Along the Bay of
Bengal,
stretches a strange and beautiful landscape
—part ocean, part river, part forest.
The Sundarbans
Tiger Reserve
--- a home to
more tigers than anywhere else on earth.
Nowhere else do
tigers live in a mangrove swamp.
Nowhere else do tigers routinely hunt man...
Ruin is part of the forest-floor,
Part of its mystery,
its dereliction,
its fulfilment.
The man-eaters aren’t beasts,
....They have gnawing hunger in their bellies
So two beacons
of light
Keep waiting and watching for their prey!
The cycle continues...while they flourish or languish.
About three hundred people a year are
killed
by the man-eating
tigers of Sundarbans.
The joy of
sharing seems so incomplete… 
Wow I like it from start to finish. A great story. Picturesque, dramatic, happy and sad.
ReplyDeleteMuch love...
This Tiger Reserve must be such an amazing place. I enjoyed your characterizations of the Bengal tiger.
ReplyDelete" Ruin is part of the forest-floor,
ReplyDeletePart of its mystery,
its dereliction,
its fulfilment." Very fine writing!
And I love that last line.
this captures the plight of the Moules, the hoeny collectors / hunters, the preys so well without their mention....sigh...
ReplyDeleteWow, I am happy there is one area where tigers still flourish but did not know 300 people a year are killed. Right now our town is freaking out because a hungry cougar has come down from the hills - yes, hunger drives them. Sadly, this youngster will likely be shot and killed within the week.
ReplyDeleteIts we humans who have encroched upon the lands of animals.
ReplyDeleteAt least some animals are getting their own back (other than Mosquitoes that is).
ReplyDeleteThis is so picturesque so detailed from start to finish! Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteNot that I would wish anyone to fall prey to a wild tiger but it is good to know they still exist in a planet that exterminates too many predators
ReplyDeleteThis is such an enlightening read with regard to happenings in a part of the world, in my ignorance, I know very little about, and so nicely executed.
ReplyDeletesuch an informative piece here, full of interest too, well written. thank you
ReplyDeleteInteresting since I'm currently reading man eaters of Kumaon!
ReplyDeleteBut i don't understand why we call them MAN-Eater.. why are MEN not called TIGER-EATERS.. human have killed more tigers..
ReplyDeleteif we leave them alone it will all be fine ...
but a lovely poem :)
I love tigers what a magnificent animal a perfect killing machine well almost because Humans are the perfect one's...
Bikram's