Of lost luggages and fun memories

This happened in my second year of college. We were all bound for a nature camp to Tadoba Wildlife Sanctuary - a group of 40 students and group leaders. Our train to Chandrapur was 2 hours late and the platform at Dadar station was very crowded. We piled our luggage at one place and a few students stood around guarding it. Me and my friend went to buy something to munch and I asked my classmate to watch over my bag. We came back within 15 minutes and someone asked me for some pen and paper. I said I have it in my bag, let me find it.

But my sixth sense told me something was wrong and I could not locate my bag in the big pile there. Soon I had reconciled to the fact that my bag was stolen, or lost or just plain vanished. My classmate was very crestfallen and apologized for his carelessness but what could be done in any case. My Professor asked me if I want to continue with the camp and I said yes, of course. I had booked my tickets for home after returning from the camp so what would I do sitting in the hostel. I had not lost my wallet but I was not carrying too much cash. So my Professor lent me some money and I bought a toothbrush, some undergarments, a comb, soap, hawai chappals, a track-pant - that's it. Someone had promised to lend me an extra towel, somebody else socks, a couple of others had extra T-shirts to lend, and basically I was set.

Looking back I wonder at how minimalistic my life and requirements were then. That camp was memorable in so many ways. For all meals, we had to make a short trek from our dormitory to the canteen. There were no lights to the canteen and on our night-walks for dinner we could see the Tadoba lake waters glistening in the moonlight. You could see the beedy eyes of the crocodiles watching you whilst their bodies were fully submerged in the water. Electricity was strictly a necessity and there was a cut-off time for lights out. I don't remember if it was for the visitors as such or only for our group. Nights were the time when the jungle came alive with the animal calls. For bird watching we used to rise early and go into the jungle before bath and breakfast.

Post breakfast, we were divided into groups and we undertook treks exploring the reserve and studying the flora, fauna, birds, butterflies and having fun. Of course, everyone wanted to spot the tiger, and each group took turns at sitting on the machans to spot the tiger. Amongst deers, nilgais, etc, we saw a wild boar, another group spotted a leopard, we staked a water hole where we spotted pug-marks without much luck. A group of langurs who put up a show swinging from tree to tree. Our group leaders were ex-students who were wildlife enthusiasts and who always accompanied us on other treks and hikes. How we used to almost hero-worship some of them.

On the last day of the camp we used to play a game called Warm Fuzzies. Everyone sticks a paper on their back and others write something nice about the person. There is a story behind this.  My group leader had complimented me about the sporting way I took the loss of my baggage. Always the camp provided opportunity for young people to interact and become good friends, maybe more and I still know of a couple who is married after getting to know each other on this camp:) I don't have any pictures of this camp, not many of us had a camera back then. Only memories of good times and oneness with nature, warm fuzzies of memories:)