Overview:
the true subject of my photographs was not simply the tiger. It was the landscape that supported the existence of the tiger: the forests, lakes, grasslands, and remarkable diversity of wildlife that has been here for generations.
An amber landscape
It was a hot, humid afternoon in June when we entered Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. The dry, deciduous forest, surrounded by the rugged hills, had turned the landscape amber. The land seemed parched, just waiting for the monsoon relief. It was also the last weekend before the park was scheduled to close for the monsoon season, and with a last-minute planned trip from Delhi, I was lucky to be there.
The heartland: Zones 3 and 4
We entered the park in the evening through Zones 3 and 4, where tiger sightings are typically high. Zone 3 is often considered the heart of Ranthambore, so, for me, the anticipation was high as well. Ruins of the Ranthambore Fort could be seen at a distance, with the rugged hills, lakes, and grasslands where history, nature, and majestic wildlife come together.
The spectacular Bengal Tiger
Barely 30 minutes into the safari, my expectations were fulfilled most spectacularly. Barely a few feet from our jeep, we sighted a full-grown tiger lounging nonchalantly in a small puddle of water in a seasonal stream that was almost dry.
The watering holes
Early morning on the second day, we traversed Zone 4, where the terrain is rockier but also more open in places. Here, we found sambar grazing in the waterholes, and chital, the spotted deer, a native of the Indian subcontinent. Peacocks, storks and other birds were in abundance.
Ranthambore supports a diversity of wildlife. The Bengal Tiger is, of course, the key attraction and the apex predator; it also shares space with other big cats like the leopard.
The sambar is India’s largest deer, sporting majestic antlers, and the chital, the most beautiful. Besides these, nilgai, wild boar, and langurs are other popular prey for the tigers.Â
The symbol of conservation success
The tiger, however, remains the symbol of conservation in India. Decades ago, dwindling tiger populations prompted the launch of Project Tiger, one of the country’s most ambitious wildlife conservation initiatives. Ranthambore became one of the flagship reserves of Project Tiger, demonstrating that sustained habitat protection, anti-poaching efforts, scientific monitoring, and community participation can reverse population declines.
Today, Ranthambore is one of India’s most recognized tiger conservation success stories. But as a photographer, it offered much more than just the dramatic portraits of tigers. As I left the reserve quite in awe of what I witnessed here, it became clear that the true subject of my photographs was not simply the tiger. It was the landscape that supported the existence of the tiger: the forests, lakes, grasslands, and remarkable diversity of wildlife that has been here for generations.
