This co-existence is sometimes in harmony, but often in conflict.
On the other hand, tigers too are finding it increasingly difficult to hunt in the forest where water level is rising. They find preying on the humans, who come to the forest unarmed, easier. It may not be wrong to say that the time has come when humans and tigers have begun fighting for space.
At the Jungle - A fishermen's country boat makes its way deep into the mangrove jungles of Sunderbans.
At the Island - The embankments are unable to hold back the ever increasing water level during high tides. Owing to its location at the delta region, the salinity in these water destroy the fertility of the farmlands that lay on the other side.
At the Jungle - A honey collector enters the dense mangrove with a mask tied at the back of his head and a lighted bunch of leaves which will be used to ward off the bees from their hive.. As tigers always tend to attack from behind, the mask is worn at the back in an effort to fool the tiger – but it does not always yield the result.
At the Jungle -Suren and Bapi Mondol collecting honey. Honey collection from jungles in Sunderban is a dangerous but lucrative job for the islanders. During summer months men go out into the jungles in search of honeycombs. They do it without any proper protection. The method is crude and old. First they go inside the dense mangrove in search of a honeycomb - and after finding one - they smoke it by burning leaves of Hetal Tree. Once the bees disperse - the men cut the comb quickly and leave. But they are more often get stung by the insects. They apply honey on their skin to sooth the pain. The bee stings do not worry them as much as the tiger attacks which is more than often. Many honey collectors continue to lose their lives each year during such search and collect operation deep inside the jungle.
At the Island - Crops lay destroyed at the farms which got deluged by tidal floods. The stagnant saline water destroys the fertility of the land, together with the livelihood of the farmer who is left with no other alternative job except venturing into the jungle.
At the Island - Remnants of a house that was destroyed by repeated tidal floods.
At the Jungle - Bapi Mondol, a honey collector, with a piece of bee-hive that was procured. Collecting and selling honey has become a lucrative work though it poses serious danger of tiger attacks. But the choice of getting into honey collecting work is more of an involuntary choice owing to the lack of alternative livelihoods at the islands, specially for those who doesn’t own a farmland or have lost one to the sea level rise. Bapi Mondol has been killed by a tiger in the June of 2020, 5 years after this photo was taken.
At the Jungle - Hunting crabs too, have become another important means of occupation. Unlike honey, crabs are hunted throughout the year and the number of people joining this livelihood has increased 4 folds in 3 years. Most of the people who are attacked by the tigers are crab hunters, since catching them unaware, as they concentrate hard on carb collecting, at the mudbanks of the jungle is easy for the tiger.
At the Island - Biren tries to protect himself from rain with a plastic sheet. Biren and others were working to repair the mud embankments after the high tides recedes. They have to do this almost every high tides during full and new moon days.
At the Jungle - Dipu Mondol working at night. Fishermen work day and night while at the jungle. They take turns to keep a lookout for tigers at night. Dipu Mondol was a farmer. His farm has lost fertility after the mud embankment was destroyed during cylone Aila in 2009 and subsequent tidal flooding.
At the Jungle - The night in the Jungle at high tide.
At the Island - When men go in to the jungle, their wives put on white based sarees (a mark of widowhood) and pray to Bonobibi for their safe return. This age old tradition still continues in Sundarbans. One can see the white bangles made from conch shell on their arm - a mark of marriage together with a white saree - a mark of widowhood, as they pray long hours for their husbands.
At the Jungle - Kartick Mondol was attacked and killed by a tiger at night, in the month of October 2019. He was hunting from crabs along with three others at the Pirkhali block of the jungle. Kartick started to go to the jungle from last two years to increase his income. His body was recovered by his fellow fishermen.
At the Island - Photos of Tiger Victims at a local NGO in Chhota-Mollakhhali island. Unaware to outsiders, the number of people killed in tiger attacks in Sundarbans is quite striking. In the month of June and July 2020 alone, 8 people have been killed in tiger attacks, of which bodies of 5 were dragged by the tiger into the jungle and was not recovered. An additional 5 were seriously wounded by this man-animal conflict.
At the Island - Men break Pratima Mistry's white bangles made of conch shells. These specific bangles are a mark of marriage and after Pratima's husband Ranjit died from tiger attack, the bangles must be broken off to mark her widowhood according to Hindu rituals. Pratima Mistry could not believe that her husband Ranjan Mistry would die from a tiger attack. Ranjan was always afraid to go into the jungle since his father too was killed by a tiger. Probably it was his first his venture to the jungle which costed him his life.
At the Island - Pratima Mistry could not believe that her husband Ranjan Mistry would die from a tiger attack. Ranjan was always afraid to go into the jungle since his father too was killed by a tiger. Probably it was his first his venture to the jungle which costed him his life. She has a son to bring up and she doesn't know how she will manage financially
At the Island - Dinesh was one of the very few lucky survivors of a tiger attack. Few years back Dinesh was on a fishing venture inside the forest with 3 other people. He was setting up a fishing net near a mud flat when he was attacked by the tiger. He put his arm inside the tiger's mouth to save himself for the fatal bite. The close encounter lasted for about 10 minutes before Dinesh became free momentarily and he was able to run and swim onto the boat which was already taken mid river by the others. The tiger's teeth and nails had left him with scars all over his body including his face. Dinesh is one those rare people who decided to continue his ventures into the forest after having a narrow escape from death. He blames absence of an alternative sustainable livelihood for this hard decision.
