Down Memory Lane in India
Bernard Price
(Gaydon, Warwick, Britain)
The nineteen fifties was the period of my early childhood. We owned a remote cottage built I think for a gamekeeper as it was on the edge of Cold-comfort Wood in Rural Warwickshire. My Grandmother lived there full time and it was full of old family memorabilia. I was fascinated by the Indian weapons that my father and grandfather had brought back from spells serving in the Indian Army. My father had been a Colonel in the Assam Rangers in World War 2 and we had a box of old photographs of his then, cavalry regiment based in the Kohima region. The most fascinating subjects were the Agami Naga tribes people who fought with my father against the Japanese and Jagdish Chandra Bose’s Indian Nationalists. We had several spears and axes. At that time few people travelled abroad and I doubted I would ever visit that far off territory.
However, in the early 1980’s travel to India became a lot easier. I was not possible even then , to visit Nagaland Arunachal Pradesh. They were ‘politically sensitive’. I was content to arrive as a tourist in New Dehli. I had arranged a trip to Rajasthan and wildlife reserve with a chap who had a travel agency in Jaipur. We had met by chance but became firm friends very quickly. We were indeed kindred spirits — his father was a famous Nature expert who had made many great achievements in the conservation field. I learned of his fight to protect the Great Indian Bustard, ironically from falconers! He had links with tribal people like the Bishnoi. Harsh was an encyclopedia of his country, an expert — Hinduism, History, Tigers, birds and all aspects of conservation. It was rare that walking with him around Jaipur, he was not approached many times by friends to shake their hands and he knew every aspect of his city. His respect for humble often poor people was amazing, he was respected by all, but never patronising. Always honest and direct he would help if he could. Needless to say his family were the same kind and welcoming.
I must explain that 30 years ago India was a very different place from today. Few Indians other than serious conservationists had a lot of interest in Wildlife and the foreign tourists to India were rather more adventurous than today. There were the old ‘hippy trail’ brigade, historical, architectural and cultural enthusiasts, and those who wanted to see Tigers, Leopards and Rhinos or watch birds. The North East was pretty well ‘a no go’ area for visitors and the Tiger Reserves were rather chaotic and underfunded. Intrusion by local people was commonplace, as was poaching and pollution. Yet India was indeed a magical place, true it had the quality of ‘being embraced by a thousand greasy hands’. It was easy to get sick from food and water, get swindled by beggars and in shops. The poverty was quite shocking, rubbish litter, wandering cows abounded but the magic of temples, the kind people, vivid colours and festivals soon made you get to love the place!!!
Then there was the wildlife….. it began for me at the Sariska Palace. At that time I was able to stay in an incredible suite of rooms with original Victorian furniture and bathroom. Nearby were mahogany cases of stuffed Tigers and other hunting trophies. The reserve itself was teeming with game. From a Mahindra jeeps’ front seat. It was not long before I saw my first tiger sitting nonchalantly on the road. Another was basking in a huge water tank. Vultures wheeled overhead,
jackals and dholes were spotted and huge herds of Chital. I returned elated, to the fabulous gardens to sit and sip excellent pure Assam tea,….sadly I went back a few years ago…. it’s all gone, an ugly tourist block and few animals left, a run down place now……
My second itineraries included Baratpur [Keoleado]. A wonderful magnet for thousands of birds where I saw some of the last Siberian Cranes and Ranthambore, a superb Tiger Reserve. It was full of ruins, palaces and better organised. I made a life long friend — my Guide Hemraj, and stayed at his house in Sawai Modhopur. He was an accomplished photographer and birdwatcher even at that time. We spent a lot of time watching birds and I learned many of the species from him. I still keep in touch with him. He was a skillfull guide listening for `tiger clues’ and always found one. The reserve was not very crowded then unlike today!!!
Hemraj is still there and has a hotel now, .glad he is doing well. I have so many memories of India that I must mention a few more. My trip to see the Asian Lions in Gir Forest, accompanied by Harsh and watching leopards in Kumbalgarth. The Wolves, Desert Cat and Blackbuck in the desert reserve, Valavador. The Bishnoi feeding Demoiselle Cranes. Elephant safaris in Corbett National Park and Rhinos in Kaziranga in Assam. Great Indian Bustards from camel back. The real gems were in Assam and Burma though to see Clouded Leopards and to meet the Naga tribes at last. Just a few memories. And all mostly without mobile phones. The first time I used a phone was in Arunachal Pradesh. I used the light during a power cut in Digboi Well since those days Burma was not open to Tourists as is the North East of India. Great memories.
I got to see a huge amount of India over those years but lots more unvisited as yet. Throughout my travels I had constant help. In planning, from Harsh and Manoj, their expertise was impressive even though they were sometimes baffled by my interests in tribal people in the remotest of places. Things have changed a lot in India, it’s much easier to travel there now and far more tourists come. The Indian Government is at least making an effort now to help. Tigers and tribal groups. I was delighted to hear that they defended the Andaman Islanders when they drove off a crazy missionary and are allowing them to remain cut off from the evils of civilisation. I am rather concerned about the new Assam highway though it may change much of that pristine place and its exotic people and culture. One is resigned to the changes in modern India but Harsh and Manoj will continue to organise trips in their own individual way.
Note: The photo is of author, Bernard Price in Gobi Desert, he fulfilled his life’s desire observing Snow Leopards in China’s Karakoram region.