We had worked our back side off in these 5 days. When we reached our room at the 'dharamshala' we found the Big Race packet as we opened the door; someone would have slipped it while we were away. Joe picked it up, opened it and read it to Neena. I couldn't hear them,I was too tired and immediately fell asleep from a satisfied work at the 'Hotel Sunshine' - we were richer by Rs/-19,000.
At 6 AM on Nov 11th, Neena tried to wake me up. I was not done with my sleep, I struggled and resisted and finally Joe came to her rescue and pulled the blanket off me. We have to leave Dehradun by 7 AM. They had packed up my stuff already. Joe hauled me out of the room and into the taxi. I dozed off on the way to the railway station and then in the train. I was clueless where we were going.
I woke up at about 9 AM. I had snuggled up with Neena who had calmly accepted me between her bosoms much to the chagrin of Joe. I apologised and sat up straight.
I was told we were headed to the heart of India and were to locate a 'baba' that had disappeared into the thick forests near Panna National Park about a couple of years back. He had been sighted couple of times by the locals who described him as a tall thin man clad in while with flowing white beards. It is said that the 'baba' was a scion of business family but he chose to give up everything and renounce the world and its pleasures. He wondered around preaching for couple of years and finally made the forest his abode. Some say he is dead and some even believe that he has possessed miracle powers over time using which he can transpose himself and we had to find this mystic.
There was a great thud and we all were thrown off our seats. There was a chaos and fellow passengers scampered for their luggage and shoved to make their way out. Nobody knew what was going. Their was commotion, the train has come to a halt and the place was enveloped in dust. Men shouted, women cried and the kids were howling. I grabbed someone who in a breath told me that the train has derailed, the engine along with the first 3 compartments had come off the rail, a few were hurt and more some were injured while saving themselves in the compartment which were still holding tight to the rails.
The experience left us all tattered and we could not thing straight for a while. Neena lost her bag in the mêlée which has some of our savings along with his power make up kit. I had all the money I got from Mr Raj, so we were still afloat. We checked with the locals and on their advice walked to the nearby town and got on a taxi to Satna. Satna is about 90 km from Panna.
Panna Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the river Ken passes through the park and adds to the scenic beauty. Panna Wildlife Sanctuary was created in year 1981 and was declared a Project Tiger Reserve by Government of India in year 1994. The region, which is famous for its diamonds, is also home to some of the best wildlife species in India and is one of the better Tiger Reserves in the country. The park is known worldwide for its wild cats, including tigers as well as deer and antelope.
[SHARK IN A POND]
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