The episode of sleeping in open in a remote jungle of 'Ratangad' brings forth another memory.
This time we were trekking in 'Manmad' region. This was the fist day of our trek from 'Chandwad' to 'Markandya' near 'Vani'. This was one of our most grueling trek. It included forts Chandwad, Indrai, Rajdher, Koldher, Dhodap, Ravlya-Javlya and Markandya with miles and miles of walking between them. We had to drop Rajdher and Koldher when local people informed us that these forts needed rock climbing equipment.
At the end of our first day we had reached fort 'Indrai'. But this time we had reached on time and had a look at the cave there which looked clean enough (by trekker’s standards). Once more we decided to stay in a cave. So we kept our sacks there and had a look around the place and came back to the cave when it started to get dark.
There we found a villager anxiously waiting for us. He was a cowherd from the village below. He had obviously seen our sacks on his way back. He asked us if we were planning to stay in the cave which we of course did, since we planned to get down from the other end of the fort next day.
He asked us if it was possible to change our plan. This made us curious. He hesitated at first and then told us that just the night before a leopard had killed a cow and dragged it to this cave for eating. We were shocked at first but then came to the conclusion that change of plan will be really bad for our schedule.
God bless the cowherd who stayed back to warn us even though it was getting dark and it would be at least half an hour before he reached the safety of his home.
Many times we have stayed in caves. They are not very safe but provide some semblance of protection. But a leoperd's cave was a first.
We too were really worried so I had my hunting knife ready by my side. Just imagine, I was thinking of fighting a leopard with a hunting knife. Young people are so foolish sometimes. Of course the fact that I am writing this means leopard did not visit us that night. Or maybe did not fancy us on his full stomach.
I don’t know if leopards can laugh, but if they could, this one must have laughed loudly at those three fools fast asleep in his den.
