Kailash Sankhala:TIGER! The Story Of The Indian Tiger

Kailash Sankhala:TIGER! The Story Of The Indian Tiger

by | Feb 28, 2020 | People In Conservation

The book titled as Kailash Sankhala:TIGER! The Story Of The Indian Tiger in about 230 pages on soft, newsprint-kind paper, by Kailash Sankhala can be summarized as the first and last treatise on almost all aspects of this prime predator for all other books published so far do not contain what has been detailed in this one. It was published in 1978 and then also bore ISBN (00 0 216124), printed in Britain by William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. through an arrangement with Rupa & Co of India (possibly for distribution). It was dedicated to Padmaja Naidu, a close friend of Jawahar Lal Nehru, and “Billy” (William Collins).

KS admitted that he received hefty support from Bill. It stands clarified how this book became a toast of the tiger loving class – good English for all possible details on the animal in question. He was extremely happy at its outcome enjoying his posting as Chief Wildlife Warden, Rajasthan, with main office in Jaipur. He held Bill as his friend and mentioned that the supporter died almost after completing this work. It has answers to most question to be put by a person on life story of this beautiful striped mammal.

By dint of a long tenure at Delhi Zoo, he kept busy in experimenting with tigers housed therein and to his fortune his joining forest service almost coincided with the white tiger being found south of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh by prince Martand Singh, who maintained them and finally delivered to this zoo. First hand observations and knowledge gained on hand-rearing such animals educated this writer on such aspects as one would not be able to touch upon as only a forester was capable to handle animals.

He had received Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Fellowship to study tigers which he fully utilized on studying tigers. He thanked both Padmaja Naidu and Dr. Karan Singh. Singh happened to be Secretary of this Fund, a person who lent indescribable support to KS and hand picked him to become first Director of Project Tiger when it was launched in 1973 though the book said it was started in 1972.

kailash sankhala with dr max downes
Mr.Kailash Sankhala with Dr. Max Downes, who bred Australian Bustards in captivity, at Jaipur’s Khasa Kothi in 1980, he was keen to offer know-how to breed Great Indian Bustard in captivity, a task no forest officer ever chested. Photo: Mr Harsh Vardhan.

The very title described — KS as a self-portraying person and a perfectionist at highlighting his name, and usually only his name. On the cover, his name supersedes the name of tiger, which has an exclamation-mark as suffix, wisdom encashed to the best. Its cover has a tiger crouching over green grass, its eyes aiming at the lens of camera. It is in colours which were not prevalent in those days.The last cover shows the author sitting by side of a tiger with his left hand almost garlanding the animal, both aiming at lens. Was it Jim, the captive born tiger who was treated by him like a family member, or any other, the book is silent over it.

The very sight of a person caressing a tiger in those days was awe inspiring, to this day also in my view. It forecast bold stand this person took throughout his life and it equally signaled an incredible appeal for conservation, a word which had just started gaining currency in 70s.

A cycle-sawar came at my place in Jaipur one evening to hand over this book. In his hand-writing, the opening page read:

“To Harsh,

For your outstanding and sustained interest in wildlife of Rajasthan” – (signed) Kailash Sankhala, 13.9.78”

I telephoned him to thank for the gesture and he humbly said more words which surprised me greatly for he was known to all to care the least for humans and always announced that his body and soul were wholly devoted to tigers and their welfare. Which happened to be true as he categorically remarked at more than once place that his career masters had taught to spend 20 days to be spent in field in a month. Calf-love for wilderness is best inculcated while one lives in forests, mere visits during morning-afternoon would be like chance observations. He seemed having enjoyed it to the hilt.

…Bhanwaria came to open gate of forest chowki as he found Kailash Sankhala sitting at door steps and waiting for him. He travelled by a bus, which passed through heart of this sanctuary for decades, and shouted, “Kalighati” so the driver applied brake to let him get down with his iron-trunk and commence merger with wilderness. He outlines about the hide, most said created by him for himself. It looked like a square-shaped shooting-box having low ceiling, so one had to enter on knees but ideal in summer also for it had stone roof and several hole like windows in varying size.

He listed birds and ungulates that trooped down water surface one species after other soon after sun had dipped down towards Governor Drive, as the name was given to the road by one of the forest officers. His botanist mind appeared exuberant: In August Kalighati turns verdant green and as winter approached foliage would be copper-brown with grass turning yellow, in spring the leaves would be dry and would fall on ground by March, it was leafless and bone-dry in summer, the floor is like a cushion of fallen leaves  — inches thick.

kailash sankhala and prince bernhard of the netherlands
The photo shows Mr Kailash Sankhala (right) Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands (then President of WWF – International) and Mr Harsh Vardhan (left) having a chat prior to boarding an IAF helicopter that carried the overseas expert in 1974 to overview progress of Project Tiger in India. The chopper landed inside the park, was parked for night at Jaipur airport and took off from the same spot, the platform in front of a mosque, on eastern edge of Padam Talab. Photo courtesy Mr Harsh Vardhan.

