Biligundlu,Man and Machine trip- Part 10(The Rogue-Elephant of Panapatti-A walkbalk)

Biligundlu,Man and Machine trip- Part 10(The Rogue-Elephant of Panapatti-A walkbalk)

This is my 10th part of a journey in a motorbike through the Melagiri the region, which are closely related with Kenneth Anderson Stories. Till now my lone trip was a success and continues...

Biligundlu on Google map. Part of Kavery and a small stream -can be seen. The Tarred road in the right side is Hogenakkal -Natrampalayam Anchetty road

The T junction near the village. The straight road extends to Hogenakkal

Biligundlu (Biliguntala) village.Biligundlu is often in the news, especially when disputes arise over the waters of the Kavery, Biligundlu offers plenty for nature lovers.

“The Rogue-Elephant of Panapatti”

This story is featured in the first book  of  Anderson "Nine Man Eaters and one Rogue".This is a shorter story comparing to others in that book.   When I started reading, at my school days, I was not aware of the meaning of a rogue and exclaimed what it would be? So I was so curious to read this chapter after reading one or two stories from the beginning. 

 The essence of the story
Anderson giving a description of an elephant that is an antagonist in this story and mentions its peculiarity that he had one tusk, about eighteen inches long. 

This elephant had a major encounter with the leader of the herd. The youngster had eventually bolted, and beaten with powerful tusks of a bigger male. After the fierce battle with the leader, resulting in his defeat the 'rogue’ had wandered for a few days in the vicinity of the herd. One day he attacked the buffalo cart, proceeded to smash the cart. Therefore the elephant steadily worsened his reputation.

Soon the government the forest department declared this creature as ‘rogue’ elephant and broadcasted official notification offering a reward of Rs. 500. 

File photo of such a small elephant with one lost tusk near to a waterhole.  Courtesy: Sudeep ,Waynad Natures.

Anderson narrates   the horrible attack of the rogue on a hunter who had come to Panapatti. The rogue carefully made his way through the campfire and rushed upon the tent with a scream of range to kill the hunter. The government reward was increased to Rs. 1000 as a result of this incident.

Anderson accepted the challenge and arriving at Panapatti, he visited the scene of the tragedy. With the help of the cattlemen from adjoining villages, he spent four days searching for the elephant, laboriously traversing the grass belt and the bamboos, crossing the range of foothills and descending their further slopes up to the waters of the Cauvery River. On the fifth day, they came upon the fresh tracks of the elephant which had evidently crossed the river from the opposite bank of the Coimbatore District. Anderson describes his stalking of the elephant. They followed some foothills more than five miles and finally, they saw an elephant lying on its side in the water in a creek. Anderson made snapping sound to confirm the identity of the ‘rogue of Panapatti’. The elephant screamed with triumph and hate and then charged across the water but Anderson shot him dead. In our walkback, we will trace the same. 

My experience in the Hogenakkal

I had some experience in some places mentioned in the story, just to share with you. The Forest rest house in Hogenakkal is one of such places. which I have pictured before.

After finishing my recreational trips in Hogenakkal in that fine  evening, I decided to move forward to Biligundlu.  Actually, I visited the village after the short walk over through the creek. This particular village appears some of the stories of KA and is an important landmark.  It's a small village situated on the banks of Kavery and the ghat road to Anchetty via Natrampalayam runs through the area. 

Riverbanks of Kavery on the way to Bilidundalu.A roadside view of Kavery

Biligundalu village from view adjacent Hill road. courtesy: Jessy Thomas

Almost the same view can gather by Google earth

Biligundalu village(Marked in Black) and my exploration of the area.  Hogenakal Natrampalayam ghat road in yellow arrows. The burial ground is marked in blue from where the village road starts.I parked and hide my bike under the bushes marked in a  pink round and my proceeding through the river bed is marked in pink arrows, Assuming that the mouth of the  stream is the final place of shooting,( marked in Red)

The junction of Biligundlu.Burial ground and road to the village can be seen if you look closely.

