To recap the story so far, visit https://nanditat6.wixsite.com/rosee-t/post/leela-s-night-out-featuring-gabbar
Regaining consciousness in the morning I saw a crowd of insolent people gathered around the cage, some of them went on and on clicking pictures of the Leopard with their cell phones while some were prodding her with a stick. The crowd was inconsiderate and they behaved like scoundrels. By now Leela was angry and agile. Using her front paws like a whirring garden tool, she set to work, digging at the bottom of the cage to create an opening between the iron bars and the solid sheet below in an attempt to get away. She figured she could not get out of the cage so why not try getting out from under the cage. Though, now the changed situation brought out a completely different set of feelings in me. I felt a little sorry for her. She may have been dealing with the separation anxiety from her cubs just like I was on being separated from my family. Even though her cubs would have matured by now, it is only natural for a mother’s heart to feel the pangs. The insolent crowd was only making her more furious. She managed to put in her head first and then half of her slinky body out of the cage. All of a sudden, the mighty crowd who acted as if no harm in the world could possibly fall on them, began to flee in a frenzy. Limping and crawling, every last one of them ran for their dear lives. Once again I was perplexed by this behaviour.
However, despite her astounding litheness, she could not manage to escape. With a sigh, she was back tired and hurt, emotionally as well as physically. Another hour passed and we heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. However, the jeep stopped short of the bridge and a few uniformed forest officials descended. “We cannot cross this bridge” announced one of them, authoritatively. One of the estate executives asked “why?!” and with the same tone of authority, the official explained “the area where the cage has been set up, comes under the Jorhat subdistrict; we cannot trespass. You should have placed the cage in the Sibsagar district itself!” Astounded, the executive replied, “but you see, the leopard had been spotted in this vicinity, thus the placement.” The officials, however, did not budge from their opinion. “We can not help, you ought to call the officials from the Jorhat district” came the reply. All of them turned around and faded away from view.
A little later a tribal man from the nearby hilly village appeared with a bag full of pork and started feeding the leopard. Neither of us were in the mood for food. This tribal man was whispering something into the Chowkidars' ears, in an attempt to persuade them to set Leela free but the Chowkidar did not relent. By now ragged and miserable we awaited what would happen next. Finally, another vehicle approached us. It came up close to the cage and out came forest officials from the Jorhat district. “Oh dear! What a lovely leopard! What a pity we cannot take her”. Nettled, the estate executives asked, “Why?!”. “Sure enough that this area is under our jurisdiction but the cage belongs to the Sibsagar district. We cannot take this cage.” The situation of Leela the Leopard amused me to such a great extent that I cannot even describe as to how I felt from behind the iron cage, though it was great to see such ethical forest conservationists. I was bemused to see them marking their territories so diligently.
The estate executives pleaded to do something about Leela, the leopard but it fell on the dead ears. A few more excruciating hours passed and I could see the silhouette of a few people who had come to fetch Leela. Thank the almighty, better sense prevailed as the management had contacted the higher authorities and Leela was to be taken care of by the Sibsagar forest officials. Alert and triumphant, I was happy to have saved my life and to be back to my adorable mate and kids.
At the end of the day, all I can conclude is that- the crowd of people, the forest officials, people from the management, the hilly tribal man, one and all of the human race amused us… Both Leela- the lithe mother leopard and I- Gabbar the whiskered old goat!