Asian Current

Jungle Lodges of India, some belonging to the government while others privately owned, offer excellent accommodation and full board. They are mostly located within National Parks, Tiger Reserves or close to the wildlife sanctuaries. They are strewn all over India, catering to various catagories of tourists, both national and international and are usually of two types – standard jungle safari lodges and luxury jungle resorts.

Here are a few jungle lodges of India that stand out…

Claridges Corbett Hideaway

Named after the legendary hunter of man-eating leopards and tigers in the Himalayan foothills, Jim Corbett National Park is one of the finest wildlife parks in India that is home to a multitude of flora and fauna. The Park being set in the natural surroundings is the perfect retreat for wildlife enthuasists and nature lovers.

Claridges Corbett Hideaway near Ramnagar (5 Km from the Park) offers excellent accomodation with all modern amenities and services. It is a four and a half hours journey from New Delhi and is connected with very good roads.

With terracotta style huts built around a pleasant orchard on a bluff overlooking the river, the resort has 40 spacious guest rooms. All double-bedded rooms are air conditioned with running hot and cold water available in attached western style toilets. Rooms are fully furnished with refrigerators. Being close to the Corbett National Park, this resort is the natural choice of many visitors. The resort serves clean and healthy continental food and is also known for its suberb Indian cuisine. A pool-side bar well stocked with branded Scotch and French cognac is an added attraction to this remarkable luxury jungle resort.

Tuli Tiger Resort in Kanha

The lush green meadows, lofty sal and bamboo forests are the ideal habitat of tigers in Kanha National Park, located near Jubbalpur which is an overnight journey from new Delhi. Sighting a tiger here is quite common, perched high above the elephant back. There are quite a few tantalising jungle resorts in or near the Tiger Reserve where a stay may become memorable.

Situated in the heart of Kanha, the Tuli Tiger Resort beckons all animal lovers. With the warm adventurous feeling of camping amidst wild animals in an Indian forest with complete security and best of comforts, this jungle resort has all modern amenities including air conditioned cottages with attached baths. A vast waterbody that extends to about 80,000 sq.mts makes the eye travel to far and remote where it meets a rivulet, ultimately joining the main river called Banjar. Facilities include open air barbeque and traditional restaurant serving Indian and continental dishes.

Periyar Jungle Resort

Situated within the confines of the lofty western Ghat mountains in the Southern Indian state of Kerala, Periyar National Park & Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. The Taj Garden Retreat is set in a three and half acre estate of coffee, orchards and spices at the periphery of the Periyar National Park. It is nestled above 2,700 feet high on an escarpemnt with excellent view of the neighboring hills and dales.

Cottages built on stilts are elegantly furnished with private mini bars, CTV with satelite programs and international direct dial facilty. All rooms have private balconies overlooking the misty hills or the surrounding lush green foliage. Facilities include multi cuisine resaturant and ehtnic bar overlooking lush green hills and stocked with fine selection of wines, cocktails and liquer.

With the mighty river Bramhaputra as its northern limit and the range of Karbi hills in the south, the Kaziranga National Park extends to well over 430 sq kms on the river’s south bank in the Indian state of Assam. This is where the Indian one horned rhinoceros can be found in most numbers, thanks to the efforts of wildlife wardens and the Park’s exclusive security arrangement. This endangered species, almost on the brink of disaster a few years back is now thriving well.

Kaziranga was a swampy, malaria ridden inaccessible wetland where local hunters had their hay day till 1905, when the government (then British) under Lord Curzon voiced his intention to turn it to a Reserve. By then, the rhinoceros population in the area had dwindled down to a mere 14 and the slaughtering continued unabated. However, the declaration was finalized soon and the area was officially closed to hunters in 1908. In 1950, it was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary and in 1974, accorded the status of a National Park. Kaziranga, in the local Karbi dialect means ‘where the mountain goat has got the water’.

