Postcards from Kaziranga: One horn rhino in its water-full, rich-green habitat

#Kaziranga National Park is green, after-all the land is soaked in water and has rich soil. It is the perfect habitat for the wild and that's something thriving in plenty in this topography.

This park is popularly known for its dense habitat of the #Rhino family. While you may find them spread out throughout the landscape and at a distance, getting up close and studying them in their being is quiet a captivating experience.

#Rhinoceros are bulky, big and quiet possessive of their own- whether its their calf or their mud puddles or simply their patch of green grass...they strike hard! Apart from the avian kinds (the ones that hover around them all the while pecking on food from their skin) they do attack anyone who stalls their peaceful space.

They can eat for hours together and then soak in water for even longer... These guys represent the word 'laid-back' with full authority!

More on the Rhino's in some more postcards. Meanwhile don't miss the earlier ones!

• Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel
• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,

S2S

Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Indian wild elephant herd cross over from one end of a river to the other in the dense Kaziranga jungles.

Kaziranga National Park has a healthy population of Indian wild elephants, sometimes seen in herds of nearly 200 at a time. Thanks to the moderate conditions combined with availability of enough food supports the growth and survival of these mamals.

We spend numerous memorable moments stalking this grand elephant herd. The baby elephants particularly caught our fancy, after all they are playful and so protected. Watching the wild in its own habitat indeed is addictive!

Also, do read about the other Kaziranga Postcards, memories collected during the North East India explorations:

• Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel
• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,
S2S

Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose

A flock of bar headed goose make a fashionable landing at one of the stunning water ramps of Kaziranga National Park.

Did you know: 

Flight of the Bar-headed Goose is known to have recorded flight heights of more than 7,000m (23,000ft). This is the only species of birds that have been seen flying over Mount Everest quiet effortlessly. Bar-headed goose have fascinated biologists for decades. They achieve physiological feats that seem impossible - flying at extreme altitude, where there is less than 10% the oxygen found at sea level.

Kaziranga National Park is recognised as one of the premium birding zones in Asia. It is believed that nearly 478 species of birds flock this land which includes 40+ endangered bird families.

November through March are the peak migratory seasons and likelihood of spotting some rare birds is highly likely. If you happen to be a Bird enthusiast do make sure to have a good naturalist accompany you for your safari, ask for the East Zone safari and do check on the Bird Trail with breakfast, a must do while at Kaziranga.

Also, do read about the other Kaziranga Postcards, memories collected during the North East India explorations:

• Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel
• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,
S2S

Festivals of India: Bogi, Pongal, Sankranti & Lohri

May the warmth of the rising sun bring about the positive transformation & change in your world!

Happy Bogi, Pongal, Sankranti & Lohri to everyone at S2S!

Glimpses from a Lohri celebration. 

Lohri is the belief that it is the cultural celebration of the winter solstice. Lohri is meant to be celebrated on the shortest day of the year. A key feature of Lohri is the bonfire. Lighting of the fire has been common in winter solstice festivals throughout time and the world: it signifies the return of longer days. For some the bonfire has a religious meaning, a remnant of ancient origins, perhaps?
For others, the bonfire is no more than a tradition and a time to socialise and make merry.

More images of Festivals of India on the S2S Facebook timeline.

Wish you a great season ahead!

Xoxo,
S2S

Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food

Stalking for food!

‪#‎Kaziranga‬ is home to a numerous variety of birds. Sunsets are few of the most romatic times around this wilderness. Watching the wild in their own habitat, existing peacefully with the other and letting another day dissolve into peaceful new night makes me wonder...why are we humans always rushing?

Perhaps we are chasing beyond just food!!! :)

Also, do read about the other Kaziranga Postcards, memories collected during the North East India explorations:

• Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel
• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,
S2S

Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning

Beginning from this series, I will share a daily postcard from Kaziranga to share nuances of our travel through this aesthetics state of India.

As the warm sun rays caress the cold flowing river we watched the mist lifting off Diphlu River.