Kailash Sankhala’s sensibility was uncommon and unmatched. Single-minded approach and dogged faith, were inherent in his psyche. He pursued nature in totality and would hate any incursion while was in forest, to an extent that often he was observed having wordy dual with visitors to the same zone in a forest, at times he ordered some tourists to be expelled from the park. In solo pursuit, he was probably ever ready to have a wager who ever it may be. The same person would be a different character when escorting a VIP or politicians and would remark – educating them was important. He knew how to apply butter to both sides of the slice as though.

Kailash Sankhala’s analysis and assessment of subject is better understood by going through the names of writers he quoted in his book: Dr. Gustav Krik of Germany, Dr. Theodore H. Reed, Director of National Zoological Park, Washington DC, William G. Conway, Director of New York Zoological Park, Prof. Malcom Coe of Oxford University, Dr. Berhnard Grzmick who introduced him the long-lens to attempt better photography.

Does tiger hunt by smell? He has tried to exemplify own experiences with 160 kills examined and more than 100 baits of buffalo calves fixed. According to Hamilton, the nose was not used to smell a prey while tiger would hunt. Hamilton, Smythies, Locke & Baze, Baker, Glassford, Champion, Burton, Corbett, Anderson, all rejected the theory that it was this mammal’s smelling power that led it to attack or kill preys. Nose had hardly any role, they summarized. To reach

same conclusion with marginally differing results, he applied studies on eight tigers at Delhi Zoo, by hanging a pig-carcass above ground and at height to assess if tigers moving below it would raise necks to smell and express own reactions? The tigress is reported to have smelt it but males paid no heed to it.

How many of forest officers or employees received grant similar to one KS was blessed with to study singularly such a wild mammal, though his booty came from a zoo? Analysis of killing styles informs his comparisons with a few experts and own assessment on basis of more than a hundred tigers he would have observed on the kill – it grabs the throat, twists neck of the prey and applies total weight of his paws, body etc to cause rupture of some veins leading to death of the animal under attack.

kailash sankhala with fateh singh rathore
(right to left) Mr Fateh Singh Rathore, Mr Kailash Sankhala, Mr S.K. Seth (then I.G., Forest) and an overseas guest at Sawai Madhopur railway station in 1978. Photo: Mr Harsh Vardhan.

His statements: Chowsinga? Almost unstudied deer, only Mudumalai and Panna have yielded some recognizable studies across Indian grasslands, is cited to report at a water hole only once in twenty four hours and spend maximum two minutes in filling his belly. Langur never takes a bath yet it happens to be the cleanest among wild animals…..mating by tigers averaged maximum during winter, some in summer, pregnancy detection was not easy until she would be about three month carrying.

The Delhi Zoo reported six cubs delivered by a tigress. J.W Best (1932) reported a tigress taking care of seven cubs. KS cited a female with five cubs in Ranthambhore in 1976, this I learnt from Fateh Singh as well, but both remained elusive when asked to go and observe her? In his view maximum births of tigers occurred in summer (March – June) and also during monsoon (August – October). Contemporary observers have varying details to offer. Forest authorities have documented approximate time of birth though data is not being shared – lack of love for scientific pursuits. KS always vowed by science. I would say he was the one who at times also broke scientific norms!

For him “tiger is a creature of hypnotic power and fascination. It is at apex of nature’s pyramid, a balancing force on all animals and creatures within its kingdom.” All his books are his personal stories of wildlife, nay tigers as he was apt to correct one. He called himself as “tiger addict.”A remarkable person, his courage and determination were matchless qualities. Many may be born with them and remain having not applied them throughout life to attain the goal. How many people have set goals? He called himself as a “photo-naturalist” and such a character can be a “nuisance”, which, I would emphasize to say, he often proved to be one!

He admitted having received active cooperation of forest colleagues, naming them in priority: Bharat Singh, O.P. Mathur, J.P. Kapoor, Fateh Singh, Y.D. Singh (his brother who served at Jodhpur Zoo), H.S. Panwar, who became Director of Project Tiger and also first Director of Wildlife Institute of India. For photography, he extended appreciation to Kashinath and A.R. Tak, a photographer in Jaipur who was his father-in-law, and who lent abundant support to the son-in-law.

