My friend Pastan sounded me out sometime back in January
this year for a Tadoba trip being planned around May end by one of his friends.
I had just applied for leave for the Pench and Kanha back to back safaris (You
can read about both the trips here : http://rantsofleonard.blogspot.in/2016/05/visit-to-evergreen-jewel-kanha-tiger.html and http://rantsofleonard.blogspot.in/2016/05/visit-to-evergreen-jewel-kanha-tiger.html ) and hence was extremely reluctant to make a trip once again to my boss’s cabin to
sanction another round of holidays. But having visited Tadoba a couple of times before,the Forrest beckoned once again.After much deliberations and discussions I
finally had an ok from the boss and we were on for Tadoba. Apart from knowing
each other Pastan and I knew no one else from the group hence I was a little
worried about how things might work out. Looking back my fears or worries
turned out to be a just that and our group had such an awesome time that a next
trip with the same people is being finalised as I write this blog. It was to be
one of the most memorable trip there was both in terms of the sightings and due
to all the wonderful individuals involved. Numerous discussions were held on
WhatsApp and FB in anticipation of the trip. Including me and Pastan the Group
consisted of ten people in total. There were Rohan and Saurabh who had planned
the trip, then there was Parag, Akshay, Priyam, Ganesh, Shefali and the senior most member amongst us all shirish Kaka.
The D-day finally arrived and we were on our way. The Train
destined for Chandrapur left Dadar as scheduled at 3.15 PM. Me and Pastan were
booked in a separate compartment and hence were seated away from the main group. In
spite of some herculean efforts by Rohan he could not get anyone to exchange our
seats and be in the same compartment as others. After a light nap we joined Rohan
and Company in their compartment for dinner. Everyone had bought along some or
the other delicacy from home and it was an awesome feast as we had a delicious
dinner in the moving train. Dinner over and it was time for a game of cards. It
was great fun as players were randomly placed in groups to play court play.
Amidst great enthusiasm and pulling each other’s legs no one noticed that it
was almost one thirty on the clock!! Eyes Heavy with sleep we retired to our
respective berths for some shut eye.
I was woken from my slumber by the incessant “chai-chai”
sloganeering of the chailwallahs. Freshening up I saw that the train had halted
for the bogey change at wardha. This phenomenon is unique and one of a kind for
the Indian Railway. Let me explain – After the train reaches Wardha three AC
bogies or coaches and four sleeper class ones are disengaged from the Sewagram
Express (Name of the train that you take from Mumbai) and they are then
attached to the Ballarshah passenger express which then travels to Chandrapur
Station. We reached Chandrapur just after ten in the Morning. Getting in one of
the sumo’s waiting for us we quickly begin to move towards Moharli gate.
Travelling for about 10kms we reached the Padmapur gate and then leaving behind
the Nagarjira Village we passed the Nawargoan Chowki of the Tadoba
Buffer Zone. At both these gates our driver signed in the register as per
forest department regulations.
We reached the
Forrest department guest house – our stay for the entire duration- just before
noon. This Guest house is situated just a few minutes away from the Moharli
entry gate and walking distance from the Devada Buffer gate. After completing
the check in formalities Rohan placed our order for lunch while we freshened
up. What was to be a regular feature during our stay here Akshay and Priyam
rustled up delicious glasses of a body cooling drink made from kokum syrup – Much needed to beat the Nagpur’s killer heat. Refreshed we
walked over to the canteen situated in the Main compound for Lunch. Lunch was
simple but tasty vegetarian meal. I would advise anyone staying here to give
the Non-Veg stuff a miss and try out the sumptuous veg food the local ladies
here rustle up. Trust me after eating the delicious food, Bhakri’s and other
stuff you won’t miss the Non-Veg much. Lunch over we headed to our rooms to get
ready for our first safari of the trip.
Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is one of the finest and largest National Parks in Maharashtra. It is one of 47 project tiger
reserves existing in India. It lies in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra
state. This beautiful wild paradise is situated 45 kms from Chandrapur District
of the Indian State of Maharashtra, and is about 150 km from Nagpur
city which is the nearest airport for visiting Tadoba national park. Its name
'Tadoba' is derived from the name of God "Tadoba" or "Taru"
which the local tribal people believed in, whereas "Andhari" is
derived from name of Andhari River. It is believed that Taru was the village
chief who was killed in a fierce encounter with a Tiger and thus a shrine was
made in remembrance of God Taru. This region was predominantly ruled by Gond
tribes which had their own Kingdom in large area of Central India. Their descendants
can still be seen in the local villages.
