'I saw Bandhavgarh's majestic tigers and a magical forest all around them'

Photographer Beynaz Mistry recently visited the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Speaking to Times Evoke, she discusses how to best observe the rich canvas of life within the forest: All Photos: Boynaz Mistry

I visited Bandhavgarh during north India's recent heatwave, when the reserve's landscape lay dry and brown. Sal and bamboo trees provided some relief, surrounding the narrow tracks visitors' jeeps are supposed to stay on. The tracks sometimes open out onto a grassland or a watering hole where I saw several animals drinking from or just sitting quietly in to cool off. The heat was searing in its intensity - yet, the forest retained a calm that seemed to help its creatures cope.

For many visitors, the regal tigers of Bandhavgarh are its main attraction. I had some interesting encounters with these majestic beings as well. One special moment was when I spotted a male tiger tending to its cubs. This was unusual as the tigress usually takes charge of parenting. But here, the male tiger was sitting in a grassy patch with his kids, just being together in what was possibly the tiger equivalent of 'hanging out'. Tigers also spend a lot of time sleeping - it is unusual to see adults jumping about energetically or fighting intensely. One can normally spot them walking quietly on tracks, scratching at a tree or stopping to get a drink of water. Sometimes, they pause to look at you - in a wonderful moment, I saw the head of a tiger, this feared predator, peering out from a bush, looking curiously around. This image, of the mighty tiger, appearing so timid and wondering, was very heart-warming.