Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh

Subrat Seet · 12th March 2011, 20:42

On November 3, 2010, i reached White Tiger Forest Lodge, Bandhavgarh around 3.30 p.m. from Khajuraho. I was being allotted a cottage in the middle of the resort. I went around and saw a cottage with nice view just towards the end and requested the manager to allot me the same and finally he allotted, when I said that I will be staying for 3 nights. We were too hungry but before ordering food, i took out my camera, when i saw a grey horn bill sitting just next to our cottage. I was getting boundless to enter the park and for that I had to wait till next day morning. Till that time I did not met Mr. Mukesh Burman (My guide). I sent an SMS to Mukesh that I am already in the resort in Room no. 22. I was eagerly waiting for him to come and discuss tomorrow’s jungle ride plan. Finally, he came after his jungle ride and we chatted for 15/20 minutes about safari plans. Then, he introduced me to Vikas (the gypsy driver) and said he will come and pick up us at 5.10 a.m. I was thrilled and waiting for the night to get over soon. However, I was little worried about my two small kids {Sakshi (5years) and Kavya (1 year 11 months)} but I was pretty confident that my wife will manage. Always, I wanted to enter the gate (Tala Zone 1) first and worried about the route we will get.

White Tiger Forest Lodge, Bandhavgarh provides buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, which I appreciate much because instead you waste time on selecting food, you better concentrate more on wildlife. Food is best at the resort and service of staff was superb. We went for the dinner exactly at 8.30 p.m. and by 9.30 p.m. we all slept, however I was not getting sleep cause being a Mumbaikar, sleeping at 9.30 p.m. is just impossible. I put alarm on two of my cell phones and also requested the resort fellows for wake up call. Finally at 4.15 a.m. first alarm bell rung and after five minutes wake up call from resort. Got up quickly and prepare tea for both of us and we tried to wake up Sakshi and before that Kavya got up. At one go both of them said Papa we are going for jungle ride. I said yes and they got ready within no time. It was pretty cold, despite that we board the gypsy exactly at 5.10 a.m. when Vikas (Gypsy Driver) came. Reached the gate and two gypsies with foreigners were in the queue ahead of us. I was little disappointed to be the third number in the queue. Then Vikas came back and I enquired about the route allotted and he said it is C/D. I was little happy to get C/D. Fortunately, we were the first to be in C route and Mukesh board the gypsy at the gate. The sighting started. As usual it was superb and started with lots of spotted deer. I took photograph of some of them then Mukesh told me that lets move little fast because animal activities are more upto 8.30 a.m. in the morning. We moved and took a break for tea at the Centre point. As usual we were moving and no sighting of tigers till 8.30 a.m. Then with good lights I started shooting spotted dears, Sambhars and spiders. While moving inside the park we heard a call and waited but nothing. There are lots of flora and fauna to photograph then only tigers.

So, Here is a question? R u guys ready for five jungle ride with me. Anything can happen in the jungle. So posting some of the pictures and let me know who all want to continue till last jungle ride.
Grey Horn bill at Resort.

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-grey-horn-bill217-1024x768.jpg

Waiting at the gate to enter at 5.10 a.m.

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-tala206-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-tala207-1024x768.jpg

Some pictures.

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-023-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-landscape210-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-landscape215-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-093-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-088-1024x768.jpg

Cheers! Subrat

fazalaliadil · 12th March 2011, 22:14

Subrat,
All the best with your sightings, they are good at Bandharvgarh.
Just don't be too tigercentric and remember what the tiger said in your third pic.
Tigers, they will come by...meanwhile enjoy the jungle and let us see this beautiful place through your eyes in the coming days.
Regards,

sudev · 12th March 2011, 22:56

Like the start. Lovely shots.

Diesel9999 · 12th March 2011, 23:49

Have a good time at Bandhavgarh dude. The tiger sightings are especially good this time of the year. I've been there a couple of times and I stayed with the "Celebratons Van Vilas" resort last time. I had a great experience staying there.

I hope you can make a short trip to Kanha too as the quality of wildlife is much better in Kanha. In Bandhavgarh, the density of tigers is the highest in India because of the relatively small size of the Park when compared to Kanha but there is not as much variety.

