Royal Bengal Tiger...Sundarban Tiger Reserve..

[Samrat Sarkar]

This is the first time that I saw a Tiger in my life, that again in the Sundarban. I never thought I would be that lucky. After two days of moving around in the forest under incessant drizzle I discovered this fully grown gorgeous male. I was trembling out of excitement when I first saw him. His slow paced majestic walking, sideways glance, the mangroves, the 'Hental' trees - all created only one word in my mind - 'Respect'. The tough situation in the Sundarban, struggle for survival, scarcity of food and on the other hand all the myths and folklore of the local people surrounding "Dakshin Ray" - all this made me dumbfounded and I simply forgot to press the shutter. One single word was repeating in my mind - Respect...Respect...Respect...
7D, Sigma 150-500
ISO 400, 1/800, f8, EC-0.3step, partial metering, Av mode, Hand held, small crop

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Incredible sighting, that too a majestic male of the Sundarbans. Lovely pose. Looks like the Royal Bengal is coming out of the mangrove cover and crossing the clearing made by the forest department for facilitating the viewing of wildlife from the watch tower. Is it at Sudhanyakhali ? Rare and nice image in the natural setting of the Sundarbans during rains. This is the mating season in the Sundarbans. Patience extraordinary, rewarded. Congratulations. Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Great sighting....Cant ask for a better place or setting to get your first sighting.... it must have been a really exhilarating experience.

Many people get their first tiger sighting surrounded by crowds in jeeps and vans creating a din and the machine gun staccato of many DSLRs...... not in any way trying to demean anybody’s personal experience, to each his own but i don’t know. Of course a tiger is a tiger and it has nothing to do with that majestic animal which in turn couldn’t care less here or there or if any damn human sights it or not. Well you for one are certainly blessed to have it the way it has. It is experiences like this which turn into an obsession of a lifetime..... Thanks for sharing

Rgds
Roopak

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Sighting a tiger in Sundarban is an awe inspiring experience. Sighting first tiger in Sundarban is .... well I don't have words to describe.

Sundarban is an awesome place where one can get true wilderness experience. Shaktipada ji, Mrudul and myself had an amazing experience of facing a storm in Sundarbans and I personally felt that it was a humbling experience. A far cry from other National Parks where a tiger is surrounded by screaming people, in Sundarbans one remains being barbed fencing in the night. Not sure when I will get this experience of watching God's magnificent creation, the tiger in the wilds of Sundarban. Thanks for sharing this story and image.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Samrat Sarkar]

@ Shaktipada ji
Yes, it was Sudhanyakhali watch tower. thank you very much for your appraisal.
@ Roopak ji
i also share the same opinion that you have expressed here. The tiger itself was in the wilderness and was on his own, but the watchers including myself in the watchtower were a crowded lot. the moment the tiger appeared from the mangroves, some of us were instantly awestruck, and some other people started screaming and passing such disgusting comments and creating unwanted noises which shows that some of us are completely unaware what the tigers mean to the local people and the environment of the Sundarban! We should always respect the wild in the wildernes.....
@Sabyasachi da
Hats off to you Sabysachida for your comments!
Yes, I think I am real lucky to sight this lovely animal which is a very rare experience for so many people who have gone to Sundarban to have a single glimpse of the "Sundarban Tiger" and wait in the watch towers for hours after hours and sometimes for days. This rare experience has increased my obsession and respect for the wild to a new height...

[Mrudul Godbole]

An experience of a lifetime. Fully agree with the above comments. You are really lucky to witness this. Thanks for sharing.