Into the jungle
Last part: At the journey's end.
(Continuing from where I left off.)
It was already noon, and I was still in bed with an upset stomach. All the others had left the ship to visit a famous tourist spot by then. When the pain subsided a little, I got out of bed and looked out the window.
With almost no people on board (aside from some boat crews), the air was strangely calm. The ship had been anchored far from the shore. From my window, I could see a green line painted by the canopy in the distance. There was only the sound of mild waves crashing against the ship's hull. As I stood by the window, taking it all in, it temporarily made me forget about the pain in my stomach.
By the time everyone returned, it was well past noon, and my stomach was still aching. I could only eat biscuits for lunch. I just sat back and listened to others talk about everything they had just seen. And it made me feel like I was missing out on something I needed to see.
So, with one last trip to the forest left on our itinerary before returning home, I decided to go out regardless. Luckily my companions were all medical interns. They gave me some pain-reducing pills that helped me to suppress the pain in my stomach.
After everyone had their lunch it was decided that we would set out for the last spot within an hour.
And so we did.
When we arrived at the shore, the sun was still high in the sky, so we had plenty of time to explore our destination, the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center.
Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center was a sanctuary for saltwater crocodiles bred in captivity. The population of saltwater crocodiles in the Sunderbans is declining due to a variety of human-caused disasters. These terrifying yet beautiful creatures are deeply connected with the complex ecosystem of the Sunderbans. So the government took the initiative to save them.
But Karamjal didn't just have crocodiles, it also had a deer enclosure. Deer also contribute significantly to jungle equilibrium because they account for over 80 percent of the Royal Bengal Tiger's diet.
Monkeys were given free rein to come and go whenever and whenever they pleased, with the occasional snack from tourists.
The forest rangers' quarters were located within the forest boundaries, so they lived in close contact with wildlife such as wild boars, monkeys, vultures, and who knows what else. The houses nearest to Karamjal, or rather the ones I saw, were ten to fifteen feet above ground and supported by concrete pillars. I could see wild boars roaming beneath them, and youngsters were playing nearby.
They were not terrified, to say the least. What terrified me had become the usual for them.
After wandering throughout the sanctuary, I stopped on a bench to collect my breath and simply soak in the surroundings. Time went by silently, as it was now afternoon and time to move on.
When leaving Karamjal we didn't go back the way we came from. We went a different way, following a wooden trail through the forest before returning to the beach where the boats were.
It was like a bridge on land, to provide us a safe passage through the forest while enjoying the beauty it had to offer. But the trail wasn't quiet, it was bustling with tourists coming and going from each direction.
We strolled, snapping photographs and hoping to spot some uncommon species. However, there were no animals to be seen due to the noise made by tourists along the walk. And we were expecting to catch a glimpse of the legendary Royal Bengal Tiger on this final leg of the excursion. But fate had other intentions.
When we walked to the beach, the sun was already lowering on the horizon. We sat on the beach for a moment to watch the sunset. Sitting on that beach that day, I knew I had made the right decision to come on this trip; where else could I see this complicated ecosystem, the linked lives of people with the forest, and the dangerous but beautiful jungle? It was well worth the trouble.
But now it was time to leave for home. To say farewell to this place. Who knows whether I will ever return here, but I will cherish every moment of my adventure.
[Conclusion: After getting back on the ship, we started heading back to the ferry ghat (where we first boarded the ship). From there, we boarded our bus to return home. It was past 11 p.m. when we boarded the bus. The next morning, we were already back in our hometown.
It is been six years since my adventure, and a lot has changed in the Sunderbans. Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center was restored, and it now includes larger enclosures for different creatures such as turtles and rare birds. Along with many other features. I will leave the photos for you to see. I hope you will visit it eventually.]
Please provide feedback in the comments section. And thank you for reading to the end.
