CHASING HOPE IN TADOBA
MY SHOCKING REVELATION has left my host puzzled. “How is it possible for someone to leave Tadoba without having spotted a tiger?” Unable to accept the finality of my maiden trip to the park years ago, Aditya Dhanwatay has taken it upon himself to ensure that history does not repeat itself—not under his watch. It’s another story that neither of us is into chasing big cats. We are forest lovers who prefer the whole pie. But the Tadoba-Andhari success story lends itself to the tale of tigers, with Aditya and his father Amrut Dhanwatay leading the way.
A three-hour drive from the Nagpur airport takes me to TigerTrails Jungle Lodge. Leaving concrete clusters behind, my driver hits the smooth highway tarmac. As we get closer, the trail dissolves into a dusty pathway lined with mahua and trees. An unassuming wooden signboard announces the
