Tigers

I had really not experienced India's wildlife or for that matter, any wildlife till late in life. It was only after a visit to Corbett with my cousin a few years ago that the first stirrings of interest began. This month we went down to Ranthambhore and what an experience that was! We went out for 3 rides to the National Park. The first two were relatively uneventful in as much that we did not see a tiger. But the park is beautiful and full of animals - we saw many deer, Sambhar, Chital and Nilgai. Langurs, Wild Boar and even a water snake. There were innumerable birds, including the friendly Indian Tree Pie, but no tigers.

The last ride was in the afternoon. After almost two hours we were on the way back when suddenly the jeep in front stopped and the tracker pointed out a Leopard in the distance. We could barely see it but it was better than nothing and we started off again. Hardly a few minutes later, the tracker in our jeep heard an alarm cry from the monkeys in the trees. He stopped and there she was! A young tigress, beautifully marked about 200 feet away. There was pandemonium then. 3 Jeeps and a Canter full of people tried to get closer and to track her as she moved. She was regal - totally unconcerned about the human hubub around her, unafraid of the jeeps and the people who were mesmerised by her regal walk. At one point she was just 6 feet away from the jeep on the side where I was sitting. Her eyes were like beige, glowing opals. She walked nonchalantly around, drank water from a stream all in full view of the human horde just feet away from us and finally bounded into the jungle.

The spell was broken but I realised that this was a new enchantment. This magic will not be broken for a lifetime.