A Diwali away from the madding crowd

For this Chital stag at Bannerghatta, Diwali was a faraway rumble

Diwali, the festival of lights that signifies the victory of good over evil, makes us Ogres nervous. Noise, smoke, runny eyes, shortness of breath and sadness at the colossal waste darken our moods. And because we don't want to get in the way of the revelry, we get away.


A night out at Bannerghatta, 25 km from Bangalore, isn't the wildest of escapades but it's a welcome break from the city on the noisiest and smokiest night of the year. The Jungle Lodges nature camp here is great for kids, as my two-and-something year-old found out.

A little light rain kept the termites busy - the glistening earth at the peak of this fresh mound tells of a hard night's work

As for me, any stretch of wilderness offers a chance to reacquaint with old friends. Including some whose names I don't remember any more. Can you help?

On our morning walk we met the Bamboo Treebrown (Lethe europa)

Dry season form of the Common Bushbrown (Mycalesis perseus)) 

This thumb-sized beetle was of a golden-fawn colour

This little amphibian tried to make itself scarce

This moth caterpillar, suspended by an invisible strand of silk, appeared to float like a sprite

Mormons mated in the Butterfly Park

And this little work of art was seen flirting with my (dusty) car window

*Thanks to Ulhas for butterfly ids