Think like a tiger!

About a week ago, a friend of mine forwarded a video footage that was going viral. At the Bannerghatta safari park, a leopard is seen circling a tourist vehicle.  At one point, the leopard stands on its hind legs, raises its entire body and rests its forelimbs on the window. Next, it tries to insert its face into the bus. Just one tiny hop, and the leopard would have been right inside. The bus starts at this point. The leopard is distracted and leaves the vehicle. The video ends.

My friend expected a reaction from me. I did respond- with a big smiley emoji and the words- “See! I told you so!” There was a particular reason my friend sent this video. It goes back to an incident that happened about 12 years ago.

We were at Kabini with friends and family. We were about to go on a jungle safari. The vehicle arrived. Except for the section where the driver was seated that had covered windows, the rest of the vehicle was entirely open to the elements. No glass on the windows, no grill, nothing. It was designed to give a "full and unobstructed view."

The forest ranger announced, “We are going deep into the jungle to see some tigers!”  “What? In this vehicle? We are going into the jungle? And we are going to see…tigers? What if the tiger pounces on us? We will be sitting ducks then!” I protested, totally alarmed. The forest ranger replied, “Sir! Sir! There are no ducks. Only tigers! I have been conducting this trip for 25 years. Nothing has happened. I am there, no? Tigers will not do anything! I assure you! Tigers are the most beautiful creatures. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone!”

“Sir, how can you answer for the tiger? Are you the tiger? For 25 years, nothing has happened. That is ok. But…but...something can happen, this one time! May be, the tiger got suddenly hungry. Who knows? It is so risky!”

The forest ranger replied, “Sir! There is risk everywhere, even when you are walking on the footpath! Anything can happen…at any time…to anyone!”

“For heaven’s sake, we are going into the tiger’s territory! How can the vehicle, not have a grill for the windows? It is a wild animal after all!” I asked. The forest ranger wasn’t going to back off so easily. “Sir, do you know the wildest animal on this planet? It is man! It is man! A tiger will kill only for food. A man can kill for a few paise! You want a grill for the windows? Ok. It may help you against the tiger. But then, what will you do if a wild elephant charges? A grill will be totally useless! It can topple the entire vehicle! What will you do then?”

The argument was going nowhere. Leave alone the tigers, there was now the wild elephant also to be factored! “Come on sir! Hop onto the vehicle! We are getting late! We will see some beautiful tigers, sir!”

Eventually, I took a hard decision. We will not go. The rest of the families, if they wished, could go on the jungle tour. I was certain they will spot some crows, some sparrows, some buffaloes, or maximum, a lonesome deer. Later in the day, the forest ranger gushed, “You missed it sir! You missed it! We saw a beautiful tiger, that too, at touching distance! At touching distance sir!”  Needless to say, there was a mutiny in the ranks and a riot within the family.

I am glad we are so fond of tigers. I am waiting for someone to post- “Went to the circus and saw this most beautiful tiger. So cute! Saw a tiger at the zoo, at touching distance! So beautiful! Wanted to give it a nice hug!” And some heart-emojis to go with this comment. After all, "janma-saaphalyam" can be attained only through a tiger-darshanam.

Let’s face it! These trips are not about the tiger at all. These trips are about us…about dare-devilry…about bravado…about putting our lives on the line…about tempting fate…all of this...to get those “thumbs-up” emojis…to boost our self-image…on social media! Isn't it?

“Sir! The next time, please fit a grill to the vehicle! I will surely come!”  I trailed off, as we left Kabini. “Sir, nothing will happen sir! Why are you so scared? A tiger is like a housecat! It runs away when it sees us with its tail between the legs. We look so scary sir! Think from the tiger’s angle, sir! Think like a tiger, sir!”

Poda!