At the Island - Chaitali Mondol is another of those rare group of people who could escape a tiger attack. She started going to the forest after losing her husband at tiger attack. She was out collecting shrimps at the mud flats when she was attacked by the tiger. She was able to throw, just in time, the fishing net over the tiger's face to escape the fatal attack. Still the nails of the animal penetrated her muscles right to the bones. She still cannot work properly due to pain in her leg.
At the Island - Women take part in an annul ritual where they pray for the safety of her family. The women put earthen pots on their heads and knees, full of ignitable camphor powder, which are ignited as they sit praying. The event takes place during spring, just before the honey season begins when men go out to the jungle to gather honey from bee-hives, a time when they are prone to tiger attacks.
At the Jungle - The Tiger too is finding it hard. During high tides, the southern islands are getting increasingly deluged. Hunting is hard in this tidal forest, which is full of pneumatophores and oozy muds. In this scenario, hunting humans is the preferred choice for the animal for its survival. And at a time, a large number of humans is venturing into the jungle unprotected, the conflict is bound to increase.
At the edge of the Jungle - Abdul waits pensively at the edge of the jungle waiting for his father who has gone catch some fish for dinner on the other side of the river.
At the Island - Abdul’s grandmother lies on saline support. She has fallen sick a couple of days ago and the nearest hospital lies in Canning -5 hours away and includes three river crossings.
At the Island - Rupa (name changed) lost her husband 9 months into her marriage. There was a major attempt to traffick her across the border, allegedly by her in-laws, but it failed due to timely intervention of her parents.
At the Jungle - Rupa (name changed) is going to the jungle for last 8 years. On a couple of occasions, she witnessed tiger attacking her group which resulted in death of two members.
On the River - People start an ominous journey as black cloud looms above. Boats are the only way to access the island. And there are no proper ferry boats for locals and passengers - only open boats that run every three hours till 6pm in the evening.
At the Island - Sabita Mondol looks at the rising water level and heavy rainfall across the river as cyclone BulBul approaches. Her main apprehension being losing her boat during the cyclone. Cyclone Bulbul struck the islands in the first week of November 2019 resulting in major damage to crop harvest and homes.
At the Island - People seeking shelter as cyclone Bulbul approaches the island bringing in torrential rain along with very high speed winds. Cyclone Bulbul made landfall at Sundarbans on the night on 9thNovember 2019 causing huge losses to thousands. The frequent cyclones ( 3 in last year), causes great losses to the people who are already fighting between poverty and life.
At the Island - Aarti Mondal stands next to her small home which was destroyed by cyclone Amphan on 21st May 2020. She is 6 months pregnant. In the present covid situation along with the loss caused by the cyclone she doesn't know what to expect in the coming months.
At the Island - Namita Mondol lost her 17 year old teenage daughter Saimi to pneumonia. She remembers how they had went out to pull fishing nets at the riverbanks. It was raining all day and her daughter got fever from the night and died after 10 days. Healthcare is abysmal at the far off islands, and most of cases are referred to Kolkata Government hospitals were availability is an illusion.
At the Island - Namita Mondol enacts in the role of Goddess Bon Bibi at a local play, which are often organised at hotel grounds for tourists. The play is based on the legend of Bon-Bibi who is worshipped in Sundarbans a protector of of both animals and humans. The play shows how Bon-Bibi saves a child from the beast Dakhhin Roy, who, in the form a tiger, comes to kill a child called Dukhu. Dukhu was left behind in the jungle by her uncle as a sacrifice in lieu of honey, given to them by the beast. Namita finds irony in playing her role as a protector, who failed to protect her daughter.
At the Jungle - Sudhen Mondal crosses a creek. He has gone to catch some crabs and wades through the murky water inspite of the high risk of getting attacked by a crocodile. He needs to earn Rs.1500 ($21) by the end of the week to buy new books for her daughter Asima
At the Island - Sudhen Mondal's daughter Asima studying with an oil lamp. Electricity is not frequent but she is determined to study hard and continue her education. Her father is torn between his decision in supporting her all the way and getting her married in such hard conditions.
At the hospital - Jadav Mandal was attacked by the tiger on 16thNovember 2019. The tiger bit his left cheek and back but his fellow fishermen were able to recover him. He was admitted to Canning Hospital but the next day he suffered a massive stroke, out of trauma (according to the doctors) and went into coma. He dies 8 hours after this photo was taken on 18th November 2019.
At the Island - Bimala is one of the few widows who chose to wear a white saaree as a mark of widowhood. She waits for the boatman and passengers to take her across the river to Amlamethi, where her daughter is married and lives. Bimala lost her husband 25 years ago, 3 years into her marriage.