The approach to Kaziranga is superb. The ride is comfortable and smooth, undulating tea estates alternate with forest and rice fields on either side. Along the horizon you can just about see the Bramhaputra in the distance. Soon, a turn off leads to the Kaziranga Wild Grass Resort. Gracefully built in the colonial style, the Wild Grass is a simple, elegant rural Inn, surrounded by silence, greenery and an ambience of real relaxation. The place is said to lure visitors even when the Park remain closed during the rainy season for its tranquility and excellent service. The resort arranges elephant rides and jeep safaris within the Park and trained mahouts locate rhinos within a remarkably short time. There are many other resorts inside the forest and outside as well.

Seeing the Rhino and the Tiger from atop the elephant is an incredible experience. You can get extremely close to the animals and reach out to inaccessible areas that a vehicle cannot go to when you are riding an elephant.

Apart from rhinos, Kaziranga boasts of wild buffalos and herds of wild elephants. Also seen are wild boars, porcupine and the king of the Indian forest, the Tiger. Crested serpent eagle and the gray-headed fishing eagle can be seen idly circling above the marsh land while the swamp partridge, bar-headed goose, Bengal florican storks, whistling teals and herons are sighted early evenings. Pelicans are also found occasionally within the precincts of Kaziranga.

Daybreak at Kaziranga is a breathtaking transition from cold gray to brilliant gold. Gilded grass turns to green as the nip in the air ebbs and a new day dawns on the grassland. As graceful silhouettes against the glowing horizon, swamp deer trot past the herd of wild buffalos wallowing in mud when tea is served in your room.

Evenings under the star-studded sky are ethereal. With glasses in hand, tourists relax around the campfire, startling at the sudden trumpeting of an elephant nearby. As the night wears on and the silvery moon climbs higher on the horizon, the awe-inspiring roar of a roaming tiger from the distant woodland seem to fill the very air you are breathing.

Best time to visit the Park is between November to April. The nearest airport is at Jorhat.

Shillong, situated at an altitude of 4,908 ft (1,496 m) above sea level is the capital of Meghalaya, one of the smaller states of North-Eastern India. It is also the district headquarters of East Khasi Hills. Over the years Shillong has grown in size and significance in its own traditional way from a mere village in its formative years to an important city of North Eastern India. It now has a population of approx. 260,000. Shillong had been the capital of undivided Assam till January 21, 1972 when it was re-christened as the capital of the newly formed state of Meghalaya and Dispur became the capital of Assam.

Shillong had been the summer capital of Eastern Bengal and Assam for many years. In 1874, on the formation of Assam as a Chief Commissioner’s Province, it was chosen as the headquarters of the new administration because of its convenient location between the Brahmaputra and Surma Valley and more so because the climate of Shillong was much agreeable than tropical India. In fact, Shillong is subject to vagaries of the monsoon. The monsoons arrive in June and drench the landscape till the end of August. It’s warm, and sometimes humid, during summers but winters get quite cold. October-November and March-April are supposedly the best months to visit Shillong. However, on a broader level, Shillong is blessed with very agreeable climate round the year.

According to popular legend and folklore, the city has derived its name from “Leishyllong”, the Supreme Being who is said to be dwelling on the forested Shillong Peak, standing 1,965 mts. above sea level, overlooking the city. Shillong has one of the largest golf courses (the world’s wettest) in Asia and the golf course is called “Glen Eagle of the East”. It is also considered one of the best in India. It is situated in the center of the city, close to the polo ground and witnesses many golfers from all over the world every year who come here to test their skills.

It enjoys the rare distinction of being one of the few natural golf courses in Asia. Not only is the Shillong course scenic and enjoyable, it is also challenging. The course is a veritable dream-come-true for golfers looking for exotic and challenging courses for their favorite sport. It is set in an undulating valley peppered with pine and rhododendron trees. The tight fairways, carpeted with a unique local grass, which hardens the soil, are difficult to negotiate. The number of out-of-bounds streams that crisscross every fairway makes it all the more trying. Obstructions come in the form of bunkers, trees and rain.

A group of British Civil Service officers introduced golf to Shillong in 1898 by constructing a nine-hole course. The present 18-hole course was inaugurated in 1924. The longest hole is the 6th, which is a grueling 594 yards. So if playing some stimulating golf in the perfect climate is on your mind, there’s only one place to head for. Pack your clubs, call your cabby and call up your travel agent. Get ready to discover “The Scotland Of The East”.

