August 01, 2025

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Premium

QUEEN of the Lakes

There are some creatures that pass through the wild without a sound, and others who leave their mark forever-- etched not just in the landscape they inhabit, but in the hearts of those who have seen them. For me, Arrowhead was one such beingI've been photographing wildlife for over 25 years now. Growing up in India, with its astonishing diversity of landscapes and life forms, I found myself drawn to the natural world early on-- first to birds, then frogs, and eventually to the most enigmatic of them all: the tiger. It's almost inevitable, I think, for an Indian wildlife photographer to fall under their spell. There's something about their beauty, strength, and mystery that pulls you in completelyI still remember the first time I held a camera on one of those early wildlife education tours by WWF India, back in 2000. That trip changed something in me. From a stable corporate career to travelling across India's wild heartlands with a film camera in hand, it sparked the beginning of a lifelong pursuit. Back then, I would spend nights examining photo negatives under a tubelight, hoping to catch that one shot that told a story. This obsession with story, with watching and documenting life unfolding in front of me, has never leftOver the years, my work has taken me to many of India's tiger reserves, but Bandhavgarh and Ranthambhore have a special place in my heart. And Ranthambhore--dry, rugged, and starkly beautiful--is unlike any other. It's a world of golden grasslands, scattered rocks, and twisted trees, where over 40 species of mammals and 300 species of birds thrive. But it's the tiger who reigns supremeThis land has seen its share of legends. None loomed larger than Machli, the fierce and graceful matriarch who ruled these parts for almost 20 years. Her legacy runs deep--woven into the forest itself through her descendants, one of whom would come to captivate me like no other: ArrowheadKnown to the forest department as T84, Arrowhead was the daughter of tigress T19--Krishna--and the granddaughter of Machli. She was born alongside two siblings: a brother, Pacman, and a sister, Lightning. Each cub had distinctive markings that earned them their names--Arrowhead had two elegant arrow-shaped stripes above her eyes, Lightning wore a bold zigzag like a thunderbolt, and Pacman's face bore the unmistakable curve of the video-game iconI first saw her in November 2014. We had just entered the park and came upon the carcass of a freshly killed sambar deer. Moments later, Krishna walked in with her three cubs trailing behind her. For two days, they feasted. I remember Lightning stuffing herself so deep into the carcass that only her hind legs stuck out. Arrowhead, even then, seemed more watchful, patient. There was a quiet strength about her.

How Cringe Won the Internet

It's another day of scrolling when you begin to notice a startling pattern. Every few swipes throw out an oddball gem: an elderly man in a neon vest dancing with unfiltered Bollywood intensity to a heartbreak song; a 20-something rapping an auto-tuned anthem about selfies; a bedroom crooner spitting motiva- tional lyrics in grammatically wobbly English. The videos make you squirm-- but they're also hypnotic, hilarious, and strangely heartfelt--a winning combination that is striking gold with audiences who can't get enoughYou'd think the algorithm would push slick, curated content. Instead, lo-fi, lowbudget kitsch has a place on your feed