True enough it was the harbinger of the most exciting  trip that we have had in many years.  Crossing the speed - breaker  at  the entrance  we started , all agog with  expectancy and excitement.  Barely 200 yrds  from the gate  , a family of wild boars   sauntered across the road�..no hurry �.after all it was their land  and territory.  A rare sight indeed , even in the sanctuaries.

Driving on , hoping for another sighting  we came to our lodging  �.the ITDC's  Forest Lodge .  Nestled in the lap of the forest , it was like a dream castle  , in the wild , untamed.  Tired form a long drive we all crashed  out  for the night .

The next morning we were greeted by the  golden orb of the sun , filtering through the  green leaves.  We left early , to catch the proverbial worm , here the birds in their natural surroundings.
A  leisurely  rickshaw ride bought us to the beginning of the side walks, like fingers jutting out onto the water .  Walking down this lane was at once  fun and magical .

We were able to see the much elusive  Brahmini Duck . Legend has it that a pair of the duck indulging in a bit of Narcissism  , is fabled to have said to the moon that they ( ducks) were the most beautiful .  At this  the moon cursed them that they will not be able to come together in the night.  Legend apart , the Brahmini duck  has the most beautiful plumage of all the ducks, and imagine a whole flock of them .!!

As if this was not enough barely five minutes walk and we came  face to face with the male of the Blue Bull  , barely 50 yards away , literally eye ball to eye ball contact

Next  day we were able to spot the bar-headed geese , taking its name form the criss-cross pattern on their heads.  That was also to be our lucky day for another reason.  We went to the Kelaodeo Temple , the famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva , and the temple from where the national park takes its name from .  And here the lord of the universe decided to give His ' Darshnam" literally �a snake slithered lazily across our paths --that was indeed a sight for God's by the God's !!  Not to forget  the python stretched across ,  sun tanning itself . Here again we were told of an interesting folktale --that the porcupine  digs a two-tier  hole  for itself and the python and share the same dwelling with the  slithering  being : both weary of each other : the  python of the porcupine quills and the  porcupine of the treacherous nature of the  python  .  Who says enemies cannot coexist together . Lessons for us humans !!!!

That night we were also able to witness the effect of the sound of jackals on the atmosphere , when a pack  of wolves ran across the hotel compound , wailing , sending a shiver up our spine.  We got the first hand experience of the effect of the sound  as an essential prerequisite on ghost  stories.

Talking of ghost stories , we were told that the  old "Shikargaha" , literally the place of hunting , of the old Maharaja is still haunted by the ghosts of the past .  Any takers!!!! 

But all said and done the Bharatpur  Kelaodeo sanctuary is indeed a place for many reasons : where the city weary  dwellers can sooth their nerves , where bird lovers can see some rare species , where animal lovers can see a wide variety of deer  and antelopes and where the teenagers can do some ghost tracking.