BR Hills!

Monsoons were around the corner with overcast skies, romantic weather and another impulsive plan to get out of the city and soak in the joys of nature.
BR hills, according to the map, were smugly nestled between the eastern and western Ghats at an altitude of 3375 meters above sea level.
Excitement settled in fast, bags were packed and a group of random people quickly assembled on the designated morning, all set to go.

Driving down we encountered innumerable bad roads before finally entering the forest area. Here the roads and scenery improved but the forest guards told us not to get off the car as wild animals hang about in the vicinity. Half an hour down the forest road, just when we were experiencing complete solitude, an entire village suddenly popped out of the wilderness. Cattle, chicken, huts and people lived here in perfect harmony with nature. A few minutes away lies the Jungle lodges resort.

June to October is the peak season, booking a room before landing up there, would be advisable. Having forgotten to do so, our persuasion skills were put to severe tests and found to be reasonably successful. We got a large room on the first floor. The resort is an old English style building with rooms in it and cottages all around. These unconventional cottages are made of waterproof canvas walls and a cemented roof. BR hills has no power supply, everything works on solar energy. Lights go out by 9 pm and hand lanterns are given out to people who refuse to sleep. There’s nothing much you can do with those lanterns except stare into them, so you’re better off just sleeping at 9.

The open jeep forest safari offered twice a day is thrilling and fast paced. Monkeys form a large part of the wild life population, followed by deer, wild boars and bison. Elephants are surprisingly rare and leopards are spoken about in hushed tones. A framed photograph of a tiger’s rear and tail adorns one wall of the resort, proving that Tigers do in-fact exist in the sanctuary. Barking deer, a shockingly small animal that actually barks like a dog was a first to us. Wild Boars look a lot like our friendly pot bellied city pigs but have an upturned snout and little tusks. We were instantly reminded of Asterix and looked on hungrily at the unsuspecting animals. Bison are extremely lazy and love posing for photographs. Monkeys are greedy and love snatching away your food.

After the safari we eyed the large hammocks high up in the trees, they’re big enough to accommodate 4 to 5 people at the same time. Sumptuous lunch and dinner buffets kept us nice and satisfied at all times. Not to mention the delicious breakfasts, that got us going every morning.

Dawn is a beautiful time; we took a walk into the forest one morning hoping to perhaps glimpse a few tigers, praying at the same time that none be around. A guy from National Geographic with fancy equipment was on the prowl, we followed him around for a bit but he managed to shake us off. Hence we explored our photographic talents and came away with some really nice snaps.

Sighting two elephants a little distance away, got us all worked up and excited. It was only after several minutes of mindless running that someone spotted the chains on their feet. These were tame elephants used for the elephant safari. Crest fallen we trekked back uphill to the lodge. Another lazy hammock session would have followed if it weren’t for the monkeys that hung about eyeing us with an untrustworthy look in their eye.

BR hills is heaven for the lazy man. Pleasant weather, overcast skies, a light drizzle, warm clothes, delicious food and hills all around.
Memories shall remain, though we left those hills behind. We’ll always smell the rain on damp forest grounds. Serene, pollution-free and green, BR hills are the perfect destination for a vacation that’s completely tension free.