The 1st time Mother
motherhood is life's biggest joy & a boon, but brings tremendous responsibility with it
Hi All,
How is the weekend going?
Savoured Return of Saya - the ghost of Kabini? How did you find it? How intrigued were you with the Black Panther and his aura. Saya the ghost, the shadow, the show stopper of Kabini.
Can anything better that experience? Well, maybe or may be not. Why not indulge and find out for yourself.
Joy & happiness is a state of mind and one can find it all around and one does not necessarily have to seek it as more you seek or go after it,the harder it would make you work. The joy is in the simplest things of life, it’s in innocence it is in being a child and I think the joy in being a “Mother” , that too “Mother for the 1st time”, it is uncomparable.
The reigning Queen of Kabini is “Magge Rani”. She would possibly be just under 5 years, in her prime, and a gorgeous bold tigress.
I first saw her in October 2021.
2020 and 2021 were lost to the pandemic and she grew during this time from a sub adult tigress to a full blown, adult tigress, eking out her own territory and casting spell over Kabini like none other. The pic below is from out Oct 21 drive towards the closing hour, when we spotted her resting beside the road. She greeted us with this growl and I made that frame, knowing fully well that here looks a tigress who would make a mark.
Dec 21, I saw her again, resting at a watering hole, allowing us to go crazy with our shutters, before getting up and strolling the park, stopping at a mound for a picture opportunity, amidst the meadow and flowers. How cool, I thought.
May 22, as it rained the previous week, turning a parched forest , into a lush green adorable land, she gave a true glimpse of her knighthood and of a reigning Queen, sitting atop a mound as all hell broke lose around her, with over a dozen cars, soaking it all in, taking in all her majesty.
Diwan- i-Am … (Hall of Audience … aka court for the ordinary mortals) she held as we all went berserk picturing her that day.
The Queen had arrived.
She was at her best and only the best could court her. It was just a matter of time, and it had to happen, her charms had to win over the most decorated, the most deserving prince of Kabini, “Cut Lip”. A male tiger of royal looks, great charm, famed valour.
The suitor proposed and the lady gave her consent. Word spread around and the most famous couple of Kabini were the toast of the jungle. It happened fast and expectation hit fever pitch, when news got around that the “Stork was arriving”.
Dec 22, my visit to Kabini and I got the news from a senior park functionary that Magge has a litter, she is a Mother, a 1st time Mother.
Anita and I were excited. Anita a bigger Magge fan for obvious reasons was excited to know more. But there was not much news beyond this. How big was the litter? Are she and the babies doing fine?
Come March 23 and we went into Zone A, in search of the Black Panther , Saya, the ghost . Searching for him brought us to the other end of the forest, at a watering hole and from far we saw a congregation of 3 cars parked there. We closed in and saw a tigress, swigging water. Camera up and I pictured. Hey it was Magge. She was sipping water. As you can see the jungle was dry, the heat wave was on and at 4 pm, Magge was seen drinking water. She had not been spotted for long and here she was.
I made the pic.
Then almost as an instinct I and Muthu our man behind the wheels scanned around. Just as Magge decided to cool off, a cub, came running her way.
The 1st shot of Magges cub. The cub which had stayed away and far, came running to her mom.
In mothers lap, in mother natures lap, the cub found immense joy & comfort.
The heat was too much for the cub. So it had its own gulpfuls of water.
It was terrific to see the “Mother Magge”. She the most sought after, a devil may care, free spirited teenager to now the provider. The role change was noticeable.
The cub darted back to the forest, shy, scared and possibly where its sibling was, who was still not to be seen. Magge’s litter was of 2 cubs. The cubs and mother were not spotted before so this was “Breaking news”. The mother licked her lips.
The joys of Motherhood emulated all the joyful experiences of her, before.
A quick cool off and she got out, spraying water around.
She looked back and sent a small call out to her cubs and waited, patiently. The impatience of youth had been replaced quickly by the added responsibilities of motherhood.
Soon her cub joined her.
