Gone with the Wild

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

Tigers in Mukki zone, Kanha National Park,

TIGERS IN MUKKI ZONE, KANHA TIGER RESERVE as on 29th Feb 2012

1.NAVPATHARA Tigress - Tigress of 07 years moving with 03 cubs of 02 yrs out of which 2 are female and 1 is male. This female covers an area of approx 25sq km and seems to be of very shy nature. Mostly sighted around Nawpathra road and Aurai meadow.

2.Harradadar Tigress - This 5 yrs old tigress covers the territory around Algidadar and Bamnidadar, and sometimes sightted in the non tourism area around Bhesanghat,covers an area of about 20 sq km. Though shy in nature but sighted quite regularly. No litter reported so far.

3.Mahaveer Tigress – This beautiful Tigress is like a queen. Very popular in the area and carrying a litter of 3 cubs of 4 to 5 months and sighted off and own with the cubs. If she is alone then gives a good sighting. Covers Andhkuan, Mowala ,Kiwardabra and Jamjhola region, territory of 35 sq kms. The 02 cubs of its last litter a male and a female are successfully separated from her and for the time being sharing their mothers territory .

4.Queen Minkur Tigress – One of the very successful tigress have seen the sal forest shedding its leaves for the 12 th time this year, looks still pretty healthy even after loosing the upper left canine. The 03 cubs of its last litter one male & two females are separated from her and still found sharing their mother’s territory . Minkur is very shy to face the safari jeeps but it is been noticed that she loves to be seen from the elephants back and stays around for longer during the Tiger show. Hence called the “Tokan wali Mada” also. Minkur coveres area of about 40sq kms.

5.Minkur’s badi beti- This young tigress of 04 years is sighted during the jeep safaris and also very often during the Tiger show also. She is a very successful predator in the Mukki zone and mostly sighted with her kill. Stiil sharing Mother’s territory as mentioned above.

6.Minkur”s choti beti- This 4 years old tigress from Minkur’s same litter is comparatively shy and generally sighted around Bisanpura meadows that lies under her mother’s territory.

7.Minkur’s Beta – This 4 years old sub adult still hesitates to face the tourists, sighted occasionally and has not yet established his own territory, still sharing his mother’s territory.

8.Minkur’s elder Beta – This 5.5 years male from queen’s previous litter seems to be very shy and still keeps hiding in mother’s territory. Rarely sighted. and the reason could be a big fear, since his two sisters were killed by the other transient male in front of him.

9.Chimta Camp Male – This handsome, a bold male of 09 years covers the area of Baba Thenga and Jila line in Mukki Zonne and also covers Nakti Ghati, Raja Kachar and Chimta camp are in Kisli Zone too. All together covers about 45 sq kms. This daring male has also been found hunting on the largest Indian Bovine the Indian Gaur(Bos gaurus).

10. Mahaveer’s Beta – This 3 year old male has just established his own territory of about 30 sq km in mothers territory only. Generally sighted by the Jeeps. Sharing territory with his own sister from the same litter.

11. Mahaveer’s Beti- This three years old female also seen sharing mother’s territory with his brother even after getting separated from the mother. Comparatively less sighted after the separation.
Vijay Joshi / Sanjay (Naturalists at Chitvan)

A very common problem encountered by the tourists during safari was that the Kanha National Park has no toilets. In a 4-5 hour safari it is something that was of a concern to everyone. Our General manager Mr Ashwani Agarwal designed this convenience for the tourists. Currently this is kept at the Soundhar Camp in Mukki range. Just installing was not enough, one person has been deputed to maintain the same after due permissions from the Forest department. Now you may enjoy the Safaris in a more relaxed manner.

Tiger census in Kanha National Park

This was one of the methods to do census of Tigers and other wildlife in the Wild in our National Parks in India. This video has been taken by our guest Mr John Uscian in Kanha National Park, India. Now, this method is being replaced by camera traps considered more accurate as they get the stripes of the Tigers in the photo. And just as no two humans have same fingerprints, no two Tigers have the same stripes. Interesting, isn't it?

Feedback from our guest Ms Shilpa Seth

From: Shilpa Seth
To: 'Chitvan'
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 9:24 AM
Subject: RE: Chitvan Jungle Lodge, Kanha National Park

Dear Sharad

just back from a very rejuvenating break @ chitvan…the property is beautiful & kids friendly –they had a gr8 time @ organic farm & village fields….we loved the fresh, delicious and homely food ….

hospitality @ chitvan is truly commendable - better than the tajs or the oberois!

special thanks to ishaan, ajay and sanjay for making our stay so special… and we were lucky to get the tiger show on our first safari!

planning to gift my parents and in-laws a holiday @chitvan…. and looking forward to come back next year

thank you once again….

Best Regards
Shilpa Sheth
Private Wealth Management

A dawn in Kanha:

No matter how dark the night, somehow the sun rises once again, and shadows are chased away.

Today was an unusual morning. It was 1st January 2012. I entered the Mukki gate. Few moments inside the park, and my mind had a bizarre reflection. We celebrate New Year, make new resolutions to improve ourselves, I wondered, don’t these inhabitants of the forest do the same, that too, daily?

Every sunup in Kanha, a deer awakens knowing it has to outrun the fastest predator, or be hunted to death. Also, at every crack of dawn in Kanha, when the sun rises, a predator awakens knowing it has to outrun the slowest prey, or be starved to death. Daily goals, daily performance, leading to perfection. Aren’t these 4 legged souls more disciplined and superior than Humans? Isn’t every morning a New Year morning for these denizens (as I dislike to dub them as animals) of the jungle. This contemplation made me believe more in my work of being a wonderer in these forests.

Few dozen tourists had entered the park, some enduring the chilly weather, some thinking if they were possibly better in their beds, some craving for a hot cuppa, but none of them devoid of enthusiasm to a degree that almost 80% of them hoped to be the first tourist to see the Tiger in first 100 metres of the drive, and another 10% in 200metres. I guess only 10% would have the patience and enthusiasm to last the whole safari, and only 5% perhaps who would come out of the park not being disappointed if they did not sight one.

Some 4 kms of a lovely wooded drive, we arrived at a Suar-kachhar lake, a herd of hard ground Barasinghas were on breakfast. We stopped; I let the whole lot of Jeeps pass. Some asked if we were seeing the Tiger, on hearing a denial, they just could not fathom that we can halt for anything else as well. I wondered when we will embark on discovering splendor in every speck and atom in nature, which is scattered all around us.

My mind, my lens, my attention, turned back to the grazing Barasinghas. I knew that the show was about to begin any moment. And, then commenced, what I had come today in the park for, a mesmerizing sun rise. The thrill of being in the Jungle at sunrise cannot be expressed in words. The tall grass (sacrum spontaneum, also known as wild sugarcane), was rising from the earth, as if to offer the few dew drops, atop it, to the Sun. And then the color of the dew drops changed to light orange, and it seemed they were also smiling and welcoming the Sun.

I dropped my camera in the Jeep, and wanted to capture the whole frame for eternity in my mind. After all, few things cannot be captured by a camera. The camera has only one sense of sight, while we have 5 to experience. A beautiful sequence followed, two male stags of Bara singhas locked horns to appease a female. The lesser one had to go, and then the dominating male, walked towards the female, and both of them went into the sunrise, as if two lovers walking arm in arm, they disappeared in the tall grass.

Sharad Vats

Tiger Safari in Kanha, India

Just like 2 humans do not have same fingerprints, no 2 Tigers have similar stripes.