On a savari to lion safari

It was in Aug 2007. My colleagues at office were eager to bunk off at the weekend and make a trekking to a nearby hillock. The approach of weekend almost tempted me to join the band and vanish into the green terrains behind the hills, just to rediscover the joy of oneness with nature.

Hence it was decided to make a trip to Vandalur Zoo, a reserve forest on 1300 acres roughly 30km from Chennai on the GST Road. Interestingly the Tamilnadu forest Department officially shifted the erstwhile zoo founded in 1855 to Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur in 1985 and has the credit of being the first public zoo in India. It was originally situated near Park town in Chennai. A wide range of animal life is habitated in this zoo. Animals can be seen in large open island type enclosure, with wet and dry moats and hidden walls with simulated natural environment.

The idea started positively with an assurance from Rosy that she would generously take care of the catering & parcel service. Being in Chennai one cannot go anywhere empty handed without a bottle of water. Rosy, Dwarak, Mohan and Seema were the enthusiastic members of my team.  I need to mention about Rosy who is good at organizing events and tours. Aspiring to become an ambitious entrepreneur, she always thinks of doing things from a different angle. Being close to Vandalur she volunteered to be the guide for this trip.

Mohan, a US returned lad is jovial and accommodative with anyone and especially would envy at the colors of my wear. Being charismatic and charming, would readily come up with tons of jokes, ear splitting punch dialogues and mimicry.

Dwarak, the travel guide of our earlier treks was quite calm and stretched extra mileage to offer his services. Infact he couldn’t escape from my customary imsai, pat and pinches.  Seema, the soft looking new comer in this team is a linguist. With ability to handle ‘help desk’, she could aptly be called as ‘TJ’ - Telephone jockey. Her giggle with thunderous modulation has the power to rock the whole zoo.

That sunday was slightly warm at 7o’clock and soon I got ready. I carried the necessary paraphernalia of a writer-photographer trusted to be an inseparable companion. This outing was totally different to spend time in the midst of thick woods with carnivores, herbivores, endangered birds, reptiles and amphibians. Being a first time visitor, I wanted to go on a ride inside the lion safari.

When we reached the entrance arch of the zoo, it was 10.15am. Rosy with the big shopper almost leaned like the Tower of Pisa and precariously looked for a lending hand. Moved by the plight, male members shouldered the burden of ‘sothu pottalams’ and water. The ticket counter was less crowded when Mohan came out with tickets. Tickets are charged at Rs.12/- for adults and Rs.7/- for kids. To our dismay many restaurants and parlours were not distributed throughout the stretch.

Without heaviness hanging from the shoulders and around neck, one could walk at least 10-15km inside the forest area with pleasure if weather cooperates for an optimum relief.

Rosy and others were taken back when Dwarak bought tickets for the vehicle ride (Rs.25/- per head) inside the lion safari. The battery operated vehicles are fully protected all around with sufficient mesh and could move about on the plains in the midst of wild animals. For they know not that ‘trespassing is prohibited’.

For nearly 25 minutes, the ride was amazing, fearful and enjoyable especially when we had an encounter with the ferocious ‘king of the wild’. For a while we were inside a locked cage and they freely moved and peeped into the vehicle. The close up shot of its yawning and sharp canines reminded me of the ‘Strepsils’ advertisement.

A sense of fear gripped us when the vehicle moving ahead of us got its wheels stuck in the mud. It was totally a different situation when passengers were forced on to a standby vehicle. In no time I got into action to shoot the picture of the yawning lion.

It was almost 12noon when we came around the Lion safari. The zoo tour starts with the section of birds and monkeys, and ends up at the aquarium. The nature is at its best to pull and attract the visitor to enjoy the fresh air, wild bush, cool greenery and pleasant weather. If you have the mettle to walk with energy, walk the vast area of unending boundary with unlimited joy.

I and Dwarak were too tired to walk as our ‘energy meter’ had dipped to recharge level. In the meantime, our extrasensory monitors sniffed the vegetable fried rice aroma that emanated from Rosy’s carry bag through the wild. This catalyzed the appetizer and we finally headed to berth for a sumptuous lunch.  The ‘checker boys’ at the gate scrupulously checked all our belongings for ‘polythene bags’ that are fatally dangerous to these animals.

The reptile section exhibited long cobras in air-conditioned enclosures. Viper, rattle snake and other venomous reptiles pulled huge crowd.

The next area had almost all the creatures like deer, wild buffalo, cheetah, wild squirrels, bear, jackal, fox, hippo, giraffe, elephant, kangaroo and crocodile. Sharp stench from some dens and cages made us to keep away. The sight of the parental care exhibited by the wild Cheetah was touching and reminded us of the srushti of god. Who taught it about nursing and baby care? God is great!

Innumerable varieties of birds in different colors were soothing and a connoisseur to all eyes.

It was a new fact when we heard that it’s less expensive to have a Hippo as ‘pet’ as the maintenance cost is less than Rs.4000/- a month. Ideally it feeds on grass and we have no necessity to trim the lawn exclusively.

It was baby’s day out for the elephant calf. It was funny and enjoyable to watch it play around and tunnel through the legs of its mother. The Australian Kangaroo was busy feeding its small ones in the pouch. Dwarak was restless to carry the big shopper and wondered if Kangaroo had enough space to accommodate this too.

Seema and Dwarak recalled their vivid memories of childhood days after watching the baboons in action. Seema unfolded her reflective memories a few years back of placing a peacock feather inside the books and anxiously waiting for it to grow. The main attraction was a Blue Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) that danced with wings spread to attract other peahens. In India some of them are reared in captivity. Many of these have long delightful feathers and owing to their short wing surface they are incapable of taking long flights. This reminded me of my visit few years ago to Tiruchi when we witnessed as many of these species moving across the trunk road near Viraalimalai. Now I understand that many of these were killed for commercial purpose and four or five are remaining on the hill.

It was time for lunch and we hurried to unzip the big shopper and taste the grand hot meal. Thanks to Rosy’s mother who meticulously packed a parcel for every member with adequate stock of water bottles. By the time we emptied the contents past noon, as many as 500 visitors would have turned up to the zoo. With stomach filled to the brim, my eyes expected a short nap and soon the body was pulled by gravity to roll on the natural green turf.

Starting again after a break, we ended the long walk with quenching Ice creams (courtesy Rosy). Besides natural wonders, we witnessed many human ‘love birds’ under the shade of wide canopies. Vandalur Zoo is an ideal place in the peripheral suburb of Chennai to beat the heat and forget traffic & pollution. Make a trip and enjoy the beauty in wild!  We left the park around 3 p.m.

Please do not carry polythene bags as they pose threat to animals. It would be better to book your Safari trip and tram in advance. Near the entrance is a restaurant run by TTDC inside the park that gives you good food. Always it is better to carry food packets and water bottles in a big jute shopper rather than plastic bags. It’s a memorable experience to be in harmony with nature.

Throughout the stretch, botanical names were displayed near all trees and plants that will help students in their herbarium collections. This park is a treat for botanist, zoologist, vet doctors, nature lovers, trekkers, time passers, photographers, writers and kids.

The zoo is open from 9.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. and all days except Tuesdays. The place is well connected by road and rail. For those who feel that train journey is relatively better, get down at Vandalur station and cross the highway. Buses are available from Chennai Koyembedu and Tambaram. For a whole family, private cars and call taxis are suitable.

Does this tempt you? Yes. You are sure to get carried away and forget yourself for the remaining hours of the day.

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*Travel & Shopp-Nov 2007 (Chennai edition)