‘We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure.
There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.’
Jawaharlal Nehru
Guru, my miracle man, my guiding light, once came up with the idea that instead of solely exploring birding rich areas in and around our city, we should begin travelling to other parts of the country. I was only just getting comfortable with my gadgets in my bird photography journey and wasn’t sure if I was ready to go beyond my comfort zone, but this suggestion ignited my passion for adventure. He suggested travelling to Chopta, a small region in Uttarakhand which also happens to be a part of the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary.
Located at an altitude of 2700 meters, Chopta is referred to as mini-Switzerland for its meadows, lush green pastures, and immense natural beauty. It is the base camp for the Chandrashila peak with the hike itself being one of the most adventurous one a travel enthusiast could opt for. This steep trek takes you through Tungnath, which is one of the highest Shiva temples in the world. Being rich in flora and fauna with dense forests of Rhododendron and Deodar trees, it is a paradise for bird lovers. The state bird of Uttarakhand, the Himalayan Monal, is a resident of this place. Other birds to look out for are the Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird, Russet Sparrow, Koklass Pheasant, The Bearded Vultures, Himalayan Blue Tail, Tickell’s Thrush, Golden Bush Robin, and the Yellow Rumped Honeyguide, to name a few.
We decided to take a road trip that would take us a little more than 6 hours, covering a distance of about 200 km, from our hometown Dehradun to this so-called mini-Switzerland. We started out early on a cold, foggy morning in February of 2020, covered from head to toe in warm clothing with the only skin showing around the eyes. It was still dark, and I fell asleep as soon as we hit the main road but was woken up by Guru as he stopped the car to take a fresh breath of air and take in the absolutely mystical and spiritual feel of Rishikesh. With a huge statue of Lord Shiva next to the river Ganga flowing in its full splendour, Rishikesh is also famous as the yoga capital of the world. We were travelling towards the east and after about 2 hours we reached the surreal locales of Devprayag, a town in Tehri, Garhwal, famous as the fifth and final union place where the Alaknanda River joins the River Bhagirathi, thereby forming the River Ganga. The beauty of nature is a joy in itself, and we were mesmerised, and awe struck by the views.
It was here, by the Alaknanda River, where we stopped for lunch. The chirping of birds was the only commotion breaking the stillness of the quiet surroundings, and the sight of the reflection of the peaks in the crystal-clear waters was spell binding. Each milestone was getting more and more overwhelming as well as mind blowing. Not once had we kept our cameras down and it was amazing how nature was unravelling its wonders one after the other.
Soon, we crossed Rudraprayag, the fourth confluence between the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. The scenes that materialized before me were unparalleled, with rows of mountains giving the effect of a miraculous maze, streams amalgamating into rivers or unifying into lakes, and the sun playing hide and seek while illuminating the landscapes in different shades.
Despite being a very basic accommodation, our guesthouse, ‘Honey Guide Homestay in Ukhimath, was surrounded by breath-taking views. I could see the meaning behind a saying from our Hindu Shastras, “Har ek prahar ek naya roop dikha raha tha.” We hardly went into our rooms because the common balcony had become our dwelling for the next few days.
We captured some stupendous landscapes, had some excellent bird sightings, and witnessed some beautiful views. While trekking to Tungnath, we made our way through the super slippery slope, walking through knee-deep snow. Struggling through the snow, my breath condensed into water vapour and escaped as frost smoke from my mouth almost immediately. We were trying to reach the edge of the cliff to attempt to capture the colourful Monal against the snow-white background. I was filled with wonder by the spectacular panorama view that unravelled before me. The rays of the setting sun were scattering on the undulating contours of the snow adding a dreamlike dimension to the whole place. I was clicking away non-stop, in-spite of having a winter red nose, and freezing fingers, all the while singing, ‘Yeh haseen wadiyan, yeh khulla aasman…’ It was an enthralling experience that I’ll never forget.
The mountains offer an extraordinary environment of biological, cultural, and atmospheric diversity. Standing tall, firm, and vertical, while defying gravity and challenging people and animals who try to scale them, they amaze us, just as much with their height as with their steepness. We tried to cover as much area as we could, travelling to Pokhri, Ukhimath, Mandal, Duggalbitta, and Makku Math. We shivered looking at icicles, while some mountain goats comfortably grazed at remote inaccessible areas. We had some close encounters with the Lammergeier (bearded vulture), some other scavengers and birds of prey, and even clicked two Steppe Eagles fight. Each destination had some exotic birds, and some spell binding views to offer.
