STATE OF WONDER

Frequent leopard sightings aren't the only wildlife experience Jawai offers. At an eco-friendly boutique resort in the region, DEEPALI SINGH discovers the joys of birding, crocodile spotting, and more.

- DEEPALI SINGH

OUR TRIP TO JAWAI in Rajasthan is going better than we anticipated. Here we are, thinking we'd spot a leopard or two, but it's just day one and we have been treated to the sight of not just a male and a female leopard but two cubs as well! Whoever said we'd have to be pretty darn unlucky not to spot a few of these majestic creatures in a place which has come to be known as the leopard hills, was absolutely on the money. Soon, we find ourselves inclining towards other inhabitants of the wild.

On our second morning here, all thoughts of a leisurely breakfast go out the window as we find ourselves hurtling down dusty roads, holding on for dear life as our driver Chintu Singh zooms the open gypsy over steep rock structures that have been formed over thousands of years.

The thrill of chasing a sunrise can be as glorious as being on the trail of a leopard, a lesson we take back from the trip. Perched atop a hillock, with Singh looking out for signs of leopards in the vicinity, we sit inside our gypsy taking in the scene as the sun peeks out and then rises amidst the clouds in a rhapsody of hues.

Our hearts and minds satiated, we fill our tummies with cheese-cucumber sandwiches and hot tea served to us on top of the jeep bonnet. It's an outdoor picnic unlike any other. Who knows which elusive cat is watching us from their perch among the craggy rocks in the distance.

We head towards Jawai Dam that is home to several migratory species of birds as well as hyenas and leopards; I am particularly excited about the hundreds of crocodiles that have made the dam their home.