It is hard to find such silence. And the darkness is so absolute that one can't see one's own hand. All this within 300 km from the blinding haze and deafening sounds of Bangalore. Far from being scary for someone whose ears are accustomed to constant sounds, least of all the thrums of traffic, Biligiri Ranga Hills or B.R. Hills is a refreshing refuge.
B.R. Hills is part of the Biligiri Ranga Swamy wildlife sanctuary, named after the well-known temple of Lord Rangaswamy that rests on one of the white-hued peaks of the range. This range is on the easternmost edge of the Western Ghats, at an altitude of 3,000-5,000 m, and is almost a corridor between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
This would, naturally, mean that the area is abundant in wildlife. The sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve in 2010. The eyes and ears get the much-deserved rest in the sights and sound of the forest. The absence of pollution is a relief for the lungs. B.R.Hills is one of the few places devoid even of automobile fumes and piles of garbage.
The best part about the hills, other than the almost undisturbed forests, is the stay. One can choose to stay in the government's or Kyathadevara Gudi or K. Gudi jungle lodge, or the Gorukana Eco Tourism wildlife resort. Both the wildlife camps have amazing accommodations that the urban soul will find tasteful.
While the K. Gudi camp, where I was put up, offers log-hut cabins and tented cottages on a twin-sharing basis, the Gorukana resort includes a tree-house overlooking a rainwater harvesting pool. Having said that, K. Gudi camp is comfortable and offers an excellent view from its cottages. Plus, it is located right inside the forest, which means that one might just encounter a tiger sauntering around.
The Gorukana camp, on the other hand, is located close to the settlements of the Soliga tribe and includes them in its holiday activity list. Being an ecotourism resort, it also offers options for ‘voluntourism', where you could help with their community development programmes or even offer a hand at their organic farm.
But the main outdoor activities that both the camps offer are mostly the same. The first thing that most jungle camps offer is a safari. The advantage with B.R. Hills is that there is no specific sighting season. It all depends on luck. You could chance upon a leopard, a tiger or an elephant, a sloth bear, a bison or a wild dog at any given time. But on most days one is likely to spot plenty of spotted deer, barking deer, sambhar and sometimes even the rare four-horned antelope or the nocturnal mouse deer. There are about thirty tigers, sixty leopards and six hundred elephants in the 540 sq km of pristine forests.
The forests themselves are mixture of deciduous, evergreen, grasslands and scrubs. They are a paradise for bird watchers, with more than over 250 species of birds including the Spot Bellied Jungle Owl, Serpent Eagle, Babbler, Seven Sisters, Scarlet Minivet, Racket-Tailed Drongo, Crested Hawk Eagle and Old World Flycatcher inhabiting them. There are also over three species of squirrels including the Giant Malabar Squirrel and the Flying Squirrel.
For a typical two-day stay, apart from the safari, one could choose to go trekking in the forest for a few kilometres in the morning and visit the Biligiri Ranganna Temple. If there's time, the camp might organise a trip to one of the numerous coffee estates nearby where many of the Soligas are employed.
The hills are also home to the Soligas' sacred grove of champaka trees, with the largest one close to a thousand years old. This tree, known as Doddasampige, is worshipped as the god of the Soliga tribe. Local government officials say the forest department has now made the grove off-limits for tourists.
The best part about the hills is that they are cut off from any sort of development or urbanisation. It is as close to the lap of nature as one can get. The closest town is Chamarajnagar, which is a 30-minute drive away.
The silence and peace is reinforced by the fact that there are no televisions in any of the rooms in the K. Gudi camp. Loud music is not allowed. In fact there is no power for most part of the day, except for a few hours in the morning and night. If you're looking for a romantic candle-light dinner, this is the place to have it. The perfect candlelight dinner with good homely food. All the mountain air is sure to get you hungry, especially after a long jungle safari through a thick forest.
All in all, it's the perfect getaway where you can stretch out on a hammock behind your cabin or tent and read a book or contemplate on life, or just plug in your iPod and take an undisturbed nap. Just make sure a tiger's not noticing you.
