Jai ... The Hulk of Umred

UMRED KARHANDLA Wildlife Sanctuary

This legendary story set foot on the Indian wilderness canvas in the winters of 2010-2011, Nagzira National Park. It gained it's "Wildlife Sanctuary" status in 1970, spanning across an area of  120 sq. km. Later merged into a National Park in 2012 as a part of Project Tiger. Rich in fauna this sanctuary resides between the districts of Gondia and Bhandara in Maharastra. This park has not been very much highlighted worldwide for it's tiger conservation. But the story that I am about to tell you changed Nagzira and Umred's history for ever. 

Early Life

Jai and Veeru strolling behind their mother "Mai"

During late 2010, Nagzira was emerging out of the blues with dominant feline characters spreading out their paws and claiming territories. A major part of the park was under the reign of a humongous male tiger "Dhendu". He crushed any opposition and none dared to challenge him at his turf. Besides, he also had the crown jewel of Nagzira by his side, the legendary tigress T2 aka "Mai". Mai, an exemplary tigress who had given the park 11 tigers from different litters. She was an elegant tigress easily identified with an "A" mark on her left hind limb, earning her the nick name "A mark" tigress. Dhendu stayed with her for quite a long time. Early in 2011 she gave birth to two male cubs ... fondly named "Jai" and "Veeru" ( After the legendary duo of the movie Sholay).

Jai relaxing in the water hole as Veeru looks on

The two cubs fathered by Dhendu and nurtured by Mai grew up to become a formidable force. The initial days of the brothers' childhood was quite eventful. They were often seen with their mother, most of the times engaged in playful fights and chasing anything that moved. Mai kept an vigilant eye always as they were the last sons her bore. Most part of the life of these tigers was not documented as these cubs stayed out of limelight for a length of time. With the passage of time the two brothers were now the main attraction. "Jai" with a hulking figure now overpowered his elder brother. Though both stayed together for a long time but it was Jai who held the upper-hand. In his prime "Jai", weighed more than 250 Kgs and was considered the largest tiger of India in 2015.

Jai's Journey

By the time Jai reached his adulthood, the forest of Nagzira and it's territorial balance was taking turns. The cubs from Mai's previous litters had all grown up now. Instincts for territorial fights was now creeping into the resident tigers. And even Jai was not immune to it. Jai was a handsome tiger with a towering physics and muscular frame. He was spending much of his time away from his brother and mother, venturing into neighboring territories. He was an adult male and ready to mate. Hormonal surges made him more obsessed. On evening he came across another tigress "Alpha" of Mai's previous litter following her pheromonal markings. Unfortunately, she was not in an entertaining mood. And Jai was not welcomed. The battle of the sexes violently shattered the peace of Nagzira. The fight did not last long. The two tigers withdrew from the battle giving each other some space. The line was drawn ... Jai had his lesson. Dejected, he left and thus begun an extraordinary journey.

Jai's journey to a new land in search of a mate

August 2013 witnessed a new chapter in Jai's life. This obsessed behemoth in a search for a mate traversed a distance of incredible 130 kms. A journey that is extraordinary for these highly territorial animals. Defying all odds he crossed forests, highways, villages and even a river. He left Nagzira, making his way through New Nagzira moved on to Kisanpur and then Kardi. He spent a few days around and then continued on to Kesalwada, followed by Koka. He crossed NH6 between Bhandara and Sakoli. He swam across Vainganga river, finally reaching Paoni range of Umred Karhandla. During his journey he made everyone wonder where will this lead him to and why is he doing this. But no one could ever know what was brewing in his mind. Whatever it was, it made him famous.

Kingdom Established

Umred, a new world and new challenges. Umred Karhandla was ruled by two dominant resident males when Jai arrived. Their reign was unchallenged ...till now. But with the arrival of a new tiger signs of the territorial fights seemed inevitable. Jai initially kept his distance from the resident males. Every passing day made Jai more and more confident. In a few days his roars echoed in the forest, his claw marks could be spotted on trees and his pugmarks trailed across the roads. No fights followed, no offense or resistance by the resident males. The throne of Umred was handed over to Jai with submissive exit by the previous rulers. Umred was now Jai's to rule.

In the upcoming years Jai had four mates and produced 11 off-springs.  As assumed there might be some more cubs that Jai fathered from unknown wandering females. His first mate was the well known tigress "Chandi". Four cubs from her first litter i.e. 3 males "Bahu", "Bali", "Jaichand" and one female cub "Barkha". "Jaichand" was the first cub and named after his parents "Jai' and "Chandi". "Bahu" and "Bali" being the sons of their powerful father, derived their names from a hit movie "Bahubali".

Chandi with her 3 cubs Jaichand, Bahu and Bali.... PC- Anup Deodhar

Later he mated with T4 "Rai", who bore him three cubs "Pawan", "Raja" and "Mala" (the only female of the litter). Slowly the tiger population in Umred Karhandla was taking a surge under the reign of Jai.

Jai with T4 

In 2014 Jai shared his time with one of the most beautiful tigress of the park T6 "Fairy". They had two handsome cubs "Bittu" and "Srinivas" (T10). Srinivas truly inherited his father's genes. He kept Jai's legend alive when he went on a journey of his own in search of a mate... 300 kms (Though a few weeks later he came back home). Unfortunately, in April of 2017 he ventured into human settlement and was electrocuted by the electric fence farmers put up to protect their crops from wild animals. The farmer  got panicked, removed his tracking collar and buried his carcass nearby. Many tigers have fallen victim to such human activities in recent years besides poaching.

Iconic son of Jai, Srinivas (R- his carcass)

Jai's kingdom was proliferating, buzzing with life by 2015.  The same year he was radio-collared by wildlife expert Bilal Habib and monitored continuously.  But a few months later the link failed.

Where is Jai?

The sighting were at their peak during early summer of 2016. And then suddenly on 19th April, 2016 Jai went missing from his territory of Umred Karhandla near Nagpur. An extensive search was organised by the forest officials, supported by 100 volunteers. Even after weeks of  mega sweeping search across forests of Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia and Chandrapur, no traces of Jai could be found. The State Forest department also set up a panel of three members ( Chief Conservators), who were assigned the task to trace and locate Jai in the forest of Nagpur, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. Even Mr. Nana Padole, member of Lok Sabha asked for a CBI investigation into the matter of the missing tiger. All in vain. It was as if Jai had vanished into thin air. 

In December 2016, the news of appearance of a new tiger in Adilabad forest of Telangana was spreading like wildfire. The fact that was more startling was that many who had reported sighting claimed that it resembled the Legendary Jai, who was thought to be missing since April. Hope bloomed in the heart of wildlife officials and Jai's admirers. The Forest Minister of Maharastra Mr. Sudhir Mungantiwar himself had a talk with Mr. Jogu Ramanna (Minister of Forest, Telangana) to confirm the sightings. Within days camera traps were installed in the area for tracking. In Bhandara, near Chninchal village ex-sarpanch had a sighting of Jai a few weeks after his missing reports. Later that year two shepherd boys while strolling in the forest came cross a huge tiger with a radio-collar near Rawanwadi area. Was it possible that Jai had again ventured into unexplored territories in the search of a new domain... a journey of 200 kms. Or was that just another tiger mistaken to be Jai. Was he alive or has unfortune events engulfed him. The world was waiting for answers. And till date they have not yet come.   

The search is on. Hopes fading away but alive.

Waiting for you at a different dimension of time

Jai, a name immortalized twice, first by the iconic character played by Amitabh Bachhan in Sholay and then by this legendary tiger who en-thrilled everyone with his extraordinary journey. We are unknown of his being now but it cannot be denied that wherever he is, his legendary journey will follow. In this life and after. 

Jai ... The Hulk of Umred.

*This article is based on the story of Jai by Imroz Baig and pic and data courtesy Amrut, Amit and Anup Deodhar.