While in Shillong, do make it a point to visit Cherrapunji, which is the wettest place in the world. Also visit the stalactite and stalagmite caves of Tura.

Get ready to take a dip in the Arabian Sea this time. Walk along golden beaches, sometimes bustling with activity and sometimes serene, feel the warm caress of the sand under your naked feet, soak in the sun as much as you want and let the cool breeze from the Arabian Sea make life worth living. Welcome to Goa!

Goa is India’s second smallest state in terms of area (after Delhi) and the fourth smallest in terms of population. It is located on the west coast of India, in the region known as the Konkan, and is bordered by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the east and south. The Arabian Sea bounds it to the west. Panaji (Panjim) is the state’s capital, and Vasco-da-Gama (Vasco) its largest city.

Portuguese merchants first landed in Goa in the 15th century, and annexed it shortly after. The Portuguese colony existed for about 450 years, until it was successfully taken over by India in 1961.

Goa is internationally renowned for its beaches and is visited by hundreds of thousands of foreign and domestic tourists each year. In fact, Goa has become one of the most popular holiday destinations for travelers and tourists from the Occident. Take a walk along its almost unbroken 100 km coastline of beaches and you’ll see why. If the pleasure of the sheer walk doesn’t thrill you enough, take time to look around and you’ll be awed at the venerable cathedrals of the bygone era (in Old Goa) and remnants of Portuguese architecture, while sipping on some “Feni”, the locally produced alcoholic beverage made from cashew fruits.

Mention Goa to anyone who’s been there, and you’ll remind him of its warm, inviting, near-tropical beaches. And while the rest of Goa – its culture, food, inland scenery, and cities – are all well worth visiting, Goa’s beaches are what makes it one of India’s major tourist attractions, attracting an officially-estimated 2 million visitors each year. “Palolem” is Goa’s southernmost beach, about 35 miles south of Panaji. The beach is strikingly beautiful with its white sand on a blue bay hemmed in by two headlands. Locals will offer to take you out in small boats to watch the dolphins. Believe me, it’s worth it!

If you’re looking for more solitude, the lonely beach of “Agonda”, just north of Palolem, is an excellent choice. It is edged by palms and casuarinas, with a large hill sitting to the south.

Among the safest beaches for swimming is the “Bogmolo” Beach, just south of Panaji. Interestingly, it was among the first of Goa’s beaches to be discovered by tourists.

Goa has a unique blend of cultural diversities with a charming East-West mix. Bulk of the visitors you’ll find in Goa are from different parts of India, but the quarter-million from abroad have an influential role to play because of their spending capacity. Among the foreign visitors, and increasingly among a section of young visitors from India, Goa is currently renowned for its electronic music parties and of course, the plethora of enjoyable activities on its beaches.

This year take a vacation of your lifetime. Come off the beaten track. Come to Kohima and visit the cemetery of a division of British soldiers that laid their lives, fighting against the Japanese. The wonderful epitaph erected over the graves of 1400 soldiers and thoughtfully preserved by the British War Memorial Committee says.

When You Go Home
Tell Them Of Us And Say
For Your Tomorrow
We Gave Our Today

Kohima, popularly known as the Switzerland of the East is a sleepy little hill station situated at an altitude of 1495 meters and is the capital city of Nagaland, a tiny North eastern state in the Indian peninsula where an epoch battle was fought between the British army and the Japanese soldiers during the Second world War. Kohima is less than 3 hours drive from the airport at Dimapur through scenic roadways. Fairly good hotels with neat and clean furnishing are available en route. Cuisine preferred are mostly continental though local food may also be sampled.