I am also uploading a picture of the tiger pic I captured in Bandhavgarh

Diesel9999 · 13th March 2011, 09:45

Here is another action shot from Bandhavgarh. I can still remember the ferocity and the savageness of this hunt. I stopped by the lake to capture some bird shots and while I was waiting for the right 'angles' , this hunt commenced.

gd1418 · 13th March 2011, 10:56

Subrat,

A teaser of a way to start a travelogue. I'm glued as next month I too am going to be there..

The fact that every Wednesday all the National Parks in MP shall be closed for the evening from 1st April has come to me as a dampener.

Mahesh, lovely pic of the Stripes and what an amazing capture of the Croc hunt..

Diesel9999 · 13th March 2011, 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by gd1418

Subrat,

A teaser of a way to start a travelogue. I'm glued as next month I too am going to be there..

The fact that every Wednesday all the National Parks in MP shall be closed for the evening from 1st April has come to me as a dampener.

Mahesh, lovely pic of the Stripes and what an amazing capture of the Croc hunt..

Thank you gd1418. Here is one more pic from that croc hunt. I took these pictures from quite some distance using a 70-300 lens fitted with a 1.4x teleconvertor. Thats the reason for the slightly grainy image.

suhaas307 · 13th March 2011, 11:42

That is undoubtedly, some wonderful photography! Great lens work.

Subscribed!

abheekg · 13th March 2011, 12:11

Great start. Now let the cats out of the bag dude.

@fazal saab: after your wonderful junglescapes in February, let the theme for March be cats, cats and more cats !!

What say folks ?

@Gurudutt sir: I have almost done finalising your itienerary. Will get back to you by tomorrow. Dont worry about the wednesday evening offs. I have some good filler plans for you.

@mahesh: Lets see some more !
@subrat: Out with the cats !!

Dr. A Ghosh

Diesel9999 · 13th March 2011, 16:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by abheekg

Great start. Now let the cats out of the bag dude.

@fazal saab: after your wonderful junglescapes in February, let the theme for March be cats, cats and more cats !!

What say folks ?

@Gurudutt sir: I have almost done finalising your itienerary. Will get back to you by tomorrow. Dont worry about the wednesday evening offs. I have some good filler plans for you.

@mahesh: Lets see some more !
@subrat: Out with the cats !!

Dr. A Ghosh

Dear Sir, I uploaded some more pics here at this thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ife-shots.html

Wishing you good luck with your sightings.

Subrat Seet · 14th March 2011, 00:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

Subrat,
All the best with your sightings, they are good at Bandharvgarh.
Just don't be too tigercentric and remember what the tiger said in your third pic.
Tigers, they will come by...meanwhile enjoy the jungle and let us see this beautiful place through your eyes in the coming days.
Regards,

Thanks Sir! I never used to be tigercentric. But this time, i was tiger centric because after two drives at Panna, i had enough of all except Carniverous. But Bandhavgarh is always beautiful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudev

Like the start. Lovely shots.

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel9999

Here is another action shot from Bandhavgarh. I can still remember the ferocity and the savageness of this hunt. I stopped by the lake to capture some bird shots and while I was waiting for the right 'angles' , this hunt commenced.

You are lucky. I had 15 drives so far at Bandhavgarh but not heard of crocs. Where is this lake?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gd1418

Subrat,

A teaser of a way to start a travelogue. I'm glued as next month I too am going to be there..

The fact that every Wednesday all the National Parks in MP shall be closed for the evening from 1st April has come to me as a dampener.

Mahesh, lovely pic of the Stripes and what an amazing capture of the Croc hunt..

Quote:

Originally Posted by suhaas307

That is undoubtedly, some wonderful photography! Great lens work.

Subscribed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by abheekg

Great start. Now let the cats out of the bag dude.

@subrat: Out with the cats !!

Yeah man! Have patience.

Dr. A Ghosh

Subrat Seet · 14th March 2011, 00:28

Some more from first drive.