By the time we were ready our driver Rattan had already
arrived. Proceeding to the gates we got in line for the Entry. Our gypsy had
Saurabh, Ganesh, and Shefali occupying the front seats while I and Pastan sat
at the Back. Guide for all our rides was to be Bandu. Some Lines for our Driver
Rattan and guide Bandu. Both these gentlemen are the best in the business that
I have seen so far. Most importantly they work even better when they are put
together. The calm and composed Bandu has a soothing effect on the energetic and
active Rattan as he drives. Both are immensely knowledgeable in the ways of the
jungle and in tracking animals and make up for each other what the other lacks.
Having knowledge sometimes invariable gets to one’s head but both these fellows
are exception to this. Patiently and respectfully answering all my quires,
offering additional titbits of info, pointing out small facts about the Tigers
that we saw, placing the safari jeep in such a way that we got the perfect
angle to shoot, maneuvering the gypsy carefully whenever the Tiger was on the
move both Rattan and Bandu managed to do almost everything so perfectly that I
was amazed at the way they went beyond their call of duty. Whatever shots and
amazing sightings that we managed to get has to do in a large part to these
guys efforts. Kudos to both of them.
Today on the very first safari we decided to check the
Telia Dam Area. It was here that the famous documentary “Tiger Sisters of Telia”
which was aired on Discovery Channel was filmed. It documents the incredibly
unique relationship between the tiger sisters named Mona, Geeta, Lara and Sonam.
Blood ties them together, but instinct tears them apart. It is a coming-of-age
story as the four sisters battle each other for dominance over their homeland.
Once the girls grow older and stronger, instinct kicks in and they must
separate and compete to take their mothers place for control of Telia Lake.
Their bond is broken and the family is torn apart. To survive independently,
each sister must make one large kill every week — and
alone, they each struggle. Desperate and starving, the four sisters make a
startling choice. They join forces to hunt as a pack and take on dangerous
prey, culminating in a never-before-filmed hunt of a tiger family taking down a
sloth bear. They are feared, they are relentless, and together, they are unstoppable.
In a matter of days, the tiger sisters become fearless and unstoppable taking
down a couple of sambar’s and stalking a guar (Indian Bison). Known to be
solitary animals, tigers not only prefer to live alone but also hunt on their
own. Among the four, Sonam was the most aggressive and dominant one. She has
now chased away her three sisters and mother from Telia and has taken over the
area and has her own cubs from a huge male tiger who is called Bajrang. While the mother who had shifted to the buffer area has since died, the
three sisters have marked Mudholi, Jakana-Junona and Devada as their individual
territories. Just recently there was a sighting reported about one of Sonam’s
sister-Lara from the Telia lake area with three cubs of her own who are around 4 to
5 months old.
As we took the turn on the road leading to the Telia Lake we
could see couple of gypsies gathered near the far end and people standing and
pointing excitedly in the bamboo grooves situated at some height opposite the water
body and adjacent to the road that runs almost hugging the entire stretch of
the lake. Now instead of going and joining the clump of gypsies at the far end
(as some gypsies behind us did) our Driver Rattan very intelligently stopped
our vehicle somewhere in between and told us to wait quietly. I could only see
the wisdom in his words and actions later when after an agonising wait of some few
minutes unbelievingly a Tiger Cub walked over from the dense bamboo grooves and
sat bang opposite our gypsy straight at 12oclock!!! This was the male cub of
the Tigress Sonam (Approx. 10 months old) who sometimes roamed his mother’s
area alone. I was standing on my seat to get an eye level shot and to compensate
the height at which the cub sat. Few meters separated me and the tiger cub who
was studying me with his huge curious eyes. As he sat in the bamboo groove
there were a lot of disturbing bamboo leaves and shoots that came in between as
I struggled to get a shot while at the same time managing to keep my balance
and foothold. I switched on to manual focus and fired a couple of shots. A Wild
tiger at such close proximity is a rarity and after some time I kept the camera
aside on the seat and soaked in the experience and got lost in the innocence
shining out through the cubs eyes. Eventually getting up the cub stretched
himself a couple of times and giving a huge goodbye Yawn disappeared back in
the jungle.
