Beyond Wilderness: Jim Corbett National Park

“Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye… it also includes the inner pictures of the soul”.

Edvard Munch

It looked like a fresh painting. The road, uncovered Sal trees, vaguely visible trail, and the rustle of those dry leaves.The darkness was fading away in a slow transition. I could hear the jingles of birds echoing from different directions. It is amazing how your body is alien to the wilderness and the ears are attuned to all kinds of sounds in the forest. A cold sensation just ran through my body when the wind started playing with my hair in the open air. The mystical aura of the forest simply fascinated me to the core. It whispered a bundle of unheard tales.

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Somehow I am not much fascinated by the wild animals in any of the National Parks in India. Unlike many of us, who only visit these national parks to have a glimpse of the big cats.I like to be amidst nature, rather than being in an exclusive zone where I can embark on a soul searching journey without disturbing those behind the bush.

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The morning safaris are the best way to explore the wilderness. It was 5.30 am when the jeep was speeding towards the Sitabani zone of the famous Jim Corbett National Park.Nestled in the foothills of Himalayas in Uttarakhand, Corbett National Park is the first national park in India, where the Project Tiger was launched in 1973.  It was in the year 1936 that the Corbett National Park was established as Hailey National Park, though later it got its present name.

While making my way into the jungle, I was amazed by the changing landscapes. The orange hue in the sky became prominent, announcing the arrival of daylight.

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The bright Sun spread its wings through the hills and laid golden rays over the thick foliage of the forest. The reflection of the golden light in the stream was a gorgeous sight. Suddenly the forest was alive. The morning looked promising enough to take the road less travelled. I paused for a few moments to capture this breathtaking scene into my lens.

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I was not in a hurry to spot any wild animal. Though I got excited to see a deer, a few inches away from our jeep. Not just that,I also spotted sambar, barking deer, langur, wild boar and a handful of migratory and exotic birds.

Sitabani a perfect habitat for tigers, leopards,wild elephants, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar and wild boar.  According to the recent report, it is home to 40 tigers and 25 leopards and a handful of elephants as well.  Almost 365 varieties of birds and 90 various species of butterfly make Sitababani a beautiful habitat. It is also known for a wide range of plants which consists of more than 300 medicinal plants.

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Sitabani is a must visit for nature lovers. If you want to experience gorgeous landscape and forest in India, Sitabani will surprise you with its breathtaking beauty. I was literally nature struck at one point when I was in the middle of a long stretch in the jungle.

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The gorgeous landscape, the deep forest, the never ending trail with green canopy and the sound of the forest creates a unique rhythm in the nature. The bumpy ride doesn’t just surprise you with its rich fauna and flora, but it compels you to just unwind in the forest . I was engrossed completely.

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Interestingly, if you trace back to the history, it is said that the mythological character Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush in this part of the forest. Sitabani is the same place where Sita (wife of Lord Rama) spent her days in exile.This zone also houses the famous Sitabani Temple, which is one of the tourist attractions in Corbett National Park.

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It is simply amazing when you witness the unfolding beauty of nature at the core of the jungle where you celebrate life beyond the routine. Untouched by time, Sitabani surprised me with its splendid secrets. My quest to know those unheard tales of the forest dominated my mind. I shall return soon.


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8 Comments

  1. Deepika

    I went to Corbett when I was still very young. I was so frustrated even at that young age, because I couldn’t find a single bird- let alone tiger. I wish, I could have read such articles back then. Today, I have been to Pench and Kaziranga and I am yet to see the great king. But, as a traveler and reader of travel blogs such as yours has made me appreciate the forests beyond the tiger. So good 🙂

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Hi Deepika,Thank you so much for your kind words. I believe that we should respect the natural surrounding instead of hunting for Wild animal in National parks. If you are lucky to spot any , appreciate it, but do respect the nature at the same time. Thank you so understanding the core point of the article so well.

      Reply
  2. Ruchira

    Lovely pictures and a even more beautiful write up . you brought the jungle alive for me.

    Reply
  3. Abhinav Singh

    Very well narrated. You brought alive the scenes of the jungle. Very true, we should at times stop fretting about spotting the tiger and appreciating the beauty of the jungle.

    Reply
    • Parnashree Devi

      Thank you Abhinav for appreciating the fact that we forget to respect nature in search of wild animals in a National Park. I believe that one should appreciate the surrounding and the scenic landscape these parks offer instead of looking for big cats all the time 🙂

      Reply

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