Three days back I was going through the newspaper when a small article in the third page caught my attention “ Two people trampled to death by a pachyderm (Elephant)”. I started reading the article with more interest…” two people were trampled to death by elephants near kagathala halli near talagatpura police check post …….” Suddenly a shudder went through my body as I remembered that it was the same area where I had a nasty encounter with a group of elephants.
This incident happened in 2003, November and this could have well been the last day of my life !!!
My friend abhilash and I were working on a project, which involved us to trace the path of elephants in bannerghatta national park. Because every year during the months from August to December they cause a lot of havoc in the nearby villages by destroying fields, trampling people and very huge losses to villagers. This project was self sponsored and brainchild of abhilash and we wanted to submit this report to forest department and government Basically we wanted to prove that these elephants are not rogues but people are illegally blocking their path by drying up the natural lakes, granite quarrying and ETC.
That day, we got a phone from two villagers (ashwath and manju). We had asked them to call us if they sight any elephants nearby their village.
So, as soon as we got the call we equipped our self with handy cam and cameras and started to bannerghatta. It took us approximately 1 hour to reach that place.
Bannerghatta national park is very close to Bangalore (25kms). Its area is 102 sq Kms and connects to jungles near hosur-Salem towards south and mekedatu and then kollegal towards north. Fauna of this forest includes fox, bison, elephants, deer, snakes and very rarely leopards !!! Tigers have been wiped out of this place long ago.
We reached a place called HULI BOONU (tigers cage). This place was named after forest department caught a tiger in 1980, which was causing a lot of menace in the vicinity, by cattle lifting.
Ashwath and manju were eagerly waiting for us. They told us that they saw elephants between Holi bonu and Ragi halli village. The elephant herd Consisted of five adults and one calf.
Abhi was driving the maruthi van; I was ready with handy cam, camera and ashwath and manju were looking out for elephants. We were going in a very slow speed of 10-20 Kmph. After traveling some 5 Kms we reached a sharp bend in the road. Abhi decided that there is no use searching elephants like this in vehicle and the best way to trace them is by foot!!!. So we got down and parked the maruthi van behind some bushes. But since it was white maruthi van we were not able to camouflage it. Elephants resent white colour, I don’t know the exact reason why they hate white but they have a history of attacking anything white. We didn’t want our van to be smashed so it was decided that I take the maruthi van back to huli bonu and wait for the call from Abhi while abhi, ashwanth and manju go in search of elephants. Somehow I didn’t like the idea of leaving them without any vehicle when six elephants are lurking in the vicinity !!!.
I left that place with a very uncomfortable feeling. Just as I reached the huli bonu I got a call from Abhi asking me to comeback as soon as possible!!! The elephants have proved to be very nasty customers as just when they were approaching the bend a big lorry carrying granites (there is a granite quarry in the area) passed them and the elephants panicked, as there was a calf between them. So probably they thought someone is trying to harm them. So they charged the lorry but lorry driver drove fast and escaped them.
When I reached that place ashwath and manju (villagers) were totally panicked and immediately got into van.
Then we devised another plan, where ashwath, manju and I will go inside the jungle for elephants and Abhi will be ready waiting for us on road in car!!! . I know this was sounding crazy. I knew that elephants could really run fast we stand no chance against them.
Reckoning all these I along with manju and ashwath stepped into the jungle.
We all parted ways, ashwath and manju climbed a sand mound and were trying to locate the elephants and I was alone deep inside the jungle ready with my handy cam. My heart was beating faster than ever. I was trying to be as silent as possible and there was no wind. I felt lucky as elephants have a very keen sense of smell and hearing. Wind would have given away my position. But due to dense vegetation I was not able to make out where elephants were.
Just like that I simply took out my mobile phone (it was in silent mode). I saw many missed calls from Abhi !!!. He was desperately trying to reach me. Just then again he called me, he was shouting like mad. “ Just get away from there !!! You’re directly standing in the path of elephants. They are just few feet away from you!!!” I was not able to make out anything due to dense vegetation. Just then I heard a loud angry trumpeting from the elephant close by towards my left !!!. The elephants might have sighted ashwath or manju who are on a sand mound or scented me and they started charging in my direction. I could make out the breaking of tree branches and loud swishing of its trunk.
I looked out for manju and ashwath but they had already run away towards the road. I was left alone !!! I started running like crazy; my heart was beating very fast I thought it would burst out of my mouth.
I had never run soo fast in my life. Looking back now and then and thinking that elephant would be on me any second. I could still hear the elephants charging behind me. I don’t know for how much time I had run but I was totally exhausted, I had bruises all over my body and my jeans and t-shirt was torn while negotiating thorns while running. Finally I reached road and was relieved to see Abhi’s van !!. Abhi was shouting and asking me to run faster but I had already exhausted all my energy, somehow I reached the van and collapsed in it. Ashwath and manju were already inside the van. Abhi sped away as soon as I got in. I looked back to see a huge elephant standing near the edge of the road!!!
I was too shocked to speak anything. But unfortunately we were actually heading towards ragi halli village. We need to turn back if we want to go back to Bangalore hence have to pass that same area again where elephants are there !!! So we turned around.
This time I half came out of the window with handy cam and camera ready. Abhi was driving tensely. When we approached that area suddenly out of bushes two elephants charged towards us. Abhi accelerated the van and I took some pictures of them but video came out too shaky as my hands were shaking !!!
When we came back to huli bonu I was happy that I was still alive, Abhi was totally excited and ashwath and manju swore that they would never come with us again!!!
Even now I shudder whenever I think of this incident
