THE BIG CATS of

INDIAby Ajay Jain

TRAVEL PHOTO TALKIE

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THE BIG CATS of INDIAIndia is big cat country.

Tigers, Lions and Leopards prowl the many forests spread across the country. They may have numbered in the tens of thousands at one time, but their population has fallen sharply in the last century. Estimates number Tigers at 1411 and Asiatic Lions at 411 while those for the Leopard are only guesses at a few thousand.

You have to meet these cats in their natural environment to really appreciate what majestic creatures they all are. And you can never have enough of them - reason enough for going back again and again for safaris at India’s many reserves. Spotting is not always easy though - luck, time of the year and your guide play a big role. But no expert guarantees a sighting. While you may have frustrating days, you will feel like a successful treasure hunter when you do see any of the species.

Flip through the pages to re-live some of my experiences - and hope you have even better ones to share with me.

- AJAY JAIN

The Kunzum Travel Photo Talkies are a series of pictorial depictions of stories and themes from our travels. More of the series at http://

kunzum.com/phototalkies.

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RANTHAMBHORE NATIONAL PARKLocated in the north-western state of Rajasthan in India, Ranthambhore National Park is one of the biggest reserves for Tigers and Leopards. It lies at a distance of 400 kms (250 miles) from New Delhi, the country’s capital, and is well connected by road and trains.

Travel Tips• TheparkisclosedfromJuly-September.Wintersarethepeaktourist season - but also the worst time to go. Spotting is rarer with overcrowding on the safari trails. For best sightings, go during the peak summer months of April - June when dry vegetation makes camouflagingdifficultandanimalshangaroundwaterholes.Warning:Summer temperatures can be as high as 48 degrees Celsius (118 Fahrenheit).• Accommodationrangesfrombudgettosuperluxury.Summersare also a great time to negotiate discounts.• Booking for safaris can be made online at http://www.rajasthanwildlife.in - always a good idea to do so in advance during peak seasons. There is an option of going in a canter bus (seating 20) or in a Gypsy (for 5); the latter is the better option.

Useful Links • Looking the Tiger in the Eye (A Travelogue) (http://kunzum.com/2010/09/20/ranthambhore-looking-the-tiger-in-the-eye)• Kunzum Route K103 from Delhi - Ranthambhore (http://kunzum.com/2010/06/01/driving-from-delhi-to-ranthambhore-sawai-madhopur-in-rajasthan)• How to book a safari in Ranthambhore (http://kunzum.com/2010/06/03/tiger-safari-in-ranthambhore-national-park-in-rajasthan-how-to-go-about-it)• Raining Leopards in Ranthambhore (http://kunzum.com/2011/03/01/raining-leopards-in-ranthambhore-national-park-rajasthan)

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When a Tiger Hunts a TurtleDuring one of my summer safaris, I came across this male Tiger resting by a water hole with a recently hunted langoor monkey lying in state three feet away. I was not more than ten feet away myself. The Tiger was waiting patiently, either for a guest or for the dinner bell to sound, when something in the water disturbed him. He slowly turned his head, looked for a few moments through the surface and then it was Pow-Wow in a flash.Apoorturtlehadfloatedin,andwasprobablythestarter(orwasitdessert)thatthebigcatwaswaitingfor.Forthenextmanyseconds,allonecouldseewasfranticsplashingastheturtleputupabravefight.Beforelong,itwasalltranquilagain.Thebigcathadexpectedlywon,butit

wouldbeawhilebeforehecouldcarvethefleshoutfromunderthehardshell.Thenextsetofimagesshowthesequenceofevents.

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The Tiger turns his head when he senses movement in the water

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Before anyone realized it, he moved…

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…and attacked the Turtle

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But David does not always win - but Goliath will not have an easy time consuming his hard-shelled victim

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The Tiger chose to drag to the Turtle to the shallow end of the pool

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But the paws are not designed to handle a hard, convex shaped animal

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It is a struggle getting to the meat

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And the challenge is not over yet

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Ok folks, what are you looking at? This is not a circus

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The Tiger is looking around - has anyone seen his embarrassment? First he hunts a helpless Turtle and then can’t even eat it

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All right, no more games - time to get aggressive

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Finally managing to get a grip on the Turtle

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Andthere…thewhitefleshisoutforthedinnertable

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Well fed, I spotted the same Tiger sleeping at the same spot the following day

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Woken up by our presence

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Contemplating what to do with these pesky tourists and photographers

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Decides to get up to strike a better pose…

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…in the water, where you can look the Tiger in the eye

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The 3-Year Old Tiger Cub in Ranthambhore These teeth don’t bite - yet! This is the snarl of a 3-year old male cub, still dependent on Mommy for food

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The cub is at an age where he can afford to chill in the pool all day

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Sometimes you do need to stretch your muscles…

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…and practice to show who is the Boss in the future

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The Tiger Cub was a having a little face-off with monkeys perched on branches high up. They were teasing him, and he was glaring back with a message, “Play the fool for now. Just a matter of time before I will learn

to hunt you down!”

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THE ASIATIC LIONS OF GIR NATIONAL PARK

The Gir National Park in the western India state of Gujarat is the last standing home to the Asiatic Lions. There was a time when they were found across much of India, and in countries extending to Persia (present day Iran). From near extinction towards the end of the 19th century, these cats have done well for themselves with their population on the rise to the current 400+. But you will meet them only in Gir.

Travel Tips• ThereserveisclosedfromJuly-September.Forbestsightings, go during the summer months.• Girhasmanyoptions tostay, ranging frombudget toluxury.• AllsafarisarerunbytheGovernment.• YoucanreachGirbyroadortakeaflighttooneofthemany airports with a road journey of 2-6 hours depending where you land.

