Tiger in the greens at Corbett Tiger Reserve
Asiatic Elephant at Corbett Tiger Reserve

 

Is there anyone who loves wildlife and has not heard of DHIKALA the heart of Corbett National Park ?.

Once you visit the place and see its effect on the mind and the soul. Even if you like to forget it without even observing the elusive big cat during game safari ,you will not be able to forget the elephants and the amazing and most unique topography of the place.

The students of Hindi literature refer to the period of heroic deed of Rajput between 1000A.D to 1325 A.D as ADIKAL. The poetry of this period highlights the heroic deeds of the rulers and the warriors in the form of verses. The later periods has been named as Bhaktikal , Ritikal , Adhunikkal, Bhartendu Yug ,Dwedi Yug and Chhayavadi Yug.

Tiger in the greens at Corbett Tiger Reserve
Crested Kingfisher at Corbett Tiger Reserve

Once you are in Dhikala even after 7 centuries it looks as though the time has stood still.

The tiger resting in the grassland or under a tree without caring for his next meal. The herd of spotted deer grazing knowing that the tiger is not greedy like the human beings . In the tall grass few hog deers feeding on the tender shoots. The elephants too either cooling themselves in the big reservoir, at in the Ramganga river or busy in satisfying their hunger in the Chaur or in the woods.

The only sound is of the chirping of the birds. Except for the human habitation created by the forest department for temporary stay ,there is nothing else which has changed from the time immemorial.

It looks as if you are in the heaven.

Dhikala is no doubt not less than the heaven. Can you think from where the name Dhikala came. I have a firm belief that DHIKALA came from the word ADIKAL described above. If you take the letter A from the front of ADIKAL and place it at the end then it becomes DIKALA —–our own DHIKALA , we have heard from so many wildlifers and the visitors.

The land of TRUMPET , ROAR and the SONG.

About Vinod Goel

He joined Customs & Central Excise service in 1982. As a civil servant, his job takes him to various parts of India, which gave him an opportunity to capture our wild heritage, through his camera. His passion for wildlife photography started in 2004 when he was posted at Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and this passion continues till today.