Early mornings are a sight to behold. The fresh air loaded with the fragrance of wet mud and steaming hot cups of tea make it the perfect waking up experience. Of course, if you get to feel the mist lift off the cold water surface as the sun kisses earth, the feeling of 'PERFECT' moves to 'STUNNING & PERFECT'!

Here are pastel shades captured through my lens on the first early morning at Kaziranga.

The tranquil flow of water against a layer of escaping mist, I felt blessed to have experienced this beautiful phenomenon.

Also, do read about the other Kaziranga Postcards, memories collected during the North East India explorations:

• Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel
• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,
S2S

Kaziranga Trails: our first North East India travel.

In the midst of a cluttered and chaotic Mumbai evening (classic scene from a regular workday), Satya and I decided on our Diwali break. Spoilt for obvious choices spanning few exotic International Destination to Luxury Indian holidays the heart didn't feel content with any of these options. Almost all tabloid shouted out plastic packages that were more than a put off- one size fits all strategy!

Having had a year full of jungle explorations the need to be in the wilderness was a common emotion between us. Like that wasn't enough, I blurted out my childhood dream...Kaziranga! A classic recall from the Geography Text Book, the one horn Rhino positioned in the middle of the page with big bold text 'ASSAM' marking the heading of the chapter. Vaguely, this chapter always attracted me. A memory etched deep in my being, now was a let out secret.

Geography Text book comes alive!

Destination Kaziranga

The obvious emotion one would feel looking at the transit hours was to drop this destination; out of sheer laziness OR in a valid case- shorter holiday time.
Collectively during that evenings research our unanimous choice was to take the plunge. We booked ourselves on a early morning Mumbai-Guwahati (via Kolkata, a 45 minutes stop over) flight. The travel search dissolved into  stay and we stumbled upon a quaint resort on the banks of Diphlu river. The stilt cottages and Trip Advisor clearly helped us make our choice. We further nailed it when we spoke with the resort and they offered an Innova pickup at Guwahati Airport. A 4 hour picturesque drive was all it takes to get to the final destination.

Glimpses of Diphlu- The lotus pond, a sky full of exotic birds and the fluttering prayer flags disperesed arourn the property.

All set for the 1st safari at Kaziranga.

Effectively a whole day of transit but it is all truly worth the effort!

First glimpses of the jungle: Mid Zone

We reached Diphlu in pitch dark of the night. It must have been 9:30PM when we finally entered the resort. A quick fresh-up followed by dinner was all we did that day. Owing to our 6:30AM safari the following day we had to hit bed at the earliest. Being in the extreme east zone of India, mornings touch you at least an hour and a half earlier. Was definitely a pattern that required getting used to! :)

All set up and ready on time the next morning we approached the patrol tower when the morning sun had just about begun lending its warmth to land. This land is unique. Largest proportion of this land is layered with miles and miles of water. The river and its tributaries are spread far and wide, hence making the land rich with plantation as well as wildlife.

The crisp Kaziranga morning. 

While we waited for our permission slip to arrive we dwelled over to the corner where the river bed was busy with the morning fishermen activity. The most unique sight to hold was to watch the mist lift off from the moving river water.

Watching the mist lift as warm sun-rays caress the cold flowing river.

Fishermen at work: 5 bamboos tied up with jute rope and it is ready for the one man show!

Smell of fresh clear air, a 10 degree nip in the air making you want to sip innumerable cups of steaming hot chai and the lifting mist; it was nature's flirtatious ways of making you fall in love, in love with mother nature and her mystic creations! Who wouldn't want to dwell here forever?

Finally the gates were ready to open for our much awaited elephant safari that will now take us into the core. Having chased tigers so far, 3 of us were quite calm on this one least expecting that even Rhino spotting would need us to scout deep and wide!

Stay tuned for the next few posts that will liven up the Rhino escapade and rural Assam.

Unfolding the One Horn Rhino escapade- next up!

Until then, do read about the other Kaziranga Postcards, memories collected during the North East India explorations:

• Postcards from Kaziranga: As the mist lifts, display of the rising morning
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Stork stalking food
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Bar-headed goose
• Postcards from Kaziranga: Indian wild elephant, stalking the herd while they cross a river

Hope you enjoy this trail.

Xoxo,
S2S