In the land of Temples and Tigers...

After almost two hours delay and one failed landing attempt, our small Spiceject ATR flight from Delhi, finally taxied towards the terminal building of Khajuraho Airport. I and Moumita stepped into a cool November evening, excited to explore a completely new forest together. Call it my imagination, but I could faintly smell the forest while heading towards the airport gate from the aircraft.

This time it was the Emerald Forest, Panna. We had also planned to visit the temple city of Khajuraho and the Raneh Falls. Our young driver, Umesh Ji was ready with his Etios and soon we were headed for Panna. As always, please read on for a photographic journey through the Emerald Forest 😊😊

A two hour delay meant we had sufficient time for some pre-flight indulgences...There is only one direct flight from Spicejet and it is notorious for it's delays

Thursday Morning 5 AM: The alarm went off, and our caretaker had already arrived with pipping hot bed-tea. Our first safari through the Madla Gate was about to begin and we were super chuffed to explore a new forest together.

Panna has two major gates for tourism zone (Madla and Hinnauta) and a few more that lead to buffer zones. The Madla gate is more popular owing to its proximity to Khajuraho and plenty of staying options.

Panna's rise from the ashes...A story of resilience and resurrection...

As we entered Panna, one word came to our mind...SPECTACULAR!...Panna is nestled in the Vindhaychal mountains and comprises of several variety of landscapes; hilly terrains, riverine ecosystem, savannah grasslands, wood lands. However, behind this veil of beauty, lies a dark past.

In 2009, Panna had lost its entire tiger population. Poaching, forest degradation and a corrupt system took a heavy toll on Panna. Fabricated reports regarding a dwindling tiger population kept on being churned and whistleblowers were denied entry into the park. However an official census in 2010, set skeletons tumbling out of the closet...There was no evidence of a single tiger surviving in Panna...One of India's finest tiger habitats had been reduced to a rubble...Its throbbing heart ripped out.

But, as they say...tough times breed tough men... Along came an Indian Forest Service officer, Shri R. Sreenivasa Murthy. Honest, passionate and iron fisted. A new team was set up to reintroduce tigers in Panna. Tigers were brought from Bandhavgarh to revive the population. Continuous monitoring, community engagement programs and habitat restoration finally started yielding results. Tigers were finally making a comeback to Panna. Today, Panna has over 50 tigers across the forest and serves as a case study of successful relocation program and testimony to what can be achieved through sheer grit and determination.

Mr. Murthy’s journey in Panna has been well summarized in this Tedx Talk video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu6KNy7TfI8

Little cubs brighten up a dull day...

As we entered Panna, our guide and driver informed us about a female tigress, P151 and her four boisterous cubs who have been enthralling the tourists with lovely moments for the past few days. We waited for a long time near a spot called Kanchan Nullah, where they were expected to show up, without success. Finally, we decided to move on and enjoy the forest and check out other spots within the jungle.

Unfortunately, we were greeted by a bout of terrible weather which meant the mornings were foggy. However, the misty mornings allowed us to take a few moody shots.

A lone Sambar stag stands shrouded by mist and looks almost ethereal

The vulture point is a rocky gorge amidst the Vindhyachal mountain ranges, which provides sanctuary to several species of vultures in Panna.

Talking of vultures, we were lucky to have spotted the rare and endangered King Vulture or the Red Headed Vulture during one of our safaris. They apparently have the ability to rip open the tough skins of dead animals, allowing other scavengers to feed.

Our first safari ended without a glimpse of the tigress and her cubs, but we thoroughly enjoyed the forest and its beauty. Panna was shaping up to be one of the most beautiful forest I have visited. It was almost lunch time and we decided to take some well-deserved rest in our quaint homestay adjoining the Ken River. This river actually beared the name Karnavati, but was renamed Ken by the British who had a tough time pronouncing it.

Aryan Camp homestay is a quaint homestay by the Ken River providing basic accommodation and basic yet freshly cooked food. While its not an option for luxury seekers, it is definitely a decent choice for wildlife lovers.

In the afternoon safari, we had taken a shared vehicle in order to cut on cost a bit. However, the weather was gradually taking a turn for the worse. What started as a drizzle, turned into a torrential down pour leaving us stranded and with a flimsy plastic sheet for protection. As the rains were finally holding up a bit, we received news that two of the four cubs of P151 had emerged from the forests. Our driver rushed to the spot only to find that they had disappeared in thicket only moments before we arrived. As we were finally about to leave the spot, suddenly two cubs emerged from the bushes. However, it was so dark that there was hardly any opportunity to take photos. But at least we were happy to end the day with a sighting of the tiger.

Three cubs steal the show on a damp afternoon !

Our second day, also turned out to be gloomy with the weather still sulking and morose. During our morning safari, we managed a brief a glimpse of the two cubs, however, that was it. So we spent the morning having some lovely tea in the forest camps and spending time by the Ken River.

