Call the Squirrel

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“And now, when comes the calm mild day, as still such days will come,
To call the squirrel and the bee from out their winter home;
When the sound of dropping nuts is heard, though all the trees are still,
And twinkle in the smoky light the waters of the rill,
The south wind searches for the flowers whose fragrance late he bore,
And sighs to find them in the wood and by the stream no more.”
( William Cullen Bryant – American Writer, 1794-1878)

There are many squirrels in north India and it is always fun to play with them.
This one was in front of the tomb of Mohammad Ghaus in Gwalior in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, it was behaving like a character from an animated cartoon and striked several poses as if it was used to cameras.

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Sunrise at Bandhavgarh

“I have no gift of words, but I speak the truth.”
(Rudyard Kipling – The Jungle Book, Mowgli’s Brothers)

This picture was shot at sunrise as we were entering into the jungle of Bandhavgarh in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh.
Everything seemed to be quiet then, it was the begining of the adventure…

“What’cha Wanna Do?”

“Buzzie: Hey, Flaps, what are we gonna do today?
Flaps: I dunno. What’cha wanna do?
Ziggy: I’ve got it! Let’s flap over to the east side of the jungle. They’ve always got a bit of action, a bit of a swingin’ scene, all right.
Buzzie: Aw, come off it. Things are right dead all over.
Ziggy: You mean you wish they were. [all laugh]
Dizzy: [seriously] Very funny.
Buzzie: Hey, Flaps, So what are we gonna do?
Flaps: I dunno. What’cha wanna do?
Buzzie: Look, Flaps, first I say, “What are we gonna do?” Then you say, “I don’t know. What’cha wanna do?” [rapidfire] Then I say, “What’re we gonna do?” Then you say, “What’cha wanna do?” LET’S DO SOMETHING!
Flaps: Okay. What’cha wanna do? [Buzzie sighs]
Buzzie: There you go again. The same notes again!
Ziggy: I’ve got it! This time, I really got it!”
(From the movie “The Jungle Book” released by the Disney Studios in October 1967)

Those vultures were flying at sunrise on the top of a mountain in the wildlife sanctuary of the jungle of Bandhavgarh which is located in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh.

Strange Legends

“Many strange legends are told of these jungles of India, but none so strange as the story of a small boy named Mowgli.
It all began when the silence of the jungle was broken by an unfamiliar sound.“
(Bagheera in the motion picture “The Jungle Book” – 1967)

On the top of a hill lost in the jungle of Bandhavgarh in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh, there are the remains of old temples and palaces where tigers like to spend their days.
This was shot there at sunrise when everything all around seems to be still sleeping.

The Sustainer

“I surrender to you, Lord Ganesha.
You are the speaker.
You are the listener.
You are the giver.
You are the sustainer.
I am your disciple.
Protect me from the front and back.
Protect me from the north and the south, from above and below.
Protect me from all directions…”
(from Ganesh Upanishad – Ganapatyatharshirsham)

In the jungle of Bandhavgarh which is in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh, there are the remains of a fort spread over 580 acres at an elevation of 811 metres above the sea level.
It was built in the 3rd century AD and it was the seat of power of the Vakatak, Kalchuri, Solanki, Kuruvanshee and Baghel dynasties.
The poet Kabir stayed here during the 16th century.
The fort also gave shelter to the Mughal emperor Humayun’s wife when Shershah pursued him.
To acknowledge this help, Humayun’s son, Akbar, issued silver coins in the name of Bandhavgarh.
In 1617, the capital of Baghel dynasty was shifted from Bandhavgarh to Rewa and the fort was vacated after a while.
It was then taken over by wildlife.
By chance I saw this beautiful statue of Lord Ganesha standing at a Bandar-log (term used in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book to describe monkeys – specifically, Langur monkeys).

“What’s up, Tiger Lily”

“’O Tiger-lily,’ said Alice, addressing herself to one that was waving gracefully about in the wind, ‘I wish you could talk!’ ‘We can talk,’ said the Tiger-lily: ‘when there’s anybody worth talking to”
(“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll – English Novelist,1832-1898)

Deep in the jungle of Bandhavgarh in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh this magnificent wild tiger was waiting for us, soon another one joined and both stayed with us during more than 45 minutes.

Asia is now celebrating the year of the Tiger, it is an opportunity to attract the attention of those wildlife sanctuaries in order to remind everyone the imperative need to protect those animals.

Shere Khan, the King of the Jungle

[as Kaa is about to eat Mowgli, Shere Khan pulls on his tail, which makes a doorbell sound]
Kaa: Ooh! Oh, now what? I’ll be right down. Yes, yes, who is it?
Shere Khan: It’s me. Shere Khan. I’d like a word with you, if you don’t mind.
Kaa: Shere Khan, what a surprise.
Shere Khan: Yes, isn’t it. I just dropped by. Now forgive me if I’ve interrupted anything.
Kaa: Oh no, no, nothing at all.
Shere Khan: [brandishing his claws] I thought perhaps that you were entertaining someone up there in your coils.
Kaa: Coils? Someone? Oh no, I was just curling up for my siesta.
Shere Khan: But you were singing to someone. Who is it, Kaa?
[Shere Khan grabs Kaa’s throat with his paw]
Kaa: Ah, um, oh no, I was just singing, uh, to myself.
Shere Khan: Indeed.
Kaa: Yes… yes, you see I have… trouble with my sinuses.
Shere Khan: What a pity!
Kaa: Oh, you have no idea. It’s simply terrible. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, so I ssssssing myself to sleep. You know, self-hypnosis. Let me show you how it works.
[Kaa prepares to look in Shere Khan’s eyes and try to hypnotize him]
(from the movie “The Jungle Book” – 1967)

Deep in the jungle of Bandhavgarh in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh this beautiful tiger was waiting for us, soon another one joined and both stayed with us during more than 45 minutes.

The Only…Oof!

“The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They’re bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I’m the only one
Tiggers are cuddly fellas
Tiggers are awfully sweet
Ev’ryone el-us is jealous
That’s why I repeat… and repeat

The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are marvelous claps!
They’re loaded with vim and vigor
They love to leap in your laps!
They’re jumpy, bumpy, clumpy, thumpy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I’m the only one
I-I-I’m , the only… oof!
Ouch!”
(“The wonderful thing about tiggers” from “Winnie The Pooh”)

I couldn’t resist to add this song to this picture shot in the wildlife sanctuary of the jungle of Bandhavgarh in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh where this magnificent wild tiger performed a “show” during more than 45 minutes.

Revealing the Monkey

“Year by year, the monkey’s mask reveals the monkey”.
( Matsuo Bashō, “On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho, no.3”, 1689)

This expressive langur lives in the wildlife sanctuary of the jungle of Bandhavgarh which is located in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh.

The King of the Swingers

“Now I’m the king of the swingers
Oh, the jungle VIP
I’ve reached the top and had to stop
And that’s what botherin’ me
I wanna be a man, mancub
And stroll right into town
And be just like the other men
I’m tired of monkeyin’ around!

Oh, oobee doo
I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you, too
You’ll see it’s true
An ape like me
Can learn to be humen too…”
(“Wan’na Be Like You” by Louis Prima – “The Jungle Book” – 1967)

This is a portrait of King Louis who wants to be a human.
This expressive langur was the first animal I met while entering into the jungle of Bandhavgarh in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh.