Gir Forest - The only habitat of Asiatic Lions

I have always enjoyed wildlife travel and a visit to Sasan Gir or Gir forest in Gujarat, India was no exception. It is regarded as the only place in the world that serves as a natural habitat for Asiatic Lions. The other major breed of Lions are the African Lions and needless to say, they are found in Africa, well across the continent. While there are several options available for you to spot a tiger in India, if you wish to view the king of the jungle in his own territory, the only place you need to head to is Sasan Gir.

REACHING THERE: Sasan Gir or Gir forest is located in Gujarat in West India. The nearest major towns are Veraval ( 45 kms away) and Junagadh, that is around 60 kms away. From Ahmedabad, the primary city of Gujarat, the best way to travel is to take a train to either Junagadh, Veraval or Rajkot (150 kms away) and then to take a cab. Sasan Gir too has a meter-gauge station, but the only train connecting it from Ahmedabad is said to be very slow. For those interested to travel by road, one could cover the entire distance by road (around 400 kms). Roads connecting Ahmedabad to Junagadh are said to to be in good condition. We reached Sasan Gir from Dwarka. We took an overnight train from Dwarka to Rajkot and then hired a cab to Sasan Gir.

ACCOMMODATION: The best way to experience Gir is to stay there for a couple of days and enjoy a few safaris and not to just rush through a quick safari and leave. There are several accommodation options available outside the marked forest region. We stayed at Gir Jungle Lodge (91-9998220252, hope it's still the same number) quite close to the forest. The rooms are well-maintained and the food and service here was excellent. The hotel personnel serve as the best guide for the region and you can get all your queries clarified from them.

SAFARIS AND TICKETS: With respect to Gir, you can make two sets of visits. You can first check out the Gir Interpretation Zone. This is a smaller region carved out of the forest and is enclosed in all directions. In absolute land area, however, the zone is quite huge. You can take a mini-bus ride into the interpretation zone. Tickets for the ride can be obtained from the counter at the entrance. The region was created to provide tourists with a higher probability of spotting the beast. There is quite a good chance for you to spot a pride of lions within the interpretation zone.

Once done with the interpretation zone, you can explore the entire forest by taking jeep safaris. Only designated jeeps and drivers are allowed to enter the forest. Your hotel personnel should be able to assist you with a booking for the safari and would arrange for you to be picked up and dropped at the hotel. They are the best means for arranging the safari. I suggest at least two jeep safaris, one in the early morning and one in the evening, for both have their own charm and is once in a life-time experience.

THE EXPERIENCE: My friends and I, started with the mini-bus ride into the Gir Interpretation zone. The landscape in Gir was quite in contrast to the forests we have previously been to. The place was extremely dry, sandy and almost all the trees in the region were barren with hardly any leaves. The immediate thought was how good the location would serve as a camouflage for lions and whether we would be able to spot them even if they were actually close to us.

Deers invariably would be the first set of animals anyone would spot. There were several species of deers we spotted, starting with spotted deers and sambars. Then, to our great excitement, we spotted a couple of black bucks, one of the endangered form of deers. They looked so beautiful. Following on, we then caught hold of Nilgais. Nilgai is a form of antelope, quite huge in size and looks like an ox. The male nilgais are blue in colour and are also called blue bulls.

After having seen the preys, we grew quite eager to spot the wild beast, for which we had travelled the distance. We kept looking around with eyes fully zoomed out. After some time we were getting anxious, and were about to give up when the bus stopped. A forest officer informed us that they have spotted a group of lions that morning at a particular place. Soon the driver drove in that direction and before we realised we were staring at a huge pride of lions. They were close to about ten in number.

Our joy knew no bounds. we were just waiting for a chance to look at one and here we were staring at ten of them. I was just not sure what to do. I just went on a rampage clicking photos, one after the other without a minute of pause. Those ten minutes were quite amazing and I would remember that all my life. When I was done and the bus was about to leave, I, to my great surprise, noticed a lion walking by quite close to my window seat to join the group. That was again an unbelievable moment.

In the evening, we went for our first safari inside the forest. The forest environment, sandy roads and bumpy jeep rides have their own charm. As we stepped into the jungle, we noticed several breeds of deers, Nilgais, monkeys and several other birds and smaller animals. We were just hoping for an other miracle and it happened. We were informed by some forest guards about the presence of a couple of lions slightly deep inside a particular range of forest. We immediately turned excited and kept our cameras in ready-to-click mode.

After venturing further in a particular direction, the forest officials pointed to a couple of lions resting under a tree. We initially were not able to really spot them. They were so well camouflaged in the surrounding, that it was tough to catch them. Finally, when we made out their presence, we were deeply thrilled. As usual, they never bothered about our presence and were just happily relaxing. We were the ones who were terribly enthused and kept clicking photos in full swing.

Following this, we also had a chance to spot several other creatures, notable among them were peacocks and vultures. Also, of notice was a human habitat settled well inside the forest. They were the local inhabitants who have been living inside the forests fearlessly for ages. I was amazed by the way they were going about their tasks like in any other village, without the slightest of feel that they live in a place surrounded by lions and other wild life.

We did one other safari the next morning. Starting before sunrise, the ride had its own flavour. We noticed peacocks adorning our paths right through the morning, and that too in large batches. We took a different route inside the jungle this time. We were not third time lucky, as we did not spot the beast this time. However, in our ride, we came across a huge lake deep inside the forest. We were pleasantly surprised at that sight. When the entire forest was so dry and barren, we wondered how did this water body emerge.

