Beep, Beep, Beeeepppp…. The jeep horn rang out, jarring and shrill in the otherwise serene jungle. We had parked it off a remote pathway in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and had walked almost 3 kms in the blazing sun to the river bed for our research work. The forest is not always cool and inviting. It can also be harsh and energy sapping. Today, it was stifling even in the shade and on the rocks it was like an oven. The last thing anyone wanted to do was to walk back to the jeep. But here was someone honking away in a forest where we thought we were the only people around for miles.
I was mentally cursing Kariya, our tribal guide, who had assured me that the jeep was safely locked and the canvas strapped down securely before we left. I looked at him reproachfully. In characteristic fashion he threw up his hands and complained that it must be the forest watcher. We had all the required permissions to enter the forest for our work, but the lazy fellow was asleep when we came in and must have just found the jeep! There was nothing to be done, but to trudge all the way back and show him the permit before the situation escalated.
I pulled down the sides of my hat to cut the glare and started walking back through the hot sand and rocks with Kariya and Raju, our research assistant. Even the birds had gone silent with the heat and the forest was absolutely still except for the incessant honking that emanated from our jeep. Why is he making such a racket in the jungle, I grumbled as we walked back? He wouldn’t even respond to our shouts that we were on our way.
Imagine our surprise when we finally climbed up to the dirt track and found absolutely no one there! Now this was spooky. There was no one to be seen, though the horn had beeped merely seconds before we stepped on to the track. While we stood around and tried to make sense of the situation, suddenly the horn beeped again, seemingly by itself. Kariya had a horrified expression and was clearly prepared to flee at the smallest sign of the evil spirit that was playing tricks on us.
And then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flicker of movement from inside the jeep. Monkeys! The damn bonnet macaques had managed to wiggle their way in through the gaps in the fastened canvas and had liberally helped themselves to our lunch. There were remains of bread, cheese and bananas strewn all over the inside of the jeep. Having had their fill, they had somehow got stuck inside the vehicle. Not being able to make their way out the same way they had got in. And here they were, beeping away at the horn for us to come and let them out.
Well, maybe not. It’s likely that they were jumping on the horn repeatedly in their panic of not being able to get out. But I swear I could see a glint in the big males eyes. I could visualise him calmly sitting in the drivers seat and honking away. Waiting for us to come and open the doors for them.
After we were done laughing, Raju carefully opened the door and the entire troop rushed out. But not before they grabbed whatever remained of our lunch, while we watched ruefully.