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| Sonam's Male Cub at Telia |
We decided to move on and check the Yenbodi waterhole which
is almost adjacent but on the other side to the Telia Lake.Finding
nothing there we proceeded to the Pandherpauni Waterhole number two. Reaching there
we found out that there were number of gypsies waiting at the opening. Rattan
our driver found a good spot for us amongst the lot. I could see Maya siting
with her three cubs (two females and one male) in the tall grass adjacent to
the waterhole. After waiting for some time the Male cub came out in the open
nearer to the water, stretched himself couple of times before walking back to
his mother sitting in the grass. Soon one of the Female cub walked out in the
open and after walking towards us for a short distance defecated. After
finishing its business it walked over to the water’s edge and sat near some
rocks with its back to us. Another Female cub followed soon enough and sat
adjacent to the first in almost identical position. The third male cub joined
its sisters after some moments. Even though Maya stayed put up in the grass it
was an awesome sight to see the three cubs out in the open and feel the
camaraderie that they shared with each other. They were in quite a playful
mood. I got this frame when the naughtiest of the three had climbed on the
other cub and both of them were playing with each other.
But The Tadoba Jungle and Nature both were not done for the day.
As we passed the Tadoba lake on the way out to the gates Guide Bandu pointed
out a Raptor sitting on a tree adjacent to the lake. It was a grey headed fish
Eagle – A Lifer for Me!!! Clicking some snaps of the majestic bird we moved ahead.
Near the Chital Road area where the route splits into two we had taken the Tar
road when moving ahead we saw two gypsies in front of us slowing down a bit.
We soon came to know the reason – An Indian Sloth bear was ambling along
casually under the fallen trees lying on the left side. The bear then decided
to change paths and crossed the road in front of our gypsy before disappearing
into the bushes. Light was really low as I picked up my camera and ramping up
the ISO fired off a couple of shots hoping that I had managed to capture this rarity
decently.
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| Grey Headed Fish Eagle and Indian Sloth Bear |
What an awesome first day and first safari this was. Five
Tigers One of which was almost too close for comfort, a lifer of a bird and a
Sloth bear as a cherry on the top to finish off the day. With High spirits and
huge smiles we exited the Gate. Reaching our hotel, over chilled glasses of
kokum, all excited talk focused on the day’s sightings. Photos clicked
were shared,commented,critiqued and praised as everyone took turns to freshen up. Dinner
was had and everyone called it a day.
Post morning activities we left for our second safari of the
trip. Telia Lake being closest to the Moharli Gate gypsies from this gate
normally check out the Telia Dam area First up. As we reached the Lake we
saw Sonam’s Male cub walking on the dirt track ahead of us. He was alone and
was stalking one of the Several Sambar deer’s grazing on the green grass on the
lake shores.
The Cub reached and ducked near a bush on the road and quietly
got out from the other side facing his prey. The Sambar oblivious to the threat
and totally engrossed in its feeding was coming closer and closer to the bush
and with it to the Tiger Cub who was hiding in it. Even though the Cub had
chosen an impossibly large sized prey compared to its own size and strength we
were eager to see what the outcome would be. As the Sambar drew even more close
to the Cub some sixth sense made it suddenly stop dead in its track. Raising
its head the Sambar sniffed the air and letting out couple of huge alarm
calls took off into the lake waters. The Cub stayed put for some time in the
bush contemplating its efforts and maybe the failure. Then as we waited it
slowly made its way through the thick tall grass growing adjacent to the lake
waters and made its way to the dam and started climbing the paved stoned slope.
Reaching on the top it turned around to give one last look at the line of
waiting gypsies and disappeared on the other side of the Dam.
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| The Look by Sonam's cub before disappearing behind the Dam. |
We moved ahead through the road which passes almost hugging
the Telia Lake and on the way to the Panderpauni water holes we saw a huge
number of deer which were busy grazing in the grasslands. What a lovely sight
it was.
Reaching
Yenbodi waterhole we were pleasantly surprised to see a Tiger immersed in the
water cooling himself from the unbearable heat. This was Bajrang - the Male
Tiger of this Area. He was Sonam’s Paramour as well as the Father of her three
cubs. It was with Bajrang that Waghdoe - the earlier resident male of this area
had a territorial fight. Bajrang was the winner and a
gravely injured Waghdoe then had to move into the Moharli Buffer area. This huge Male
tiger sat in the water cooling himself for almost an hour. Giving us numerous
poses and expressions he finally decided that he had enough of the attention
and getting up went inside the bushes.
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| Deer Gathering |
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| Bajrang at the Yenbodi waterhole |
Third Safari (Evening) we first checked the Yenbodi
waterhole and finding it empty went off to check the Jamunbodi Talab. There’s a
paved pathway that climbs up a steep hill which takes you to a tiny cliff which
overlooks downwards to the waterhole. This is the area frequented by two of the most
well-known and huge Male tigers Matkasur and Gabbar. Tigress “choti Tara” also
frequents this area. Looking down at the small water body that now remains in
the summer we could see a Sambar immersed in the sludge and couple of deer
having a drink. Our guide Bandu wanted to check out the 97 waterhole which
sometimes was frequented by Matkasur. On the way there right on the turn of the
97 waterhole we found a pair of wild dogs busy in their own world. Some years
ago huge packs of wild dogs used to roam the Jungles of Tadoba but now their
population has drastically declined and only a few can be intermittently seen.
