travelandleisureindia.inpeace with the water birds, sambar, spotted deer,
and ginormous hornbills that came into my line
of sight. The jeep safari the next day had many a
dramatic moment: the predator was close by but
out of sight, always! But I did see a couple of
elephants and a few more spotted deer.
The only salve for my disappointment was the
Vaidyasala. Nature sounds overwhelmed my
senses at the Ayurveda spa, paving the way for a
deep-set sense of peace and relaxation that
nothing could upset. The treatment rooms both
looked out onto a man-made pond, covered with
lilies. The vines on the other side played home to
noisy weaver birds, whose song energised me
during my treatment. I had opted for a brisk
udwartanam and a relaxing massage. The former
improved circulation and exfoliated my skin,
while the latter lulled me into a trance that the
natural beauty of Evolve Back Kuruba Safari
Lodge, Kabini only enhanced during the course
of my stay. evolveback.comCLockwise from left: On a jeep
safari through Bandipur Naional
Park; the Vaidyasala at Evolve Back
Kuruba Safari Lodge, Kabini; a sit-
out with views of the river.picture windows, all of which looked out into a
private garden, the piece de resistance of which
was the private pool and Jacuzzi. There was more
to come, I discovered as I stepped into the
bathroom to freshen up: a bathtub with views of
the pool and a beautiful mini tropical garden next
to it—I could live here! But the wilderness was
calling out to me, and so I dragged myself out.
Lunch and every other meal at the resort was a
delight. I ate most meals at Honey Comb, named
after the honey gathering Kuruba tribe. The
highlight of the meals was the little section
dedicated to local delicacies—brown rice,
vegetables, meat dishes, and pickles—that I
tucked into at every meal. One evening, I was
treated to a large variety of kebabs and grills at
The Kuruba Grill. Here, the sounds of the forest
and the river played a steady tune as I chomped
my way through platter after platter of subtlely
flavoured and succulent meat.
The call of the wild was almost deafening at
the resort, and I was happy to indulge it on more
than one occasion. My introduction to the area’s
flora and fauna had been within an hour of my
arrival. I had sat in the boat and gazed in wonder
at the surrounding beauty as it had made slow
progress through the pregnant river. Shanmugan
had warned me that I might not spot anything at
all, leave alone the elusive tiger. So I made my