The first book carried stunning illustrations in black-and-white, of tigers in almost all actions and moods, some pensive, others frolicking and attacking preys in various ways. He cared to say that, “Champa Lal and Brahm Dev traced drawings from my photographs” – the word illustration was not in vogue for him? They are brilliant art work and I like to state that all other books on this mammal did not care to employ artists to exercise similar or better art to portray wild animals.

I am of opinion that India lacks brilliant illustrators, it is not a final judgement but sustained experience. Overseas illustrator do a job outfoxing the wild species eg., lapwings, chats, ospreys, tree creeper, etc. David Thelwell creates lyricism in his birds and animals, he did one of Great Indian Bustard after observing it in Sudasuri area. Darren Rees did many species and kindly presented me one of his pencil drawing on return from a Scottish walk. KS  admitted having received ample editorial support as obviously he admitted facts about his English language. “Sir Hugh Elliott read the script and suggested several changes” he wrote at one stage.    

Kailash Sankhala was born in Jodhpur and was proud to rub shoulders with those coming from Marwar region. He had first posting on 1 April 1953 in Bundi: Col. William Rice wrote in Hunting in Rajputana (1857) that Bundi then had maximum tigers as compared to all other areas where he had hunted them! A stint in Khairwara (south of Udaipur) was like passing time. Finally at Sariska, he admitted having shot a tiger. The only photograph of him standing by side of a tiger carcass was unearthed by me from his almirah while he was trying to be finicky and some copies had to be circulated in his office to let him realize difference between what he preached and what he did. The photo shows tiger lying in Jaipur Zoo? Not in Sariska.

His photo passion sparked off while he had next posting in Bharatpur. He admitted having received tips on this art-craft from Salim Ali and also said it was F.W Champion who gave him best teachings on cameramanship. This British was a forest officer and wrote, “With a camera in Tigerland.” KS could not attain what Champion did – night photography with contemporary lens and cameras. The one he took of a tiger in north-west of Corbett is displayed in Garwahl Rifles Officers’Mess in Lansdown, this writer admired it but was not allowed to take photographs, a worth visit place for wild trophies.

Kailash Sankhala as the authoritative, yes he was. I had quite a few skirmishes which erupted all of a sudden. However, peace prevailed after hot-blood affairs. After he retired in 1983, he had realization and often invited me to his bungalow to discuss and issue comments, like – nothing was happening in forest department! His wife, Suraj would cook ‘bajre’ bread and both would serve me in person, after throats had been amply moistened with not so sweet liquid. He was fond of it. I recall having called on him at Apollo Hospital, Madras (it was this name then) where he had a heart operation. He had plans to do big things and always cited next agenda, but often wondered what would happen to his stock of negatives, slides, photographs and above all books?

Wildlife Week celebration at Jaipur Zoo in 1978 shows (left to right) Chief Secretary, Mr G.K. Bhanot addressing, Mr Kailash Sankhala, Mr Harsh Vardhan and Mr Bharat Singh. Photo courtesy Mr Harsh Vardhan.

I gave shoulder to his body at the funeral as Bharat Singh asked me – will you organize news in press? After a few days I received a call from Manohar Prabhakar, then editor of the Rajasthan Patrika, asking me to do obituary for KS. I bluntly conveyed that we had not so sweet association  so how would I justify? Death levels up all differences, he gave a lesson to me. I wrote a piece on him. It sparked off variety of gratitude among his relations in Jodhpur which I experienced almost each time I visited Y.D. Singh’s residence, he was his brother and also a wildlife official of great consequence.

फतेह सिंह राठौड़: टाइगरमैन

फतेह सिंह राठौड़: टाइगरमैन

by | Feb 27, 2020 | Featured, Hindi, People In Conservation

मजबूत इरादों के धनी, प्रकृति प्रेमी, दूरदर्शी सोच रखने वाले इस इंसान ने रणथम्भौर के लिए हर चुनौती का सामना किया और अपने नाम के अनुसार उसमें फतेह हासिल की थी।

फतेह सिंह राठौड़ एक राजपूत परिवार से थे। उनका परिवार जोधपुर के पास स्थित चोरडियां नामक गाँव से निकला हुआ है। कई अन्य कामों में असफल होने के बाद उनका वन्यजीव संरक्षण के क्षेत्र में आना महज एक संयोग था। उनके एक रिश्तेदार के कहने पर उनको सरिस्का में वन विभाग में रेंजर के रूप में नौकरी मिल गई। धीरे धीरे उन्हें इस काम में मजा आने लगा। यह वह समय था जब फतेह जंगल की बारीकियों को सीख रहे थे। थ्योरी से ज्यादा उनका मन ज़मीनी काम करने में लगता था। जंगल में उनके बढ़ते प्रभाव के कारण उनके कई विरोधी भी बन गए थे। उनका मानना था की जमीनी स्तर पर काम करके ही ज्यादा अनुभव हो सकते हैं जो डिग्रियों एवं थ्योरी से नहीं मिलते।

