The Terai Tiger

[Pckts]

‎Sarita Subramaniam
Peek-a-boo Tiger 
Colours are a therapeutic salve for our pining hearts, and none more than the orange-and-black of the Royal Bengal Tiger. The rich glossy winter coat of the terai tigers, as we all know, is not matched by any other in the country. 
As we stopped near the barrier in Jhirna, a drier zone of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, the guard alerted us that a huge male tiger had just crossed them minutes ago. Nadeem, our seasoned driver, conjectured that we would meet and greet the tiger at the Kharr nullah. A short five-minute drive along curving jungle roads, and we reached the nullah. Even before Nadeem could brake, Nirankar, our hawk-eyed guide blurted, “Tiger!”
The burly Tiger was as big as Sambha, the shy male of Dikhala or even the Bachelor of Maidavan. Whitish jowls on his handsome face beautifully showcased this majestic tiger in his prime. His luxurious coat glistened in the early morning sun, and reflected off the polished boulders of the ‘sot’, the seasonal stream.
While he looked fierce, his demeanour was almost coquettish. He looked at us with consternation, and walked back into the bushes. Maybe he was indeed Sambha’s brother, shy and timid around tourists. We however nurtured hopes that the royal would come back to walk onto the road, and we waited around the bend. 
His majesty didn’t disappoint. 
He poked his head through the the lantana bushes, felt assured that no one would see him, and crossed the road to race ahead into the nullah. Uncannily, this hulk of a tiger was as coy as a newlywed bride!
Of course, the macaque up in the tree and the spotted deer atop the hillock frantically gave alarm calls, as they disagreed with our foolish conclusions about this mighty beast and his timidity. The tiger played hide-and-seek with us for over an hour, and as we waited for the handsome bloke to appear again in the nullah , he smartly avoided us yet again and clambered up the steep slope. For an instant, our eyes met as he gave us a parting look, almost saying, “I’ll be back”!

Image courtesy- PV Subramaniam
Thanks to Nadeem n Nirankar
March, 15th, 2019, Jhirna, Corbett Tiger Reserve.

*This image is copyright of its original author

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