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The Vaishnodevi Experience 2023

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.

Dubare: The Elephants and the River

Dubare is known for its elephant camp. Located on the picturesque banks of the Kaveri, this was where the elephants used in the Mysore region were trained.


Those were the days of extensive logging, and before the times of six wheel drives, and elephants were invaluable. That was also the time when the Mysore Dasara celebrations were at their most ostentatious, and there was a lot for the elephants to do, and to be trained for. Times changed, as they are wont to do, and the elephants were rendered jobless. They are still used during the Dasara celebrations, but not in numbers like in those times. Besides, the elephants still had to be fed and taken care of, for the rest of the year. Someone, along the way, had the brilliant idea of opening the camp to visitors, and they have struck lucky with it. Today, Dubare sees loads of visitors, who rush to enjoy a chance to bathe or feed the elephants, or simply to enjoy a joyride on one of them.



We visited Dubare in March this year, and, though it wasn’t peak season, the place was still packed with squealing adults and kids. Yes, that included my excited son, who was scared of the elephants, but still wanted to go near; didn’t want to get wet, but couldn’t stay away from the water; was saddened by the chains on the elephants, but couldn’t help smiling when he could go near and scrub the elephant, reassured by those very chains. 



As for me, I simply stood afar, trying desperately to get some decent photos – without the crowd in them!




Information:
  • The Tourist arrangements at Dubare are handled by JungleLodges and Resorts. They have a resort in the camp, though it is not necessary to stay there to enjoy the activities. Most of the crowd are visitors, who make day trips to the camp. Apart from the activities involving the elephants, it is also possible to go rafting on the Kaveri, or on treks inside the forest.


I have not stayed at their Dubare resort, by going by my experience of their other resorts,  I would think that staying there would give us time away from the crowds. That, to me, can only enhance the experience of Dubare! 

Comments

  1. Heard a lot about this place, yet to visit..

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    Replies
    1. Its nice, Meghana, but a bit too crowded for me :D

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  2. I am yet to go there..but very soon I will..Thanks for reminding me what I missed :)

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    Replies
    1. You are welcome, Ankita! look forward to reading about your experience!

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  3. http://tinyurl.com/workid/?id=Aayu

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  4. Love the third photo of the elephant sitting in the water. Where is Dubare, btw? Near Kabini?

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  5. Great piece of information, especially on the history of Dubare . I just wanted to add a couple of points for the benefit of the readers who wish to reference this blog if they are travelling to Dubare. While the place is most famous for elephants, one can spot other animals like spotted deer and sambar. The river is home to some crocodiles too. Having a local expert always helps. For birdwatchers, there’s a feast awaiting in the form of woodpeckers, kingfishers, and partridges. Being in the Coorg district, mornings are especially beautiful and weather is simply great throughout the year.

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