Overall, it was a great trip for us to cherish and even if you do not end up seeing the beast, you would not feel disappointed as the forest has a lot more to offer.

TIME TO VISIT: The best time to visit the forest is between November and June, more so the later months, since you have a better chance of spotting lions when heat is really on.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISIT: You could check out the Junagadh fort and Buddhist caves, although we never explored it ourselves.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: The best way to schedule your trip is to plan with Gir as your primary place of travel and combine a few things along with it. Give yourself at least a day and two safaris to explore the forest to the fullest. Once done with Gir, you can proceed to the union territory of Diu, the holiday destination, to relax and unwind yourself. Diu is around 110 kms from Sasan Gir. You could also proceed to the famous Somnath temple, located by the seaside and regarded as one of the 12 Jyothirlingas of Shiva. Diu to Somnath is around 75 kms and from Sasan Gir it is around 45 kms away.

Gir forest is not just a place to visit, but rather an experience to enjoy and is truly worthwhile one.

Patan Stepwell - Epitome of Indian Craftsmanship

Moving away from Tamil Nadu, in this post I wish to discuss about Patan, a small town in Gujarat, India. The place does not not boast of great infrastructure nor it is termed a must visit destination in tourist itineraries. Yet, this place boasts of Rani-ki-Vav (Queen's well) that is undoubtedly among the finest examples of Indian craftsmanship.

STEPWELLS IN GUJARAT: Vavs or stepwells are quite unique to western India, located predominantly in Gujarat and Rajasthan. A stepwell is basically a well where one has to descend several steps to fetch water. Apart from providing water, the stepwells also served as a place of leisure for the royal families. When ever the summer heat used to be scorching, it is believed that kings and queens used to spend a few hours chilling out at the stepwells. Stepwells could be in various shapes (circular, rectangular, oval) and could have several tiers. Tiers largely signify the depth of the step-well. As one descends each tier, one can easily feel the sudden drop in temperature and things turning cooler. The walls of most of these stepwells were also adorned with wonderful sculptures to help the royal family members spend time admiring the work of art. Gujarat has hundreds of stepwells of which the one in Patan called Rani-ki-vav is regarded the largest.

REACHING THERE: Patan is located at a distance of around 110 kms from Ahmedabad, the most prominent city of Gujarat. The best means to reach Patan is by road. The road from Ahmedabad to Patan is well-laid and one can have a comfortable ride. On reaching Patan, locals should be able to easily guide you to the step-well. There are also signboards placed en route for your convenience.

HISTORY: For those interested, this stepwell is said to have been constructed under the Solanki dynasty and is said to date back to the 11th century AD. The well has seen some testing times and part of it stands damaged. The stepwell is now maintained by ASI (Archaeological Survey of India). They have undertaken maintenance work and ensured whatever remains is well-protected. It also stands among the tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

RANI-KI-VAV: Rani-ki-vav is a 7-tier structure and arguably one of the biggest stepwells in the country. From afar, the place is hardly appealing. It even looks a bit dilapidated. However, as one moves closer and closer to the structure one is sure to have a sudden change of heart and as one starts descending the well, one is bound to get lost in great architectural splendour.

The walls in each of the tiers are filled with amazing sculptures. It is always tough to choose when you have too many options. Likewise, when the entire wall is filled with wonderful carvings, you are just not sure where to begin and what to observe. Only four of the seven tiers were accessible when I visited the well, but still it was just too many sculptures to sight at one go.

I would notice something interesting and as I try and come to terms with it, my friend would point me to something more interesting, an other friend to an even better spectacle while other fellow tourists would be marvelling at a totally different piece of art. This kept going on for hours and I was just not able to say, I'm done. Finally, it was the fading sunlight that eventually forced me to move out of the place.

There are several sculptures dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his dasavatars. There are also sculptures of other gods, warriors, kings and queens. Interestingly, there are also some stone carvings associated with South India like Lord Ranganathar from Srirangam in Tamil Nadu. Apart from real-life sculptures, there are also some very fascinating designs carved out of stones that carry their own charm. As I looked at the enormity of the architectural work, I kept wondering how many sculptors would have been involved in this mammoth exercise and how long would this have taken.

A truly breath-taking experience that I would cherish all my life.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISIT: If you visit Patan, you should definitely make a visit to the Patola silk making unit. Patola silk materials are one of the finest hand-woven silk materials of the country. One Patola silk saree is said to take anywhere between 3 to 6 months to make. It is said that only two families still are aware of the exact know-hows of making it and previous attempts to replicate the process using machinery have failed to yield the desired quality. The unit members are very friendly and they take you through the entire production process. It is a nice experience to familiarise with one of the oldest arts of the country.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: A trip to Patan is best combined with a trip to the Motera sun temple, which is along the way as one proceeds from Ahmedabad. The sun temple is an other piece of architectural wonder and is very well maintained. The temple pond in front of the temple is also a great attraction with amazing sculptures. For those, who may not be able to make it to Patan and are keen to visit a stepwell, you could visit the Adalaj stepwell in Ahmedabad. It is a four-tier well and is again (sorry for being repetitive, but truly deserving) a great architectural marvel.