Tigers in the Emerald Forest- Ranthambhore after the Monsoon

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This book is about the very special 'post monsoon' period of Ranthambhore National Park, which in 2011 received a record 1,200 mm of rain. Having known Ranthambhore for more than 35 years, Valmik Thapar was amazed at the monsoon magic writ large all over the Park. The forest had turned green in days, and all the dry streambeds were literally brimming with water. The monsoon downpour made Ranthambhore look like an 'emerald forest. Thapar takes us on a journey over the first days of October 2011 as the Park appeared to erupt in a burst of green teeming with life and with its incredible tigers. Captured almost moment to moment, the close to 200 colour photographs weave a story perhaps best experienced in motion pictures.

I never really thought in all my life that I would do a book on Ranthambhore called Tigers in the Emerald Forest It is really about the unexpected. 1 would never have done this book if the glint of green had not captivated my soul and the feel of the forest had not enveloped my being. As I saw it I realized that I had never seen so much water in so many different places ever before in my life. I had to share the experience. I firstly have to thank Rahul Saighal of Aircel who traversed these forests with me for a few days sharing my joy and exuberance of what I saw. He was immediately supportive of such a book. And then of course Oxford University Press (OUP) which said let's do it even though it was only ten days after my book launch! Many of Amita Chhabra's photos were wonderful and helped capture a moment of time for eternity, without them this task would have been impossible. A few pictures from Dharmendra and Jaisal added to the strength, and Sanjna, with her instinctive abilities, also provided photographic value to our experience. Shivraj, the forest guard in our jeep who led us through his handset to many tigers, was especially helpful. Shyamji at the wheel is now an expert guide full of experience and a big thank you to him. I thank Joanna Von Gruisen for conceiving the title, Tigers in the Emerald Forest for a film that she and Dr R.S. Chundawat made with Mike Birkhead on the tigers of Panna. Thanks to Y.K. Sahu for all his help; may he keep the flag of Ranthambhore flying in his tenure. I also thank Hajra Ahmad for the design of the book, and last but not the least, my son Hamir for his snake pictures.