बीसवीं सदी में बाघों की संख्या 40000 थी जो सत्तर के दशक तक आते-आते मात्र 1800  रह गई थी। इसके चलते 1970 में इंदिरा गाँधी के प्रधानमंत्री बनने पर वन्यजीवों के शिकार को पूर्ण रूप से प्रतिबंधित कर दिया गया। प्रोजेक्ट टाइगर की शुरुआत 1973 में हुई जिसमें रणथम्भौर के साथ आठ अन्य अभ्यारण्य भी शामिल थे। अलग अलग तरह के विभिन्न पर्यावासों में बाघ संरक्षण को प्रोत्साहित करना इस परियोजना का लक्ष्य था। रणथम्भौर एक उष्ण पर्णपाती वन है। फतेह को इस नए पार्क का विकास करने की जिमेदारी सौंपी गई थी। उन्हें यह जिम्मेदारी सौंपने के पीछे एस. आर. चौधरी एवं प्रोजेक्ट टाइगर के पहले निदेशक कैलाश सांखला का बहुत योगदान था। एस. आर. चौधरी ने फतेह को देहरादून के भारतीय वन्यजीव संस्थान (WII) में पढ़ाया था।

कुल मिलाकर इन दोनों ने फतेह की काबिलियत को समझा और भविष्य में फतेह भी उनकी उम्मीदों पर खरे उतरे। फतेह ने पार्क में ऐसी रोड बनाने का काम किया जो सीधी न होकर घुमावदार हों एवं  पानी के स्त्रोत तक पहुंचती हों। जब फतेह ने काम संभाला तब पार्क की हालत बहुत खराब थी। पार्क से लगते हुए 16  गांवो के लोग मवेशियों को पार्क में चराने ले आया करते थे। जलाने के लिए पुराने पेड़ काटे जा रहे थे। मवेशियों की बेरोकटोक आवाजाही ने पार्क की बड़ी घास एवं पेड़ पौधों को खत्म कर दिया था। वन्यजीवों के नाम पर कभी कभार बाघ के पगमार्क दिखाई दे जाया करते थे।

फतेह जानते थे की अगर पार्क को जिन्दा रखना है तो ग्रामीणों को पार्क से बाहर विस्थापित करना बहुत जरूरी है। इस काम को फतेह ने बड़ी सूझबूझ के साथ किया, विस्थापित ग्रामीणों को इसके लिए समझाया और उचित मुआवजा दिलवाने का प्रबंध करवाया। मुआवजे में 18 वर्ष से ऊपर के सभी ग्रामीणों को पैसों के अलावा पांच बीघा अतिरिक्त जमीन भी दी गई। इसके साथ ही घर बनवाने के लिए, कुए खोदने के लिए आर्थिक मदद की गई साथ ही ग्रामीणों के लिए स्कूल और स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं की भी उचित व्यवस्था की गई। कैलाश सांखला के सम्मान में नए गांव का नाम कैलाशपुरी रखा गया। विस्थापन के साथ ही धीरे-धीरे पार्क वापस हरा-भरा होने लगा।

1976  में पहली बार फतेह ने पार्क में एक बाघिन को देखा जिसका नाम उन्होंने अपनी बड़ी बेटी के ऊपर रखा; पद्मिनी। फतेह ने इस बाघिन एवं उसके चार शावकों ( पांचवा शावक जल्द ही मर गया था ) की गतिविधियों पर नजर रखनी शुरू की । फतेह के जमीनी स्तर पर किये गए प्रयासों से यह पार्क बाघ देखने के दुनिया में सबसे उपयुक्त पार्कों में से एक माना जाने लगा।

उन दिनों रणथम्भौर जयपुर महाराज के शिकारगाहों में शामिल था। जनवरी 1961 में रणथम्भौर राष्ट्रीय पार्क के बनने से पहले उन्हें इस पार्क में ब्रिटेन की महारानी एलिजाबेथ II के लिए शिकार आयोजन की व्यवस्था करना था। उन दिनों वन्यजीव पर्यटन का मतलब ही शिकार करना होता था और कई महाराजा विदेशी सैलानियों से आय के लिए शिकार का आयोजन करते थे।

