Explore in a easy way the lesson "Into the wild"

(Part – I) Lost in the Jungle
     The eight-and-a-half-hour-long day inside the hide (go in to shelter for protection and safety/ लपून निरीक्षण करायची जागा) was as fruitful (useful) as the Jambha tree standing tall on the edge (bank/ border) of Umbarzara. Before wrapping (ending) up my day at this natural waterhole, I took entries of the avifauna (the birds of a particular region or period) in my field notes (diary) [expand title="Continue reading the lesson" swaptitle="Hide the lesson"]

Since I was alone, I rushed to Pitezari village where I was stationed (stayed/ lived/ राहणे ). I camouflaged (लपवणे/ covered/ made invisible by means of protective coloring) the hide, took my essentials (necessary things/ equipment), came out of the hide and stretched out to my heart’s content. I lifted my camera bag and took the familiar trail (path/track) to Pitezari. Negotiating (talking/ discussing) the webbed leaves of Teakwood (सागवान) and Moha trees, trying to make minimal (minimum/ कम से कम) sound, I was treading (walking) cautiously among the woods (forest). Walking alone in a jungle needs more alertness (continuous attention) than walking with a companion (partner/ fellow). I was alone here like a fox. Following the trail silently, watching with wide-open eyes, my ears were grasping a variety of sounds just when a familiar sound stunned (astonished/चकित कर देना) me…

‘Khyak! Khyak! KhyakoSS Khyak!’ (ख्याक! ख्याक ! ख्याकोस ! ख्याक !)

It was a Langur (slender long-tailed monkey of Asia) alarm (signal/warning) call. The leader of the gang of Langurs was sitting on the tall tree making alarm calls out of fear for life. Rest of the Langur brigade (group/force) continued raising the alarm calls. The network of alarm calls was expanding its range as the petrified (frighten अत्यधिक भयभीत) Langurs speeded (रफ़्तार बढ़ाना) to the trees near and far and secured their places on treetops. All this upheaval (turmoil / खलबली) was created by only one animal’s presence- a Leopard (चीता)

Many animals make alarm calls when they see a predator (An animal that lives on other animals/ नरभक्षक/ शिकारी) - Tiger or Leopard nearby. The Langur is most reliable (honest) when it comes to finding clues about the presence of the apex predators in the jungle.
(An apex predator, also known as an alpha predator or top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain, without natural predators.)
The mighty elusive (skillful /चालाक) Leopard of Umbarzara was out of its lair (den/ छिपने की जगह). He was on the prowl (walking about in a stealthy manner/ शिकार के लिये चुपके चुपके चलना).The stealthily moving figure in spotted gold-black cloak (hide under a false appearance/ a loose outer garment/ बुरखा) was spied (spotted) by these Langurs. Even the small ones from the legion (number/ group) of Langurs were giving alarm calls.
‘Chyak! Chyak!’(च्यक ! च्यक !
I stayed put (stopped). Gauged (guessed) the leader Langur’s target sight (looking direction) and scanned the area visually. Took some steps. Stopped again. A fresh scat (गोबर) was lying before me on the trail (path). The bluish-purple flies were hovering (flying/ मँडराना) over it. I was sure that the Leopard was somewhere near. The distant alarm call of four-horned antelope was adding to the chaos. I barely (only) walked around15 metres and stopped. I had apparently (clearly) entered in the sanctum sanctorum (a very private or highly secret place). (holy place) of a miracle (amazing) called Leopard. But the big cat was not visible. It is an elusive (चालाक) animal. The surroundings were reminding me that I was all alone time and again. As I moved forward on the trail to Pitezari, the fading (decreasing) alarm calls were still heard in the background. I could tell instinctively (naturally) that the Leopard had moved away.
Meanwhile, I saw a man standing at a distance with a stick in his hand. As I approached, he appeared spooked (scared/ feared) due to alarm calls of the Leopard. We greeted each other.
He was Raju Iskape from Pitezari. He had come to collect logs (fire wood) but retreated (returned / मागे फिरणे) due to the Leopard’s movement. Raju was amazed (surprised) at my regular solitary (lonely) visits to Umbarzara, the haven (a place of living आश्रय स्थान) for Tigers, Leopards and Sloth Bears. We stopped under a Kusum tree to take a break. We both felt a bit relaxed. Now we were four eyes, four hands with a stick. Then we both resumed (started to walk ) our walking tour.

