Rajasthan diaries - Part 4 - world-is-my-oyster

Keoladev National Park

On the following day, we found ourselves at the gates of Keoladev National Park. Ghana, as the bird sanctuary is generally addressed by the locals, was originally a duck shoot reserve for the princely families of Bharatpur. It was notified as a bird reserve in 1956. Established in 1981, it was given the status of a National Park in 1982. The park was recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. Ramsar Convention designated it as a Wetland. The entire catchment area is around 12689 sq kms. The area includes, forest, wastelands, waterbodies, agricultural lands & built up area. It is dominated by Babul, Kadam, Neem, Shisham, Peepal trees, etc. The varieties of herbs & grasses found are Mutha, Doob grass, Lahsua, Badi Dudi & others. It is said to nestle more than 350 species of birds & a variety of wild animals. Pelicans, Demoiselle Cranes, Pintails, Coots, Painted Starks, ducks, Peacocks, Neelgai, Sambhar, Spotted Deer, etc are some of the species one can encounter. Besides rain, Gambhir & Banganga rivers are the other sources of water to maintain the biodiversity. The area is low lying & given to seasonal flooding. The best time for visiting the park for watching migratory birds is Oct to Feb.

The beautiful Keoladev National Park

It being a summer project, our visit to the Sanctuary was ill timed. Nonetheless, we were determined to spot birds. Cycling inside the park did not seem like a good option. So, we hired a Rickshaw. Our man offered in an innocent decapitation of the Queens language

"Madam, I sow you bird....."

Shakespeare must have turned and twisted in his grave

We spent around two unsuccessful hours trying to catch a glimpse of birds. Tired & hungry, we almost decided to return. As if on cue, clouds began to gather & it started drizzling. The rickshaw puller drew the vehicle underneath a cluster of trees. We stood patiently waiting for the rain to cease so that we could move on. Suddenly, there was a twitter. Looking up, we realized that we had an avian for company, afterall. Our good fortune that it also took shelter on the very same tree. Excited, I tried to recognise it from the patterning of its wings & long tail. Deciding that naming could wait, my friend quickly fished out her expensive blackberry mobile to capture the image of the beautiful bird for times immemorial. She focused while we all looked on with baited breath- lest our companion flitted away. Light followed sound. But, how could it be? Nothing travels faster than the speed of light, least of all sound. Einstein had not been proved wrong yet. Something was not quite right. I brought my gaze back from the bird & found my answers splashed on my friend’s head, face, hands, camera….. Perfect aim, amazing timing. It was uncanny; the bird had outsmarted us.

The expression free as a bird never made more sense

But the bird in the hand was certainly not worth two in the bush as far as we were concerned

From my childhood I have always been somewhat of an artist. Which is what prompted me to provide a pictorial representation of the unsavoury incident for the benefit of those who were deprived of watching it live.

A picture is worth a thousand words

An artists impression of the mean bird

Is the bird really mean?

Oh yes. Watch it in action !!!!!!

I remembered in the nick of the time that

"Comedy is tragedy that happens to other people. ..."

and desisted from laughing at the vanquished photographer who stood angrily with her blackberry looking like a wet berry.

She was to confess later that she had wished at the instant of the incident that her phone would turn into a mauser so that she could punish the guilty bird.

Meanwhile, gathering our wits and hurt pride, we found our tissues, water, handkerchiefs & cleaned up the mess. Our enthusiasm was marred completely by now. The mean but triumphant bird in the meantime flew away as the rain had already begun to recede.

Nevertheless, at the insistence our rickshaw puller, we agreed to go further on. We noticed that a group of travellers were following a trail inside the wetland. They are going to the Keoladev Temple, our rick man told us. He generously offered to wait till we returned back from our hike to the temple. Having paid our obeisance, we continued. Our sojourn fructified with the sudden appearance of a Tortoise.

It did not seem to mind the footage, unlike the mean bird. Rather, it readily posed for us. The place was also abundant in monkeys & cows. On our return path, however, we spotted a bird or two.