Savouring the early morning chill with some hot tea flavoured with freshly plucked Tulsi leaves from the forest camp. Fresh tea brewed over an open flame...on wooden logs... on a misty morning was as delicious as it was soothing.

Packed breakfast is generally provided by the resort. It generally comprises of simple items such as Poha or Paratha along with some boiled eggs.

Back in the resort, when the sun peeped through the clouds, we decided to take a walk through the resort and pose for a few pictures with the Ken in the background

The afternoon safari again started off with a bit of a drizzle, still not as bad as the previous day. We visited the Ken river bank and then checked out the Pipar Tola grasslands. We followed a Black Shouldered kite as it hovered above in search of prey.

An unique feature of Panna is the presence of short yellow grasses, which we would often find in the African savannah. They look magnificent with a bright golden colour and provide idyllic settings for photography

A male Spotted Deer stag stands on its hind legs to access the leaves of the higher branches of a tree and also feeds on the berries that drop to the forest floor.

While we were soaking in the beauty of Panna, we received a tip off that three cubs were spotted in a nearby hill. What followed was a mad rush towards the spot, and by the time we reached there was a serpentine queue. After jostling for space and position, we barely managed to see the three cubs, and immediately set off towards the exit gate as it was time to leave.

Again, we had been successful in catching a glimpse of the tigers, yet a solid photographic moment was missing 😒😒😒

Back in our camp we were greeted with some afternoon tea and snacks. We had a relaxed dinner, as we did not have any safaris the next day, and consequently no major rush to sleep off early.

Mythical caves, deep canyons and the Temple Town...

Our third day was dedicated for exploring a few nearby tourist spots. The first stop was in the mythical caves of Pandav Falls. History has it that the mythological Pandav brothers during their fourteen years of exile spent some time in this place. The Pandav Falls and Caves is a natural water fall and plunge pool within the Panna National Park. Today it serves as a tourist spot as well as a watering hole for animals during the harsh summer months. At times the spot remains closed, if there are wild animals around the place.

On your way down to the Pandav Caves, you will find rich layers of sedimentary rocks, provided you aren't too engrossed in making Instagram reels...Seems like a favourite spot for that also 🤣

The Pandav Falls is generally seen in its full glory during the monsoon season, however, the sedimentary rocks allow water to percolate through the layers and create a perennial water stream...

The caves as seen here, provided shelter to the Pandav brothers during their exile and has cave painting etched on them. However, be aware of the creepies and crawlies over here; Seems like a favourite place for them as well 😢

From Pandav Caves we proceeded towards the Raneh Falls. Often touted as “Grand Canyon of India”, this region was formed owing to an ancient volcanic eruption, and shaped by the river. Characterized by deep gorge and waterfalls, this place truly comes alive during the monsoons. The steep rock faces inspire fear and awe in equal measures.

The cliffs and crevasses of the place are an amazing spectacle of nature. Tourists are however, expected to respect and maintain a safe distance from the edges...

The ancient mouth of the volcano is now a lake with a depth of nearly 150 feet today. Imagine, this whole place gets submerged in water during the monsoons..

There are nearly, five types of rocks and minerals which are found in this place, making this an extremely mineral rich region. Feldspar, Gypsum, Quartz, Pink Granite, Basalt... nature offers an amazing riot of colours in this patch!

After Raneh Falls, we were now headed to our last destination, the temple town of Khajuraho. The name is synonymous with architecture, sculpture and the famous dance festival. The name Khajuraho apparently is derived from the word "Khajur" or date trees which were found in profusion at one point of time.

The first set of temples that we visited, and honestly can't remember the names of all of them.

The sculptures of the temple are a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the artisans during that era and also, construction techniques…

Greek influence can be observed in the sculpture also. The lion depicted in the sculpture has been represented the way Greeks represented, indicating strong cultural intermingling between the two civilizations...

We could not finish visiting all the temples of Khajuraho due to paucity of time. The day ended with some shopping near the temples and finally we were ready to head back to our resort after a tiring yet fulfilling day.😊

Best for the last !!!

With our trip nearly completed, we had one more day to go where we had planned two safaris. The morning safari turned out to be damp squib, with barely any exciting moment. We took another trip up to the vulture point and came back empty handed and honestly a tad disappointed.

However, the weather thankfully started clearing up a bit and the warm sunrays were a mood lifter in itself. We headed straight to a place called Budhron Nallah where one vehicle had sighted a tiger in the morning safari. While the place was beautiful, there was barely any signs of the tiger. Dejected, we waited for any signs of the tigers. That’s when our guide received news that two tigers were being sighted in distant place near Hinauta. After a rattling ride through the forest roads for half an hour, we could see a few more vehicles lined up...and then our driver uttered the magical word “TIGER” !!!

And there they were, two sub adults of a female known as P141…

The male cub finally emerges from the bushes and decides to lounge in front of us for sometime