04/04/2025
Thanks to all the folks who are submitting their work to AI algorithms as part of the ghiblify trend, the day is not far when one can generate a "Tiger from BR hills." It is easy. The algorithms learn from what you feed them. The native trees, the habitat, the hills, everything can be and will be replicated by them.
But is Art really about the end product? Or is it the process?
It took me 10 years to see a Tiger in what i call one of the most mysterious forests of South India - BRT tiger reserve. A casual afternoon safari, just like the countless others, photographed some wildlife, some tree canopy by sun down, and while returning back, there it was!
A decade-long roller coaster down the valleys of this forest was quite a ride, one that touches the core of who you are. The things I've seen, the smell of this forest, the tree diversity, the Soliga community, the temple, the seasons, and of course, the tiger are all something to be experienced. What fun sitting in a room and generating art? Sounds regressive to me.
