¤ The Bengal Tiger

¤ The Tiger Dance Celebration
All along the coastline in Southern India, there is a tradition of Tiger dance. To celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna on Janmashtami in these areas men of all ages paint themselves with black stripes over a yellow base, wear tiger masks and dance in the streets.

In some areas, like the small town of Udipi in Karnataka, special tiger dancing contests are held and the winners are awarded handsome prizes. One wonders what prompted this strange tradition in these areas, perhaps the desire to be like a tiger – strong, clever and agile.


¤ The Belief of North-East Naga Tribes

In the north-east region of the country, Nagas believe that both man and the tiger are sons of the same mother. Although siblings, one took birth in the shape of a man and the other in the form of the striped tiger.

Man stayed at home while the tiger went to the jungle. Later, due to some reason, the brothers were forced to fight against each other. Man forced the tiger to jump into the river and killed him. Floating downstream, the animal body was discovered by the Naga God, who sat on it for 10 years and gave birth to hundreds of tigers.

All over its habitat, tiger and shades of its existence can be seen finely woven with the local culture and tradition. All over, one comes across thousands of anecdotes about the beast; both inspiring and terrifying. All over India one can find images, statues, and paintings of the tiger, yet this beautiful animal is in constant danger from the human race whose inborn nature is to defy while admiring.


¤ The Great Indian Tiger

Tiger, tiger burning bright
In the forests of the night…
– William Blake

While getting down from an elephant in the National parks disappointed, one often comes across a wildlife board – "Don’t be disappointed if you could not see the tiger, the tiger sure would have seen you". This very character makes the tiger different from the other big cats – the ability to hide and merge in the surroundings. This is also one of the major survival techniques adopted by the tiger.

Unlike lion, tiger leads a very solitary life, hunts alone, lives and replicates in the areas that provide him enough cover. It is believed that when God made the tiger He made Stealth and Invisibility the two chief characteristics of this fascinating Lord of the Jungle.

But there’s a catch. While a tiger lies in the bush it is almost impossible to see it – it stays perfectly still without a sound. Except for its tail, which he can never hold still however hard it tries.