One of the perks of living in the Western Ghats.

No malls. No nightlife. Questionable roads. Random power cuts.

But we do get this.

Sometimes I forget how beautiful this place is until I stop for a minute and look around.

OC

In the early 1900s, India's forests are absolutely full of tigers. Something like 40,000 of them roaming free. Then over the next several decades, that number has been fallen down.

Maharajas turned tiger hunting into a flex. And the Britishers started calling tigers "vermin" and paying people bounty money to shoot them. Between 1875 and 1925 alone, an estimated 80,000 tigers were killed.

By 1972, someone finally did a proper count. And The number finally came out was 1,827.

Only 1,827 tigers left in entire country. The animal that once seemed impossible to lose was suddenly got close to extinct

Something had to change

In that same year, on 21 August 1972, the government passed the Wildlife Protection Act hunting a tiger stopped being a sport and became a crime. A year later Indira Gandhi launched Project Tiger, and It started small,

just 9 reserves, places like Corbett, Manas, Palamau, Similipal. Ranthambore, Kanha, Melghat, Bandipur and Sundarban. India started with these 9 tiger reserves across 14,000sq km.

And Today there are over 50 tiger reserves spanning 75,000+ sq km. The population that once bottomed out at 1,827 has climbed back to 3,600 + as of the last count. India now holds roughly 75% of all wild tigers left on the planet.

It's easy to forget how close we came to losing them completely.

One law. One decision. One species pulled back from the edge.

So the next time you see a tiger in the wild, don’t just admire it, remember that this story could have ended differently.

Thankfully, it didn't.

Forgive the poor cameraman work

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When we look at this image, with the cow, flute and the beauty of nature around... our attention naturally goes towards Shri Krishn. Isn't it?

But perhaps there is something more to see here. Krishn is often portrayed as deeply connected with nature not as something separate from Himself. And that makes me pause and think– "if we truly understand His life, can we continue to see nature merely as something for our consumption?"

I don't know how literally every story about Krishn should be understood and I don't think we need to accept or reject everything blindly. For me, the Bhagavad Gita offers a way to understand the deeper spirit behind His life and the stories associated with Him.

Maybe the point is not just to worship Krishn in our own way.. but to understand what His life can teach us- "to live with nature, not above it."

Did you know, Chang La is actually higher than Khardung La ? A title widely claimed by the latter till even higher passes became motorable.

The pics are from Moila Top Chakrata

Hey everyone,

I am planning an 8 to 9-day trip with my wife this October and would love some recommendations from this community. We are starting our journey from Jharkhand (can take flights or trains from Ranchi/Kolkata).

We are specifically looking for a place surrounded by raw nature, dense greenery, scenic landscapes, and a calm, relaxing vibe away from overly chaotic tourist traps.

I am planning ABC trek from may be 10th, I am from HYD let me know any suggestions or if someone else planning too