बाघों के साथ  छोटे-छोटे अनुभवों को उनके एवं वाल्मीकि थापर (वाल्मीकि भारत में बाघों के प्रसिद्ध विशेषज्ञ हैं) द्वारा कई किताबों में लिखा गया है। उनके द्वारा खींचे गए एक फोटो में एक नर बाघ, शावकों के साथ खेल रहा था। अभी तक माना जाता रहा था की केवल मादा बाघ ही शावकों का पालन करती है। इसके विपरीत उनके द्वारा खींचे गए फोटो में एक नर बाघ, एक मादा बाघ एवं दो शावक पानी में अठखेलियां कर रहे थे। यहाँ तक की एक बार नर बाघ शावकों के साथ शिकार भी साझा कर रहा था। 1980 के आस-पास एक बाघ जिसका नाम चंगेज था, एक नए तरीके से शिकार करता था। जब भी कोई सांभर पानी में जाता तो वह उसका शिकार किया करता था। बाघ पर कई भाषाओं में बनी फिल्मों में फतेह के बारे में बताया गया है। कई देशी विदेशी पत्र-पत्रिकाओं में भी लिखा गया।

फतेह को उनके कामों के लिए कई अंतराष्ट्रीय सम्मानों से नवाजा गया । फतेह बहुत ही उदार दिल के इंसान थे जो हर किसी को अपना दोस्त बना लिया करते थे। वन्यजीवों को नुकसान पहुँचाने वालों के प्रति उनका व्यवहार बहुत सख्त हुआ करता था। यही कारण था की वह वन्यजीवों एवं पर्यावरण  को नुकसान पहुँचाने वालों के दुश्मन के रूप में जाने जाते थे। उनका केवल एक ही उद्देश्य हुआ करता था बाघों को बचाना और अगर उन्हें लगता की इस काम में कुछ गलत हो रहा है  तो वह उसके खिलाफ आवाज उठाने में कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ते थे। जब भी वे पार्क से किसी बाघ के गायब होने का मुद्दा उठाते तो वन विभाग इसके विपरीत उनकी बात को गलत साबित करने का प्रयास करते जिसके लिए वन विभाग द्वारा उन्हें कई बार प्रताड़ित भी किया गया। हालाँकि बाद में फतेह का दावा ही सही निकलता था।

फतेह अपने दृढ निश्चय एवं ईमानदारी के लिए जाने जाते थे। यही  कारण था की उनके विरोधियों ने उन्हें कई प्रकार के झूठे आरोपों में फसाने की कई बार कोशिश की जिन्हें बाद में सभी आरोपों को कोर्ट ने भी झूठा ही माना। फतेह को खुद के द्वारा विकसित किये पार्क में प्रवेश से प्रतिबंधित  किया जाना उनके जीवन का सबसे कठिन दौर था। उन्हें अपने पसंदीदा जंगल से दूर जयपुर में तकनीकी सलाहकार के तौर पर पदस्थापित किया जाना और लगातार उनकी सलाहों को वरिष्ठ अधिकारीयों द्वारा नजरअंदाज करना भी उनके लिए बहुत दुखद था।

फतेह सिंह राठौड़
रणथम्भौर के आस पास रहने वाले लोग फतेह से अपना दुःख दर्द साझा किया करते थे

1983 में मेरे द्वारा सवाई माधोपुर की यात्रा के बाद आज यह शहर बहुत बदल गया है। पार्क के द्वारा रोजगार के कई अवसर पैदा हुए हैं जिसने इस शहर की अर्थव्यवस्था में बड़ा सुधार किया है। आज रणथम्भौर बाघ देखने के लिए दुनिया की बेहतरीन जगहों में से एक है।  बाघों को देखना पर्यटकों के लिए एक शानदार अनुभव होता है। दुनिया में देखी जाने वाली बाघों की अधिकतर तस्वीरें रणथम्भौर में ली गयीं हैं। हालाँकि इस प्रसिद्धि की पार्क को कीमत भी चुकानी पड़ी है। समय-समय पर शिकारी यहाँ अपनी गतिविधियों को अंजाम देते रहते हैं। शिकारियों द्वारा बाघों की खाल एवं शरीर की चीन में तस्करी की जाती है।

