Credited for restoring the Sariska Tiger Reserve and the Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary, retired IFS officer Sunayan Sharma spent around four decades in the wild. The officer still continues his work on wildlife conservation and is serving as the President of Sariska Tiger Foundation. In his journey, he dealt with many deadly situations, encountered wild animals, and worked closely with and for tribal people. All these changed his perception and views on the wild and wildlife.
In his latest book called Wild Treasures and Adventures: A Forester’s Diary, the 1971 batch officer of Rajasthan cadre recalls his experiences and anecdotes. Speaking to Indian Masterminds, Mr. Sharma gave more vivid details.
RECONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE
“Earlier many hunters like Jim Corbett and authors like Rudyard Kipling used to write books about jungle and jungle life. In recent decades, there has been a dip. People are losing their connect with nature. I believe literature can be a great medium to help them reconnect. Hence, this book,” Mr. Sharma said. This is the fourth book from the forest officer turned author. Earlier he has written a book on Sariska titled Sariska: The Tiger Reserve Roars Again and Birds in Paradise about Bharatpur. Unlike these two, the Wild Treasures and Adventures includes stories which are based on incidents and experiences where the officer was physically present. Explaining the story style of his writing, he said that he wanted to engage the readers and stories are a great way to do that.
ENCOUNTERING TIGERS
Mr. Sharma is an engineer turned forester, and he joined the Indian Forest Service because of his passion for wildlife. He said that many people book jungle safari or visit zoos to take the feel of wildlife, but, in reality, it is much more than that. In all his years in forests, he had many encounters with wildlife, even big cats like the tiger. Talking about one such incident, which is also mentioned in his book, he said, “It was in 1991, when I was first posted in Sariska as the field director. I had no experience with tigers till then. My staff member told me that a tigress has occupied the Kankwari Fort (in Sariska). I was raw and didn’t know about them. In my excitement, I took my staff with me to see the tiger. Upon reaching there, we could clearly see pug marks and body marks of the tigress. The smell was also so fresh, which seemed like the tigress had just left the place on seeing our team. I could feel that she was hiding nearby, watching us.” It was really a close encounter and later Mr. Sharma apologised to his staff for putting their life in danger.
That wasn’t the only close encounter. In 2008, he almost bumped into a tigress who was sitting on a kill. The officer was then posted in Sariska for looking into the reintroduction of tiger. It was the rainy season and grasses were tall. One tigress was missing from three days. On the third day, they located the tiger with GPS and got to know that she has crossed the road and was moving towards populated areas. Since that could prove fatal, Mr. Sharma asked for reinforcement and immediately moved with two staff members to sight the tiger. In the process, he literally bumped into the tigress who had just killed a sambhar. “We were lucky that she ran away as she wasn’t expecting humans. Otherwise, a tiger on hunt or a tigress with her cubs are the most ferocious,” he said.
THE BLACK GODS
Mr. Sharma is also grateful to the forest service for helping him change his perception about the tribal people. During his early days in the forest, he was posted in tribal dense areas. He spent a lot of time with them, ate with them, and stayed in their houses. Earlier, he was told that tribals are offenders as they used the resources of jungle or encroach on forest land. He said, “While I was with them, I got to know that we made the rules and imposed them upon the tribals as offenders. But, our rules don’t abide with their culture. I closely observed their way of life and got to know that they are much more civil and progressive than us.”
In his book, he has called the tribals ‘Black Gods’ as he learnt many things from them. He has described an incident where he spotted a ‘Baraat’ where the groom was carrying a bamboo stick and had some decoration on his face. He was accompanied with around 9-10 people who were carrying some boxes. The bamboo was the symbol of him being the groom. The officer was amazed to see this and was curious about the boxes. Later, he got to know that the number of people in the Baraat depends on how much have been agreed upon by the bride’s side. If the people are extra, then the groom side carries the food for them. The officer was surprised to know this, as in mainstream society, the bride side has to bear all the responsibilities of welcoming the groom’s family. Even after doing everything, they are sometimes subjected to insults.
With his latest book, Mr. Sharma wants to attract the readers towards nature, and know about the tribals. He believes that since the animals don’t vote, so they are not counted, while the tribals are not treated with equality. Only if more people become aware about them, our ecology and the rich cultures of various tribes can be preserved.
