Remembering Machali, India's most famous tigress

An era for tiger lovers came to an end on Thursday (August 18), as "Machali" bid adieu to her beloved home, Ranthambhore.

The tigress was first sighted in the monsoons of 1997. Lately, her health had been thin as she was living in the winter years of her life. Machali is and will always be the most special tigress for this forest; no individual animal has been treasured, acknowledged and respected as much in history as her.

She was a torchbearer of the wild tiger the world over. No individual tiger has ever been more documented, photographed, or written about in the world than Machali. She made the common man see beyond a big cat and united people in the cause of saving tigers, while earning their respect.

Machali did not disappoint anyone. The filmmaker got his film from her, the businessman got his business, and the tiger lover got a chance to see what he dreamt about.

She opened her doors for everyone, from school children to wildlife experts, most importantly giving Ranthambhore more than 60 per cent of its tiger population which comprises more than 50 individual tigers directly connected to Machali's family tree.

This contribution cannot be forgotten as this was in the period when Ranthambhore was going through a major tiger poaching crisis and it was Machali and her cubs who revived the tiger population at the national park, today literally making half of Ranthambhore tigers her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She saw the fourth generation being born in front of her.

Repopulating of the Sariska Tiger Reserve was also done by two daughters (T1 and T18) of Machali who were sent to Sariska.

Machali inhabited the lake area of the park for the most part of her life and she was thus nicknamed "Lady of the Lakes" or "jhalra wali". In this home, she ruled like a queen not entertaining any nuisance even from the lake predators.

In an epic battle, she fought a crocodile and left it to die in the winter sunset, coming back to eat it the next day. Such ferocious encounters didn't happen just once, although one of them cost her a canine.

Machali was a true charmer too. She lured tourists by using their vehicles as an ambush tool to attack the unaware deer in the area. In that era, her antics bought joy and thrill to the visitors who saw her and this made Ranthambhore popular.

Many of those tourists still visit Ranthambhore and have been true Machali fans. Of the enormous number of photographs taken some became iconic ones used to promote tiger conservation while some to promote tiger tourism world over. Machali delivered four different litters and raised them successfully to maturity. Her first litter were two male cubs called "Broken Tail" and "Slant Ear".

Broken Tail was the male who commenced an iconic journey and reached Mukundra Hills forest through green corridors thus showing us the way.

Later on, because of this son of Machali, Mukundra was declared as the third tiger reserve of Rajasthan.

In the next litter, she delivered two cubs, a male and a female. The male cub called "Jhumroo" (T20) still roams in the park, though her female cub "Jhumari" went missing. Machali delivered two cubs again after that - "Bunty" (T3) and "Bubbli" (T1).

Sighting of the fourth litter of Machali was a surprising event for all. By that time, she had lost two canines and wildlife experts were not expecting more cubs from her. This time, she delivered three female cubs T17, T18 and T19.

T19 went on to take Machali's territory, forcing Machali to retire on the fringe areas of the park near Ambaghati. Today T17 and T19's daughters both have produced litters, thus giving Ranthambhore its future stars. Machali fulfilled the role of a conservationist by giving the females that Ranthambhore and Sariska both needed greatly.

In human years, Machali was almost 120 years old, and at 19 years of age - the oldest wild tigress in the world. Although it was not that she lived on her own - she was assisted in her old age - but many argued that this is where the line between scientific and emotional intervention needs to be defined.

With Machali it was an emotional necessity to see her alive, although ecologically her role of producing litters and killing sick and weak animals of the forest was long over, but emotionally seeing her gave strength to the guardians of the forest to continue efforts for tiger conservation.

Today morning she departed after fighting a long battle, but what remained clear was her zest for life. To many it is like a family member departing. Her legacy will continue in her offsprings. Alas, her journey has ended. I salute Machali for being the graceful hostess of magical Ranthambhore.