A paradise called Kabini

Confession 1. I've avoided Kabini. Always. Its an expensive destination for a budget conscious traveler like me. Consider this, for a place so close to home, you end up spending as much as return tickets to Delhi and more. Logically, it just doesn't work out for me. There is a need for deep pockets. 

Confession 2. I've avoided the stock markets. Always. Its risky business for a middle class middle level employee like me. With an ill timed decision in stock trading one could end up losing all their savings and more. There is a need for deep pockets here too.

Am I drawing paralells between the two? May be I did as I set out to type this post, but now am seeing it in a different light. The weekend's drive to Kabini and the stay by the river/reservoir side was simply brilliant! The weather was fantastic. The views were tremendous. The prospect of spotting wildlife was tempting. And much more! The stock markets don't match up to Kabini. Kabini is paradise!

Lying on the banks of the river I said to myself "This is how the angels must be feeling when they play their harps whilst sprawling on floating cotton like clouds". But what sets us apart is the lack of nagging thought of returining back to office come Monday, among the angels. So just to feel even more among the angels, I decided to bunk office this Monday. A lot of sleep and my head is still up in the clouds. Some cycling tomorrow morning should prepare me for the grind of the next 6 7 days.

Kabini is rich in flora and fauna. The Maharajas of the past made this their playground. The scene is quite better these days though. No more hunting and poaching. And what I hear from the locals is, No more grazing of cattle too. But every rule has loophole. The banks of the reservoir is abundant in soil that can be very useful in housing projects. A very organized group is robbing the river of this soil slowly and steadily. Is the Forest Department aware? Am not so sure.

We skipped the big cats and their game on this trip as time was not on our side. Lot of birds were spotted though.

1. Phesant Tailed Jacana, 

2. Long Tailed Shrike, 

3. Wolly Necked Stork, 

4. White Ibis, 

5. Black Ibis, 

6. Swallows, 

7. River Tern, 

8. Purple Heron, 

9. Grey Heron, 

10. Little Cormorant, 

11. Grater Cormorant,

12. White Breasted Kingfisher

13. Indian Roller

14. Red Whiskered Bulbul

15. Brahminy Kite

I'll be back at Kabini many more times. Yes it has lured me just like how the stock markets lures investors!