The state of Nagaland is a narrow strip of mountainous territory lying to the east and south of Assam, north of Manipur and west of Mynamar. Meandering streams, high mountains, deep gorges and silent valleys together with a rich variety of flora and fauna has set this tiny state apart from the rest of India. Curiously enough, it is the only state in India where English is the official state language. No less than sixteen groups of Tibeto-Burman tribes inhabit the state whose arms are as colorful as their dresses. For sight seeing, a couple of days should be enough. Taxis and three wheelers are available throughout the day and a trip to the War Memorial and the cemetery will cost very little. A visit to the State Museum may be quite rewarding as relics of ancient Naga culture are preserved here with care and concern. Clay models of Naga warriors and their weapons are displayed in the Museum in a backdrop of wooded hills and terraced paddy fields. However, no orientation is made anywhere of the Naga Headhunters who once created terror in this close-knitted yet multi-tribal land of Nagas.

Another historic site not to be missed in Kohima is the Khonoma Gate, opening into the village of the namesake where the British once fought with bullets against the Nagas armed with rusty swords and poisoned arrows and were defeated. This is around ten kilometers from Kohima and the place is still remembered as a site of valor and courage for which the Nagas are well known. Another distinctive feature of Khonoma is its paddy fields. These terraced crop-growing fields yield at least twenty different varieties of paddy or rice during each cultivation phase and the produce is collected in twenty different containers for marketing to the plains people. It is common custom for the village elders to taste each different type of rice after harvesting that is celebrated with much éclat and fanfare.

Eastern Himalayan Mountains surround Kohima in all directions. A day’s journey to the Japfu Peak, 3048 meters above sea level is indeed worthwhile. Japfu is the second highest peak in Kohima from where a panoramic view of the town is absolutely enchanting. Mokokchung and Zunhebote, located at a distance of 160 and 150 kilometers respectively from Kohima are two picturesque small townships at high altitude, the earlier being the cultural center of Ao Nagas.

Jungle Lodges of India, some belonging to the government while others privately owned, offer excellent accommodation and full board. They are mostly located within National Parks, Tiger Reserves or close to the wildlife sanctuaries. They are strewn all over India, catering to various catagories of tourists, both national and international and are usually of two types – standard jungle safari lodges and luxury jungle resorts.

Here are a few jungle lodges of India that stand out…

Claridges Corbett Hideaway

Named after the legendary hunter of man-eating leopards and tigers in the Himalayan foothills, Jim Corbett National Park is one of the finest wildlife parks in India that is home to a multitude of flora and fauna. The Park being set in the natural surroundings is the perfect retreat for wildlife enthuasists and nature lovers.

Claridges Corbett Hideaway near Ramnagar (5 Km from the Park) offers excellent accomodation with all modern amenities and services. It is a four and a half hours journey from New Delhi and is connected with very good roads.

With terracotta style huts built around a pleasant orchard on a bluff overlooking the river, the resort has 40 spacious guest rooms. All double-bedded rooms are air conditioned with running hot and cold water available in attached western style toilets. Rooms are fully furnished with refrigerators. Being close to the Corbett National Park, this resort is the natural choice of many visitors. The resort serves clean and healthy continental food and is also known for its suberb Indian cuisine. A pool-side bar well stocked with branded Scotch and French cognac is an added attraction to this remarkable luxury jungle resort.

Tuli Tiger Resort in Kanha

The lush green meadows, lofty sal and bamboo forests are the ideal habitat of tigers in Kanha National Park, located near Jubbalpur which is an overnight journey from new Delhi. Sighting a tiger here is quite common, perched high above the elephant back. There are quite a few tantalising jungle resorts in or near the Tiger Reserve where a stay may become memorable.

Situated in the heart of Kanha, the Tuli Tiger Resort beckons all animal lovers. With the warm adventurous feeling of camping amidst wild animals in an Indian forest with complete security and best of comforts, this jungle resort has all modern amenities including air conditioned cottages with attached baths. A vast waterbody that extends to about 80,000 sq.mts makes the eye travel to far and remote where it meets a rivulet, ultimately joining the main river called Banjar. Facilities include open air barbeque and traditional restaurant serving Indian and continental dishes.

Periyar Jungle Resort

Situated within the confines of the lofty western Ghat mountains in the Southern Indian state of Kerala, Periyar National Park & Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. The Taj Garden Retreat is set in a three and half acre estate of coffee, orchards and spices at the periphery of the Periyar National Park. It is nestled above 2,700 feet high on an escarpemnt with excellent view of the neighboring hills and dales.