Both these wild dogs were in a very playful mood and gave us plenty of poses
with their antics. After spending almost thirty minutes shooting them we
reluctantly turned towards the waterhole. Reaching there we found it almost
empty, I say almost because in the absence of any bigger predator there were plenty
of birds in the vicinity due to the presence of water. There was a Rufous
Treepie Sitting quietly on a tree branch, couple of Purple sunbirds took turns taking
a sip from the waterhole, A Magpie Robin trying to scare everyone away, a pair
of Racket Tailed Drongo’s playing hide and seek with each other, a Black Napped
Monarch sitting quietly on the water’s edge.
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| Towards the Yenbodi Waterhole |
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| WIld Dogs or Dhole |
Seeing the cost clear the wild boar family made their way into the water and started to hungrily gulp it.
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| WIld boars quenching their thirst |
We took off from there and reached the Pandherpauni Waterhole No.1., which was empty save for a lone lesser adjutant stork fishing for its breakfast. On the way towards the second waterhole a group of tiny Grey Francolin chicks crossed our path. We stopped to take a couple of shots but these cuties were too fast for us and our cameras.
Reaching the Pandherpauni
Waterhole number two we saw that it was chock-a-block with gypsies and two canters.
Maya and her cubs were sitting inside the tall grass and everyone were waiting for
her to come out in the open. Guys from Our other gypsy which had Rohan, Priyam,
Parag, Akshay and shirish Kaka were parked
just ahead of us. A small photo shoot took place with the guys shooting us from
their gypsies and us shooting them in various poses.
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| All the Gems who made this trip an incredibly Awesome experience - A BIGTHANK YOU |
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| Sambar Deer |
Our First night in the FD guest house was pretty uncomfortable
for lack of cooling due to the faulty Air-conditioner installed in our room.
While leaving for the safari we had instructed the Manager to have the AC
repaired. Now on returning we found that there was absolutely no improvement so
Pastan had a word with the concerned official who allotted a stand by room,
reserved for higher ups, to us for the night. After freshening up we gathered
here and played a couple of round of cards. Parag our “prime” mover was the
star of the show during these games and also of the tasty dinner that followed afterwards.
Somewhere someplace an alarm buzzed on loudly. It was 4.30am
early morning .All I wanted was to sleep Just a lil bit more but I put the mind
over the mattress and jumped out of the bed. After Freshening up we were ready
for our fourth safari of the trip. We decided to give Telia a miss and
straightway headed to the Yenbodi waterhole. Waiting here for just a few
minutes and Bajrang - the huge resident male whom we had seen yesterday made his
royal entrance from behind the waterhole. I had Photographed Bajrang yesterday
for quite some time hence I hardly shot a few frames of him sipping water and
lazing in it and basically enjoying the attention he was getting from the
gypsies around. My friend Pastan on the other hand standing beside me in the
gypsy was burning his card like there was going to be no tomorrow on his 10
frames per second 7D MII. Further while going On the Tadoba Main road we came
across a Sloth bear busy grabbing some breakfast on some termite hills. Moving
methodically from one hill to another we couldn’t frame him properly due to
plenty of vegetation in between. We were now headed towards The Tadoba Lake.
The Tadoba Lake is a sanctuary in itself for the denizens of
the forest, who struggle to keep body and soul together during these torrid summer
months. It’s a serene vast Lake amidst the thick jungles of Tadoba. A waterbody
which never dries up, even in the scorching heat of the harsh Central Indian summer.
Sambar deer love wallowing in the pond, feasting on the submerged vegetation. Herds
of Chital thankfully lap the water along the banks, drinking on a state of high
alert. Ruddy mongooses scurry along, grabbing a sip or two. A crocodile lazes
in the water on the shore with its jaws open. Wild boars find time to enjoy a
gooey mud-bath. A grey Headed fish eagle watches the water preying for its
breakfast. An Oriental Honey Buzzard hungrily quenches its thirst and then
flies high up on its favorite perch on one of the tall trees surrounding the
lake. An impatient pond heron tries to ambush the butterflies flying around. A
herd of gaur casually ambles into the murky water, protectively shielding its
juveniles by keeping them in the centre. Surprisingly, tourists hate to see
this bustling activity at the waterhole. The Reason? : It means that the tiger
is not around!!!
