The Secrets of Kanha

A safari, in an open jeep with an open mind, To unravel the secrets of the Kanha forest reserve, Midst the tall sal trees, our eyes scoured to find, The elusive majestic striped cat, we've strived to conserve. Through the bauhinia canopies with copious white flowers, Behind black rocks where the Bagheera once slouched, We rumbled to the plain grasslands midst light showers, To the tall golden grasses where the predator crouched, Before lunging forth on the camouflaged grazer that cowers, That's his first kill for the day, his hunger doused? The clear pond reflected the skies blue burst, The pond named Shravan Taal, the great watering hole, Where Pumba and deers of all sizes quenched their thirst, And a woodpecker's relentless pecking, felled a branch whole, A peacock danced with full plumage in a spectacular outburst, An igret looked for a fish in the pond, went on a troll! Never was there a dull moment in Kanha for me, Every silence, tweet or hoot carried a message, A langur's alarm call, then a deer's bark, alerted us to see, As we returned through the same passage, At the waterhole, there was indeed the majestic Tiger resting, Nonchalantly, chilled out in cool environs, without stirring, Indifferent to the probing cameras that were flashing, In Kanha, he's the undoubted King! Lush green, ochre to straw, the ageing colours of maturity, Love or enmity, all's out in the open, without any pretence, Tough is the life of the jungle, the fittest'll survive its severity, The golden sunset against the Lendia at Kanha, a labyrinth so intense! 15th May, 2017