Five in the morning and I was getting ready for Safari in Kanha. It was my seventh safari in various National parks of India and not spotted the tiger. I met Sharad in one of the journeys and heard his jungle stories. So I decided to give Kanha a chance. This morning time always reminds me of stock exchange early in my trading career. I used to get ready to reach my office by 8 am. I came to the meeting point which was under a majestic Saja tree. Saja Tree is sacred to the Gonds tribe of Central India.
We were getting ready for the briefing by Ashwini Ji – General manager of Chitvan Jungle Lodge. He is 55 years and active like a 25 years old. Ask him and he tells you its proximity with nature which keeps him energized throughout the day to run his 14 acre property. He told us few do’s and don’t’s about jungle safari. He also told us that Tigress yesterday was spotted in Kanha zone. He also informed caringly that breakfast is freshly prepared and kept in the safari jeep
It took me back to my manager’s briefing. “Yesterday Market had closed on all time high and today we watch the first hour. If it does not breach yesterday closing then day traders will kick their buys and market will take new highs.” Ashwini ji said, “The tigress was spotted in Kanha with her young ones yesterday and if you see fresh pug marks then chances are that we will spot the tiger.”
Mornings are famous for two things in Kanha – Its sunrise and smiling faces of the hotel staff. We crossed the hotel’s gate and saw the playful herds of leaf monkeys. Sighted couple of Drongos and Crested serpant eagle hovering near the artificial water body created by the villagers in the midway. With in no time we were at the Mukki gate. The freshness of Kanha – I can’t describe to myself so only thing I did was to take a deep breath of jungle air. Fresh Air – which is pervasive but scarce at the same time in our big cities.
Big Sal, Saja and Banyan trees in the surroundings just relaxes you and refreshes your soul. The view of old fallen leaves on damp ground just leave you in trance. My small rendezvous with nature got disturbed when my guide said we are entering the national park. I was calculating in mind that Forest office on our left would be last building to be seen for few hours. And yes …. I was thankful for that.
I was quietly watching the games of the game in Kanha. Some playing near water bodies, some under the trees, some playing hide and seek near the shrubs and bushes. Saw the Hard Ground Bara Singa and my naturalist Sanjay proudly told me the resurgence story of this species in Kanha.
It was more than two hours I was in the jungle and did not realize that time had flown so fast. It was like time I used to spend in front of my trading terminals watching stocks going up and down so fast that value of time gets dissolved without knowing. I used to start at 9 am and before I realized it was closing time 3:30 in the afternoon. I never used to remember if I blinked an eye or not. The exhilaration was when movement of stocks was in your favor and you see your balance clocking few thousand rupees or so.
Now the same time was about to come in the safari and I was about to experience the same exhilaration. It was Deer giving the alarm call and whole forest became alive with it. Sanjay got up and Driver raced towards the spot. It was like unsaid conversation between driver and my naturalist and both understood what was about to happen. I saw changed expression and subdued joy on both their faces – when leaf monkeys (langoors) joined the call. In hushed words he said “Tiger”.
We were next to the firing line in the forest. Tigress looked at us and looked behind. Three cubs came out like decent kids all dressed for a party. That was exhilarating, ecstatic, electrifying, exciting and enticing for me to see mother tigress and her cubs in the wild.
She lied down in the grass, half in shade and half in sun. Cubs beautifully started playing with her paws, face, and neck. She just laid silently and yet responded completely to her motherhood. But mother instinct completely overtook her in between at times she used to put her paw around her young ones and roar a little to tell them don’t go too far. Cubs were playing hide and seek with the sunlight and were very mindful of mother’s presence.
For fifteen minutes my camera responded and I went clicking my heroine of the jungle safari. We were joined by couple of jeeps and only thing I heard was clicks of the camera. Finally, she knew that she has given enough shots and was happy to show her celebrity cubs to the world. It was time for her to vanish back to where she belonged. But before disappearing she gave a last look back to make sure all her cubs are with her and no threat is following them.
Still can’t get enough of her and I promised to come back soon to see her kids claiming their own kingdom
