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If pictures could speak then the one of the yawning tiger on the stage at Gallop, Mahalaxmi Race Course, would have told us its story. It would have probably told us what it had been doing prior to being captured for posterity in a new book by Bob Rupani.
An acclaimed automotive journalist and self-confessed wildlife enthusiast, Bob Rupani, in collaboration with Land Rover and its primary global conservation partner, the Born Free Foundation launched a new coffee table book titled, Tracking the Tiger.
Bob put into book format, his memories from his 50-day journey to 13 wildlife reserves in India. This entire endeavour, was supported by renowned wildlife and nature photographer, Dhrittiman Mukherjee with some spectacular 'real-time' photography.
Before you dismiss this as one of the numerous books written on the tiger, I must tell you, this is a cut above the rest. Despite its name, Bob has made sure that the camera has not only captured the majestic cat in its natural environment but has given ample space to other creatures of the wild, including the humble, yet stately presence of the Freelander 2 or sometimes the Range Rover Sport navigating the wild terrain. Like the forests are best enjoyed in silence uninterrupted by human habitation, the book too does not have reams of words to mar the beauty of the pictures. It’s simple and instantly invites the reader to pack their bags and head for the reserves.
Go through the book and one can find man, beast and machine in sync with the surroundings. At the launch, Bob narrated an incident from his trip to the Tadoba Tiger Reserve, where he was following a tigress. He also put in a cheeky comment of ‘the female species loving attention and their penchant to pose for the camera’. The duo in the Land Rover, had been patiently tracking this animal as it stood with her back to them, as if wanting them to follow, unperturbed by the presence of man or machine. The visual has been recorded in the book and presents a beautiful sight.
While regaling the audience with tales of the animals in their natural habitat, Bob also mentioned his experience of the Land Rover vehicles. He mentioned that his trip was further facilitated by the 360 cabin view the car has. Ensconced in the cabin of the Range Rover Sport, Bob was able to bring about this first-hand account. He was all-praise for the car's handling of the terrains, which enabled him to overcome flooding, rocks, slush and even loose gravel in his trips.
For a car which has the wild in its DNA itself, the Land Rover vehicles outdid themselves. The pictures are there to tell the story. Shot in 'real-time', Bob says that his book shows what a tourist must expect when they go to any of these 13 reserves. A feat that was accomplished with no special permissions and nor by pulling any strings.
I could go on about the book but I choose to stop as the magic is in the viewing rather than a wordy interpretation of the experience.