शिकारियों के लिए फतेह का नजरिया बिलकुल अलग था। उनका मानना था की बाघ का शिकार करने वाले इसका फायदा नहीं उठाते हैं। अधिकतर मोग्या जाती के लोग घुमन्तु और शिकार करने में माहिर होते हैं। ये लोग जेल में सजा काटने के बाद फिर शिकार शुरू कर देते थे इसलिए फतेह मोग्याओं के पुनर्वास एवं रोजगार, शिक्षा दिलाने पर जोर दिया करते थे। उन्होनें टाइगर वॉच के माध्यम से मोग्या बच्चों के लिए एक छात्रावास स्थापित किया जिसमें उनके रहने, भोजन एवं पढ़ने का प्रबंध किया गया । बच्चों के जीवन स्तर को सुधारना एवं उन्हें रोजगार के अवसर उपलब्ध कराना भी उनका मकसद था। कई छात्रों को रोजगारपरक शिक्षा दी जाने लगी। महिलाओं को विभिन्न हस्तकलाओं के बारे में जानकारी दी जाने लगी। सबके पीछे यही उद्देश्य था की ये लोग शिकार छोड़कर समाज की मुख्यधारा से जुड़ सके और आने वाली पीढ़ियों को समर्थ बना सकें।

फतेह एक जिंदादिल इंसान थे जो अपनी बुलंद आवाज और बात करने के तरीके से सबका दिल जीत लेते थे। फतेह अपने दोस्तों के साथ मस्ती करने का मौका कभी नहीं छोड़ते थे और रात को आग के चारों और बैठकर  पार्क के किस्से सुनाना, गाने गाना बहुत पसंद था। लोगों से मिलना और उन्हें पार्क घुमाना फतेह को बहुत पसंद था। यह उन्हीं के प्रयासों का नतीजा था की कई लोग बाघ बचाने की मुहीम में जुड़ते गये। फतेह एक सच्चे इंसान होने के साथ-साथ दोस्ती निभाने में बहुत आगे थे। उनके पुत्र श्री गोवर्धन सिंह राठौड़ ने रणथम्भौर में फतेह पब्लिक स्कूल प्राम्भ किया था जिसमें गरीब बच्चों को कम फीस पर एडमिशन दिया जाता था, । इस विद्यालय के बच्चों की ओर फतेह का हमेशा विशेष जुड़ाव रहता था, उनका मानना था कि बच्चे किताबी ज्ञान के आलावा भी पर्यावरण के प्रति जागरूक रहें।

कई बातों में फतेह बच्चों जैसे थे। एक तरफ उन्हें गजल सुनना पसंद था तो दूसरी और वो ज़ेज भी सुना करते थे। एक बार मैं उन्हें काला घोड़ा के पास स्थित एक म्यूज़िक स्टोर में ले गयी जहाँ उन्होंने कई सीडी खरीदीं। लेकिन सबसे ज्यादा उन्हें जंगल में जानवरों के बीच रहना, उन्हें देखना पसंद था। उन्हें बाघ की साइटिंग की जगह के बारे में हमेशा पता रहता था और इसका अनुभव उन्हें बाघ के व्यवहार पर लम्बे समय तक नजर रखने से हुआ। रणथम्भौर के बाघों के साथ तालमेल को देखते हुए फतेह के दोस्त कभी-कभी उन्हें ह्यूमन टाइगर कह दिया करते थे। उनकी दमदार शख़्सियत एवं सफेद घुमावदार मूछों के कारण वह सच में वैसे ही लगते थे।

फतेह के  साथ जंगल में घुमावदार रास्तों पर घूमना अलग ही अनुभव हुआ करता था। पेड़ पर बैठे कौवों और गिद्धों को देखकर फतेह गाड़ी को उसी दिशा में घुमा देते और वहीं बाघ शिकार के साथ दिख जाया करता था। बाघ को देखकर फतेह झूम उठते थे। अपने जंगल के तकरीबन हर पक्षी, पशु, पौधों को वो जानते थे और ये सब देखकर बहुत खुश होते थे।

अंतिम समय में फतेह को देखना बहुत कठिन समय था। उनका स्वास्थ्य निरंतर गिरता जा रहा था। उन दिनों उन्हें बोलने में भी परेशानी रहने लगी थी। जरा सा भी पानी लेने पर बहुत दर्द होता था। फिर भी फतेह अपने परिवार जनों एवं दोस्तों के साथ उसी जिंदादिली से रहते थे। एक मार्च की सुबह उन्हें इस पीड़ा से मुक्ति मिली, फतेह अब नहीं थे।अंतिम संस्कार अगले दिन हुआ, पहले उनकी पार्थिव देह रणथम्भौर में पहाड़ियों के किनारे बने उनके घर में रखा गया जहाँ कई गणमान्य हस्तियों ने उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि दी उसी दिन लगभग चार बजे उनके निवास से महज 50  मीटर की दूरी पर एक बाघ तीन बार दहाड़ा साथ ही दुसरे पशु पक्षियों की कॉल  सुनाई दी। ऐसा लग रहा था मानों ये सब अपने पिता यानि फतेह को श्रद्धांजलि देने आये थे!

