Close call with Tiger 🐅

That Roaring Sound Behind the Bush 👇

During the years 1995 - 96, I used to often shunt between Ooty and Bangalore!

I drove a premier 118NE model (salooncar) which had a wide wheelbase and good legroom. A trustworthy vehicle!

Nilgiris district registered vehicles were allowed to ply in the night hours via forest & ghat (kallahatty) sections!

Ooty - Gudalur - Mysore, thou a bit longer, is a safe route for rare travellers, especially in the night hours!

As usual, one night, post-dinner me and my friend left Ooty around 10 pm and drove via Kallahatty - Masinagudi - Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary road to Mysore!

We normally ease ourselves near the toll gate before entering the jungle stretch, since stopping en route in the jungle terrain is very risky in the night hours!

That night we missed the routine and as we drove past Theppakadu wildlife sanctuary, I could not hold, hence stopped the vehicle, kept the engine idling and the parking lamps on. My friend was snoring!

I kept my distance from the bushes and as I was relieving myself, I heard a rustling noise behind the bushes about 25' away and in the dim light, I could make out a shape that almost resembled a well-grown tiger!

My outdoor camping experience helped me to keep my cool and I very slowly began to retreat. See exhibit of fear and any fast move will encourage the Predator to attack and an adult tiger can easily cover a distance of 25' in a fraction of a second!

I spotted the yellow stripes slowly emerging from the bushes and to my great relief, the animal hesitated because of the parking lamps lighting!

I reached the driver's side door, slowly opened it, sat inside and started the engine, my friend woke up, I signalled him to keep quiet, switched on the headlamps and drove forward slowly for a few metres and then pressed my foot down on the accelerator till we reached Karnataka Border Check post!

Thank God, a late-night dinner for that tiger is still alive and writing 🙏