February 6, 1999, Saturday, sunny, 7-21C

 

[20:21 @ B-57 Inn in Delhi]

     Wonder of wonders.  Just one tiny chat with Pradeep, and the whole situation turned 180 degrees.  Has he been thinking about doing this all along?  Or has the contents of our confidential meetings back at Kanha been leaked to him yesterday or day before?  Or was he moved by my speeches (which he has never seen before – he did comment to Poonam, this time from personal observation, that I was a good speaker, so much so that she at once booked me into her Habitat House public program for late March sight unseen)?  Or have I somehow changed him with just a few days’ close contact?  Or has he somehow read my e-mail-to-WCWC?  Or has Adriane e-mailed him one hell of an arm-twisting letter?  These I don’t know, and may never get to know.  What I do know is that as late as February 1, when Faiyaz talked to Pradeep again about going outreach with me to the villages in the Buffer Zone instead of serving tourists in the lodge, Pradeep gave him a flat “no”, citing again “dilution” of Tiger Trust’s in-lodge work.  Chris even commented that Faiyaz “aged 10 years in one day”.  Now, with this new development, Faiyaz will be rejuvenated 20 years overnight.  Anyway, here is the deal. 

     1.  Pradeep is buying a brand new Gypsy for Tiger Trust and not for Dynamic Tours, for outreach purposes only.

2.     Faiyaz can go outreach with it all he wants.

3.     It is also placed at my disposal, and if I want to, I can drive the vehicle myself (since Faiyaz doesn’t drive).

     4.  Pradeep is honouring our agreement that Anne can serve as my volunteer during my stay in India, and therefore she can go outreach with us (in spite of Feb. being the peak tourist month).

     Can’t be more made-to-measure than this.

     Pradeep also surprised me slightly with how hard he is pushing for the Love-the-Tiger Walk.  All his activities these last few days have been towards promoting it to the max.  He’s been working on sponsors and succeeded in getting two plane tickets from Delhi to Kajuraho as a draw prize.  He himself put in two free stays at the Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge as additional prizes.  Other things include printing raffle tickets, printing a brand new glossy brochure for Tiger Trust (not Dynamic Tours, with WCWC getting honourable mention) and other literature, getting head-bands, arm bands and banners made for the Walk, arranging media coverage.  And today, he gave two speeches both in 5-star hotels, one at the IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) convention where he talked about the Tiger Walk only, and the other at the Rotarian Convention where he spoke on pure conservation, with his Dynamic Tours and Jungle Lodges not even mentioned.  The Gigantic Tiger Cub was set up on the front lawn of the Taj Palace Hotel where the huge Rotarian Convention took place; in fact, it is still there, attended as we speak by the very beautifully attired Sucheta – in a royal blue sari.  At the end of his Rotarian speech, he even got the highly conservative audience to repeat after him the four lines of Tim’s Tiger Song, albeit in spoken words only.  He took to it immediately when, as Sucheta suggested, I led Poonam, Sanjit, the lawyer lady Angina and him to sing it yesterday, whole-heartedly embracing it as the Tiger Club song for all schools.  He and Sucheta are always present at the school presentations, except for the presentation yesterday, when he had to arrange media.  Today, he had me interviewed by the Trav Talk magazine at the Taj Palace.  Next Wednesday, I’ll be interviewed by another travel magazine.  Tomorrow evening, we’ll be departing for Jaipur, where more media and schools await.  Back to Delhi next Tuesday for three more school presentations and media and then the Tiger Walk.  I have never seen him pour so much of himself into something that may not directly benefit his tourism business but purely for tiger conservation.  The Gigantic Tiger Cub has never been busier and more seen.  So, finally, things are happening.

     During the Rotarian Convention, while waiting for Pradeep’s speech, I was privileged to witness, and video-tape, two speeches by two prominent speakers – the excellent Dr. Karan Singh, and the transcendent, long-haired, full-bearded but young (40?) spiritual leader Shri Shradhalu Ranate of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram who is about the most mesmerising speaker I have ever seen, whose speech title was “India’s Destiny And Your Part In It.”

     During lunch, I asked Pradeep whether Indian custom has it that gifts are not to be accepted.  I was referring to Dimple, who is an avid bird watcher whose own pair of binoculars wasn’t quite up to task.  I brought to India a pair of pre-set binoculars that she loved at first use.  I gave it to her on the spot, but she has steadfastly declined.  He said that Dimple actually talked to him about it when he was there, saying that I was already doing so much for them, how could she go further to take my binoculars from me.  Pradeep told her that I offered them to her out of love and appreciation for her hobby, and that it was okay for her to accept them.  So, I hope that she will. 

     I have the option to go back to Kanha after the Tiger Walk or go to Bandhavgarh via Kajuraho.  The overlanders from Kajuraho to Bandhavgarh and from Nagpur to Kanha are both 6 hours.  Both are tempting, but I think I should go back to Kanha to get right back into the thick of things – the communal solar oven, the parabolic mirror, especially now that there is a new jeep dedicated to the outreach program.  I’ll bring the two unassembled solar ovens with me, which are currently in Delhi, to be assembled at Kanha, and maybe send one over to Bandhavgarh if and when Anne goes over there, or perhaps even sooner if and when the tourists go over. 

     This morning I was given the bill by the B-57 Inn, and about had a minor heart attack.  The 15-minute phone call I placed to my parents cost Rs2660 or CDN$105!  The call to WCWC cost likewise.  One 15-minute overseas call costs as much as most people’s monthly wages around here.

     I talked to the taxi driver who drove me from the Taj Palace to the Asian Age office then back to the B-57.  He does not own the rat car he drives.  So first, he pays RS 500 (C$20) to the owner daily.  He has the car 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  He drives about 16 hours a day.  He has a wife and 3 children in a town 600 km distant.  His wife works in the rice fields.  There is no work for him back there.  He nets RS400-500 a day, and sends to his family about Rs2,000 per month.  He lives in a single room and pays Rs1,500/mo. for it.  He has no time for anything except work, sleep, eat, work, sleep, eat, and work some more, which reminds me of my dad when I was a kid.  He sees his wife and children twice a year, by bus, several days per time, 6 months apart.  He struck me to be an honest man.  I left my camera bag in the taxi and went upstairs to the Asian Age to get a copy of the article for almost 15 minutes, and he could have drive away with it and I would never find him.  The fare by the meter was Rs210.  I paid him Rs300.  I know in my gut he did not take the long route.  Many Indian people are like this.  Faiyaz is another example.  I should not let the rotten apples taint the whole barrel.

     Back to Pradeep.  He’s now 43.  He seems to have a genuine love for the tiger.  When he is not in his superior mode, when he shows due respect, he is very likeable, and I like him as I write.  He is hard working and his people respect him at least as a boss, though also fear him, which is not my way.  He has a certain sense of fairness and justice that cannot be denied.  The other volunteer at Bandhavgarh other than Janice, also named Chris (Chris Cook), violated Pradeep’s code by going AWOL and was fired.  In fact, Pradeep seems to have fired both Chris and Janice, the latter for her going over to Kanha without his permission.  Yesterday and today, they came into Pradeep’s office together, and have now been reinstated.  So, is it all sweetness and light with Pradeep now?  I seldom say this, but this is one of those few times when I say, “Well, let’s see about it - one day at a time.”