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| Tadoba Lake is a sanctuary in itself |
But suddenly couple of shrill alarm calls ring out and echo
in the surroundings and above the calm and tranquil waters of the Tadoba Lake,
and all hell breaks loose. The pond is vacated in a jiffy. The sambar’s till
now drinking so peacefully on the waters make a run for cover in the jungle,
The Oriental Honey Buzzard takes off into the sky, wild boars lazily lost in
their muddy pool immediately scramble and simultaneously register their
protests by loud snorts, herds of deer grazing on the adjacent green grass run helter-skelter.
The queen of the Tadoba Lake is on her way, it’s her turn to quench her thirst,
and cool in the inviting blue waters of the Lake.
Our Gypsy driver Rattan parks our vehicle at the forked road and waits. He Motions towards the hilly area on the opposite side
of the road, looks at me and says “she is going to come from there to over here,
walk in front of you and go to the lake, please be ready with your Camera
settings for a Head on shot”. I look at him in amusement but the look on
his face is all of seriousness. Suddenly out of nowhere you see the reigning queen
appear from the far side of the road, walking head-on towards you. What you
feel at that time is unparalleled. As I swing the camera from my shoulders and
prepare to shoot Rattan smiles indulgently at me and winks.
The Majestic and beautiful Maya is least bothered by the
scores of cameras trained on her. She walks with a confident stride and unfazed
abundance. Walking head on for couple of meters towards our gypsy she passes
barely a few inches away from where I stand on the vehicle.
Finding a suitable spot she lowers herself back first (Typical tiger behaviour-Tigers hate getting any water on their faces) in the water. Lapping hungrily at the cool water she has her full and relaxes while sitting back in the lake. Changing plenty of positions she gave ample amount of poses for the shutter bags. Rattan had very expertly kept pace with Maya’s walk and now we were right in front from where she sat cooling herself in the lake waters. At every such moment of this safari trip I am reminded of the immense skill and patience that both our driver Rattan and guide Bandu put in it for us, and whatever images that we got have a good amount of contribution of these two. After soaking in the cool waters of the Tadoba Lake to her heart’s content Maya got out and started walking back to the dirt road that all the gypsies were positioned on. Getting back on the road she walked a few kilometers towards the FD guest house Road with all the gypsies tailing her and then disappeared into the Jungle.
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| Queen Of The Tadoba Lake - One And Only MAYA |
After witnessing this great Maya show we decided to check
out The Telia Dam and lake area which we had purposefully given a miss in the
morning. Everything seems quite and calm as we reached there. But Tiger
sighting or not I have come to just love this area in Tadoba. The lovely lake
spread out on one side, bamboo shrubs on some height on the other side, long
winding dirt road hugging the lake and showcasing its vast spread. If it was up
to me I would park my jeep under the small tree on the edge of the turn and
spend a relaxed and carefree quality time pondering on the mysteries of life.
We waited here relaxing for some time on my insistence and as time to exit the
gates came up called it a day and returned to the guest house. We were allotted
a new room opposite our old one and thankfully this had an excellent AC. Having lunch we
retired to bed for some shut eye.
Getting ready for the fifth (Evening) safari we had a minor
reshuffling amongst our two gypsies. Shefali from our group was suffering from
the terrible heat and required some much needed rest so it was decided that for
the last two safaris Parag would join us from the other gypsy while Ganesh who
till now graced us with his presence would be with the other group in their
safari Jeep. At the entry gates some good natured ribbing took place amongst
members of the two gypsies as to who would have better sightings now that
members where interchanged and some shuffling had occurred. Playful Bets were
placed as to which gypsy was going to have Lady Luck smiling at her and get
more sightings.
Once inside the gates our first stop was to check the
Yenbodi waterhole. We reached there to find the Tigress Sonam lounging in the
water. She was continuously calling out for her cubs. We waited eagerly in the
hope of seeing a family get together in the water with Sonam and her three cubs
but the cubs did not make an appearance. Soon Sonam got out of the waterhole
and disappeared inside the thicket behind. No sooner had she left Bajrang made
an appearance and occupied the place. Soaking in the water for some time he too
got up and went inside the Jungle. From here we decided to check out the Telia
Dam area.
Reaching Telia we saw Sonam again sitting in the Lake and realised
that after leaving the Yenbodi waterhole she had made her way to Telia through
the Jungle. Even now sitting in the waters she was continuously calling out.
