last for long and the check-out time was looming upon us. In the courtyard we saw people playing volleyball and badminton. Finally by 2.00PM we bid Malshej Ghat goodbye but not before enjoying another sumptuous lunch, this time from the restaurant's upper deck from where the whole valley is visible!





All in all it was a day well spent. Perfect blend of some nature-watch activity and relaxation! Truly, Malshej Ghat is the 'Prince of Sahyadris'!

"I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes" - Edward Estlin Cummings

As always, I look forward to your comments / suggestions / feedback. Do write in...

Thank you!

Kaas Plateau - Maharashtra's Valley of Flowers - a heaven on earth!

Let a million flowers bloom! - Kaas Plateau

Picture yourself at a place where there are rows and rows of blooming flowers on a flat land, as far as your eyes can see - different colours, different varieties - surrounded by verdant mountains, lakes and valleys. If you think I am asking you to recollect a scene from some Yash Chopra film then you are mistaken. I am alluding to a place which is only 6-7 hours drive South of Mumbai and about 2-3 hours from Pune.

Kaas Plateau, nestled in the Sahyadris (Western Ghats) in the District of Satara (of Mahabaleshwar fame), is also known as Maharashtra's Plateau of Flowers or the Valley of Flowers (being surrounded by valleys on two sides). As the monsoon sets in, the place comes alive with millions of wild flowers blooming on the plateau and along the slopes of the hills (all naturally occurring). The carpet changes colour every passing day and hour - white, yellow, pink, violet, blue. Add to this the changing hues of the sky, it being rainy season, and you have a magical place - a place fit for the Gods!





For a slide show of complete set of pictures from Kaas Plateau, please click HERE.

Gathering Storm

Kaas Plateau - Bed of flowers - countless Smithia Hirsuta flowers

Malabar Crested Lark

The best time to enjoy this nature's bounty is August - October, of which September is perhaps the best. Apart from the flowers, keep an eye on the fauna as well - birds such as the Malabar Crested Lark, Bonneli's Eagle, Indian Robin, Crested Bunting, etc; reptiles - we saw a man holding Vine Snake on our way to the plateau; and myriad insects.

According to Dr. Sandeep Shrotri, there are over 1,500 types of plants in Kaas - 156 botanical families, 680 genera, 1452 species, 400 medicinal plants, and about 33 endangered varieties in Kaas and the neighbouring Koyna area. Many of these are believed to be not found elsewhere. It thus becomes imperative to protect this place. As such the Western Ghats are a biodiversity hotspot (amongst the two in India, out of a total of 34 world over). Days after we visited the place, a team from UNESCO visited the site in order to assess it for declaring it a World Heritage Site. Achieving this milestone would go a long way in creating awareness about conserving the place.

Some of the commonly found flowers at Kaas, and which are pictured here & in slideshow are - Smithia Hirsute (Mickey Mouse flower), Senecio Grahami, Utricularia Purpurascens, Dipcadi Montanum, Impatiens Oppositifolia, Indigofera Dalzelli, Cyanotis Cristata, Ipomoea Nil, Celosia Argentea, Drosero India, etc. (unable to label them below since it distorts alignment)

Endless line of vehicles on an overcast day!

Today, this once quaint idyllic place is under threat (it is not a declared protected area!) as lakhs of tourists visit this place. While tourism helps create awareness, it is also a double edged sword. Many tourists blissfully pluck flowers, uproot plants, litter the place and trample upon the flowers & insects - not knowing which endangered species they might be causing harm to. Many also indulge in revelry and treat it as a picnic spot.

When we reached the spot on the first day, there were hundreds of vehicles lined-up on either side of the road along the Kaas Plateau - while the next day (being Sunday) there was absolutely no place to park for miles - the cops had decided to halt vehicles headed for Kaas well in advance in order to avoid a traffic nightmare. I have to say that the cops stationed at the place are doing an admirable job of guiding the tourists and preventing any foul play - but just like entries to a national park are restricted, to conserve the place it is necessary to quickly come up with some mechanism to manage the flow of tourists.

With the place gaining in popularity over the last few years, things have only gotten worse. What's more, the place is also rich in minerals and one can only dread what could be the fate of the place if it is not declared a protected area!

Soak it in!

We had been to Kaas during the 2nd - 3rd October, 2010 weekend as part of the BNHS programme. Going along with knowledgeable people helps one understand the place better. Though the trip was towards the fag end of the blooming season we got to see enough diversity to be more than impressed with the beauty of the place. It is literally a cornucopia of flowers as you would also realise from the pictures.

Even the drive from Satara City to Kaas Plateau (about 20-22 Kms) is very scenic. One can see the Kanher Dam and Urmodi Dam on either side of the drive respectively - separated from the road by scenic valleys. There are number of farms dotting the place where one can see people going about their simple yet strenuous routines. After visiting Kaas, one can spend a good hour or two photographing the panoramic landscape, birds and other flora around here. Then there is also the Kaas Lake which is a must visit - its azure waters surrounded by forests,and the cool wind blowing on your face provide a nice tranquil and refreshing feeling. Apart from this, I have been told, there are a number of historical temples and gushing waterfalls nearby.

 En-route Kaas

En-route Kaas

Kaas Lake

Kanher Dam panorama (stitched)

Most importantly do not miss the evening at Kaas Plateau - the sunset and the changing hues of the sky are absolutely surreal and have an out of the world feeling about it.

Kaas @ Sunset time!

We ended our trip on Sunday afternoon by enjoying sumptuous Maharashtrian food at a place providing homestay options - located between Satara City and Kaas. These people were very passionate about nature and had planted a number of flowering plants in their courtyard. The flowers you will see towards the end of the slideshow are the ones cultivated by these folks and are not to be mistaken for the wild flowers of Kaas Plateau.


Travel tip... To reach Satara, one can either drive down from Mumbai or hop onto the many buses that ply regularly between the two cities. There are plenty of stay options in Satara. Kaas Plateau is located about 20-22 Kms from the city on the road that leads to Bamnoli village.
Do not forget to carry a sunscreen lotion and an insect repellent cream (if you are comfortable applying it). Being rainy season, carry adequate protection for your photography gear. Importantly buy Dr. Sandeep Shrotri's book 'Kaas - Plateau of Flowers' - it has a wealth of information on the place, flora and fauna and in it he also makes a passionate plea to protect the place. A two day weekend, I believe, is good enough to explore the place - you may want to go more than once to check out different carpets.

Satara City - through the valley - panorama

Thank you! Do write in with comments / questions.

Conserve nature! Protect our future!