The game-drives in the jungles are patchy, owing to the elusive and shy nature of the tigers. Tracking the tiger and predicting the movement based on tiger tracks, prey calls and previous sightings is an art, that only seasoned guides are adept at.
During monsoons, the movement is haphazard and prediction is even more variable owing to the climate and availability of water. Tigers generally hate summers and are seen cooling off at the water holes, while in monsoons, water pockets are interspersed within the denser regions.
During these no sighting times, frustration sneaks and depression creeps in; the effort we put to reach these jungles, the hole that we make in our pockets and the stories we say to our managers/family for our absence etc., take a big toll on us.
The central Indian forests are relatively closer to Southern cities and more easily and conveniently accessible. Most times, the parks are closed for the monsoon period. However, with a few roads still motorable inside the parks, a few opt to remain open. One of the reasons for the parks to remain open is that there is a constant flow of tourists and hence a generation of wages for the drivers and guides.
It was an impromptu decision to drive down to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. We started late in the night and after driving for 6 hours overnight, reached the park on 7th September 2016, just in the time. The sky was clear and rays streaked through the thick vegetation, presenting a fantastic golden hour – the ideal time to get a surreal fill-light and make some great images.
At Mohurli side (the gate through which we enter), only the main road is open to reach Khatoda gate and go further to Panderpauni; the internal roads are unmotorable. So, there was no chance of tracking tigers living on this side of the park. This was a big disadvantage as we had to drive a long way to the opposite side of the park to see the elusive tiger.
In and around Panderpauni, the far end from Mohurli, few resident and dominant tigers are known to give good sightings to tourists and photographers. In fact, the sightings were good over a couple of days despite the monsoon season.
The first game drive was spent roaming around the Panderpauni area, trying to track the tiger by listening to the ungulate calls or by following the pug marks. Alas, we couldn’t find any. Neither did we find any birds or other animals. The thick vegetation coupled with a non-birding season is the factor. Most animals mate during this season and so aren’t generally seen in the open. This is further worsened by the thick growth of vegetation fueled by the shower spells.
As days and drives progressed, impatience was building. At the same instance, tigers were being sighted by other Gypsys at different parts of the park and this knowledge only rubbed salt on the wound.
For Gypsys arriving through Kolara (another gate like Mohurli), resident tigers were being sighted regularly. To drive to the Panderpauni side, it would take us close to 45 minutes and we should leave 45 minutes earlier. While the vehicles coming from Kolara or Navegaon arrive early and leave late.
Luck wasn’t favoring us much as we were waiting at 5 minutes away from a point where a certain tigress was killing a Dhole – Indian wild dog, and we didn’t even have the slightest idea of the action.
Not even spotting a single bird or animal is so woeful than I thought, despite the eye popping greens in an otherwise drab and dry forest. But, it was about time for something to be spotted. A Changeable Hawk Eagle obliged. Sitting on a low-lying branch with almost nothing in the background, I managed to get some good shots, the favorite of them being a shot where the Hawk Eagle had the nictitating membrane of only one eye closed. What a unique moment!! Of course, no sighting of the elusive Tiger so far.
5 excruciating game-drives were complete and nothing so-far. As we were driving hopelessly, the superstar of Panderpauni, known as ‘Maya’ or the Lady of the lakes was finally spotted in the sixth drive in the evening. She just appeared, from nowhere, a few feet away on the road, in front of our Gypsy and crossed the road. The area being a meadow, we didn’t miss her; and on top, she, as always, obliged for some wonderful clicks. She smelled the trees, trying to pick the scent left behind by other tigers, walked on the road for a distance and finally sat down on the road, licking and cleansing herself.
As always, I reached to the floor of the Gypsy and released the shutter to get shot after shot, while alternating between the two cameras that I was carrying. In the meanwhile, other Gypsys started to make a beeline. However, after a while, Maya got up and walked into the thicker vegetation and never to be seen again that day, despite the scores of Gypsys rummaging the area for her.
Thus, ended the sighting that day, with some heart-filling shots in the green background that I always wanted, that too of the legendary tigress.
The next day morning, our driver Ravi Bhoyar and guide Shrawan Mangam spotted two animals moving at atleast a quarter Km away. Initially, we supposed that they were leopards, but on getting closer, we understood that they were tigers. Maya was leaving her son behind for a hunt or territory patrol, while the one and half year-old son whimpered. Maya had been protecting and raising the lone surviving cub against all odds.
We shot the cub for a couple of minutes before following the mother. Both obliged for a few good poses, and our monsoon drive was a big hit, thankfully.