The golden girl of Bandhavgarh
Bandhavgarh is among India’s premier most National parks, famous for its tiger population with arguably the highest density of tigers. It is in Central India with Jabalpur as its closest airport. With a lovely topography of hills, meadows, undulating land, and some fabulous naturalists and guides to assist you with great stay options, it should surely be on everyone’s bucket list for experiencing the thrill of seeing a tiger up close.
That’s how I got to spot “Spotty” along with her sister “Dotty”, the longstanding “Queen” of Bandhavgarh. Born to “Sukhi Patiha” one of the iconic tigresses from this region, she and Dotty were Sukhi’s first surviving litter (the first litter was killed when they were a year old).
Bandhavgarh tigers and tigresses have names of the villages they inhabit, but Dotty and Spotty are exceptions to that and how. Dotty got named Dotty as she has a “D” over her eyebrow/forehead. She also has a dot in her eye. So the first time she was spotted, she was christened Dotty. Spotty has a “T” on her forehead but people are not sure why locals named her “Spotty”. Perhaps Spotty rhymed with Dotty!
While on a three-day visit to Bandhavgarh, we entered the park around 5.30 am and drove for about 10-15 mins. There was a chill in the air. We were expectantly looking over our shoulders. Despite being in the wild innumerable times, the first half an hour has that expectancy. We were in for a bit of luck. “Tiger, tiger” I shouted, as I spotted a tiger deep inside the forest to my right, walking away from us with its back to us. Anticipating that it will walk straight and come out ahead, we drove a good 2 km around that part of the forest and turned (there is no off-roading allowed in Indian National Parks and for good reason too). I saw her again beneath the tall trees. She paused and surveyed. The summer-parched tall grass with still a bit of green tinge, tall Sal trees, golden morning sunrays somehow finding their way through the thick green leafy leaves, the forest looked good but got elevated to another level simply because of the presence of a “tiger”.
She then started her long walk across an open meadow. With no tree cover in that part, the grass was completely parched, there was a small watering hole which she was well aware of and made her refuelling halt.
Summers in Central India are stiff and water is at a premium. One has to make most of every opportunity, which she did. An act done, she looked up and ahead. Notice the white spots on the ears. They act like the false eyes of the tiger and discourage anyone from attacking from behind.
She then stretched a bit and began her walk. Golden hour (sunrise and sunset when golden rays of sun awash earth) and the tiger are a terrific combination. Soon a fallen tree trunk and the tiger decided to stop, stretch, and check the scent mark on the tree. Standing tall, tail up, on a high alert, it made a terrific sight. With its great sensory abilities, it surely had noticed us much before but decided to acknowledge us at that moment and let us know that it knew we are around. It turned and looked straight at us.
We were the only safari vehicle around. As it looked straight at us, we knew instantly that it was “Spotty”. That “T” and those light eyes (their father was a blue-eyed male and from whom, both Spotty and Dotty inherited “lighter eyes”).
Sending us those warning glances, she walked on. We moved our vehicle ahead in anticipation and parked ourselves in a dip on the road, anticipating her to cross the track ahead at a level higher than us and boy, did we make the right call? You bet, we did. Soon, she was there. On to the track she came, at an elevation to us, paused and looked deep into our eyes. Those light eyes, that feline grace, her long lithe body held tight, head tossed just that much behind, with a piercing gaze, she was something to die for. Just like an “elite class” model she held that pose for us all to click. Shutterbugs in our vehicle went wild, the morning stillness getting disturbed only by those multiple clicks, but she the master diva held her poise.
The thrill and excitement are in the unexpected, the unpredictable, and the unimaginable. Tigers thrive on this with their unpredictability, unimagined prowess to stalk, run, jump attack and kill prey, carrying over 200 kilos of weight effortlessly, speeding at 50-65 Km/ hr, jumping 18-20 feet long and 12 feet high, they are our planet’s fiercest and yet most graceful predators. Yet, when you see Spotty you are not afraid, you just fall in love with her. Such is her charm!
(The author can be reached at his Instagram handle @parag.kulkarni67.)