Cottages built on stilts are elegantly furnished with private mini bars, CTV with satelite programs and international direct dial facilty. All rooms have private balconies overlooking the misty hills or the surrounding lush green foliage. Facilities include multi cuisine resaturant and ehtnic bar overlooking lush green hills and stocked with fine selection of wines, cocktails and liquer.

What do Tenzing Norgay, one of the first two men to set foot on Mount Everest (on May 29, 1953), the World Heritage Himalayan Railway (chosen by UNESCO) with its quaint little toy trains, and some of the finest tea in the world, have in common? Its Darjeeling, the undisputed "Queen of the Hills", situated some 665 km’s. away from Calcutta (now Kolkata) in Eastern India.

Mark Twain once said of Darjeeling that it’s "the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once – by even a glimpse – would not give that glimpse for the shows of the rest of the world combined."

And nothing could be closer to the truth.

In 1835, Darjeeling was given to the East India Company by the King of Sikkim. It became a popular resort for the British who wanted to escape the sweltering heat of the plains and seek cooler comforts in the north. The town of Darjeeling today occupies an area of 11.44 sq. kms. and has a population of about 100,00. The name Darjeeling itself has two parts to it – ‘dorje’ meaning ‘thunderbolt’ and ‘ling’ meaning ‘place’. So Darjeeling is ‘the Land of Thunderbolts’. However, the serene beauty of the place will have you believe otherwise. The snow-capped peak of the Kanchenjungha in the lap of the lofty Himalayas afar, the sleepy villages shrouded in fog, the lush tea-gardens dotting the landscape, the smiling Sherpa children – Darjeeling, it is said, refuses to age even after a thousand glimpses.

Darjeeling situated some 2134 meters above the sea level, with a splendid range of natural beauty provides a wide variety of activities from leisurely scenic walks and popular sightseeing to more grueling activities such as trekking and river rafting for the adventurous. There’s so much to do while you are in Darjeeling. A visit to the Tiger Hill, standing 2590 meters above the sea level, at daybreak will simply take your breath away as you witness the mesmerizing sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha, which is among the tallest peaks in the world.

Then take a walk to the beautifully exotic Japanese Peace Pagoda, the unforgettable Ghoom Monastery (Ghoom also boasts of having the highest railway station in the world), ride the train around the engineering marvel of the Batasia Loop, catch wannabe mountaineers in training at the Tenzing Norgay Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, lose yourself among the orchids at the Lloyd’s Botanical Gardens and pay your homage at the Dhirdam Temple, built in the style of Katmandu’s Pashupatinath Temple.

The Senchal Lake, located some 10 Kms. away from the town and supplying water to the local population, is a place of great beauty in itself. The hub of activity of the city is centered on the Mall, which has a variety of shops, restaurants and hotels. A pony ride along the beautiful walkways around the Mall will remain etched on one’s memory for eternity.

Darjeeling, in the final impression, emerges as a collage of rocks and forests, trickling streams and gushing waterfalls, deep gorges and steep mountains and a most diverse universe of flora and fauna. It takes just one visit to realize the truth of Mark Twain’s words: "…would not give that glimpse for the shows of the rest of the world combined."

If there’s one place on the planet that reminds you of true eternal love, it must be Agra and its most famous architectural structure, the Taj Mahal. For a memorable romantic holiday that will remain etched on your memory forever, come to the place that epitomizes true love and unflinching devotion for the whole world.

Situated by the banks of the river Yamuna, Taj Mahal is a sheer poignant poetry in marble, one of the most extravagant monuments ever built in the name of love. Over the ages, the Taj Mahal has emerged as a grand tribute to the timelessness of art and love. Built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1652 in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal has immortalized their love for posterity and now stands as an emblem for its purest form.

