After enjoying the Bonelli's eagle hunt, we settled down for a while in the boat and was watching the water scape, river terns fishing, cormorants and the overall beauty of Bhadra.

From a far distance, we saw a huge thing lying the in the river bank. It was a full grown tusker - a male asiatic elephant. It was lying with it's head tilted up, and one of the tusk was half broken. It didn't look active, and the pose was not so good to see.

Somebody in the boat said "there is some problem with the elephant". No one could argue that point, as the elephant was not moving at all. After sometime, the hind legs started moving, and it looked like he is suffering from some pain. I was worried if the elephant is alright, and I didn't want to witness a tragic event.

Everybody was eagerly watching the elephant, as we approach closer and closer. The cameras all were off. Suddenly, the elephant got up! What a huge animal!! Then it played for sometime with water, splashed all muddy water over it, cooled down for sometime... It was a great relief for all of us in the boat. And, as usual, the cameras celebrated the moment than us - kach kach kach kach... everyone clicked the elephant play time.

After some play in water, it got up and showered itself a lot of mud from the river bank over all parts of the body, as if humans apply lotion/cream/powder.

Then it majestically walked in to the forest. I could see a lot of smiles in the boat. A great moment we had :)!!!!!