"PLEASE madam here is your dinner and I have also laid out the table." Tiffin carrier in hand the caretaker of our Gangotri Forest Lodge stood at the door, "I will be here again tomorrow, early morning." I looked at my wristwatch - it was not even six thirty in the evening.

It was true that here in the depths of Nagarhole National Park, we had been forewarned of minimum facilities but this was not reason enough for dumping us with a dinner packed tiffin carrier, so that the caretaker and the cook could leave early. I voiced my disapproval at this utter disregard of hospitality. It was only then that I learned the truth.

The Gangotri Forest Lodge where we were staying, had no service kitchen and all the cooked food had to be brought over from the adjoining Kaveri Forest Lodge. Even though the two lodges were hardly 50 yards from each other, there was no protective fencing separating the grounds of the lodge from the surrounding forest. The great panchyderms for which Nagarhole is so famous make free use of the corridor between the two lodges, especially after sundown. Hence the caretakers and the kitchen staff prefer to leave early for their quarters.

We settled down to enjoy the sense of high drama that accompanies as one waits out for the animals in the middle of an Indian forest. Outside it was difficult to distinguish between the glittering fireflies and the twinkling stars.

With the Mysore-Ooty highway running through Bandipur Sanctuary and the Madhumalai Sanctuary lying right next to it, these two forests are very popular with the local tourists.

In the past, the two banks of the Kabini river, flowing though the Mysore plateau was a rich green forest teeming with wildlife. The rulers of Mysore hunted here . At Karapura on the banks of the Kabini an Englishman called Sanderson set up a camp to capture elephants by the kheada or the stockade system. It was only in the early part of this century that the entire area was declared a wildlife reserve. In the 1930 the southern bank of the Kabini river was designated as the Bandipur Sanctuary and in 1955 the northern bank got the name of the Nagarhole National park after the Nagarholay (Snake) River that meanders through this area. The irrigation dam built across the Kabini in 1974 today well distinguishes the two forests.

Just as we were preparing to retire for the night, a rustle among the fallen leaves caught our attention. We switched off the lights and peeked outside. A huge tusker was standing right by the side of our lodge. We did not dare to make a sound or go outside. Softly, we retreated to the security of our room. But the two Tamilian gentlemen upstairs had a long and enjoyable watch as the elephants bathed in the dust.

Much to our delight at dawn hundreds of spotted deer of cheetal sauntered past our bungalow. In fact strategically located the two bungalows offer a wide view of the forest and with little disturbance in these parts we were able to watch herds of elephants and gaur.

Besides we also took advantage of the twice daily bus rides offered by the forest department for a nominal charge. With luck, patience and quietness it is possible to see a large number of faunal species as well as birds. Besides the elephants and a variety of deer, it is also possible to see tigers, leopards, wild pigs, black napped hares, sloth bears, flying squirrels and fruit bats.

Another day by our hired car he took a trip to the Kabini-Karapura area. We went along the forest road that separates Nagarhole from the accompanying Wynad Sanctuary of Kerala till the forest opened up into tracts of coffee gardens. In the winter cold, the sun drenched lush green gardens were a pleasing sight. We went past a small town of sorts, peopled by the workers of coffee plantations, till we again met the forest road leading into the national park.

Soon we were pulling into the glamorous Kabini Jungle Lodge. Fitted out with fancy infrastructure, the lodge is a favourite with visiting foreigners and Indians who prefer to temper their wildlife enthusiasm with stylized living. Besides well appointed rooms and a multi-cuisine restaurant, there are facilities for holding a barbecue and camp fire, a well stocked bar and library and wildlife films in the evening. There are opportunities for taking coracle rides in the river. Indigenously made, these round shaped basket-like boats are ideally suited to watch or photograph birds and bathing elephants. The lodge also offers the services of trained naturalists.

From the Kabini Jungle Lodge we came past the town of H.D. Kote to joint the forest path at Murkal. This is the second forest check gate as you approach Nagarhole from Mysore. As we were coasting along the forest path, we could hear branches being broken off, twigs and leaves being snapped, as elephants snacked on lush green vegetation. All of a sudden, a lonely elephant arrested our progress. It stood in the middle of the road and seemed to ponder who had right of way - him or us. Like subdued subjects, we waited for the king elephant to move and perhaps pleased at our humble gesture he moved into the forest.

The road cleared. We hardly moved a few paces when it came charging out of the forest cover. It stopped a few yards away from us and we were too flummoxed to flee. We could feel the tense minutes ticking by…neither the animal nor us were eager to force an offensive. I cannot predict how the outcome would have ended because almost immediately we heard the rumble of a distant lorry. Suspecting its match had arrived, the elephant move away. Waiting for a few more seconds for the lorry to appear we too beat a hasty retreat.

On the day of our departure from Nagarhole, we found a pack of wild dogs trotting up and down the metalled road in front of the bungalow. They seemed to be quite agitated and on the scent of a prey. Soon it became clear. Next to the bush stood a gaur family. The dogs had tracked down a sickly looking cub and were trying to close in. Only a very determined and a tonne heavy leader stood between their bared fangs and the cub. And we were the helpless observers. Our hearts went out to the poor cub. But we could not do anything as the dogs were playing by the rules. We could not wait to see the end of the drama as urbane preoccupations tugged us citywards.

We stayed at the Mayura Cottage in Bandipur that looked upon a corner of the forest. Here too an attendant will bring you food from the adjoining canteen. But do keep a mosquito repellent and a torch handy. Also be careful of your dry provisions like biscuits if you do no like to share them with visiting rats.

Early morning we departed for the ride conducted by the Forest Department. Of course our animal viewing started right form the reception area where bonnet monkeys were displaying their antics. One plucked a viper off a windshield of a car, another stole a bunch of bananas from a picnicking family.

To avoid the crowd and the noise, we booked an entire bus for ourselves. A forest guide accompanied us. It was about six-thirty in the morning when we entered the forest.

A couple peacocks and a family of spotted deer were out on their early morning stroll and scampered away from the path. We just managed to glimpse the reddish back of a barking deer, but its warning was enough to warn other animals of our presence. A row of ant-hills were all that remained of the breakfast of the sloth bear. Sambhar and jungle fowl could be seen along the cleared patches by the side of the game roads.

According to the guide about 30 yards of forest patch along the game road is regularly cleared by the Forest Department to facilitate game viewing. These areas abound in fresh grass and so herbivores flock to these patches. Near such a patch we saw a family of gaurs, a promising sign since these animals were almost wiped off in a severe cattle disease that struck the sanctuary in 1968.

Meanwhile it was time to return. We were hurrying back when two tourist laden buses drew up with us. To avoid them we took a detour. Suddenly there was a movement in a nearby grassy patch. The driver stopped the vehicle beside an indistinct game road. And we were face to face with one of the rare denizens of Bandipur, a full grown tiger. But the animal was least pleased to see us. With a grimace it withdrew into a thicket. No way could we follow him.

Later at the reception counter at Mayura we found that a regular tally is kept of the tigers seen. The last time anyone had seen a tiger was a week ago. In the evening we saw a mongoose family, a herd of elephants were retiring to their nightly shelter. Late night passersby can see elephants standing in the forest along the highway. Thus ended our weekend with elephants.

INFORMATION Nagarhole National Park and Bandipur Tiger Reserve are open throughout the year, but the best time to visit is October to May.