After reaching the junction of Biligundlu, a mud road running towards the village. Here I parked my bike in the shades of trees and decided to walk to the Kavery through the stream bed. Because I wanted to follow the path of the rogue elephant of Panapatti. I have done d homework in Google map and calculated the distance between the road and the confluence of the riverbed and Kavery is less than 300 meters.  But it actually deceptively longer than I thought. There is no water in the stream at this time of the year.  So my progression was easy than through the thick undergrowth of the banks of the stream.  It's a curved depression and both sides of the streambed are covered by large Muthee and probably Jumlum trees. I couldn't distinguish the Jumlum trees as there were no fruits at this season.  Anyway, there are a large number of such big trees. There are plenty of butterflies in the moist stream bed and while watching them I also carefully scanned the area for any clues of wildlife in the vicinity.  I heard crocodiles are plenty in this area and my way straight along the dried riverbed is very suitable for its Adobe. It's a perfect place for laying eggs as well as a perfect hiding place from main river Kavery.  Moreover, in the hot weather, snakes will prefer the dampness of the streambed. So I was a bit careful on my footsteps.

The riverbed. is dried up and I thought it is easier to go through the sands.

But there were some pools of water along the creek 

So I had to climb over the banks to make a forward move

Experienced the wilderness and cool breeze from Kavery in the afternoon hours. The large trees gave enough shade

Sands, rocks and water intermingled in this streambed, making perfect nesting place for jungle creatures. The last picture was taken when I just reaching   Kavery river.

 Our villain of the story, the rogue elephant of Panapatti gone through the same way to bath at the joining point of the stream, in the last moments of his life.  So walking slowly I was impatient as it took much time and my way was longer than I thought. Negotiating some rocks as well as swamps on my way I reached the point where the stream joins to Kavery. Most probably it was here where Anderson shot the elephant.  The waters are calm and placid. I saw some village ladies coming to Kavery for washing clothes. Spending about 10 minutes at that location I imagined and played back a scene of the encounter happened long ago. 

Reaching the destination at the shooting site of the Rogue elephant of Panapatti, Kavery can be seen 

The banks are overgrown by thick vegetation even in the summer.

 On return, I preferred a much shorter route through the shades of large trees. The area is full of good and long trees with thick undergrowth. Here I found a flock of goats returning to the village of Biligundlu. Playfully I wanted to test my tiger roaring sounds in a second time to these creatures and watch the reaction. I opened the app and sound in speaker my iPhone. The loud roaring sound of the king of the jungle trembles in the shades. But unbelievingly, the goats had no such a reaction which I expected. They simply stop walking, raised their heads and looked at the source of the sound with curiosity. Then they again started walking with frequent bites of grass here and there.  It seems they don't have any fear of the roaring sound, as I plunged... During this process of walking with them, I missed the real way back, but after a little confusion, I arrived at the spot of my parked Unicorn.

I didn't understand why the water is so muddy. Maybe some big animals or a crocodile played here just before my arrival. 

Found these feathers of birds scattered all over the shore. I was keen to check that any Crocodiles around. Noted the footprints and smooth rocks with muddy coverings. Only such an animal can do that. Another possibility is a fishing activity by villagers. But there was nobody in the vicinity to confirm this.

I went down to the mouth of the stream and looked back to the forest.

So it was here the incident happened. My heart overwhelmed by my thoughts. 

Both sides of the banks are in a relative high position. This made Anderson had a good command over his quarry.

Returning is difficult in this terrain. Water is clear here.

Wilderness all around

Lost my way,but I enjoyed the  whole scene

Finally reached my bike. He was alone at this all time. maybe frightened.

I visited Biligundlu in the evening. It's a typical small sleeping forest village.

2001 Google image of the same spot. Note the road is a mud and dirt road, and not in tarmac. Then it was not used as the main route to Anchetty. I think the other road through spider valley was used as the main road between Pennagaram and Anchetty.