 

Fateh Singh Rathore: A Human Tiger

Fateh Singh Rathore: A Human Tiger

by | Jan 21, 2020 | People In Conservation

Fateh Singh Rathore, a world-renowned expert on wild tigers, was the man behind the development of Ranthambhore, then a small hunting ground of erstwhile maharajas of Jaipur to a world famous tiger national park.

Fateh came from a rajput family. His family is based in a village called Chordiyan near Jodhpur. Unlike other earlier tiger experts, he was never a hunter. He started a career in wildlife conservation by pure chance, after several failed attempts at other occupations that held no interest for him. Through his uncle’s connections, he got a job as a ranger in Sariska, and immediately knew that he had found his calling. He loved the forest, and soon grew to excel in fieldcraft, interpreting the signs of the forest as few others have been able to do. He was never very interested in studies or classroom work, and relied on empirical field observation rather than theories. As a result, he has been belittled by some who find him unscientific, forgetting that scientific theories originate from field observations.

Ironically, the first task he had to face in the area that became the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR) was to arrange a tiger hunt for Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain when she visited India in January 1961. In those days, wildlife tourism meant hunting, and many ex-Maharajas organized hunts for their visitors as a source of income for themselves. This area of Rajasthan was the hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Jaipur.

fateh singh rathore

Hunting was banned in the early 1970s, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi realised that the number of tigers in the wild had fallen dangerously low, merely 1800 as compared to around 40,000 at the beginning of the twentieth century. Project Tiger was set up in 1973, and Ranthambhore was one of the nine reserves chosen under its first phase, which aimed to include an example of each of the different types of habitat in which wild tigers were found. Ranthambhore is a dry deciduous forest. Fateh was given the responsibility of developing this new park, since his seniors, S.R. Choudhury who taught him at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun and Kailash Sankhala, the first Director of Project Tiger, saw great promise in the young man. Fateh Singh Rathore ably lived up to that promise. He set to work planning and making roads through the park area, locating them in such a way that animals would always have access to drinking water, and ensuring that the paths meandered and were never straight. The whole area was very degraded, with most of the trees lopped for firewood by the inhabitants of 16 villages that existed in isolated pockets. Domestic cattle roamed everywhere, and the only evidence of the presence of any wildlife was an occasional tiger pugmark or deer hoof print. Fateh Singh Rathore realised that if the forest were to be allowed to regenerate, he would have to move the villages out of the area. He went about his task using a great deal of patience and tact, finding out from the villagers what they would want as compensation. Project Tiger ensured that the villagers were compensated with better land outside the park area, with five additional bighas of land being given to every male over the age of 18. They were also provided with money to build houses and dig wells, and were in addition given a health centre and a school, facilities that they had never had in the past. The new village was named Kailashpuri in honour of Kailash Sankhala. Once the villages were moved out, the forest began to regenerate on its own, becoming the incomparably beautiful Ranthambhore National Park, and in 1976, Fateh finally saw his first wild tigress there, naming her Padmini after his elder daughter. He began studying her with her family of four cubs (a fifth cub died young), and soon Ranthambhore became famous as one of the best places in the world in which to see wild tigers.

with villagers
Late Sh. Fateh SIngh Rathore was very keen to talk with local villagers and to help them

His experiences with wild tigers have been widely documented in the books that he and Valmik Thapar (now a very well respected tiger expert himself) and he wrote together. One observation they made and photographed was that the male interacts freely with his cubs. Up until then it was believed that the tigress brought up the cubs on her own. But they photographed a family in a pool together, father, mother and two cubs. On other occasions they saw the male even sharing food with the cubs, or playing with them. In the 1980s there was a tiger they called Genghis who developed his own way of hunting sambar by rushing into the lakes to catch them as they grazed. This technique has been documented on film. Many television documentaries featuring Fateh have been made in English, French, German, Japanese, and many magazine articles have appeared on him over the years. His work has earned him numerous international awards, the latest being given to him by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) as recently as 16 February 2011.

