Veerappan Of Shirkheda

Shirkheda Buffer, Tadoba

It was my last safari in Tadoba for this year. I had just seen Chota Matka that morning at Nimdela, Zone 2 and was now headed South and East to Shirkheda which is 4 or so gates away by my count and at the far side of Zone 3.

Over the past few years, as power struggles, battles, revenge and retribution have unfolded all over Tadoba and made legends out of characters like Matkasur, Mowgli, Bajrang, Maya, Choti Tara and now a second generation’s legends; like Chota Matka hold their forts and fight their wars, the East has been held firmly by one crafty big guy who has mostly dodged these wars.

He’s been at this game of holding Shirkheda for over 10 years now. Not spreading himself thin over too large a territory and always staying healthy and fed. It’s smart strategy in these battle lands. Veerappan is over 13 years old. Some say 13, some say over 15. Fact is, he’s outlived all the “heroes” with restraint and focus on a consolidated territory. Guy worked out that his chances of death in the hands of his kind were higher. Just look at him. Does that look like an old animal in any way?

Now, I don’t know what came first, Veerappan’s name or his habits. But it fits well for him to be named after the most famous bandit in Indian history. When the news makers like Matkasur were injured in battles, they’d hunt cattle cause cattle is easy work. They somehow would avoid the easy work when in form, it was beneath them. The same holds true for Chota Matka. My guy, had no qualms about hitting up some cattle whenever in the mood or perhaps to avoid crossing territories. His health and well being has always been his priority. He is a cattle thief who has cost the Forest Department a lot of money in reparations over the years.

I went to Tadoba in May cause the heat would bring the cats to the water and it was a strategy that paid heavy dividends this trip with that amazing first sighting of Choti Rani & her Cub in the pool, Junabai female in a watering hole and on my last safari, I entered the forest and bang, there he was, at the first watering hole, in the afternoon heat and he would give me the longest, unhurried sighting that I have had till date of a Dominant male. Something that I had just hoped for that very morning.

If Matka was being dramatic to me this morning, with his entrance, my guy now was not to be left behind. He sat in the water with his back to us for what seemed like an eternity.(Pic : 1) He lazed around in the water, dozing and when he yawned (Pic : 6), the first thing I noticed was the size of his canines. Those things were the fattest I’d seen on a cat. He then finally got out of the water and had himself a long and slow patrolling session. I had him for almost an hour and man what a sighting it was. From the water, to up a hill and below it and all around. The whole experience was so unhurried and relaxed. My guy was waking up from his siesta and taking his time around his territory, paying no heed to us except casual glances and normal eye contact and that gave me so much time to pick and choose when to photograph and when to just watch.

Veerappan Of Shirkheda crossed off a few to do’s in my bucket list and gave me the perfect ending to my Tadoba trip for 2024.