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-spotted-deer218-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-spider220-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-058-1024x768.jpg

The second drive starts with a low note. There was lots of expectation but till 4.30 p.m. there was no sign of the king. This was the only shot till 4.30 p.m.

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-187-1024x768.jpg

Finally, what a sighting. This was the first time i saw a tiger in the wild. I was really nervous and excited. However, my hand was doing my job (just clicking). Mukesh guided Vikas to park the gypsy exactly at the right place. This two combo is great.

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-210-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-211-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-213-1024x768.jpg

Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh-214-1024x768.jpg

Cheers!

fazalaliadil · 14th March 2011, 08:44

Subrat,
Great captures! Very good saturation and contrast.
The low angle shot of the tiger is very good. Looking forward for more from the wild side.
Regards,

Gandhi · 14th March 2011, 08:53

Awesome pics there. Keep 'em coming Subrat.

Subrat Seet · 14th March 2011, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

Subrat,
Great captures! Very good saturation and contrast.
The low angle shot of the tiger is very good. Looking forward for more from the wild side.
Regards,

Thank you Sir. I will upload soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gandhi

Awesome pics there. Keep 'em coming Subrat.

Thank you Mr. Gandhi. Sure,. i will upload.

12th March 2011, 20:42	#1
Subrat Seet BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Mumbai Posts: 351 Thanked: 363 Times	Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh On November 3, 2010, i reached White Tiger Forest Lodge, Bandhavgarh around 3.30 p.m. from Khajuraho. I was being allotted a cottage in the middle of the resort. I went around and saw a cottage with nice view just towards the end and requested the manager to allot me the same and finally he allotted, when I said that I will be staying for 3 nights. We were too hungry but before ordering food, i took out my camera, when i saw a grey horn bill sitting just next to our cottage. I was getting boundless to enter the park and for that I had to wait till next day morning. Till that time I did not met Mr. Mukesh Burman (My guide). I sent an SMS to Mukesh that I am already in the resort in Room no. 22. I was eagerly waiting for him to come and discuss tomorrow’s jungle ride plan. Finally, he came after his jungle ride and we chatted for 15/20 minutes about safari plans. Then, he introduced me to Vikas (the gypsy driver) and said he will come and pick up us at 5.10 a.m. I was thrilled and waiting for the night to get over soon. However, I was little worried about my two small kids {Sakshi (5years) and Kavya (1 year 11 months)} but I was pretty confident that my wife will manage. Always, I wanted to enter the gate (Tala Zone 1) first and worried about the route we will get. White Tiger Forest Lodge, Bandhavgarh provides buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, which I appreciate much because instead you waste time on selecting food, you better concentrate more on wildlife. Food is best at the resort and service of staff was superb. We went for the dinner exactly at 8.30 p.m. and by 9.30 p.m. we all slept, however I was not getting sleep cause being a Mumbaikar, sleeping at 9.30 p.m. is just impossible. I put alarm on two of my cell phones and also requested the resort fellows for wake up call. Finally at 4.15 a.m. first alarm bell rung and after five minutes wake up call from resort. Got up quickly and prepare tea for both of us and we tried to wake up Sakshi and before that Kavya got up. At one go both of them said Papa we are going for jungle ride. I said yes and they got ready within no time. It was pretty cold, despite that we board the gypsy exactly at 5.10 a.m. when Vikas (Gypsy Driver) came. Reached the gate and two gypsies with foreigners were in the queue ahead of us. I was little disappointed to be the third number in the queue. Then Vikas came back and I enquired about the route allotted and he said it is C/D. I was little happy to get C/D. Fortunately, we were the first to be in C route and Mukesh board the gypsy at the gate. The sighting started. As usual it was superb and started with lots of spotted deer. I took photograph of some of them then Mukesh told me that lets move little fast because animal activities are more upto 8.30 a.m. in the morning. We moved and took a break for tea at the Centre point. As usual we were moving and no sighting of tigers till 8.30 a.m. Then with good lights I started shooting spotted dears, Sambhars and spiders. While moving inside the park we heard a call and waited but nothing. There are lots of flora and fauna to photograph then only tigers. So, Here is a question? R u guys ready for five jungle ride with me. Anything can happen in the jungle. So posting some of the pictures and let me know who all want to continue till last jungle ride. Grey Horn bill at Resort. Waiting at the gate to enter at 5.10 a.m. Some pictures. Cheers! Subrat Last edited by Jaggu : 12th March 2011 at 21:51. Reason: Removing [Font] tags, please avoid copy paste from external font editors. Also use Preview before Submitting posts. Thanks
	() Thanks

