Wild Boar Incident.....

My school days were spent close to Nature. The campus was actually extending into the Indira Gandhi Wildlife sanctuary areas. The school grounds used to jus merge into the hills of the western ghats. So sighting wildlife was never a problem. After I joined there in my sixth standard I had the opportunity of seeing animals like the wild boar, snakes or birds at various times. But never had a first hand encounter with any of them. Then in my seventh standard i had my first wild boar chase.

People who have not been to Sainik School Amaravathinagar might not relate with the landmarks I am gonna mention in this account. My due apologies to them but they will still appreciate the encounter.

I was in Chera Juniors that time and it was the summer of 95 or rather August of 95. I remember that because on that lazy afteroon we had a ceremonial parade practice in our games kit but with Boots,Belt &Cap(BBC). As usual the squad had left before I came out and hence I decided to take the short route.The plan was to go through the ground behind the kalyana mandapam, cross the thorn bushes, reach dyanchand ground, jump the gate and run to the oval ground across the road. This is a route that countless students before me have taken time and again.

That day actually someone was with me(I forget who) and the two of us set up at a brisk jog. Just after crossing the small ground that is behind the kalyana mandapam we were just about to run into the gaps in the thickets when there was a rustle in them. Whoa! out came a pair of Boars. Actually I was puny at that time and they seemed huge. I guess the animals too did not notice us. But the presence of the beasts up close freaked us out and we changed our course.

There is a path over there leading to the MI room from the side of the amutham canteen building and we sprinted along that route. To our dismay the Boars were also running behind us. In case we jus ran and leaped across the small stream of water that flows in that route. The boars turned into the stream and ran away along the stream. We then reached the cadets road near MR PC's house and joined our squads.

It was a nice warm up run before a parade session, but the animals really got the adrenaline rushing into my head. In my later days in the school the panic was gone and I came to like watching those creatures......

R