Spotted Ridhi, the Tigress at the Ranthambore National Park today

It was a pleasant surprise to spot Ridhi, the tigress, today at Ranthambore National Park. It was overcast and had rained the whole previous night. We spotted crocodiles, spotted deer, and the occasional Pitta bird. As we were returning, we came across Ridhi cooling herself in the shallow waters of a stream.

In an earlier post, I had written about Bacchi, the daughter of Ridhi, not knowing that in a few weeks I would be able to spot her mother, a fully grown seven-year-old tigress. Ridhi, incidentally, was not very amenable about being photographed, and so she ambled away after a little while.

Ridhi is a well-known resident of Ranthambore National Park, having given birth to many offspring. One wonders if she will take up the mantle of Machli. The death of Arrowhead has left a vacuum in the National Park that needs to be filled; till then, I guess, we need to wait and watch.

Meet Ganesh and Bacchi, the tigers at The Ranthambore National Park

Bacchi is an unnamed Tigress, the Daughter of Riddhi

A short trip to Ranthambore, taken by driving down the Mumbai Expressway from Gurgaon the day after the Summer Holidays started, proved to be a boon for us. I am glad that we decided to cancel our trip to Jim Corbett Park in favour of the Ranthambore National Park, where there are better chances of spotting tigers.

Ganesh, the dominant Male, rests after a fight with another tiger.

Ganesh had to be treated for injuries incurred during a fight.

Bacchi, a dreamer, keeps wondering whether to eat or not.

Ganesh, the dominant male in zones 4 and 5, had entered into a fight with another male tiger, and in the process, one of his eyes was injured. Forest officials then tranquilised him and it is said they treated his eye. Ganesh had also hurt one of his paws and had to be treated for it.

To Eat or Not to Eat, that's Bacchi for you!

We started at 5:30 a.m. and caught up with my cousin and his wife on the Mumbai Expressway. A steady 120 kilometers one hour, and 355 kilometers later, we reached the Sterling Resort by 10:30, a good one and a half hour before check-in time. The drive down the Mumbai Expressway, uneventful though it might be, can result in Highway hypnosis because of the rather too straight drive. Stopping at any one of the numerous food courts, however, can help break the monotony of driving on the expressway.

One interesting place to visit while at Ranthambore is the Rajive Gandhi Regional Museum of History. This museum is dedicated to Nature and History. I spotted a rather cute-looking Leopard in the museum (of course, they are all Taxidermy exhibits).

But then, a visit to Ranthambore would be a waste if you didn't go on the Safari! On the Safari, you would be able to spot not just tigers, but also a number of exotic species of birds and animals. For me, it was a joy to finally spot a Nightjar bird and photograph it. Nightjar birds are very difficult to spot because of their camouflage, and I am grateful to Raees and Sumit who accompanied us on our Safari because they very patiently stopped the Canter (for that is what we took) to point out various species of birds and animals hidden in the bushes.

An Asian Rabbit warms up for the day!

A Male Night Heron looks for food while its mate nests

A Female Night Heron nests while its mate gets food.

Roufus Treepie birds are very bold birds, and they come right up to you, settling on the roll bars or grab rails of vehicles, demanding food. However, visitors to the park are advised not to feed any of the inhabitants any food. The guide, Sumit, told us that Roufus Treepie birds act as dentists to the tigers, cleaning their teeth. I wonder, however, if this might be true.

Sambur Deer are large antelopes, a bit more stout than the Asian Antelope or the Neel Gai. Sambur Deer shed their winter coats in the summer months, giving them a rather bedraggled appearance. The Male Sambur Deer also sheds their horns. The horns have a rather soft coating, which might be scraped off by your thumbnails. Spotted deer can be found in large numbers in the Ranthambore forest area.

Last but not least, a big thanks to Raees, the driver of the Canter truck, and Sumit, the Guide during the Safari. They were both very patient and pointed out important birds and animals, including giving us time to photograph the Tigers. They can be contacted on the following numbers: Raees: Mobile No. 9982130251 and Sumit: Mobile No. 9314147308. Chef Deepak at the Sterling Resort did some magic with the food served to us.

A Snap with Chef Deepak

Raees and Sumit our driver and guide

That is me, of course!

Celebrating Mother's Day at the Church of the Epiphany, Gurgaon

Mother's Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Church of the Epiphany, Gurgaon, with enthusiasm and fervour. Sunday School students presented a special service, and tokens of gifts were distributed to all the mothers present during Sunday Mass.

Mrs Purnima Lal read out a special message on account of Mother's Day. The WFCS put up a special stall on the occasion of Mother's Day. It was a special moment for all mothers, especially as they were pampered with love and affection!

Nathania read a heart-touching poem for all mothers, and Sahana recited a poem for a mother she loves with all her heart.