Posted on: 04/12/2011

Priya and I have been associated with each other for over 12 years now. For the initial 10 years, she ran this association as a startup, allowing me to express my views freely. In December 2008, she decided to run this more professionally & formed a new organization, P&P Pvt. Ltd, under the Hindu Marriage Act. Since then, I have been made more accountable & my performance has been reviewed every quarter. Last December, to celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of P&P Pvt. Ltd, she arranged for an offsite to Dubare Elephant Camp, Madhikeri, Coorg.

Dubare Elephant Camp is run by Jungle Lodges & Resorts, providing tourists with ‘an intimate experience with Elephants. The Dubare forest reserves is also a home for many wild animals including the Sāmbhar dears, spotted ear, Indian Bison & plethora of birds with peacocks, partridges, kingfishers and woodpeckers topping the list.

We left Bangalore in the wee hours at 5.30AM & took the Mysore- Hunsur- Madhekeri route. It was an enjoyable drive in the cold winter & took us 6 hours to reach the camp. We were asked to park our car on the other bank of the river & were carried by a ferry to the resort. Situated on the banks of the river Cauvery, the resort offered an enchanting view of the majestic river Cauvery. From the very start, we knew we were in for a splendid experience!!


We checked in at around 12:30 pm & then headed straight for lunch..

At 4:30 pm we headed for the wildlife safari in an open jeep. We got to see the peacock, Sāmbhar deer, & herds of spotted deer. We were eagerly waiting to spot some wild elephants but ran out of luck. On our way back, the naturalist continued to educate us on the historical importance of Dubare Camp & how the elephants were trained here for the famous Mysore Dassera festival.

After the wonderful safari ride the evening was followed by some chicken & bonfire. The night ended with a sumptuous dinner.
The next morning, I accompanied another college group for a small nature walk to spot some winged creatures. We were lucky to spot some Kingfishers & woodpeckers. It was a nice 2 hours walk into the nature. Priya caught up with some lost sleep!!

After breakfast, we headed for the much awaited part of the trip, “The Elephant Training Camp!!” It was a 3 hour session. We were first asked to assemble at the bank of the river where we were supposed to scrub bath the Elephant. This was followed by a feeding session of the gigantic animal & finally ended up with a small yet enjoyable elephant ride. During the course, a Naturalist explained us about all aspects of the elephant ecology, history, conservation etc. In the hindsight, this was one of the most unforgettable experiences of the Dubare camp.

The two days, spent amongst the quiet & serene nature, gave us a good opportunity to rediscover each other. After a coracle ride into the free flowing Cauvery River, we checked out with happy hearts, rejoicing the second successful year of P&P Pvt Ltd & looking forward for a yet another eventful year.