Munna - Epitome of Tigerhood

Tiger Safari

"Nothing here," the forest guide said as we passed through the Silyari Lake and adjoining grasslands. "Well than lets go over to Nain Singh Nala," I said. "Nothing here as well no sign of the tiger," the guide said. The driver and the guide then set out to draw an elaborate route that would fetch a tiger. 

Our guest at Courtyard House was a wildlife photographer Micheal from UK and he wanted a real good shoot of the big cat. 

"We are going back," I said in a stern voice to make sure that my wish is accepted. The driver and the guide looked absolutely bewildered....crazy nut they must be thinking."But there is no sign of the tiger at all," the guide said. I remained quite. 

In the pin drop silence that prevailed I sat silently pondering over the possible movement of the tiger. "It is hot for the big cat to move," I told the guide who nodded in affirmative. "We will wait here for an hour and them move on to exit through as it becomes cooler." The guide was a nice man and he let me muse by the lake patiently. The driver sat smug and uneasy. He had to obey. He!He!

Micheal sat cool with full faith in me.       

All the jeeps had gone through ahead, a couple of them passed us. "What are you doing here? Any sign." No! "Then why are you waiting here?"

"For the tiger." I said." The vehicles sped through. My game plan was simple, the tiger Munna favors this lake and so I was going to score a critical tiger habitat at the right time. Hence we waited for the right time whence it was lot more cooler.

"Tiger," I said much to the astonishment of Micheal and others.In a frenzy we turned towards Nain Singh Nala.  The big cat has just descended from the hill and was coolly walking past another jeep that happened to be there. Micheal set to work by the time more and more jeeps arrived. But in the ensuing moment my guest had the choicest of the shots.        

Munna is a magnificent tiger who rule over the Kisli Range of Kanha National Park. He has sired many generations of big cats. Though aging now,

Munna Tiger By Dinesh Makhija

he exudes immense power and is a bundle of muscle. He is one of the largest male in the park. He is able to hold a large territory not only by strength but more so by his experience. Young males are trying to make in roads into his domain but not with much success.