Mother Nature's Wedding Gift

Kaziranga National Park

Friends ask me sometimes if big cats are scary. The days before marriage are scary. Big cats honestly aren’t because you’re sitting in a vehicle that’s way bigger than the subject. It’s usually they who are either scared of us or indifferent (in the case of experienced ones who know that we just watch) or just plain irritated by our sheer numbers (in many “tourism zones”) and you can sense that in their demeanor. Animals who think that they can take on the vehicle or the ones that know they can enter it, on the other hand are the scary ones. Elephants know they can destroy a car easily. It’s elephant child’s play.

It was April 2022 and my wife and I had just exchanged rings in an inexpensive and random hut by the forest a couple of nights before, away from the rest of the world. In my head, that was our wedding and we were so happy. We had no idea that we were heading into the scariest animal adventure involving a big tusker, in sexual heat, in close proximity, literally warning us off at a time when over tourism was pissing off the residents of Kaziranga right after the Covid pandemic, something that I mentioned in “Too close for comfort”.

We were with Chetri that time around. Now, Chetri is a tracker, driver and photographer himself. His trusty camera kit is usually in his car and I always have a great time with him given our shared interests. We spotted the herd of Elephants out on the plains from the road. They were about 5 or so females, a couple of calves, one very young one sticking to mother and huge male tusker. Chetri parked under a tree and the both of us went about our business of making pictures (Pics : 1-4). Things turned interesting all of a sudden when the male, with no warning, attempted to mount the mother of the young calf. The female, ran this way and that, calf in tow and male behind. What a sight ! He had to have her right then I guess and did just that with the calf hiding in it’s safe spot under the mother (Pics : 5 – 6). We were laughing, shooting in pure bliss and talking about what amazing luck we were having. After the brief mating session, the three of them caught up to the herd. The lot of them then turned and it became evident that they intended to cross the road. Road crosses are great photo opportunities and we repositioned as well and caught up to where it was clear they intended to cross.

I think it was when we repositioned that he took notice. He was too hot for something else before that. The male, female and calf got to the road last and stood. We had caught their attention. His attention mainly. He stared at us for a couple of minutes( Pic : 8) and then moved to show off his strength by shoving on a tree with his trunk(Pic : 9). A clear sign of aggression. Its at this point that I was cursing profanities under my breath. People die every year in Assam in Elephant conflict. We didn’t know what to do and were whispering how we didn’t have the time to turn around in case he ran at us. We didn’t have the option or choice really. All we could do was be quiet and shoot. He was done soon thankfully and disappeared behind the mother and calf who had proceeded to join the herd during his show of machismo.

We were so glad he went away. A minute or so probably passed till we started to speak again thinking that was the end of that and our voices must have been excited and loud. We were just talking about it all when we heard a rustle in the trees to our left, the direction the herd had taken and there he was. Right next to us. Everything froze except my shutter. I don’t know how. Reflex maybe. I was shit scared but I couldn’t help myself. He was pointing his trunk at us and trumpeted once (Pic : 10). We just stared unable to think. Me through the view finder and fingers doing their thing habitually. There was a change in his demeanor after that and he raised his trunk at us one last time (Pic : 12) and walked off back to his lot. Chetri started the car just as he was turning away and we were out of there as soon as it was clear what direction he was headed in.

This one could have gone either way. Thank heavens he only wanted to warn us and show us who’s boss. I haven’t been that scared in an animal event ever since but Man ! That was some start to the adventure of life with my amazing woman.