Wild Diary ... (Part-I)

                                             INTRODUCTION TO THE WILDERNESS
     From the time I was born, and most importantly from the time I have started understanding life, it's like a million time I must have visited jungles. I have been gifted with an awesome lot of people around me who love the nature and in particular, the JUNGLES to the magnitude which cannot just be defined. Maybe god had the idea to give me more 'jungle love'!
     For those who have never been to the wilderness of India, I'll say, "you guys are missing life!". Seriously, a person who will enter the thick foliage and the amazing bird and animal habitat in (Central) India will either never want to come out of it, or will want to go there again and again. I BET!!
     I have been blessed with amazing parents who love the nature as much as I do. My father, Adv. Gurunath E. Moharir has been a committed nature lover. Taking a ride to the nearby jungles with friends was his favorite past time and I personally think that all the nature-love in me has its origin in my father. Also, I can guarantee that no other person in the world can get an more nature loving mom than mine. I mean, who's mom gives their son updates on tiger sightings? I doubt there is one in this world.
     The "Tiger love" in me is a relatively recent phenomenon. First it was just pleasure to visit the forest with only one thing on mind, "I want to see wildlife". When I grew up, it conspired into "I want to see a tiger" and now, it has become, "I want to take a bite of the nature".
      My friends are very proud of me when they hear my jungle stories (ya, I have a lot to tell) and let me tell you that tigers are all over in them. Some friends have seen the love for nature in me, and I know that they (secretly) admire it. They are sometimes blown over when I tell them that I saw a tiger(in it's natural habitat) only at the age of around 14!(The first tiger I saw was in Kanha, most probably) But it's the truth. In the recent times, I have been lucky enough to be blessed with wonderful tiger sightings. In the past six or seven years, the intensity to love the nature has increased many-fold and thus has given me opportunities to think about the nature and it's inhabitants. Of course, the documentaries on Nat Geo, Discovery Chanel and Animal Planet have contributed to it, no doubt!

     I was interested in photography since childhood but the 'want to do good photography bug' bit me 4 years back. My dad bought a Nikon D40 which is a Digital Single Lens Reflex(DSLR) camera, he alwas wanted to buy one. Still newbies at it me and dad constantly experimented with the cam, I guess I did more coz he was using the 'Auto' mode till recently. After a year and a half, we were both content with the D40 and then came the beauty, Nikon D7000, a much high-range camera, translated to be a semi-professional DSLR, and then was the time that 'better' photography started. They say that photography does not depend on the equipment you have, it depends on the skill of the photographer. Till some extent, this is true, but personally, good equipment always counts and I say this even in the case when I DON'T own the BEST equipment.  People like me will readily agree to this.
    I am currently studying Law ad I am into the 4th Year now. Due to family commitments and the routine which has to be followed during the regular college sessions, it becomes a task, a huge one to persuade your parents to allow you to go for a nice jungle trip with friends. So, in the recent times, these trips have come down to single figures in a year(it may be very frequent for normal beings, but after you love nature, you become abnormal, at least for the others!). In spite of these 'restrictions'  the thought of the wild is all over the mind 24x7. And ask any nature enthusiast about how day-dreaming about the wild is. I am pretty sure he'll tell you that its better than falling in love!! Nothing gay about it though..
    In this series of articles on this blog, I intend to tell you some of my experiences in the wild and what I think about the nature. As this is my first hand at writing blog, I would like you to leave your comments below. Reasonable criticism is welcome. Pardon me for any spelling or grammatical mistakes, I am bad at them. The series continues with Part-II, which will come up shortly. Thanks for your valuable time. Ciao!!

Photo credits: "Hanuman Langur" Clicked by me at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Chandrapur,
                       Maharashtra on 11th December 2011.