Page 9 - Sealink September 2020
P. 9
survival during their contract. Fish, showed the twenty two s tches that
rice and honey were the staple food decorated his body and he was in the
for these fishermen. They were very hospital for three months. Then he
sturdy, strong built and had the narrated the whole incident which
strength and courage to face a ger was mind boggling. During his
single handedly. The Royal Bengal venture in the forest to collect
Tiger of the Sunderbans is world sundari wood and honey, he was
famous for its grandeur beauty and isolated for he ventured for a be er
magnanimous stature. collect and while undertaking this
risk he was a acked by the ger
The me we arrived at Gosaba. it
was a er dusk and the beauty of who leapt from behind and went for
nature was enthralling with birds his neck. He fought back with his
chirping and returning back to their s ck and the whole forest was
nest, the cowherd returning and the shrilling with the sound of the
sunset with the twilight dawn roaring ger. His companions
pounded the heart with the fountain immediately rushed to the spot and
of joy. A er having tea and some rescued him for he was lying
puffed rice, we strolled in the town unconscious and bleeding profusely.
and met the head of the town who A er six hours ride in the boat
was an old man but very jovial and launch he was transported to the
energe c. There were also other emergency ward in Gosaba hospital
members and farmers who got and by the grace of God he was
together at dusk to have their smoke saved. He repeated with dignity that
of hookah (hubble-bubble) and if he had a gun he would have shot
gossip about various topics. In this the ger and worn his skin with
juncture we carved out the pride.
opportunity to gather some At 7 p.m. we visited the Gosaba
informa on about the Sunderbans. market and bought some provisions
for dinner. The dinner was cooked by
We came in contact with one farmer
present in that mee ng who faced one of the locals and we enjoyed the
the Royal Bengal Tiger and fought village style cooking of rice, dal,
with the ger and came out alive. He vegetable curry, chicken curry and
chutney made of green mangoes.
