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“Grrrrrrrrr….” to find someone who can help them.
The Royal Bengal Tiger Rinki masked her nose with her little palms. “So nasty!” She murmured. Her
teacher told in her class some days back about the Swachha Bharat Abhiyan,
and how it had become a national movement to keep the environment clean
“Chhii…, so horrible! How can he sit for potty in the open?” Rinki and germs free. She looked at the boy's mother and curled her lips. The mother
distastefully looked at the boy, who may be of her own age. Some visitors gave seemed least bothered about what her son was doing. Rinki sighed in
an awful glance at the boy and his mother and then walked ahead. disapproval.
12 | Dr. K.C. Sethi & Sunita Sethi
A harsh sound startled Rinki. Confused, she looked around. A huge Royal An old man, who was observing everything from a distance, came near them
Bengal tiger was growling inside its spacious cell just in front of her. It holding a stick. “I'm the caretaker of this zoo, little girl! Tell me your name and
appeared to be in a bad mood. Its black stripes were haughtily making waves with whom did you come here.” He held Rinki by her arm and made her sit
on its gleaming white fur as it was moving restlessly from one corner to near a water fountain and tried to console her. But Rinki started crying even
another. loudly seeing his messy grey hairs and his long stick. The group of girls
“Mummy!” Suddenly she cried loudly. requested the old man to help them find Rinki's parents.
“Mummy….Papa…. Uncle!” The caretaker assured them to find her parents and asked them to take care of
Rinki.
A few visitors looked at her curiously. Rinki got panicked not finding any of
her family members around. Just a while ago she was cheerfully walking with “Make an urgent announcement. I found a girl of six or seven years old near
her uncle holding his fingers and he was introducing her to all the wild animals the white tiger cell. She got detached from her family,” the caretaker told
and birds that they were coming across in the magnificent Alipore Zoological someone over his mobile phone. At that very moment Rinki saw her mother,
Garden of Kolkata. “You know, Royal Bengal tigers are unique to India and father and uncle come from the other side frantically calling her name. Rinki
Bangladesh. They are usually found in the mangrove forests of India and let out a cry and ran toward them.
Bangladesh, especially in the Gangetic delta region of both the countries,” “Is she your mother?” The caretaker also ran behind her.
uncle explained enthusiastically. Wiping her tears Rinki almost jumped into her mother's embrace. Her
Rinki was full of queries. “Who caught this tiger, uncle? It is so big! Aren't the anxious- looking father and uncle also came running towards them.
zoo people scared of this tiger who roars so loudly?” “Are you her parents? How careless are you all?” the caretaker said scornfully.
Uncle was amused to see the excitement on the charming face of his six-year- “Are you not aware of this big bad world? Luckily these girls spotted her in the
old niece. “Zoo people are expert in such things, Rinki. They lure these wild crowd. Praise God... she is all safe.”
beasts with flesh of goats and other animals and imprison them tactfully and Rinki's father and uncle admitted their fault and thanked the girls and the old
then bring them here loading in cages, so that my little niece can watch them man profusely for everything. Rinki's mother hugged her tight and kissed her
without getting scared.” Uncle smiled at Rinki lovingly. again and again wetting her daughter's cheeks with her own flood of tears.
Yearly visits to her maternal grandparents' place were joyous occasions for Grrrrrrrrr…Grrrrrrrrr…The Royal Bengal tiger roared again. Rinki peeked at
Rinki and her siblings. Grandma's bedtime stories, adventurous outings with the huge mammal from her mother's tight embrace. The white tiger was
her favourite uncle and lots of fun and frolic with the children of the cheering the crowd with its proud moves. Rinki smiled snuggling comfortably
neighborhood...used to make their vacations ever exciting. in her mother's warmth.
Rinki started crying, looking here and there for her mother. The zoo premise
was crowded with people of different ages.
A group of young girls came near Rinki and asked her why she was crying.
~Moushumi Bhattacharjee~
“I can't find my mummy. Take me to my mummy please! Where are my Papa
and uncle?” with tearful eyes she asked the girls. The girls looked around trying
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