Her male cub who roamed around alone in her area and whom we had seen on our
very first day safari was not seen by any gypsy for couple of safaris now. Our
guide Bandu made a guess that maybe she was searching for this cub and hence
was calling so feverishly all the time. Continuing her calls she got up from
the lake waters and slowly made her way through the thick tall grass growing
adjacent to the lake waters and to the dam and started climbing the paved
stoned slope. Reaching on the top she continued with her consistent calling,
moving her head in all directions while giving the calls, and later climbed
down to the other side. Unseen from anyone on the dirt track and from us from
where we had parked the gypsy on the turn besides the lake under the shady tree
we could still hear her loud calls as she searched for the cub behind the dam
wall. We waited for some time till her calls started getting stronger again and
she emerged from behind the shrubs lining the dam walls and crossed the road
behind our gypsy and climbing the small bamboo shrubs disappeared into the
bamboo shrubs. Passing through the Kolba area and through the closed Kojba fire
line into Yenbodi we later saw her pug marks going into the Waghdoe area.
Tracking her we came back to the Yenbodi waterhole only to see Bajrang sitting
in the waters cooling himself!!! After spending some time in the waters for
more than half an hour this huge male who had defeated the mighty Waghdoe to
capture his territory got up to leave. He climbed out of the waterhole and
started walking straight on the adjacent bund and then crossing over from the
dirt track went into the bamboo shrubs. We parked ourselves at the junction of
the Kojba line adjacent to the Waghdoe area hoping that Bajrang crosses the
dirt track as he moves towards and into Waghdoe area. We waited for almost twenty five minutes at
the junction but due to continues gypsy movement Bajrang stayed put inside the
Bamboo shrubs. After what seemed like an eternity this majestic beast came out
and nonchalantly crossed the track in full glare of the numerous gypsies and amidst camera clicks got lost in the jungle in the Waghdoe area.
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| Clockwise from top : Bajrang at Yenbodi, Sonam in the Telia Lake, Sonam again at Yenbodi |
Returning on the way back to the Hotel everyone in our gypsy
is in high spirits after such great sightings. We discuss the day’s happenings
with members of our group gypsy and exchange notes with them. Spending another
fun filled evening with the group we finished dinner and continued with the
stories till eyes heavy with sleep we dozed off.
Last safari of the trip dawned upon us and we were up early and ready for the adventure. Waiting in the queue for the entry gates to open I casually mentioned to our group how exciting and fun it would be if we could get a tigress with her cubs in a single frame. As all the heads nodded in unison everyone knew that it would be a dream come true if it were to actually happen.
We wished the guys from our other gypsy for a happy sighting
and were soon on our way. Considering yesterday’s activity Guide Bandu and
driver Rattan unanimously decided to first check out the Yenbodi Waterhole. A
gypsy with a full day permit (Gypsies with a full day permit are allowed inside
the forest gates half an hour earlier then general timings) was standing nearby.
We were crestfallen when the folks in that gypsy told us that the three cubs of
Sonam were sitting in the water hole together and had just gone back into the
jungle and we had missed the action by a matter of few minutes. With
disappointment written large on our faces we decided to wait at the waterhole
in the hope that the cubs might come out for a drink as the temperature rose.
Waiting for another twenty minutes we saw one of the cub very shyly walking on
the bund covered with bamboo shrubs. Instead of coming down into the water for
a drink the cub walked straight onward on the way towards the junction. We
reversed our gypsy and waited near the fire line for it to come out in the
open.
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| One of the Three cubs of Sonam at Yenbodi Waterhole |
On reaching the Junction an overpowering stench greeted us.
This was coming from the Waghdoe area and our guide Bandu informed us that the
tigers must have most likely made a Gaur (Indian Bison) kill and hidden it
inside the thickets. Rest of the gypsies had gone ahead in the hopes that the
cub seen earlier might cross the road while on its way towards the kill. Ours
was the only gypsy kept waiting by our driver Rattan bang on the junction in
the hopes that the extremely shy cub backtracks and instead of crossing over
and going towards the kill turns back to the Yenbodi waterhole. As mentioned
earlier too his instincts turned out to be spot on and the shy cub seeing so
many gypsies on his path turned around and peeping from the road quickly darted
back towards the Yenbodi waterhole area. Ours was the only gypsy to see this
happen and I relished and enjoyed the moment thoroughly as I watched the shy
cub quietly peep out from the bamboo bushes and walk down silently on the dirt
track towards the Yenbodi waterhole.
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| Sonam's Other cub Walking back towards the Yenbodi waterhole |
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| One of Sonam's bolder Cub at the Yenbodi waterhole |
Moving away from the waterhole we went to the junction again
and waited there expecting one of Maya’s cubs to come out and cross the road
while going to the kill. We were waiting for some time now when we heard some
movement from the bamboo shrubs.
