In India, Tigers Rule & the “Guest is God”

Story by: Sandy Cunningham

India undoes you — from the families who tend to history like a garden to the marble corridors where incense hangs in the stillness. From the majestic tigers prowling in the grass alongside the safari vehicle to the peacocks with jeweled tailfeathers shimmering in the heat, weaving through a mosaic of merchants at market.

And in undoing you, India remakes you. It makes you more curious, more connected, more whole. Every moment left me fuller than when I arrived. Because here, in this land of dust and dreams, the guest is not just welcomed. The guest is god.

These are my field notes from my recent journey to Southern Asia.

"Because here, in this land of dust and dreams, the guest is not just welcomed. The guest is god."

The Tiger Materializes

India has always lived inside me, first through my childhood friend in South Africa who spoke of it like a spell. Later, we named our second daughter India. The connection deepened.

But even then, something else pulled me: the tiger. Not just the creature, but the mythology of it. The search. The near-impossibility. That one perfect, elusive moment. My first sighting came softly. We had tracked for hours with no sign. Then word came of a tiger resting, hidden.

We found her at last. A flick of her tail. A slow roll. A glimpse of belly. One paw raised. Then she vanished, melting into the grasses like a shadow.

That fleeting moment cracked something open in me — every subsequent sighting was a gift. Tigers emerging from the undergrowth as if conjured by the forest. You don’t see them coming, they simply arrive. And everything stops. Time stands still.

Jawai Bandh Safari Camp

"Jawai delivers an epic safari in a spiritual area where leopards are held as semi-divine."

Cities: India’s Tapestry of Life

Mumbai: The City of Dreams

Nowhere is this country’s contrast more electric than in Mumbai, a city that dazzles in return for what it demands. With thundering traffic, colonial bones, glossy art deco, and salt-crusted fishing docks, Mumbai is a fever dream of ambition and artistry.

Here, life bursts from every corner: Boys play cricket on seaside promenades, women in bright saris weave through crowds, and the aroma of masala chai hangs in the air. Mumbai is alive, a hive of dreams where ancient gods and modern moguls walk side by side.

Rajasthan: A Different Drum

Beyond the urban thrum of Mumbai lies a different rhythm, slower and softer. In Rajasthan, palaces rise like mirages and legends linger in stone.

In Udaipur, the City of Lakes, the soul of India reveals itself in mirrored waters. It’s no wonder it was chosen as the setting for the James Bond film Octopussy, with the ethereal Taj Lake Palace shimmering on the lake.

The old town’s maze of narrow lanes, hilltop forts, palaces and lakeside havelis remind visitors of Udaipur’s regal Rajasthani past. “Ram Ram,” the local greeting, echoes gently through the streets — not just a hello, but a prayerful invocation, a daily benediction.

Under the guidance of our escort, Kamal Mehta, Udaipur unfolds like a storybook — personal, poetic, profound. With every step, you feel less like a tourist and more like a returning friend.

Jodhpur, the Blue City, spills down from the base of Mehrangarh Fort, one of the most formidable in India. Rising from a rocky outcrop, it is a monument to Marwar regional pride: grand and imposing, yet filled with delicate beauty.

Inside, time folds in on itself — mirrored halls, regal courtyards, and whispering winds that carry tales of battles, poetry, and honor. From its ramparts, the city unfurls like a tapestry, vivid, ancient, alive.

In Jaipur, the Pink City, the enchantment crescendos at the Rambagh Palace. Once the residence of Maharajas, today it is a realm of hushed elegance and timeless grandeur.

Wandering its rose-hued colonnades and manicured gardens, you’ve slipped into another era. The palace doesn’t just house history, it breathes it.

Every corner glows with candlelight and craftsmanship. Every meal tastes like a celebration. It is the epitome of royal Rajasthan, cinematic and deeply soulful.

"We found her at last. A flick of her tail. A slow roll. A glimpse of belly. One paw raised. Then she vanished, melting into the grasses like a shadow.

Accommodation: Portals to India’s Identity

Throughout the journey, I was welcomed into an extraordinary array of spaces: rustic jungle outposts, luxurious tented camps, rural family estates, soulful heritage homes, magnificent city hotels, and mind-blowing palaces.

More than just places to sleep, they were windows into India’s soul, shaped by those who have loved these lands for generations. From the simplicity of a canvas tent under starlight to the opulence of a marble palace, every setting evoked its own deep sense of culture, history, and hospitality.

In the countryside, Shahpura Bagh, a former royal estate turned tranquil sanctuary, stood out. ife unfolded slowly and gracefully: boating on still lakes, birdwatching at dawn, long conversations by firelight. A serene reminder of legacy and vision.

Across India, one hears the saying: Atithi Devo Bhava – “The Guest is god.” It’s more than a proverb; it’s a living ethos. And Shapura truly embodied that.

Bandhavgarh National Park – Samode

At Samode Safari Lodge, on the edge of Bandhavgarh National Park, the spirit of royal Rajputana expeditions of yesteryear echo throughout. It was here we saw our first tiger: a regal being emerging into a grassy plain, flanked by sentinels of the sacred, Asiatic elephants. That moment — primal, majestic, unforgettable — was a gift I will carry forever.

Kanha National Park – Jungle Lodge

In Kanha, at Jungle Lodge, owners and hosts Dimple and Tarun Bhati offered more than hospitality: They manifested a way of being. Their philosophy? Presence and connection to the jungle, to one another, and to each guest. Dimple’s passion for even the smallest insect turned every encounter into a moment of wonder.

Pench National Park and Junewani Lake – Jamtara Wilderness Camp

At Jamtara Wilderness Camp, deep in the jungle of Pench National Park, the sky cracked open. A thunderstorm rolled across the canopy. Rain pounded the earth around our tent, nestled in the land that once stirred Kipling’s imagination; they say The Jungle Book was born here.

After the rain, the forest stilled, and we headed out on a dawn drive. Minutes in, we spotted two young tiger brothers meeting at sunrise on the shores of Junewani Lake. The air hung heavy with silence, the rising sun casting a golden aura. Together, they laid across a sunken log, sunbathing in a portrait of power, youth, and peace.

Jawai – Among the Rabari

At Jawai, amid jagged granite hills, we tracked leopards and walked beside Rabari shepherds whose scarlet turbans blazed like flames above the pale earth. Their humble, ancient, and proud demeanor added a human heartbeat to the land’s raw beauty.

"More than just places to sleep, they were windows into India’s soul, shaped by those who have loved these lands for generations."

The Magic of Guides: Every Shrine, Forest, and Fable — Illuminated

Throughout it all, we were guided by exceptional individuals who were deeply educated, insightful, and poetic. Their reverence for India was contagious. They wove Hindu mythology, tribal lore, folktales, and contemporary nuance into every moment. Temples became cosmic maps, forests became fables, and every artifact — a roadside shrine, a handwoven textile — became part of India’s living, breathing narrative.

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INDIA: Where the “Guest is God" & Tigers Rule