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| Perfection! |
Over the past 48 hours at the Tiger’s Den Resort, we’ve been so wrapped up in going out on safari twice a day (8½ hours a day) and dining on delicious food three times a day, we’ve had time for little else.
With the resort’s WiFi connection only available in the reception area, preparing posts in our room using my phone hotspot technology has been slow and laborious. The only position I’d uploaded from here was yesterday’s story after our first tiger sighting. Please click here for details.
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| Endearing… |
However, getting up at 5:00 am and being safari-ready by 6:00 has left me a little weary and preferring to stay in our beautifully appointed room when not in the jeep or dining room.
Today, I decided to bite the bullet and head to the reception area, where the signal is perfect. Also, today, after last night’s heavy rain and hail, this morning’s sightings were few in the safari areas of the park.
After a five-hour foray of searching for the elusive tiger, after yesterday’s great success, we decided to forgo the afternoon game drive and stay in at the reception area to do a post that was nagging at me… The stunning work of Rakesh Prajapati, a young and vibrant wildlife artist like none we’ve ever seen in our over seven years of world travel.
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| Darling cubs are so beautifully represented. |
We happened across his fine work by accident. When staying in a hotel or resort, we may breeze through a gift shop paying little attention to the typical trinkets-type inventory offered to impulsive tourists, often overpriced and often unused and unappreciated once returning to one’s country of residence.
When we casually entered the “Souvenir Shop” after dinner our first night here, when at that point, we’d yet to embark upon the first of many safaris and weren’t quite as tired as we are now, our mouths were agape at what our eyes beheld.
There before our eyes, lie the most exquisite paintings we’d ever seen of any wildlife, let alone the mysterious Bengal Tiger, only found in India, with only 2500 remaining nationwide.
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| Stunning! |
Leaning against a glass countertop stood a handsome young man, Rakesh with a tiny paintbrush in his hand, painting an exquisite rendition of a tiger from a photo he’d taken here in the Bandhavgarh National Park with its 1536 square kilometers (593 square miles) surrounding this and other safari resorts.
After being engrossed in his work, I asked him if we could highlight him with a story and photos of his actual paintings, and, let me stress, these aren’t photos of photos. These are photos of his real paintings.
Of course, the tiger is a perfect subject for the skilled and determined artist, but Rakesh has taken this advantage to an incomprehensible level. After seeing hi
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| Such fine detail. |
Today, we share a few of Rakesh’s stunning works (painted, not photos) and invite any of our readers who may so wish to contact him directly if you’d love one of his masterpieces.
He ships his works worldwide in a secure cardboard tube for your framing preferences once received. Prices range from INR 5000 (US $70) to INR 75000 (US $1043) plus shipping. The sizes of each original painting vary. Feel free to inquire as to the size of each masterpiece. Many would ideally encompass a substantially sized wall.
To reach Rakesh, contact him at his email here: prajapatirakesh73@gmail.com.
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| Rakesh paints a wide array of subjects, human and animal, besides tigers. Outstanding work! |
As for this resort, Tiger’s Den Resort, we couldn’t be more pleased. The grounds, rooms, and public areas represent a vast wildlife and safari persona. The service is impeccable. Monkeys, birds, and a few lovely German Shephard dogs protect the guests and yet are friendly and welcoming. The area is safe and unhindered by many risks one may find in more populated areas.
Happy Day!
Photo from one year ago today, February 25, 2019:
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| Tom had cut several stalks of celery, saving the scraps for the kudus, bushbucks, and zebras, all of which love celery. For more photos, please click here. |