Pilgrimage & Promise
Ten years ago, deep in the forests of Umred Karhandla, Central India, royalty roamed in stripes. Jai, the legendary tiger, wasn’t just king—he was a colossus. He’d trekked an incredible 130 kilometres from Nagzira, staking claim in Umred with a frame that stretched over 11 feet and weighed a jaw-dropping 250 kg. Yet, even for a king, wild habits die hard. Jai was notorious for vanishing on cattle hunts beyond the forest, shrouding himself in myth and controversy until, in 2016, he disappeared altogether—an enigma as haunting as the old tales of lost royalty.
Naturally I had to pay my respects. Also, I heard the subadults—tiger teens, three boys and a girl— were running wild, photo ready. So, I roped in ST, a tiger tour wizard, and along with B and LB, and flew into Nagpur, determined to secure my spot in the presence of royalty.
Upon arrival, the word was out: Jai was once again AWOL, leaving us crestfallen. But Umred is a canvas splashed with wildlife teeming—gaur, wild dogs, four-horned antelope—and the king’s growing family. Thanks to ST’s tracking prowess, candid tiger sightings filled our lenses., so I traded
Lunch and a twist of Fate
Our morning safari had gone dry, so I traded tiger hopes for Saouji mutton curry, the only regional dish spicy enough to chase away disappointment. After lunch—and ignoring the siren song of a nap—we squeezed into our Gypsy for a final, truncated safari to make it for our early evening flight home.
Entering the forest excitement surged as fresh pugmarks beckoned from the dust, gypsies hurtling toward rumoured sightings. We did too until fate flattened us with a literal flat tyre. Imagine every other jeep screeching off to a tiger sighting, while we sat like circus clowns, cursing our luck
Our driver, zen as a monk, fixed the tyre while I relived every bad decision from breakfast onwards. Eventually, we creaked forward—morale flatter than the tyre that was.
Surprise Jungle Justice:
Then, plot twist! Suddenly, our ST, binoculars raised, gasped, “Tiger! Tiger!”—which is basically jungle-speak for winning the lottery with utter disbelief we peered ahead with squinted eyes and lo behold there was a lone tiger walking towards our gypsy.
What a sight to behold… An ethereal beauty walking the red mud ramp more graceful than any model walking the ramp. An intimate surreal moment. Keeping a respectable distance like paparazzi we clicked away. The calm of the forest broken by the collective click sounds of the cameras in the jeep still not believing the scene that was unfolding in front of our eyes.
Parting Shot:
But as always, the forest has its own script, an Innova rolled in—closer than sense would allow, hoping for a selfie. Slighted, the tigress veered into the foliage, pausing for a final glance that seemed to whisper:
“It ain’t over till its over. Never get disheartened in the wild, nature has plenty to offer from her bounty and she will if you are patient”
Jungle Wisdom & Bonus Humour
Moral of the story? In the wild, never bet against chaos. You may get flat tyres, curry comas, or snubbed by missing tigers, but sometimes—just sometimes—nature rewards you with a moment so surreal you forget all the mishaps. And if you’re lucky, it’ll leave you laughing all the way back to the airport.
That memory never faded. The forests kept calling, even as studies, work, and family filled my days.
