Tiger! Really?

 

I took these photographs at the tiger reserve at Ranthambore many years ago. Here are a few lines from my novel 'You're stuck with me for life!' that are inspired from that trip:

Whether one manages to spot a tiger during a safari in the wild life sanctuary or not is kind of luck of the draw, but the zone that your vehicle gets assigned plays a big role in determining your chances. The zones are supposed to ensure an even distribution of vehicles in the national park and prevent overcrowding of the most popular spots. Even though all zones are supposed to have some probability of allowing the sighting of a tiger, not all zones are equal. From what I understand, zones 1 to 5 are known for more frequent tiger sightings. Unfortunately, our canter is assigned to zone 8. The driver of the canter and his companion, who is serving as our tour guide, are trying their best to sound optimistic. As the gates to the national park are opened, all the vehicles that had been waiting in line enter the park. Some of the open jeeps that can be hired at a higher price than that of booking a seat on a canter enter the park with a bit of urgency. Some other vehicles, like our canter, move forward at a relaxed pace, knowing that the odds of any exciting events are on the lower side. The terrain in this zone is a bit hilly. We come across rocky patches along the way. When we find no tigers near a water-body that we cross, the guide tries to divert our attention towards an owl sitting in the hollow of a tree. He is trying to convince us that citing an owl in the morning is supposed to be the most magical thing ever, but I’m sure most people know that’s not true.

“See! Pugmarks! There is definitely a tiger close by!” The guide says excitedly after some time.  

Really? I don’t think so. It’s all drama.

There are other nice animals to see besides the tiger. We spot a few different types of deer. We also spot birds of different shapes and sizes. Overall it’s not so bad. But not quite as magical as it could have been. Kind of like my life.