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Melanie wiped the sweat from her brow as she walked through Tareti Bazaar, a busy street

market in central Kolkata, known locally as the old China market. Tareti Bazaar was established

by Chinese immigrants in the 1800s. They brought much of their own culture to this lively corner

of India. With the smell of cooking wafting through the air, accompanied by hundreds of voices

chatting, it's as energetic today as it's ever been. Melanie couldn't help but notice the

array of colours all around her. Inspired, she slipped off her backpack and knelt on the dusty

ground, pulling out her camera. As Melanie affixed her lens, she caught sight of a woman walking

past wearing a vibrant green dress that danced around her limbs. And trance by the movement

of the fabric, Melanie watched until the woman vanished between two stalls. She then noticed

an older man cooking fat dumplings in a round steel pan. She smiled at the man and he nodded

in response. With his permission, she took pictures as the steam rose quickly, evaporating

in the air. Even though she was tired from travelling, Melanie was absorbed in everything.

Captivated by a world she had never experienced before. But although the Bazaar was fascinating,

it wasn't why she came to India. Instead, she was here to find something few people had ever seen.

A rare, white, Bengal tiger roaming in its natural habitat.

The orange sun was low in the sky by the time Melanie got back to her hotel.

Her mind was filled with a thousand thoughts of the tiger she hoped to meet.

...