Sharmilee The Tigress

Shirmilee - means a shy woman ! But Shirmilee the tigress of Kanha is far from being shy!

We experienced it today at Kanha National Park. While on a morning Safari in an open four wheel vehicle, we were stopped by another vehicle. Loaded with professional photographic equipment, the occupants dressed in forest fatigues, were making a documentary on one of the Tigers of Kanha NN - Neela Nalla. They asked our driver to stop, reverse and pull up on one side. Their vehicle came alongside and told us to wait for Shirmilee to cross over the road.

As if on cue, the tigress appeared from the bushes on the left, paused, started to cross over, paused again, growled at us twice and then walked into the bushes on the right. Leaving all four of us bewildered and thrilled at the same time. Three of us Debsashis, CP Srivastava and me recorded those fleeting moments on our cameras.

You can feel the excitement of our encounter with Shirmilee through the pictures and a video below.

The video clip below by CP has captured not only Shirmilee' walk but also her growl at us.

And after obliging us with her majestic walk, Shirmilee returned to where she belongs- the jungle. Debashis' picture below captured it so well.

We also saw Mahaveer the male tiger of Kanha. He did not come as close like Shirmilee. Yet we could catch a glimpse of his massive size.

Thanks Debu and CP for your pictures and the video clip.

There are many stories associated with Shirmilee. 

Once she chased a Forest Guard who was on foot patrol. He ran and climbed a tree. Being at a height, he could call his Beat colleagues  on phone. The tigress did not budge and kept waiting for her 'catch' to climb down. The rescue teams had to come on two elephant backs to bring their colleague to safety. Now, would you call Shirmilee a shy tigress?

Another time Shirmilee's cubs attacked three women who were plucking mushrooms from the forest during the monsoon. The women raised an alarm. The cubs got frightened and ran away to the mother who wasn't far away. The women rested the injured lady against a tree and ran to the huts to seek help.

In the meanwhile, Shirmilee came from behind and dragged the injured woman into the forest. Remains of her body were found two days later.

Shirmilee defies her name!

Such tales add to the thrill of being in a jungle! If you haven't been to one, do it now!

Readers may browse our earlier stories on Tigers.

Thanks for browsing.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Debu and CP/ Kanha/ 16th Jan 2025

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