Fateh Singh Rathore was unfailingly good hearted, generous, kind and friendly. At the same time, he had a short temper, and lost no time in punishing anyone who he felt was harming any of the animals. As a result, although he was genuinely loved by many people all round the world, he was also feared and disliked by those who had done something wrong, or who had some of their shortcomings pointed out to them. His one agenda was to save wild tigers, and he did not hesitate to blow the whistle each time he felt things were going wrong. Every time he pointed out that some tigers were missing from the park, in spite of the forest department’s vehement denials, he was penalized in some way for his temerity, even though he was invariably proved right. Fateh Singh Rathore was a man of the purest integrity and honesty, but many tried to spoil his reputation by alleging all kinds of false things about him, all of which were disproved in court. One of the saddest phases of his life was when the forest department banned him from entering the park he did so much to create. Another was when he was given an office job in Jaipur, far from his forest, and had all his suggestions ignored even though his designation was that of “Technical Adviser”.  

fateh singh rathore

Sawai Madhopur, the town nearest Ranthambhore, has grown and prospered since I first visited Ranthambhore in 1983, its economy dramatically changed because of the employment opportunities generated by the park. Today Ranthambhore is one of the finest places in the world in which wild tigers can be seen, and it has given so much delight to so many people. Most of the images of wild tigers seen round the world are those taken in Ranthambhore. This success comes at a price: tiger poaching raises its ugly head from time to time, with tiger skins and body parts smuggled to China. Fateh’s approach to the poachers was unique, and very typical of him. He realised that the people who actually kill the tigers are not the ones who profit from the deed. They are very poor nomadic hunter-gatherers from the Mogiya tribe. Knowing that poaching cannot be curbed by jailing the poachers for a few days and then letting them off on bail to continue their occupation, he has been trying in the recent past to rehabilitate them by offering them an alternative livelihood. Through his NGO Tiger Watch, he set up a hostel for Mogiya boys where they are fed, clothed and sent to school, giving them an opportunity to improve their lives. The older boys have now started receiving vocational training to improve their prospects. The women are being taught various handicrafts. All these benefits are being given on condition that the men stop poaching tigers.

in cave

Fateh has always been a larger-than-life character, with a stentorian voice, full of exuberance and fun. He loved teasing his friends with a twinkle in his eye, and would tell all kinds of silly jokes, sing songs, tell his tiger stories around a bonfire on a chilly winter night. He loved meeting people and took to his heart all those who loved his forest. In fact it is largely due to him that so many people have become enthusiastic supporters of the cause for saving wild tigers. He was always a true and loving friend, and a benign and grandfatherly figure to the children who attend the Fateh Public School set up by his son Goverdhan, where they already practice the kind of inclusive education recommended recently by Human Resources Minister Kapil Sibal, offering freeships to village children who come from as far as 20 km away. His love for tigers was equally infectious, and influenced many younger conservationists. His brand of magic was nothing but his utterly genuine nature. There was never anything fake or malicious about him. He was just a very lovable and loving person, very childlike in many ways, and that is what endeared him to us all. He loved listening to sentimental ghazals, and was equally fond of jazz. I once took him to a well known music store near Kala Ghoda to select some CDs, and he was shown about 20 of the kind he wanted. After listening to a few samples, he decided to buy the lot.

Most of all, Fateh Singh Rathore loved being in the forest, seeing all his animals, savouring every sight, smell and sound. He had a sharp instinct for knowing where to find a tiger, and all his knowledge of tigers came from his keen and regular observation of their behaviour. He was so attuned to tigers that many of his friends referred to him as a human tiger. He even looked a bit like one, with his jaunty white moustache. It was an absolute delight and privilege to be driven around the park by him, charging his jeep into a meadow if he saw crows or vultures on a tree, in case we found a tiger there with its kill. He would hum with delight if he saw a tiger with his “Field Director’s eyes”. He knew every mammal, bird, reptile, insect or plant that was found in “his” forest, and loved them all.

fateh singh rathore watching cave paintings
Fateh watching a rock painting near Bundi district

It has been very painful to watch his health decline over the past two months since his cancer was diagnosed. At the end he even lost his voice, and found it difficult to communicate what he wanted. Every mouthful of food or sip of water would bring on a fit of coughing. Yet he was extremely brave until the very end, surrounded by his loving family and friends who did all they could to ease his discomfort. The cancer won in the end, mercifully sooner than expected, and he breathed his last on the morning of 1 March. The cremation was planned for the next morning, and his body was laid out in the living room of his beautiful house, overlooking the hills on the outskirts of Ranthambhore. Almost miraculously, at 4 a.m. on the day of the funeral, a tiger was heard giving three roars directly behind his house, followed by a clamour of alarm calls by other animals and birds. They came to call their father home, and that is where we shall continue to find his benign spirit, watching over the special piece of earth he made his own.

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