BANDIPUR Memories.............including a wild Jawahar
The most attractive thing about Mysore is that it is " centrally located" , to use the estate agent's jargon. It is a very convenient base camp for so many one- day excursions , trips of all description : pilgrimage, adventure, historic interest, what have you. Bandipur Wild life Sanctuary has always been a favourite haunt of the family . Have enjoyed its really "wild " character ; and later despaired of its "garnished -for- tourists" avatar too. Time was when all that signalled the begining of the sanctuary was a length of log , barricading the road, weighted on end with some precariously fastened stone blocks, the other end tied , by cattle-rope, to an iron post. When the car stopped, a sleepy man in roomy khakhi shorts emerged from a shack next to the post, peered in prefunctorily, enquired if we were smuggling rice, never waited for an answer and untied the rope from the post ; whereupon ,the weig...