On the Tiger Trail
On a morning safari at the Jim Corbett National Park we saw dozens of chital (spotted deer) grazing in silence, grey langurs playing on treetops, jackals and mongooses scurrying in panic, but the mighty tiger remained elusive. The park is located on the Terai plains at the foothills of the Himalayas, with the Ramganga and Kosi rivers flowing nearby. Established in 1936 by governor Malcolm Hailey, it was only a few decades later that it was renamed after Jim Corbett, hunter-turned-conservationist.
Keen enthusiasts claim that forests such as Bandhavgarh and Ranthambhore offer better chances of tiger sightings. With over 200 counted as of 2017, tigers are not just scarce but mythical. However, the jungle makes up with a huge population of tuskers. There are over 500 species of birds, both perennial and migratory, making it a birdwatcher’s delight. The area also has stunning landscapes—streams and meadows, tall grasslands and undulating hillocks—so, it is easy to see why Corbett still remains a hot favourite among nature lovers.
We were staying at the Lebua resort that is spread over nine acres and is entirely surrounded by forestland. Lebua offered a slice of the wilderness without having to step out—from sightings of the endangered Green Magpie to nocturnal visits by elephants, this is the perfect place to throw away the shackles of city life and breathe in the clean mountain air.
The stay also offered a taste of Kumaoni cuisine prepared with seasonal ingredients. There was alu pyaaz chilla with a tangy bhang ki chutney on the side for breakfast, and an array of pahadi vegetable dishes using fresh kaddu, saag and gaderi for dinner, served with mandua roti and fragrant Kumaoni khichdi.
Tigers may have shied away at our safari rides, but the forest revealed its myriad colours. It was enough for us to realise that a lot may have changed since the time of Jim Corbett, but the magic of the jungle remains.