INDIA is today largely a modern country, but there are still some mysteries left. One such is revealed in travel writer Sundeep Bhutoria’s new book, The Bera Bond.
Bera is a small semi-arid area nestling in the Aravalli Hills in Rajasthan, where people from the Rabari tribe live in perfect harmony with leopards.
Bhutoria says: “The Bera Zone is divided into 10 mountain ranges. The area is known to have had no leopard-human conflict in decades, even though humans and big cats live in close proximity to each other. If a leopard kills livestock, the Rabaris do not seek revenge. The leopards also play their part by never attacking humans.”
He adds: “The Bera region comprises granite hills covered with axelewood and along the dry, rocky riverbeds are the religious shrines and temples. The leopards of Bera have accepted these as a part of their habitat. It’s a most incredible sight to see villagers at prayer and leopards sitting close by, calmly, watching the ceremonies.”
The holiest of the shrines is the Shiva Temple on the Perwa hill, “known for being the place where man and beast can revel together in its sanctity”.
Bhutoria tells of one priest, Maharaj Amar Nath, who came to Perwa in 2001 from Haryana. “It is in this temple, along with the leopards, that he found comfort. Neither did he feel threatened by the leopards nor the leopards by him.”
The book’s introduction has been written by actor Victor Banerjee (who played Dr Aziz in David Lean’s A Passage to India in 1984), who comments: “The Rabari tribesmen, who staunchly believe they are the direct descendants of Lord Shiva, live amongst these leopards as their guardians.”
And in the foreword, Bittu Sahgal, an environmental activist who set up the Sanctuary Asia Foundation, observes: “There was a time when hunters considered that the only good leopard was a dead leopard. In many parts of India, that is still the ground truth, particularly, if the big cats take to livestock predation, or worse. Bera….is an exception.”
Just how unusual Bera is can be judged by even a cursory glance through Indian newspapers. Loss of habitat has meant increasing conflict between human beings and leopards, even in urban and semi-urban settings. For example, leopards are no longer a rare sight in parts of Mumbai adjoining the Sanjay Gandhi National park.
According to one report, there are “not only leopard attacks on the odd pig or cattle calf – leopards here sometimes kill people. Leopard attacks on people peaked at 25 cases in 2002. Mumbai’s leopards live alongside people, mostly in informal settlements, and they hunt and kill dogs in and around their villages. On average, dogs make up about 40 per cent of a Mumbai leopard’s diet.”
Bhutoria was befriended by local wildlife conservationist and photographer Shatrunjay Pratap Singh, who has often been forced to go to court “to prevent this small parcel of paradise from being mined for limestone, marble and more”.
“Shatrunjay told me how once the Maharaj had mentioned to him that he leaves buckets of water and milk for the leopards to lap up. Sadly, Maharaj Amar Nath left for his heavenly abode on August 5, 2016.”
The author also points out “the area in and around this temple is one of the favourite places for the leopards of Bera” and concludes: “In this confluence of the divine and the wild, the human beings have carved out a peaceful place for themselves.”
Bhutoria explains: “I have always had a fascination for big cats and after writing The Safari, my book on tigers, I was on the prowl for the subject of my next publication. Bera piqued my interest and I launched my research.
“Had it not been for the leopards, this tiny village deep inside Rajasthan would have remained hidden from human eyes. Bera, 140km from Udaipur, is home to 55 leopards who live harmoniously with humans. There are few instances of such peaceful co-existence in the world.
“Fringed by the Aravalli hills, the landscape of Bera is exactly as one images arid Rajasthan to be – dotted with cactus and acacia. A closer look at the forested hills, however, will reveal dark, hollow caves perfect for leopards.
“The river Jawai, which flows alongside Bera, is the perfect foil to this desert land. With the Jawai Dam creating a beautiful waterbody, the rivers become the hangout of some of the biggest crocodiles one will see, as well as flamingos, Sarus Cranes, Bar-headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck and many other birds and animals.”
He says of local tribe: “The Rabaris are a nomadic pastoral community whose primary livelihood is farming and herding cattle. One of the main reasons why the leopards have settled here is because of the availability of the food they love.”
The casual visitor may find it difficult to distinguish one leopard from another. Also, “the rocks of Bera merge so beautifully with the spots when they are resting that it’s difficult to identify them from a distance, even through a pair of binoculars.”
Bhutoria says: “Every leopard has rosette patterns which come in a variety of shapes, sizes and patterns and for people who know about them, the leopards can be identified easily.”
His guide identified the leopards, among them Zia, with her cubs, Deva, Prano and Shiva. There was also Pasha, Charger, Cutear, Chacha Khan, Leo, Marshal, Tara, Rambo, Shedwood and Yasheshwi.
Jiva and Chhotu were spotted with their cubs, Yuvraj, Sultan and Madhu.
He learnt that a male leopard will sometimes kill the cubs of a female he wants to mate with. He discovered that Neelam, who had three cubs, put up a valiant fight against Heera, a male from another territory. “Somehow, Neelam managed to save her cubs in this fight, but the next morning Shatrunjay got the sad news that despite Neelam’s bravery, the male leopard had managed to kill one of her cubs.”
The villagers asked Bhutoria to name one cub – he called it “Gullu”.
The Bera Bond by Sundeep Bhutoria is published by Macmillan.
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
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