Reading about a place and physically visiting one are two completely different things.
Why had I not taken this trip earlier, I wondered.
Every life has one such opportunity to identify its defining purpose,
to explore the meaning beyond mere existence.’
Sunando Sen is an investment banker by profession but a conservationist by heart and the owner of Tanhau Homestay overlooking the Corbett Tiger Reserve. I met Sunando about 10 years back when he helped my friends and I get a booking at the guest house in Dhikala, inside Corbett Tiger Reserve. I was truly impressed by this man and his dedication to wildlife. There wasn’t a single driver or guide that didn’t know him and there wasn’t a single tiger that he didn’t know! No one could share his customised jeep, that would be loaded with his ammunition (camera gear) well ahead of time and he would be the first to enter the gates, be it on super chilly winter mornings or in the scorching, humid summer. There was so much to learn from him and it was a pleasure to have him around. They say company rubs off, and that trip became a turning point in my life, getting me addicted to and therefore, more involved with nature.
After our trip, Sunando volunteered to give my friends and I a quick tour of Tanhau, his passion project, located on a hilltop at an altitude of 4200 feet, hidden in a dense jungle, overlooking the Corbett Tiger Reserve in the village of Bhatoli, Uttarakhand. An isolated, peaceful and pristine homestay that’s been awarded the title of Best Homestay in India (Silver Cat) in the Indian Responsible Tourism Awards 2020, conducted by the Outlook Traveller. With just three rooms to offer, the place is simple, sustainable, with minimal carbon foot printing, enveloped in a jungle, and even bringing you some surprise visitors from the wild, if you’re lucky. Also, you may have to share your room with the original inhabitants of the place without a complaint – the insects, reptiles and amphibians. It’s definitely not a place for the weak hearted or people looking for a luxury stay.
I had politely passed the opportunity that day, as it was a long drive back home, a decision I regret till date. I have been trying to plan a trip to Tanhau ever since, but it’s almost like it was jinxed and something or the other would come up and I had to cancel. A few years back a close friend visited the place and wouldn’t stop raving about the place and its owner, and my itch to visit aggravated! Was God testing my patience!? Well my time finally came after a 10 year itch in mid-Sep in 2023, when a road trip with friends was planned to this sanctuary, a comfortable 6 hour long drive. We were greeted by Subhash in a safari jeep at one of the intersection as soon as we crossed the Dhikala gate in Ramnagar and were guided up a hill on a kacha road. We parked our car 4km before the resort and shifted the luggage and ourselves into the jeep with Subhash, and started a climb that was as exciting as it was scary. It was a narrow, rough, uncemented path, barely enough for a single vehicle to pass and had a valley on one side! The only good part was the spectacular, almost divine landscapes, the meandering Kosi River and the many layers of mountains trapping the clouds in its arms, giving us the most magnificent views and photographs.
In Tanhau, there is so much you can do, like walk in the prime tiger habitats, go for treks, safaris, bird watching, fishing, setting up cameras traps, star gazing, camping in the wild, meeting the villagers, driving to the river or just disconnecting from the world to reconnect and rediscover your inner self. That’s exactly what we did during our stay, as in the words of the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders”. It was wonderful to be finally visiting the property and being in Sunando’s cherished company listening to his fascinating and spine chilling stories of being in this isolated yet divine place.
Sunando has a delightful pack of dogs, big and ferocious yet extremely well trained. He takes them for a walk twice a day, while setting up camera traps around the periphery of the property, trying to document the movement of wildlife. On the night camera, he has captured elephants, leopards, wild boars, porcupines, martins and few other animals apart from the regular visits by different tigers and sometimes their cubs too! It’s been over a decade that he’s been staying here, his knowledge of the wild is incomparable and he has an unlimited supply of enthralling, yet thought-provoking experiences to share.
Sunando leads a life people only wish for but don’t have the heart to plunge into. Trust me, it’s not easy to sustain a place like Tanhau, especially looking at the strict sustainability fundamentals he follows. I do wish someday he finds someone who can convince him to pen down his stories, experiences and struggles to share with the world, not for monetary gain but instead, to spread his knowledge and wisdom to inspire and ignite the spark of the many others like him, who are simply waiting for their catalyst to show them their path.