What a sight it was. Magge and her progeny.
It was her ditto copy and how did it look like her, find it out for yourself and let me know, through your comments.
Just about 3 month old the cub was active and alert, all good picks from its mother
As the mother looked ahead , taking in the safari cars that had parked themselves on the track ahead, waiting for her other cub to join her, the cub looked at its mother seeking directions on what next.
How much do we look up to our mothers for directions and approvals all our lives? This cub was barely 3 and none other than Magge was its mother, so it was but natural.
The heat though was taking its toll on the young cub and it soon sat down. Mother Magge meanwhile had developed enough patience and was waiting for the other naughty one to join.
The cub though had royal blue blood flowing through its veins and struck a pose as mother Magge sized up the risks.
Heat , thirst the cub was displaying the challenges nature was throwing at it, as it did its best to take in any moisture, that it could.
Other cub not joining, Magge sent out a shout for it and started her walk across, the cub kept pace with its mother.
Came the crossing and Magge took a pause, the cub stayed behind her, feeling protected.
How bold is Magge ? with a 3 month old cub too she feels in control, have a look at how close were all of us and the vehicles.
Her confidence was supreme, She knew was the Queen of the jungle and could protect her cubs at the same time she knew that we posed no threat to her and her family. She crossed the other side, hoping that her other naughty cub would join them soon. She waited, looked back for it to join. No sign and she turned back and crossed the track again from ahead of us, back to where she came from. The 1st cub who by then had moved into the woods after crossing, rushed cross as Magge was now concerned of the other naughty cub.
The 1st cub, came on the road. Shy, scared was it. Does not seem like it. What say? as it crossed right in front of us.
1-2-3 … it ran , walked across the road.
Till it came to the trench. It stopped abruptly, almost falling into it.
Gathered courage, pulled itself back on hind legs.
Uncoiled and let itself leap across the trench … hoorray .
It soon caught up with its mother, who was hurrying across, seeking the other cub out.
From far off, I could see another cuddly dot and darling of a cub emerge, all energy as it hurtled ahead. Cub , mother and the cub the awesome threesum, made their way into the woods to their home their abode the safe jungle of kabini.
The classic, Kabini , the Gorgeous and Bold Magge and her 2 adorable cubs have made the “Summer of Kabini” exciting. Gorgeous days are ahead as this fantabulous mother a 1st time mother is transitioning so beautifully from a gorgeous teen to a young, responsible mother, finding joy and happiness in her cubs and their naughty behaviour, developing dollops of patience, yet staying firm, building discipline in them and trusting them by allowing them to develop their own instincts.
Kabini and we the loyalists of kabini are privileged to see this change underway.
Seeing her disappear into the forest with her darlings, I signed off, sending a soft prayer for them upwards.
It has been gorgeous to see Magge grow and progress in her motherhood.
Hope you loved this episode of InFocus, The 1st time Mother .
Do share your views & comments and liberally share this InFocus amidst friends and relatives and of course subscribe to InFocus (it comes free).
So long then, until next Saturday.
Gears used: Nikon D 750 and Nikkor 400 prime f2.8 lens
Truly loved this beautiful story. Amazing narration and images captured. All the frames are very well articulated. Especially loved one with the cub looking at the mother asking for what next, gorgeous Queen Magge sitting atop and of course the one of a cub leaping across the trench. Thanks for sharing!!
Man has traveled to space n moon and he may even live in Mars in future but if there is one thing he can’t experience is the joy of motherhood. The only way is to get a visa back to earth as woman in his rebirth. Human or Animal motherhood is a special experience and moment and that too becoming a first time mother is beyond worlds and words. Magge looks stunning and graceful in those pictures. Her cubs are gorgeous and probably they might be the ones who can challenge Magge’s grace. Well is the cub looking up and asking for the mother’s consent or telling her that I am on my own? It’s the language between mother and her child, no one can interpret. We all have this experience at home. After the blockbuster saya blog this one came out soothing n emotional.