If there is any name that has become synonymous with Bandhavgarh National Park, then it is that of "Kuttappan". This tamer of giants was born on the 27th of February 1952 in Kerala and moved to Bandhavgarh in 1976. Although he is known as one of the most reputed mahouts in India, he is also famous for another one of his many talents - photography. Kuttappan has taken photographs from the back of his beloved elephant, Gautam, which have not only been simply appreciated but also been published and used by National Geographic, BBC and Environ to name a few. This man of the jungle even develops his own film, fully understanding even more complicated procedures like extending or reducing development time for pushed or pulled film.

The name Kuttappan has almost become synonymous with the park

E.A. David was name Kuttappan by one of the officials at Bandhavgarh when he first shifted there. Not really interested in going through all the hassles of getting it changed back to the original, he let the name stay, which has now become famous with many wildlife enthusiasts around the world. He is now a family man and a proud father of two sons and a lovely daughter. His control on his elephant is awe inspiring. Unlike many other mahouts, hardly ever is a word spoken. A simple nudge with a toe or a pat with a hand gets the message clearly across to his beloved friend.

It was a great evening that we spent around the bonfire with Kuttappan. We sat and listened, fascinated, by the many stories that poured out one by one about the exciting adventures of his life. Some concerned chasing maneaters, some concerned incidents with his elephants and some even were comical tales regarding visitors like us. Meeting Kuttappan made us realise that he was a deep thinking man, with a concern for the jungle and with many more assets than those required for guiding a ride elephant. Humour was also definitely one of them.