Pen and Pencil - Satsangi Shtories

Never fight an enemy in the manner that they fight you

June 20, 2021

"Never fight an enemy in the manner that the enemy fights with you. Do not become the enemy and use those methods to fight with others. Remember, that is why you gathered enemies in the first place."

These are remarkable phrases and advice. I heard it in one of the episodes of the tremendously long Turkish TV serial - "Magnificent Century: Kosem Sultan" that I have been watching for quite some time now. But, that is another story.

These phrases are indeed true and quite valid as I have seen in my years of work life, in family life and in the various brotherhoods and fraternity that I am part of. Here in the past two and a half decades of work life, I have had to face many sorts of colleagues. Some became outright enemies and some went against me while being friendly upfront. The open enemy is the best friend, as much as I have seen. You know the enemy and you can get their measure. You know what is to be done and you know how to go about it. You can expect and predict their moves and at times, even if you are taken by surprise, you can still recover, get back and attack again. But attack, you must.

It is those who stay friendly, take you up the garden path, appreciate-praise-applaud all your silly actions - and then plot and plan in secrecy, ready to plunge their daggers unto you, it is them that are the most dangerous and one needs to be careful to understand and avoid becoming one like them.

Zen Habits - a quick overview

Lone Tusker at Kaziranga National Park, Assam - December 2017

I had gone to Kaziranga National Park with my daughter, Pritvi, in December 2017 along with Aranyamithra friends. It was absolute winter with low temperatures and I was worried about Pritvi but I need not have. She handled the conditions excellently and participated in all the safaris to the core zone of the National Park.

Of course, the intent was to spot and photograph the one-horned rhinoceros and large cats, and one knew that there were wild elephants within the Park. But it never prepares you for when it finally comes out in front of you.

We were driving through in a post-noon safari and we requested the driver to take us through paths that would not be frequented by most tourist vehicles. He was very happy to and warned us, "You won't see Tiger or Leopard. If that's ok, I am ok."

"Ok! Ok!" we said and we drove for nearly an hour through good forests above the Brahmaputra plains. We could continue to see the river and the floodplains through the forest canopy and we realised that we were higher than the rhino areas. As we drove through, the driver slowed down. He pointed to a vigorous shake on one of the tall bamboo clumps.

He said in a whisper, "Makhna!"

We stopped the vehicle and sat there, perhaps for nearly five minutes or something. And then, he came into view. Slowly, he climbed up the ridge to the road and stood in the middle, watching us and scouting for other vehicles. It was a majestic sight. Quite terrifying and all that, but thrilling.

The sighting of the 'Makhna' was worth driving through the desolate trail in Kaziranga.

Lifetime achievement award for ornithology - Uttarakhand, November 2009

Received the lifetime achievement award for ornithology on the occasion of the Great Himalayan Winter Bird Count in November 2009. The award was presented by the Forest and Environment Minister of the State Government of Uttarakhand. The event was organised by Prateek Panwar. The 2008 award was presented to Syed Abdullah Hussain, my mentor and senior scientist for many years at the Bombay Natural History Society.

A close-up of the Lifetime Achievement Award that was received from the Forest and Environment Minister, Government of Uttarakhand during the inaugural function of the 2nd Great Himalayan Bird Count on 7 November 2009.

Me and my guruji, Syed Abdullah Hussain (or SAH, as he was known) with our Lifetime Achievement Awards. Mr. Hussain was awarded the recognition for the year 2008 but had not been able to travel to Dehra Dun due to ill-health. It was very satisfying therefore to receive the award along with Hussain Saab, one who has been a guru and mentor and true friend and support to me. It was also thrilling to receive the award in a State where I had not worked on birds.