Mothers Brave Tiger Territory to Ensure Children's Safe Passage to School
"Mother, I won't go to school; I feel a tiger follows me." When Kiran Gedam's four-year-old son uttered these chilling words, a profound fear gripped her heart. Kiran resides in Sitaram Peth village, situated on the outskirts of the Tadoba Tiger Sanctuary in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district. This community is enveloped by dense forests on all sides, with the constant, looming threat of tiger attacks casting a shadow over daily life.
A Village Living in Perpetual Fear
The village, located within the Tadoba Tiger Reserve region—home to approximately 120 tigers—has been haunted by tragedy since fatal attacks on two local brothers in 2017 and 2022. To mitigate risks, a wire fence has been installed around the settlement, yet tigers are frequently spotted near homes, sometimes chasing motorbikes or wandering into crop fields. While wildlife roams freely in the forest, the villagers feel trapped in a cage of fear.
The Dangerous 400-Meter Journey
Seventeen students from Sitaram Peth travel to Mudholi, seven kilometers away, for their education. To catch the school bus, they must traverse a 400-meter mud road from the village to the bus stand. This path is flanked by dense forest on one side and fields on the other, with no streetlights to illuminate the way. Villagers often encounter tigers here, making the daily commute a perilous ordeal for the children.
"Every day the children would come home in fear. 'I saw a tiger, Aai,' my son would tell me every other day. It was then that we decided that enough was enough," Kiran Gedam recounted to the Times of India. With most men, including her husband, working at nearby resorts and unavailable for help, Kiran took initiative.
The Formation of 'Matrishakti'
Kiran, along with Venu Randaye, Reena Nat, and Seema Madavi, formed a protective group dubbed "Matrishakti" by the Forest Department. These four women now escort the children to and from the bus stand daily, braving the pitch darkness and imminent tiger threats armed with wooden sticks and torches.
At 9:30 a.m., the children gather at the village square, and the women surround them in a protective formation as they walk to the bus stand. They remain vigilant until the bus arrives, often spotting tigers near the area. "We have been given sticks and torches by the Forest Department, who also named us Matrishakti," Kiran stated proudly, though fear lingers in her eyes.
Daily Rituals of Courage and Caution
Upon the children's return around 6:45 p.m., when darkness has fully set in, the women form a circle around them for the walk back. They scan the surroundings with torches, make noise by banging sticks, and talk loudly to deter any nearby tigers. "When we go to pick up the children, we often see a tiger. Only yesterday I saw one. But we don't tell the children because they are already scared," Gedam shared. The relief upon reaching the village is palpable, as if narrowly escaping danger each time.
Support and Symbolism of Maternal Strength
The forest department has provided uniforms, jackets, torches, and sticks to support these women's efforts. Yet, fear remains a constant companion in this tiger kingdom. Living on the jungle's edge, the villagers have learned to coexist with one of nature's most formidable predators. What defines these women is not merely their courage in the face of relentless danger, but the quiet, unwavering strength of motherhood. Their resolve demonstrates how maternal love can overpower fear, how responsibility can outweigh risk, and how protecting one's child becomes a powerful, transformative force. In the shadow of the jungle, these women stand as steadfast guardians of their children's futures, embodying resilience and hope.