12th March 2011, 22:14	#2
fazalaliadil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,022 Thanked: 672 Times View My Garage	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Subrat, All the best with your sightings, they are good at Bandharvgarh. Just don't be too tigercentric and remember what the tiger said in your third pic. Tigers, they will come by...meanwhile enjoy the jungle and let us see this beautiful place through your eyes in the coming days. Regards,
	() Thanks

12th March 2011, 22:56	#3
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Like the start. Lovely shots.
	() Thanks

12th March 2011, 23:49	#4
Diesel9999 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 108 Thanked: 244 Times	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Have a good time at Bandhavgarh dude. The tiger sightings are especially good this time of the year. I've been there a couple of times and I stayed with the "Celebratons Van Vilas" resort last time. I had a great experience staying there. I hope you can make a short trip to Kanha too as the quality of wildlife is much better in Kanha. In Bandhavgarh, the density of tigers is the highest in India because of the relatively small size of the Park when compared to Kanha but there is not as much variety. I am also uploading a picture of the tiger pic I captured in Bandhavgarh Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

13th March 2011, 09:45	#5
Diesel9999 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 108 Thanked: 244 Times	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Here is another action shot from Bandhavgarh. I can still remember the ferocity and the savageness of this hunt. I stopped by the lake to capture some bird shots and while I was waiting for the right 'angles' , this hunt commenced. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

13th March 2011, 10:56	#6
gd1418 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,578 Thanked: 728 Times View My Garage	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Subrat, A teaser of a way to start a travelogue. I'm glued as next month I too am going to be there.. The fact that every Wednesday all the National Parks in MP shall be closed for the evening from 1st April has come to me as a dampener. Mahesh, lovely pic of the Stripes and what an amazing capture of the Croc hunt.. Last edited by gd1418 : 13th March 2011 at 10:57.
	() Thanks

13th March 2011, 11:42	#8
suhaas307 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 8,830 Thanked: 12,251 Times	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh That is undoubtedly, some wonderful photography! Great lens work. Subscribed!
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13th March 2011, 12:11	#9
abheekg BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nagpur Posts: 690 Thanked: 187 Times	Lets have cats as theme for March Great start. Now let the cats out of the bag dude. @fazal saab: after your wonderful junglescapes in February, let the theme for March be cats, cats and more cats !! What say folks ? @Gurudutt sir: I have almost done finalising your itienerary. Will get back to you by tomorrow. Dont worry about the wednesday evening offs. I have some good filler plans for you. @mahesh: Lets see some more ! @subrat: Out with the cats !! Dr. A Ghosh
	() Thanks

14th March 2011, 00:28	#12
Subrat Seet BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Mumbai Posts: 351 Thanked: 363 Times	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Some more from first drive. The second drive starts with a low note. There was lots of expectation but till 4.30 p.m. there was no sign of the king. This was the only shot till 4.30 p.m. Finally, what a sighting. This was the first time i saw a tiger in the wild. I was really nervous and excited. However, my hand was doing my job (just clicking). Mukesh guided Vikas to park the gypsy exactly at the right place. This two combo is great. Cheers!
	() Thanks

14th March 2011, 08:44	#13
fazalaliadil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,022 Thanked: 672 Times View My Garage	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Subrat, Great captures! Very good saturation and contrast. The low angle shot of the tiger is very good. Looking forward for more from the wild side. Regards,
	() Thanks

14th March 2011, 08:53	#14
Gandhi BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 958 Thanked: 206 Times View My Garage	Re: Trailing the Big Cat at Bandhavgarh Awesome pics there. Keep 'em coming Subrat.
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