Ever heard of Shikari Nallah? It is a dreaded place deep inside a forest where a hunter met a gory death while hunting for a tigress.
Shikari Nallah or the hunter's ravine is where the sahib hunter, long ago, was trapped by three young tigers while he chased their wounded mother.
At the end of the chase, he was savoured by the four, including the wounded mother, with such vengeance that even today the old men here get goosebumps while recalling the incident.
Even today, Shikari Nallah is a popular hideout for tigers which can monitor the movements of their prey from above.
This is where one of the tales of "The Forest Piper And Other Stories" is set.
Written by Baju Brahma and brought out by APK Publishers, "The Forest Piper And Other Stories" is a compilation of seven stories from the wild.
The author presents a captivating picture of the area near Shikari Nallah.
"In the eastern side, the sky had become clear and the sun was rising over the hills overlooking the forest. First, there were hues of dark violet that quelled darkness. The sky then changed to cobalt and sapphire. Soon, with a million golden rays, the sun god emerged atop the hills guarding the meadow," he writes.
The forest never sobs. Every leaf that drops on the duff is a loss so trifle, as if nothing happened.
So what if the boy that plays flute in the night to quell others' fear is put as bait by his own people? So what if the man that mends others' destinies is made to trash his own fate? So what if the race that stands firm on human values is cleansed for much the same reason?
The book seeks to answer these questions.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
