OUR MEETING WITH THE LION
Gir national park is the pride of Gujarat state. The western state of India offers a lovely spectacle of lions in Gir. There are many tiger reserves in India. Personally, I have been to Ranthambhore, Kanha, and Bandhavgarh. However, Gir is the only place one can spot wild lions outside of Africa. The density of lions in Gir has been increasing every year due to the diligence of the forest department.
Curious about this unique wildlife destination, I visited Gir National Park in the month of November. We stayed at the Gir Birding Lodge, an adorable property amidst the dense forest of Gir. This lodge offered us a memorable stay for us while exploring Gir. The food was homelike and gardens well landscaped. The slight nip in air made us wrap our arms around elbows. In the distant horizon, the moon had just started shining, bathing the cottages in white light.
The staff at Gir Birding Lodge helped us book a morning safari and we were on our way to greet the royal Lions. It was 5 am and our open Jeep was en route to the forest department office. From there, we would board another Jeep which would take us deep into the forest.
Once the safari permit was issued, we reached the gates a little before 6 AM. The morning safari timing was 6–9 AM. As soon as the gates opened, the jeeps started entering the core forest region of Gir national park. The trodden path was uneven and our Jeeps slowly trudged through. Gradually, we were entering deeper in the forest. Our keen eyes were fixed on the dry trees and twigs scattered on the ground. We curiously scanned the surroundings to catch a glimpse of a lion.
Almost an hour passed and with hope in our hearts, we continued to stare at the forest. As the faint sunlight scattered on the ground, we heard a noise in the distance. Our jeeps stopped and our driver glanced in direction of sound. In the peaceful setup of the forest, an unknown engine was making the only sound.
The sound became clearer and a bike appeared from behind the dense shades. A man disembarked the bike and approached our Jeeps. Some 20 Jeeps stood in line, and I was wondering who this daredevil was walking around amidst the lions. Our driver sensed the curiosity in the air and answered our many questions. The guy was not a daredevil but much more than that. He was a guard in the forest department, one of the many heroes who looks after the wellbeing of the lions and other wildlife here. This was new for me as I had never heard about them! Their profession was noble and all of them had been serving lions for years.
Due to their uniform, lions recognize them and do not consider them as threats. There are many interesting stories regarding these caretakers. Such an amazing relationship between these men and the lions left me awestruck!
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Suddenly, we heard a rustling sound. All the jeeps had turned off their engines and a pin drop silence enveloped the environment.
We were on our feet in the Jeep as the rustling grew louder. 15 minutes had passed and our hopes had starting fading away. Suddenly, there was a suppressed roar, like that of a cub. They were here!
A lioness walked proudly with 3 cubs playing around cheerfully. Tiny roars filled the environment with joy as the merry cubs frolicked around. With wide smiles on our faces, we observed each step of the lioness.
The lioness slowly, but elegantly approached closer to our jeeps. She sat close to our Jeeps as if allowing us to revel in her presence. Shutters started clicking and it seemed as if she enjoyed all this attention. The Cubs still fought with grass and plants in the background, not concerned by our presence at all!
After admiring the elegance of lioness for a while, we later moved further, hoping to catch another sight. But, deep down, I was satisfied to have witnessed the spectacle I wished to!
Apart from the lioness, we saw some deer jumping around gleefully and a jackal as well. We also noticed cottages built right in the middle of the forest, only yards away from where we saw the lioness. They were the Maldhari tribe, settled in the forest for decades. They were allowed to live in certain parts of the forest, although with restrictions. The Maldhari tribe still continues to live fearlessly with the lions.
In evening, we left again to visit Devalia forest park. Gardens welcome you upon entering the park. You can opt for a bus safari which generally lasts for an hour.
Spotting a lion is guaranteed here because some 20 lions roam around freely in this cordoned area. We also spotted a leopard which was kept in an enclosed area within. Though we spotted the lions well, bus safari in Devalia safari park wasn’t as exciting as the morning jeep safari. You can actually skip it if you had a good sighting during jeep safari.
Visiting Gir national park was a fulfilling experience indeed. Meeting the lioness in her natural habitat was just amazing!
