“Won’t I go to school, Mother? ”: How these 4 women from Maharashtra are protecting children in a village surrounded by tigers

“Mother, I won’t go to school; I feel a tiger follows me.” When Kiran Gedam’s 4-year old son told her this, a chill ran down her spine. Kiran lives in a village on the outskirts of the Tadoba Tiger Sanctuary. It is surrounded by dense forest on all sides, and there is a constant fear of tiger attacks that looms large over them. It is impossible to predict when or from where a tiger might appear. To protect themselves from wild animals, a wire fence has been installed around the village. Since the fatal attacks on two local residents who were brothers, in 2017 and 2022, the people of this village have lived in perpetual fear. Tigers are frequently spotted near the village; sometimes they even chase motorbikes and can be seen inside the fields where the villagers grow crops. While animals roam freely in the forest, the people of this village live as if they are trapped in a cage. This is Sitaram Peth village, located in the Moharli forest area of Chandrapur district in Maharashtra. The village falls within the Tadoba Tiger Reserve region which a home to approximately 120 tigers.

There is a 400-meter mud road from the village that leads to the bus stand. On one side lies dense forest, and on the other are fields. There is not a single streetlight on the road. Villagers often spot tigers on this stretch. And this very road is used by children for commuting to school.17 students from the village travel to Mudholi, 7 kilometers away, for school. To do so, they must catch a bus from the bus stand located 400 meters from the village. However, because of wild animals, this 400-meter stretch becomes extremely dangerous. A tiger could appear on this road at any time.“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. My husband works in a resort nearby like most villagers, so we could not seek help from them. So four of us—all my friends from the village—decided to keep vigil, Kiran Gedam told the Times of India.

Kiran, along with Venu Randaye, Reena Nat, and Seema Madavi took responsibility for ensuring that the children could travel safely to and from school. In the pitch darkness of night, on a road where a tiger could attack at any moment, these four women protect the children, carrying wooden sticks and torches in their hands.They leave for the bus stand 9:30 a.m. All the children get ready and gather at the village square. The four women then escort them to the bus stand. The children walk in the middle, while the women surround them from all sides. Tigers are often seen near the bus stand as well. The women remain there until the bus arrives to ensure the children’s safety. ” We have been given stick and torches by the Forest Department who also has named us, Matrishakti, says Kiran proudly.““Lekin dar lagta hai, Tiger kabhi bhi aa sakta hai.” One can see fear in her eyes. She braves this every day.All the children stay inside the bus stand, and the four women stand facing each other so that if a tiger approaches from behind, they can spot it. The children return home by bus around 6:45 p.m., by which time it is completely dark. As soon as the bus arrives, they form a protective circle around the children and escort them back to the village. While walking along the road, they scan the surroundings with their torches. They make noise with their sticks, shout, and talk loudly among themselves so that if a tiger is nearby, it will run away.

“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. Until we reach the village, we remain frightened. Once we reach the village, it feels like we have narrowly escaped,” says Gedam.The forest department has provided these women with uniform-coloured sarees, jackets, torches, and wooden sticks, acknowledging and supporting their efforts. Yet, fear continues to loom large in the tiger kingdom. Living at the periphery of the jungle, the people in this village have learned to coexist with one of nature’s most formidable predators. But what truly defines these women is not just their courage in the face of danger, which is constant, but the quiet strength of motherhood! Their resolve shows how being a mother can push fear aside, how responsibility can outweigh risk, and how love for one’s child can become a powerful force. In the shadow of the jungle, these women stand not as victims of circumstance, but as steady protectors of their children’s future.