Safari - 3 - Keslaghat Gate - morning - 16.04.26 Today we had chosen a new zone through Keslaghat Gate. We were well ahead of time. Our tour operator completed the formalities and got details of our safari jeep, guide & the driver. Guide Pramod & Driver Chandrakant were assigned to us. We first went to a spot looking out for Tigress K Mark & her cubs. We moved from there after some time and searched all the waterbodies & possible spots known to the guide, where tigers could be seen.
Then our guide Pramod gave some direction to the driver Chandrakant and he headed in that direction. All of a sudden Pramod shouted “ Bagh… Bagh… meaning Tiger … Tiger ” & asked Chandrakant to stop. Pramod then asked him to take the jeep back. Chandrakant took the jeep back to a spot where guide asked him to stop.
Pramod showed us the tiger far away in the farms.He told us confidently that the tiger would enter on the road right in front of us and offer us opportunity of taking head on shots of the tiger. Pramod every word appeared to us as if his confidence was oozing out. We started taking pictures as the Tiger moved closer to us.
Lo !, behold the Tiger entered the road, exactly at the point indicated by Pramod. We all marvelled at Pramod’s brilliance in analysing tiger’s movements its behavioural patterns. The tiger was called “ MAMA”.
Fortunately we were the first to be there where action unfolded. Mama was right in front of us, hardly 5 mtrs away, and was walking authoritatively. All the camera were making clicking sound. Pramod asked Chandrakant to keep reversing & maintain distance , Reverse …. Stop … Reverse …. Stop … , Reverse …. Stop … As Mama came closer.
Pramod asked Chandrakant to keep doing this and told him that if Mama feels that there is an obstacle he would turn towards the farm and vanish behind the bushes. Pramod’s idea worked as he could keep Mama following us like he was following instructions of a Ringmaster in a Circus.
As it happened soon a couple of jeeps came from the other end, but we were having the head on sight of Mama , where as the other jeeps were following Mama from his back side. Mama looked huge and bold.
Occasionally he growled & snorted as he came almost a hand’s distance from our jeep, but kept following us, as if, under Pramod’s invisible instructions.
We had the best of time as we saw Mama when it was about a couple of kms away in the farm, then it came on the road and followed us for almost 15 - 20 minutes or so. That half an hour or so , right from the farm, was a “ Lifetime Experience ”, a thrilling one.
The fairy tale was to end and finally Mama took a right turn towards the farm and vanished behind the bushes.
We all had only words of gratitude for Pramod & Chandrakant. We were in awe of Pramod’s brilliance in studying Mama’s movements, analysing his behavioural pattern and correctly pointing us the point of Mama’s entry on the road and then making it follow his silent instructions. Pramod was the director of the drama and Mama was the hero of the show.
Above all Pramod & Chandrakant worked in tandem to perfection. Hats Off to both of them for their experience & skills. Today the stars of the show were these two great people & of course Mama.
Three cheers for Pramod, Chandrakant & Mama : Hip Hip Hurray …Hip Hip Hurray …Hip Hip Hurray …!!
