It was 16 March 2016. I was accompanying one of our guests who had planned a couple of full-day safaris in Pench Tiger Reserve.
Pench is a forest of quiet contrasts vast teak wood cover, open stretches, and dense bamboo patches that seem to breathe with life. Spring had just set in. Most trees had already shed their leaves, leaving the forest stark and exposed. Mornings were sharply cold, while afternoons turned brutally hot, often testing both patience and endurance.
Our luck with tigers hadn’t favoured us so far. The previous day, we had missed two excellent sightings by mere minutes. Still, the forest compensated generously with memorable encounters of wild dogs and a rewarding variety of birds.
As was routine during full-day safaris, we exited the forest in the afternoon to have lunch at the gate. That’s when our guide, Rupesh, suggested an evening drive in the Karmajhiri range instead of the more crowded Turia zone. With little expectation from Turia that evening, we gladly agreed.
The First Growl
We re-entered through Turia Gate, and after about an hour and a half of driving, around 4:00 PM, we reached a spot known locally as Baans Nala.
Suddenly, Rupesh stood up and asked the driver to stop.
Silence fell then came a deep tiger growl, distant but unmistakable.
We moved slowly in the direction from where the sound was coming. With every passing moment, it felt as though the tiger was moving closer to us. The forest around was thick with bamboo, making visibility extremely poor.
Eventually, we reached a point where we were sure the tiger was nearby yet we couldn’t see him. The dense foliage hid everything. Assuming he was aware of our presence and deliberately staying concealed, we reversed slightly to give him space.
Thirty minutes passed.
The tiger never appeared.
But the growling never stopped.
The continuous, echoing calls sent chills down our spines. A worrying thought crossed our minds what if the tiger was injured?
A Risk Only Forest Guards Take
Soon after, a forest guard arrived. We explained that the tiger had been growling continuously for over an hour and that we feared he might be injured. The guard immediately reported the situation to his senior over the radio, then climbed into our vehicle to investigate further.
Even he couldn’t see anything clearly because of the bamboo. Without hesitation, he decided to go on foot.
Ten minutes later, he returned.
Yes, there was a tiger inside.
No visible injury marks.
And importantly he was moving towards us.
The guard calmly added that the tiger might be calling for a mate.
Barely had he finished his sentence when Rupesh shouted at the top of his voice:
“Sir, tiger road pe!”
BMW Reveals Himself
There he was.
A healthy adult male tiger, standing right in front of us on the road, marking his territory with complete authority. The growling paused briefly as he sniffed and sprayed, fully absorbed in asserting dominance. Then, just as calmly, he began growling again, walked past us, and disappeared back into the bamboo thickets.
Moments later, we heard another growl this one from a distance.
The forest guard’s assessment was spot on. This was mating behaviour. We had just witnessed a tiger actively calling for a mate raw, primal, and deeply humbling.
Meeting BMW
That evening, back at the lodge, we were eager to identify the tiger. We sat down with Omveer Choudhary (Omi), Chief Naturalist of the Tuli Tiger Corridor, and showed him a few photographs.
He smiled instantly.
“This is BMW male,” he said.
The arrow-shaped mark on the right cheek matched perfectly. The tiger is called BMW because the stripe pattern on his left flank resembles the letters BMW.
A Memory That Never Faded
It has been over two years since I last visited Pench, yet that evening at Baans Nala remains vividly etched in my memory the growls, the tension, the courage of the forest guards, and the privilege of witnessing such rare behaviour.
Few people realise what forest guards do for wildlife who else would step into dense bamboo, on foot, knowing a tiger is just metres away, simply to ensure he isn’t injured?
I’ll be returning to Pench soon. And somewhere deep inside, I hope BMW is still there strong, dominant, and wild as ever.
If I do see him again, I can only hope the forest has another unforgettable story waiting.
Fingers crossed.
