Humility and Gratitude


This is a story not from my corporate work but from a different place. I enjoy travelling to wildlife parks and photograph tigers & birds in their habitat. I have picked the topic of Humility and Gratitude from my experience from my visit to the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh. The forest is beautiful to see, feel and experience. The lush green forest feels lively and exciting and this story is from one of the winters I was there. BTR has three main zones i.e. Tala, Magadhi & Khitauli and buffer zones.

 

In our evening safari, we were told that a tigress (Baghin) with her three cubs was moving in the area in that zone. Her favourite place was near the water body that had tall grass. We were there, we heard alarm calls and knew that we had a chance. We waited for the entire evening timeslot. We had to leave the park as it was becoming dark.

 

The next day morning, the desire to meet the tigress and cubs made us reach the same spot. We did not want to move around so we reached first before anyone could arrive and took the best spot to shoot. As we waited, the story of Humility and Gratitude unfolded.

 

I see a very fragile guard in his mid-30s on a bicycle coming our way. His name was Sunil. 

 

Sunil was wearing an old khaki pant and a green sweater. The old khaki pant was short as it exposed his ankles and feet. He was wearing a slipper that would slip as he cycled. He had a bamboo stick that he was holding with one hand. He got down from his bicycle and walked towards our gypsy.

 

Things that ran through my mind - what is he doing here? Tigress and her cubs can be anywhere near and tigress will be aggressive as she will perceive him a threat to her cubs. There is tall grass how will he handle himself ? Why this risk? What is making him do this? What is his motivation?

 

He had something amazing in his simplicity as he wished 'Ram Ram' to us. It showed worry and fear in my face and he had a smile. He parked his bicycle near my gypsy and walked in the direction of the water body. He went inside to check the tigress and her cubs. I could see him for a while and later could not as the tall grass had made it difficult for me to see him. My heart skipped, praying for him to come back safely. After a while, he returned with a smile on his face.

 

I looked at him in awe. I offered him water and a few biscuits that I had. This time, I could not stop myself and initiated a conversation with him. 

 

Sunil said he has old parents, a wife, and two kids at home. He stays in a village 100 km away. He had gone to his village some time back, one of his kid was unwell. He is the only earning member of his family and he works in the park as guard. He further said that this job was much better than any other labour job. I was wondering what made him think like that.

 

On having asked how he manages his stay inside the forest, Sunil said he stays in a post with two other guards. The post does not have light and they cannot cook any food in the post, it attracts animals. The fellow guards support each other with whatever food they get for each other. The post does not have firearms and there is only a barricading of the post to keep the animals away. There are no mobile signals and they connect by physically reaching to the other post or otherwise.

 

Sunil said the work is not easy and it has a lot of hardship. He said he was happy to be part of a cause and is alive because of the forest. He said he loves being here and likes protecting and taking care of our Baghwa (Tiger). He further said they are like us, don't harm us. They will attack us when we harm them or threaten them. I respect wild animals and they reciprocate the same. I have seen them so close, we watch each other and then we go our own way. Sunil's last comment was if something happens to me so will happen as I have knowingly taken this job. Forest is not as frightening as people say or think.

 

Sunil's humility was his acceptance that he was working for a cause, saving the forest and his favourite 'Baghwa'. Forest and the animals have become his family. Despite hardship, his smile comes from his simplicity and his purpose. He thanked his fellow guards for taking care of him and constantly teaching him about this forest. He thanked visitors who were kind and will spend time knowing. He thanked us for the water and biscuits and moved on to look out for his favourite 'Baghwa'.

 

Humility is the ability to be grateful for the things in one’s life. Humility seeds, feeds, and grows gratitude. Humility is an attitude of spiritual modesty that comes from understanding our place in the larger order of things. Gratitude is acknowledging that one has benefitted from the actions of another.

 

My humility comes from my learning, experiences, and the purpose that I have. My acknowledgment of these experiences that have made me what I am is my deep sense of gratitude to all my mentors and teachers.

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