Biligundlu

Relative positions of spider vally  and Hogenakkal, and Biligundlu

The Rogue Elephant of Panapatti a WALK BACK

An elephant with one whole tusk and one-half tusks turns rogue in the Panapatti area and is responsible for multiple human deaths. Anderson first encounters the elephant when out trying to bag a peacock - armed only with a shotgun. Anderson escapes unscathed, though the elephant goes on to attack a camp of people - causing the government to double its reward for the animal. Anderson spends five laborious days tracking the elephant through the jungle, finally coming across a lone elephant - but is unsure if it is the right animal until it turns to face him...

Anderson Describes the First Meeting

Forest Rest house in Hogenakkal. 1942 photo courtesy Joshua Mathew..

In the evening of the day, after having fishing, Anderson returned to the forest lodge for tea, when the call of a peacock tempted him to go after the bird, which would make me tasty roast for dinner. He cut diagonally across the forest to the glen where the peacock was calling. Reaching it, he stepped cautiously forward to locate quarry, and he can hear of the sound of the Cauvery River, which it joined a mile further down.

The first page of the story. the story happened in banks of  Kavery and Chinnar, between Panapatti and  Biligundlu area,   better to tell, around Hogenakkal.

Odapatty(Wodapatty) and Pennagram Reserve forests are divided by Chinnar river.

Anderson has given a detailed picture of the event when the elephant becoming a rogue, as he witnessed the incident. actually, we  were also with him when  he narrates.. See the example of the  Buffalo attack 

 "He suddenly face to face with a buffalo cart, Madly he rushed at the cart, and the driver just escaped by jumping off and fleeing for life. But the unfortunate buffaloes were yoked to the heavily-laden vehicle and stood helpless.

The rogue proceeded to smash the cart and then turned his attention on the Buffaloes. One he seized by its long, curving horn, and flung down the embankment that bordered the track. where it was found next day with its horn torn out from the roots; one of its fore-legs had suffered a compound fracture, and the broken, exposed bone had dug itself into the soft earth with the force of the fall, so that the weight of the animal effectively anchored it to the spot. The remaining buffalo it had gored with its one tusk, but this animal had bolted down the track, dragging the broken yoke of the cart behind it, and so escaped the fate of its less fortunate companion." 

Old postcard of British India depicting a bullock cart. "Travelling in Jungle India". Posting it here just for remembering the conditions of so-called roads and the transport system at KA time

Relative positions of Forest rest house(marked in blue) and Probable place of peacock' call.

KA's rubber-soled boots made no noise on the soft sand. He could even hear the rustle of the peacock's feathers somewhere behind the bushes on the opposite bank, and was just tip-toeing across the stream, the rogue charged at KA. Within fifty yards away.    KA had no chance of out-distancing him, because of the soft sand and g thorny shrubs of the jungle. KA covered the curled trunk in the sights of his shot-gun and fired both barrels at a range of about thirty yards. The noise of the gun and the bullets stopped the rogue and, while it screamed with rage and defiance, KA fled at a pace KA had never thought himself capable.

 Probable location of the first meeting with the elephant, in Chinnar bed

In the rainy season the same place transforms to a dense forest.

The rouge escaped to the Wodapetty block

Panapatti is very near to the location of the first incident. Woddapetti and Pennagram blocks are intersected by Chinnar. The local Gentleman shikary tented somewhere here in this area, marked in green, with a distance of 2 miles from Chinnar.

The rogue attack a hunters Camp

In the early hours of the morning the rogue came upon a local hunter's night camp.        He carefully made his way through at a point where there was no fire and rushed upon the tent with a scream of rage.

Somewhere here  the camp was made and in that dread full night rogue killed the shikari

A possible campsite. Note Wodpetti peak 

The camp followers awoke at the pandemonium created and, fled in all directions. The unfortunate hunter of the white tent could not run away. The elephant destroyed the tent which then proceeded to tear it to ribbons. Then he took the hunter with his dreaded trunk around the unfortunate man, it carried him off in triumph to the clearing of a forest line which passed nearby. There it literally rubbed him into the ground.   The body becomes a pulpy mass of bloody flesh and crushed bones, mixed with sand.  Finally, not liking the smell of blood, it tossed the body far away and returned to the forest

Anderson Describes the Second and Final Meeting

As a result of the above incident, the Government reward was doubled, while KA determined to begin second round against the elephant. Arriving at Panapatti, KA visited the scene of the recent tragedy.

