Making the ‘Mandaal’ a home

A breezy summer night in 1994. Eight-year-old Rohit Saroha was curled up in the cozy blankets in a hut house in the Jim Corbett National Park. It was around midnight when his dad woke him up. Little Rohit rubbed his eyes, and as he was about to yawn loud, dad shushed him. “Come with me betta,” dad said. Rohit had no idea why his dad had woke him so late. He held his dad’s fingers and walked towards the door. Suddenly his dad lit the torch and flashed it outside, into the dense forest. And there it was – a bunch of glowing eyes. A herd of deers were standing in the woods, and their eyes were glowing brightly in the light of the torch. Although the spectacular sight was too much to process for little Rohit, it surely brought a sparkle in his eyes.

But little did the eight-year-old knew that the magnificent sight, which he saw on his eighth birthday in the dense Jim Corbett National Park is going to be etched in his soul and shape his life.

Two and a half decades down the line, Rohit Saroha is now a wildlife conservationist and has made the park his home. He owns a property in the park, in Mandaal range, and the ‘Mandaal’ is his home.

Forming a bond with nature

Rohit Saroha was born in Sonipat, a village near Delhi. Although he was born in a household of lawyers, Rohit was always close to nature, as his dad always made it a point to introduce him to the beauty of nature. During his formative years, Rohit was exposed to the wonders of nature, as he went to a school which was located in between Dehradun and Mussoorie. He was familiar with the beautiful landscapes and its flora and fauna.

And his love for animals started at a very young age. Gypsy was the first furry friend he made and later Tuffy came in. Their selfless love was the first that attracted him towards animals and later it evolved as a fascination to understand the wild and protect. And the love grew up with him.

Transforming passion into a profession

When he graduated in law from the Punjab University, Rohit Saroha decided to pursue a path, that was always been a fascination for him – nature and the wildlife. And ‘Mandaal’ was born! “The memory of those glowing eyes, I saw on my 8th birthday was something that always stayed with me. I was very young then, but even today, that sight remains unmatched to all the beautiful things my eyes have perceived. And after graduation, when it was finally the time to choose my path, I remembered that special day. I wanted to give all others, an experience that I was fortunate of having. And that’s how I embarked on my journey with Mandaal in 2008. We had tented accommodation back then. Nature enthusiasts would come to visit Mandaal and return with an experience of a lifetime. And now it has emerged into these gorgeous cottages, wherein people could stay comfortably, go for a trekking in the woods, see animals roaming by, and have a first-hand experience with nature,” Rohit said, sharing about how he transformed one of the fondest memories of his childhood into a passion and career.

Mandaal days

And Rohit Saroha’s life in Mandaal is no less than a great adventure. His day starts very early, around 4 am. He would take his guest for two-hour trekking around 5 am into the woods, with trained dogs. He would return by 8 and go to the nearby town to fetch their daily supplies, which is followed by breakfast, and then by noon, he would take the guests on a jungle safari, which would last till 5 in the evening. “With Mandaal, we are trying to give the raw experience of nature. We help them in having an unadulterated experience of the wild. And I must say that the government has done a commendable job in preserving the park. Our guides would share the adventure stories they had during their trips. It is more of reconnecting the guests to nature. At night while staying on the premises, they could see elephants, tigers, wild boars, and other wild animals passing by. We have experienced professionals to take care of safety, so that is the least to worry about. And I feel everyone should get to experience the charm, at least once,” Rohit added.

A safe haven for the wild

Ask Rohit Saroha, what is his vision and that of Mandaal, he would say, “When I started Mandaal, there were 1,411 tigers in India and 167 in Jim Corbett. The tiger population in India now is 2,242 and in Corbett it is 242. Conserving the wildlife and preserving this beautiful land, where they reside, is my foremost motto. And I want to do it with Mandaal.”