On International Tiger Day, Arun Khanna presents a 12-photo series that captures motherly love, playful jousts and quiet lessons that shapes this tiger family's journey.
In the dappled wilds of Chhatbir, Punjab, where the silence is broken by rustling leaves, the soft purr of e-carts and an occasional playful growl, a white tigress named Gauri is raising two rambunctious cubs -- Aryan, the snowy spark, and Abhay, the golden flame.
This 12-photo series captures playful jousts, quiet lessons and the fierce maternal bond that shapes their journey.
But what unfolds before the lens is only half the story.
These 12 images have been distilled from over 1,200 photographs, taken across four months through the peak of summer and the onset of the monsoon.
As a passionate photographer now in my mid-sixties, the process tested not just my patience but pushed my physical limits to punishingly exhausting levels.
Standing for hours, often motionless, with eyes glued to the viewfinder lest I miss the shot, I braved blistering 45°C heat, pounding rain and stifling humidity.
My body ached, drenched in sweat, clothes clinging, joints stiffening.
I had only water, a handful of roasted gram and fresh fruits -- all lovingly packed by my wife -- to sustain me.
There were days when exhaustion screamed 'Enough.' But passion whispered my late parents' words softly, 'Never Give Up', and encouraged me to take one more photo.
At this age, it is excruciatingly difficult -- each day a battle of will against weather, fatigue and time.
Yet, if even one image from this series makes a viewer pause, smile or reflect on what we stand to gain and lose in the wild, then it will all have been worth it.
On International Tiger Day, I offer this story -- not just of a mother and her cubs, but of endurance, wonder and a deep, personal commitment to the magic of the striped world.
Dear readers, have you seen a tiger?
How and where did you spot it? What was the experience like?
Do you have a photograph? How did you click it?
We want you to share your stories and original photographs with us.
Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject: I spotted a tiger) along with your NAME, LOCATION and PHOTOGRAPHS of the tigers you saw. We'll feature the best ones right here on Rediff.
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