Wodadapatti block was the main searching area.

Here in these spots, may be at that time, the flowering grasses grown wildly.

Still, as you can see at the center of the river  such types grass grown (Photo from another location)

KA SPEND FOUR DAYS OF SEARCHING

Anderson followed the track of elephant through the jungle for days.  And on fifth day day, he got a clue of the elephant's movement in the banks of Kavery River, 3 kilometers upstream from Hogenakkal  

Possible spot of tracking the elephaNt in  Kavery River Banks with lot of Muthee trees.

I rechecked with Google earth  for a distance of  three miles  from Hogenakal and this is a possible spot of Kavery River Bank, where Anderson started tracking

Lots of tall trees clothed in banks of Kavery. I came to the spot at the bank of  3 miles from Hogenakkal and remembered Anderson scanned the whole area and started to follow the footprints from somewhere at this point.

The final Tracking Route. I marked the progress of both Elephant and KA by Red  Arrows. The foothill and it's top marked in blue. KA followed on to a deep valley and must be the same marked in green. He again climbed the slope and negotiated two more foothills(Marked in Yellow). Then the rogue turned to the Kavery river. I wonder how accurate was his description of the topography  and collective powers. He had no computer, or any map or google to help!

This is one of the good examples of KA's skill in writing. Kavery is near, with a sharp dip(pink) and water between tree stems. a  grassy bank is marked in black,(See the pic below)  and the creek( Green). the spot is marked in the red dot.

The grassy bank

The only stream to the Kaveri River,(as wider for an elephant can bath) from Hogenakal, in closeup, of shooting spot.

The Shoot

After following about 5 miles in the forest and banks of Kavery Anderson came to a creek where he saw the elephant enjoying a bath. Within minutes the elephant stood up and proceed to start. The situation made an early decision, as once the elephant reached the thick verdure clothing the opposite bank of the creek; it would be lost to view. Anderson snapped his thumb with a swish around and there was 'rogue of Panapatti', with a broken left tusk clearly in view within a second his small eyes located and charged. 

Anderson fired once only and the heavy bullet hit straight to its mark beneath the coiling trunk and into the throat. The animal stopped and turned sideways in an attempt to make off, when two more rounds hit at vital places, one the temple, and the other behind the ear.

KA didn't allow the rogue to cross the stream. The spot

So it was the red spot, The hill on the other bank can be seen

The hill and river banks of Kavery in a wider, arial aspect 

I rode to Natrampalayam and only when I saw the board near to the town did I stop to quench my thirst, because I was told that some forest road will close at 6 pm or so. I rode straight to ghat roads and a sunset point which was right by the roadside and was infested with monkeys. Just sat there, reflected upon the day, was feeling a bit tired and just looked around as more and more people started gathering at that small town.In the meantime some gentlemen asked me about my rides. I told them about my plan and we talked about bike trips, riding alone, all the way, wildlife sanctuaries, and photography. This lightened my heart and made me forget the tiredness. In the meantime Sunset began in all grandeur and the experience and ambiance and sky changing colors gradually, were and are beyond mere-wordily-description. Hope you will enjoy the cameras talks...

Natrampalayam Road in renovations

Natrampalayam  village

Natrampalayam I too read the notice boards 

Natrampalayam 

Sun is slowly closing down his shop

Keep rolling. We will end up where we belong.

Thank you, KA for this story to make me explore here...
Declaimer: My observations in this post may be wrong by 100%. Readers discrepancy is expected. Please send any photos if you feel appropriate to add here..



Links to other blog posts related to Kenneth Anderson stories:

The Man-eater-of-crescent-mountains

Killer-from Hyderabad WB

The-black-panther-of-sivanipalli-

Kankanhalli-town-with-that-alliterative.

Bailurman-and-machine-trip-part-12

Biligundlu-man-and-machine-trip-part.10

Hogenakkalman-and-machine-trip-part-9

Panapatti-man-and-machine-trip-part-8

Kempekaraiman-and-machine-trip-part-7

Gerattiman-and-machine-trip-part-6.

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