Readying our cameras and training them on the approximate spot we waited
with bathed breath for the Tiger to step out.Soon enough a Tiger did step out
but it wasn’t a cub but Sonam herself who walked out eyes blazing and calling
loudly for her cubs. She crossed over into the Waghdoe area and we could hear
her calls as she called her cubs even after crossing over from deep inside the
jungle. As she went in, our driver Rattan slowly took us through the road
leading to the Ambewadi waterhole in the Waghdoe area and waited
near a clearing while pointing out the place from where the tigress may cross
over. As predicted by Rattan, Sonam came through the clearing and crossed over
to the other side all the time calling for her cub. While we waited at the same
spot she went to the now dry Ambewadi waterhole continuously calling and after
some time crossed the road again and went back into the bamboo jungle.
We took our position back again at the junction near the
Kojba Fire line and waited. Not long afterwards Sonam still calling out
continuously came out from the bamboo grooves and crossed once more into the opposite
side. Our driver Rattan immediately reversed the gypsy and positioned it on the
road so that we could get a Head-on as Sonam looked sure to walk on the dirt
track. We were ready with our cameras but another gypsy came from the
other end and Sonam changed her mind and crossed the road and made her way back
towards the Yenbodi waterhole. Only one logical option left now for us to do
was to return to the Yenbodi waterhole, but as mentioned earlier this route
being designated a one way only by the FD we had to go over to the waterhole
from the longer route via the main Tar road.
Reaching the Yenbodi waterhole from the Main road we were
greeted with the awesome sight of Sonam and her three cubs lazing themselves in
the muddied water. The whole happy family played with each other while
continuously taking sips of the water. It was a moment to savour and cherish
and at the same time touching to watch this beauties from such a close
quarters. To get Four Tigers in a frame and at such close distance was a dream
and a cheery on the top of what was an awesome trip.
I considered it
my privilege to see the cubs with their mother and noticed that even though
wild they bonded with each other so well. It was almost a surreal and dreamy
moment as the family played around in the waters without caring for all the
shutter bags going wild with their triggers. After enjoying in the waters for a
long long time they left one by one, climbing out from the waterhole and taking
the route to Waghdoe area to feast on the Kill. First the cubs and last Sonam
got up and walked out. We followed at a safe distance as they walked on the
track for some time and crossing over went into the Bamboo shrubs to the left.
 |
| Family Portrait : Tigress Sonam with her Three cubs at the Yenbodi Waterhole |
Once again Rattan decided to wait at our earlier spot near
the clearing on the road leading to the Ambewadi waterhole instead of at the
junction where all the gypsies had congregated. We did not have to wait for
long as first Sonam walked out of the Thicket followed by all the three cubs.
The last cub, shyest of them all, coming out in the open very briefly and
bounding back into the shrubs. She sat
under a tree waiting and checking and let all the three cubs go ahead before
getting up and disappearing into the Jungle where the kill was hidden.
 |
| Sonam with her cubs On her way towards the kill in the Waghdoe area |
This was my last look at the family for this season as
monsoon would soon be over the Tadoba National Park when it closes for
Visitors. As we made our way to the gates with huge smiles I remembered all the
earlier trips I had made to this mysterious and lovely Forrest. Driving
endlessly on the dusty, bumpy winding roads, a Silent jungle, no pug marks, no alarm calls, time running out, and the good light fading away, losing hope by
the minute and how this trip with Tiger sightings almost raining on us had not
only compensated fully for all those dry runs but had exceeded me and my
friends expectations by a mile. I remembered this funny image Captured in Tadoba.
 |
| Caption for all the 'Tiger-centric' people who visit the parks. |
This image and its caption is for all those
'Tiger-centric' people who visit the parks just to see the tiger and forget
that there is much more beautiful things in the wild apart from the king
himself.
