
IPL step aside, the king of the jungle is here
Never in my dreams did I imagine I'd get close to lions, touch and play with cubs. Getting up close with the King of the Jungle (or his little ones anyway) was a humbling experience.
The chance to take in the wildlife in South Africa has been too good to resist. Besides my love for animals, I had to also do it for my four-year-old son, Aman, who has been asking me since I arrived here, "Appa, did you see lion?"
Having found time away from work on Saturday morning, I visited Lion Park, not far from Johannesburg. This world charges an entry fee and warns: "All persons who enter the 'touch a cub' enclosure do so at their own risk and responsibility." But I was not deterred.
With only eight people allowed in at a time, I had to wait and grew anxious watching others cuddle the six-month-old cubs. When my turn came, I did not know where to begin. Two cubs were sleeping without a care while three others were in a playful mood. As I approached one in a corner, it grew curious. The cub started biting my knee but fortunately it did not get a good grip. As I squatted, I felt on top of the world.
It was like playing with dogs and cats, just that the cubs' paws were bigger. Another cub caught hold of my shirtsleeve and refused to let go. "Tap its nose and it will let go," said the staff manning the enclosure, but I did not want it to leave me.
If this was not enough, an even greater experience awaited at the third of four lion camps. My driver on the guided tour, Steven, suddenly jumped out and played with the fully-grown lions, patting them on the head, rubbing the neck and gently pushing them away. "I have raised them and they know me by my smell," Steven said. "They don't attack me."
The best moment came when a couple of curious lions came near the vehicle with only an iron fence separating them from us.
When some of us spoke to the lions, their expressions changed, the gold-coloured eyeballs glowing as if they were trying to make sense of what we were saying.
"I don't mind spending another hour here," said David Hobson, a fellow traveller. I could not disagree, and have lots to tell Aman when I return home.

LIVE: China's Covid-19 tally rises by 9 fresh cases

Mizoram verifying reports of 3 Myanmarese nationals crossing over to India
- A Reuters report quoting unnamed officials stated that at least 19 Myanmarese policemen have crossed over to the Indian side through border areas in Serchip and Champhai districts. However, it could not be confirmed.

Raj Thackeray party takes credit of closing Karachi Bakery; not true, say others

'Gujarat leg of bullet train may open before Maharashtra first if...': Official

PM Modi to hold virtual summit on bilateral issues with his Sweden counterpart

Delhi HC directs UP police to give post mortem report of farmer

At least three Myanmar cops cross into India seeking refuge
- Those entering India can be granted refugee status, but they will be deported if the government decides against it

Cyber policy to factor in threat from state actors
- The 50-odd pages document, anchored by the national security adviser’s office, is now awaiting the approval from the Prime Minister’s office before it is released.

Covid-19: Phase 2 of vaccination drive stuck in first gear
- Delhi, which gave shots to 1,679 people per million population in the second phase till Wednesday night, was in the second spot, while Odisha (1,283 doses per million) was third

OTT regulations a necessity as some even show porn, says SC
- The scenes that caused offence have since been deleted, and the makers as well as the OTT company have apologised.

‘Can’t mandate perverse equality’: SC on plea over commission for women
- The medical fitness team of the Army tested close to 615 women SSC officers entitled for permanent commission, following the apex court judgment, on five counts: psychiatry, height, appendage (bone structure), physical and eye and ear.

N-E cities have the strongest feel-good factor
- The EOL report has calculated its overall scores on the basis of four parameters: quality of life, economic ability, sustainability and citizen perception.

Economic might led Bengaluru to top
- Bengaluru, India’s technology capital, is an economic powerhouse on account of the presence of some of the world’s largest corporations.

BJP names Metro Man as its Kerala CM face, then retracts
- K Surendran, the state BJP president who made the original announcement claimed he was quoted out of context.
_1614884674395_1614884685385.jpg)
Similipal blaze contained, Odisha asks for rapid response to forest fires
- The biosphere reserve spread over an area of 5569 sq km contributes 38% of the total protected area network in Odisha. It is also one of the oldest tiger reserves in the country having the largest zone of Sal trees.