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ThefirstcatspottedbymeinGir-amajesticLionessglowinginthesun

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It’s raining Lions - I get to meet a family of three. Seen here is the mother Lioness, who was with her two-year old male and a six-month old infant

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That’s the Lioness’ two-year old boy

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And here is the baby, at six months old

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Early signs of what the boy will grow up to be

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Siblings waiting for Mommy - she is around only

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Here is Mom - gnawing at something on the ground

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Watch how the Lioness walks

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Dare make eye contact with the male?

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Time for a yawn or building face muscles for future roars?

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Ok, what is the grin for, little one?

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Momma has come to pick up her kids - they will walk into the sunset over the hill soon

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Following mom’s footsteps

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The two-year old walking away. See you again!

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LEOPARDSLeopards are a highly elusive species, not easy to sight. More often than not, you will get their outlines in the dark - with eyes glowing through like diamonds on steroids. I spotted this Leopard in Gir, sitting under the shade of a tree. The guide spotted him instantly, but it took me a while to make out the cat even with the guide pointing in his direction. This

isthebestimagequalityIcouldmanage.

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BERA: UNPROTECTED LEOPARD COUNTRYBelieve it or not: There is a village in Rajasthan called Bera - surrounded by forests where leopards roam free. These are not a part of any National Park or sanctuary; most people don’t know about it, not even Rajasthanis. You will not see any madding

tourist crowds here – go wildlife spotting freely, but remember you are on your own here. With leopards for company.

There could clearly see them walking along a ridge – stopping in between, playing on trees, and showing their love to one another in a way only mothers and children can. As the sun set and they walked away into the dark of the forest, my guide highlighted two diamonds glowing in the spotlights trained on them – these were the shining eyes of a male leopard on a peak.

Awesome!

The animals were too far for my equipment – hence the poor picture quality. But I sure got great views with high power binoculars.

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ABOUT AJAY JAINAjay Jain is a full t ime writer, journalist and photographer based in New Delhi in India. He is not l imited in his medium of expression, equally comfortable writ ingfor newspapers and magazines, as well as his own books and blogs.

Starting his writ ing career in 2001, he has been covering business, technology and youth affairs before deciding to focus

wholly on travel writ ing. He pursues his passion by being on the road as much as he can.

He has written three books, the latest being Postcards from Ladakh (http://www.k u n z u m . c o m / p o s t c a r d s f r o m l a d a k h ) , a pictorial travelogue on Ladakh. His first, Let’s Connect: Using LinkedIn to Get Ahead at Work, is a management book on professional networking using

the world’s most popular professional networking site LinkedIn.com. It was published in early 2008. His other book, and his first travel book, Peep Peep Don’t Sleep (http://www.peeppeepdontsleep.com), is a collection of funny road signs and advertisements.

He has worked fo r and wr i t ten co lumns fo r na t iona l pub l i ca t ions in Ind ia inc lud ing The H indus tan Times, Min t , F inanc ia l Express , Ind ian Management (Bus iness Standard) , Out look Bus iness , Deccan Hera ld , Mumbai Mi r ro r (Times o f Ind ia ) , D iscover Ind ia , Swagat , As ian Age and Red i f f . com. He has a lso ed i ted a youth newspaper, The Campus Paper.

Pr io r to tak ing up wr i t ing , he has worked in the In fo rmat ion Techno logy and Spor ts Management sec tors . He ho lds degrees Mechanica l Eng ineer ing (De lh i Co l lege o f Eng ineer ing , 1992) , Management (Fore Schoo l o f Management , 1994) and Journa l i sm (Card i f f Un ivers i ty, UK, 2002) . H is schoo l ing was a t S t . Co lumba’s Schoo l in New De lh i .

ContactEmail: ajay@ajayjain.comMobile: +91.99100 44476

LINKSFacebook:http://facebook.com/ajayjain9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/ajayjain LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ajayjain9

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Postcards from LadakhA Pictorial Travelogue by Ajay Jain

Postcards from Ladakh is a collection of frames - picture postcards, if you will - frozen circa 2009, when the author drove for over 10,000 kms (6,000 miles) across the remote and fascinating region of Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas. Neither guidebook nor encyclopedia, it is intended to give you a flavour of this high altitude cold desert.

You will also meet a few Ladakhis in these pages. And see the land they live in, the faith they live by, the hope they live on…Each of them will spontaneously greet you with a cheerful Julley and invite you to be part of their culture and society.

No Ladakhi is a stranger. We just haven’t had the time to meet them all...

For more on the book, sample chapters and to order visitwww.kunzum.com/postcardsfromladakh

Available as a Paperback, as a PDF and for the iPad and Kindle

PEEP PEEP DON’T SLEEPA book on funny road signs and advertisements with captions

and commentary by Ajay Jain

If you thought road signs are only meant to guide and inform, think again.

The ones on Indian highways are in a zone of their own. They shower you with words of wisdom, keep your mind sharp as you unravel their cryptic messages, tickle your imagination, amuse you and entertain you. In public interest, they lend a hand to Alcoholics Anonymous. Since journeys are meant to be a pleasure, they remind you to ‘Smile Please.’

The entertainment for the traveler does not stop at this. There are the limitless public notices, outdoor advertisements and storefront signs with their own idiosyncrasies and eccentricities. Who needs comic strips in this country?

Ajay Jain drove thousands of miles to put together this collection of signs. With a bit of witty commentary thrown in, this book will be a journey unlike any other you may have undertaken. Resulting in you letting out a ‘Peep Peep’ of delight.

For more on the book, sample chapters and to order visitwww.peeppeepdontsleep.com

Available as a Paperback, as a PDF and for the iPad and Kindle

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