For More Pictures please Visit :
https://500px.com/leonardrebello
http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/389544/
https://www.facebook.com/LeonardoDaFotogravinci/
For More Pictures please Visit :
https://500px.com/leonardrebello
http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/389544/
https://www.facebook.com/LeonardoDaFotogravinci/
Have you read about the Pench and Kanha trips? If not please
have a look and leave your comments :
Important Info You can Use about Tadoba Tiger Reserve:
Total area of the Tadoba Andhari Tiger reserve is 625.4
square kilometres. This includes Tadoba National Park, created in 1955 with an
area of 116.55 square kilometres (45.00 sq. mi) and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary
created in 1986 with an area of 508.85 square kilometres (196.47 sq. mi). The
reserve also includes 32.51 square kilometres (12.55 sq. mi) of protected
forest and 14.93 square kilometres (5.76 sq. mi) of other areas. Densely
forested hills form the northern and western boundary of the tiger reserve. The
elevation of the hills ranges from 200 m (660 ft.) to350 m
(1,150 ft.). To the southwest is the 120 ha (300 acres) Tadoba Lake which
acts as a buffer between the park's forest and the extensive farmland which
extends up to Irai water reservoir. This lake is a perennial water source which
offers good habitat for Muggar crocodiles to thrive. Other wetland areas within
the reserve include the Kolsa Lake and Andhari River. Tadoba reserve covers the
Chimur Hills, and the Andhari sanctuary covers Moharli and Kolsa ranges. It’s
bounded on the northern and the western side by densely forested hills. Thick
forests are relieved by smooth meadows and deep valleys as the terrain slopes
from north to south. Cliffs, various water bodies and caves provide refuge for
several animals. Two forested rectangles are formed of Tadoba and Andhari
range. The south part of the park is less hilly.
Tadoba is an ornithologist’s paradise as it houses one of
the rarest species of birds. The most famous are the Cuckoos, Larks, Pipits,
Drongas, Muniahs, Warblers, Collard Scops Owl, Mottled Wood Owl, Brown Fish
Owl, Shikra, White-Eyed Buzzard, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Crested
Serpent Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle,grey headed fish Eagle,Grey Jungle Fowl, Painted
Spur Fowl, Red Spurfowl, Plum Headed Parakeet, Black Naped Blue Flycatcher,
Golden Oriole, Peacock, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Painted Francolin, Tickell’s
Flycatcher, Scimitar Babbler, Indian Pitta, Malabar Pied Hornbill.
The Tadoba Lake, Erai dam, Kolsa Lake and the Andhari River
form the lifeline of the Tadoba forest. The astounding ecosystem of this forest
is maintained by these water bodies throughout the year. Apart from these a
number of creeks and rivulets are present in the forest plains and hills.
Man-made water holes look after the thirst needs of the animals during the
sweltering summers. Tadoba lies within the periphery of Chimur Hills which
comprise the Moharli and the Kolsa range. A variety of landforms surround these
ranges. There are deep valleys, rivers, lakes, deciduous forest on the hills
and a number of bamboo trees. Such a varied habitat helps sustain many life
forms.
Vegetation of Tadoba forest is of Southern tropical dry
deciduous type. Teak is the prominent tree species in Tadoba forest. Tadoba
national park is open for visitors from 15-Oct to 30-June every season. Despite
of this, limited safari is possible from 01-Oct on current booking basis. Tadoba
national park remains CLOSED for visitors on every Tuesday. Unlike
Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Pench national parks safari charges here are same for
Indian and foreign visitors.
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve is now divided into 3 zones:
Mohurli, Tadoba, and Kolsa.
* Only 20 Vehicles per Safari are allowed in every zone i.e.
Kolsa, Mohurli & Tadoba
* Out of these 3 zones, Tadoba
Zone is in most demand by tourists. This zone has 3 gates and their
respective number of vehicles for entry are –
Khutwanda (Vehicles are allowed to go from Mohurli gate): 7
Vehicles
Navegaon (Nearer to Khadsangi): 6 Vehicles
Kolara (close to Chimur): 7 Vehicles.
* Mohurli Zone
has only one gate for entry and that is at Mohurli itself. This is the place
where all the required facilities are available. At the same time, best of the
sightings happened normally in this Zone. This gate has 34 entries available
for safari. So vehicles for entry in this single gate are –
To Tadoba : 7 Vehicles
To Mohurli : 20 Vehicles
TO Kolsa: 7 Vehicles
Please note that
entry to kolsa from this gate is sometimes closed as per forest department
directives .This was the case when we were here. So better inquire and check
with the forest department before you plan safaris.
Mohurli gate area has a Reliance Mobile Tower So Cell phone
connectivity here is of Reliance only.
* Kolsa Zone is the most beautiful Zone as far jungle quality matters. But the sighting ratio is
very low and Animal World here is very shy. This is the least demanded Zone by
Tourist. A Forest rest house at Kolsa Village is also available in this Zone
for booking. This Zone is also better accessible from Mohurli. This Zone also
has 3 Gates for Entry and their respective number of vehicles are –
Mohurli: 7 Vehicles
Pangdi (Close to Sindewahi): 7 Vehicles
Zari (Nearer from Moharli and Chandrapur): 6 Vehicles.
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