Looking forward for the Gavi trip during the Christmas holidays a lively team of seven members, including my mother, sister and husband with their five-year-old kid and my two brothers, entered our uncles eight-seat vehicle on Dec 26th morning. As our main driver (brother in law) slightly burned his hand while firing crackers during the Christmas day, we sought the help of our neighbour to drive the vehicle till Vandiperiyar (the nearest town to Gavi).
After clearing the formalities at the forest check-post at Vandiperiyar, we took charge of the vehicle and wishing the sight of wild animals en route, we continued the drive. After driving for nearly half an hour we were delighted to see the sprawling Gavi dam and alongside it the Green Mansion Lodges, which we had already booked for a night stay.
On reaching there after the 65 KM drive, we checked in the room and unloaded our entire luggage and took some rest. Later all of us, fitting the latest adventurous outfits, went to the restaurant which overlooks the dam. While taking the vegetarian lunch, we could see various tourists, who were enjoying a forest drive to Gavi during their stay at Thekkady, the famous Periyar Tiger Reserve forest in Kerala.
After the lunch we sat on the wide stretch of green lawn under the shady trees there, enjoying the beauty of the dam and the massive trees in the forest across the dam. Later, accompanied by a guide, we set out on a journey through the dense forest in our jeep, again hoping to see any wild animal roaming inside the jungle. Adding to our anxiety and agony, the guide told that the guests on the previous day were fortunate enough to see a tiger crossing the road, during their jungle safari. We drove further to the interiors of the forest and though frightening stopped at some peculiar spots to take snaps.
Though disappointed for not seeing any animals, except a few deer and monkeys roaming in the forest, we came back and excitedly got ready for the boating. Our guide started rowing the boat and across the dam we got down to have a close view of a water fall. We had a dip in the ice cold water coming from the forest and posed for the camera flashes.
Later we returned when it started turning dark and went to bed after taking the dinner, which included some non-vegetarian dishes.
Next day we got up early in the morning at 5 AM and clad in jackets and woollen attires to get rid of the chilling icy climate, entered a top open jeep for the jungle safari. Accompanied by the driver and the guide, we started again eagerly looking to see any wild beast. After a while, our guide spotted a group of deer on the top of a cliff and we had a close view with the help of binoculars. Further inside the forest, we saw a bison. Later we had a small time trekking inside the forest and the guide took us to the view point atop a mountain. Looking down we were excited to see not only the beautiful view but also a group of bison and wild elephants having their morning brunch. While returning back we had the most interesting view of the tour – a group of wild dogs surrounding a Samba Deer to attack it and also a group of elephants which were making eerie noises.
Later in the day, we walked atop another cliff, an interesting view point. From there we could ‘Sannidhanam’ at Sabarimala, the famous Hindu pilgrimage place.
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