There was one tiny (small) track that broke out of the main trail. “I will take this route, you go straight,” said Raju and turned right. I kept walking straight until I climbed a familiar hillock (mound/टेकड़ी). I crossed the cement pillar and stones stacked (column) by Forest Development Corporation to mark the boundary of the forest compartment (department/ विभाग)
Took another trail after climbing down. Walked across a beautiful Mahua tree loaded with reddish-brown leaves. The ground under the tree was cleaned very well. The thought instantly flashed in my mind- ‘I’d lost my way’. Next moment, I found another dusky (shady/धुंधली) trail. Hastily (Hurriedly/जल्दबाजी से) I took that trail which took me from a narrow gorge (way) to an open field. The area was surrounded by hillocks of dry deciduous (shedding foliage/ पतझड़ी) tropical (hot) forest. I turned back to spot the sun. Now, the geographical west was set. The dusky trail had vanished. Good Heavens (हे भगवान)! I was lost. Completely lost in this jungle, that too at a very dreadful (terrible/भयानक) time! The sun was melting (setting/ disappear) down like a fleeting runner.
Soaked (wet /पूरी तरह से भीगा हुआ) in my own sweat (body's perspiring /पसीना), I felt like shouting to my heart’s content. But there was no other soul (man) to listen to my sound in this wilderness (jungle). I had two bags with me. The Shabnam bag having the camera and the other was a small colourful hand-made bag used in villages to carry tiffin. The tiffin still had some stuff (remained food), but I didn’t feel like having it (to eat it). The blossoming (flowering) Boxwood trees,the Bhoop Bhoop sound of Coucal bird, the song of Robin bird, all appeared alien (unknown) to me.u
It was more than an hour and I was still there searching for a suitable tree to climb and get secured. “Turn back to the trail you left,” my mind was telling me. But there were no signs of the trail. I had no other way to climb the hillock before me. There were more hillocks, and some more around the one I was standing. Near my feet were the dried- up droppings (dung/scat) of Sloth Bear. “The Sloth Bear of Umbarzara must be out in open sniffing (smell/ नाक से सुड़कना) for food,” I cautioned myself. Thinking of averting (preventing / avoiding /टालना) all sorts of eventuality (possible event/ संभाव्य घटना), I made a move. I ran down the hillock that I had climbed up at a frantic (wild/madly) speed. The west was to my right-hand side now. The evening breeze flew through my wet curled hair. My stomach was aching. I kept walking in hope.

After around 50 steps I found a bright red soil trail. I found my silver lining (bright side/ उम्मीद की किरण) on this trail. There were marks of bicycle wheel on this trail. That was a big consolation (comfort /तसल्ली/दिलासा) for me. “There must be a village nearby,” I reassured (relieved/आश्वस्त) myself. More questions resurfaced (appear again/पुनः प्रकट होना), “How far is the village? And where? In which direction?”
I climbed one more hillock and tried to locate signs of human civilization (मानवी वस्ती). My legs were trembling (थरकापने/ shaking). As I reached the top of the hill, I jumped with joy. I heard the sounds of people talking in the loudspeaker. In a jiffy (instantly/ तत्काळ), I ran down the hill, towards the sound with full vigour (energy/ उत्साह; जोश). I stumbled (ठोकर खाना) and fell down. Saw droppings (dung/scat) of Blue Bulls (नील-गाय) nearby. Struggled (attempt to achieve something/संघर्ष), stood up and decided which direction to move on. The signs of civilization (people) were visible. The tiny sleepy (peaceful) village of Pitezari was visible through the green woods. (forest) The lantern of Rajiram Bhalavi’s farm, the loudspeaker installed for Keshav Bhalavi’s marriage, all were in clear sight. Turned left to spot the village lake and familiar hillock ‘Suihudaki’(सुईहुडकी). The dog barked to welcome me to the village.
The first thing I did was to take a bath (Taking a bath was the first thing I did). The shaking of limbs (legs) had lessened a bit. The stomach ache started again. Ate to the full and then slumped (पडणे /झोपणे) onto the cot. Lying awake looking at the star-studded (ornamented/decorated) sky, I spoke to myself, “There still exists (present) a jungle where we can get lost, isn’t this our good luck?” [/expand]