It is said that the main architect of this piece of marvel, Isa Khan, came all the way from Shiraz in Iran. Relive the love story as you fix your eyes upon its pure white marble shimmering silver in the soft moonlight, exuding a shell pink glow at dawn and at the close of the day, or taking on the tawny fiery hue of the majestic sun. The Taj serves as a symbol of eternal love where the heartbroken Shah Jahan was finally put to rest alongside his beloved Mumtaz. History has it that soon after its completion, Shah Jahan was deposed and put under house arrest at the nearby Agra Fort by his son Aurangzeb. According to legend, he spent the remaining days of his life gazing through the window at the Taj Mahal. At that juncture in his sad life, there were just two things – the Taj Mahal and the memories of his beloved departed wife, Mumtaz. Upon Shah Jahan’s death, Aurangzeb buried him in the Taj Mahal next to his wife, the only disruption of the otherwise perfect symmetry in the architecture.

Apart from its symbolic significance, the Taj Mahal is also considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic. It’s interesting to remember that while the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures.

The Taj Mahal is often described as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Millions of tourists have visited the site, making it one of the most popular international attractions in India. It is also popular choice among honeymooners. It has featured in countless works of art, including literature, music, paintings, cinema, fashion and more, as an emblem of eternal beauty.

Truly enough, the Taj is an embodiment of a kind of love that refuses to die with age, a perennial saga of amour that started with the Mughals and will probably continue as long as humanity will.

Sunderbans – Worlds Largest Mangrove Forest – Abode Of The Hungry TigerThere is no other way to depict the glare of a Sunderban Royal Bengal Tiger excepting through William Blake’s famous lines – “Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright/In the forest of the night.”

The intensity of the fierce eyes, the majestic stare of the burning eyeballs and the look of sneer and contempt make this formidable feline an outstanding royal entity. If you are a wildlife enthusiast or even a nature lover, you must come and visit Sunderban Tiger Reserve to face this king of Indian jungles in its own domain. For it is said, the Royal Bengal Tiger is at home here in the Sunderbans – some even feel that the tiger behaves differently here, and so is unpredictable.

Set in the delta of the Ganges and the Bramhaputra, the two mighty rivers of India, the largest estuarine delta in the world, the Sunderbans is awash with innumerable streams and rivulets where the tide rules. Also, the largest mangrove forest in the world, Sunderbans is home to many species of animals, birds and reptiles. The Royal Bengal Tiger stalks supreme over this delta where he is the undisputed king.

Spreading over a series of densely forested islands and salt-water channels, Sunderbans is home to the spotted deer, wild boar, rhesus monkeys, jungle cats, civet cat, herons, kingfishers, monitor lizards, egrets, white-bellied eagles, Olive Ridley turtles, estuarine crocodiles, river dolphins, water monitors, King Cobras and around 270 Royal Bengal Tigers, and surprisingly, many among them are man-eaters. Migratory birds fill the marshes during winter and the early mornings are alive with the shrill screeches of the whistling teals.

Some say the man-eating habit is due to drinking salt water, there being perpetual dearth of sweet water and scarcity of open space to stalk prey animals. Cubs being fed on human kills could also induce adult animals to become man-eaters.

There is no motorway inside the forest, and the only way to see wildlife is by traveling in motorboats or launches. The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) has guided tours, usually covering two to three nights on board steamers and launches for viewing wildlife. Chances are that you may see the king in action right from the deck of the steamer.

Since Royal Bengal Tigers are adept in swimming, the launches are anchored in mid-river during the night and armed patrols keep constant watch at the shoreline for the security of the passengers and crew. There are watchtowers at several places where tourists are guided through heavy gauge wire nettings to ward off accidental tiger assault.

How to reach

Only 130 km’s from Calcutta, it is connected by road to the nearest jetty from which a hired boat takes tourists to a Tourist Lodge within the Reserve.

Where to stay

The only available accommodation is the state run Sundar Chital Tourist Lodge at Sajnekhali that has boarding and lodging provisions for 50. Amenities are quite basic actually but since it is within the forest, and the tiger with its mysteries surround you always, it does not work as a handicap.

Permits for foreigners

Permits are available from the office of the Forest Department in Calcutta.

Best time to visit

The forest is open for visitors from October to March. However, winter months are considered best, as the tropical heat is minimal then. So, a visit between the months of December and February are ideal for Sunderbans.