Oct 02, 2002 03:43 AM
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(Updated Oct 03, 2002 03:58 AM)
The Temple Tiger & More Man eaters of Kumaon was Colonel Corbett's fifth book, and last book on man eaters, written in 1953 while still in Kenya and published by Oxford University Press simultaneously in India, UK and United States the following year.
As expected, the first editions were sold out in two weeks in all countries, and the second printing came out the following month. Corbett wanted the readers to understand what was in his previous book ''Jungle Lore'' before reading the Temple Tiger, as one of the 5 stories in the book the hunting of 'The Talla Des Man eater' required a lot of jungle skills he learnt in his lifetime. Reading Jungle Lore would enable the reader to fully appreciate the above story, as Corbett tried to track down this particular tiger during his own 'bad time'.
He had been on an elephant with some friends just days before, and the man sitting behind him fired a shot from a high calibre rifle without warning, bursting Corbett's eardrum. The pain was unbearable. He didn't want to be a burden to his family. The Talla des man eater was getting active once again and to get away from home Corbett decided to go after the man eater.
It was a risk of course. He couldn't hear anything, as the sound plays a crucial role in hunting any animal, let alone a man eater. Corbett solely relied on his sight. He watched the birds and monkeys as they react to the presence of a tiger or leopard in the jungle. In the meantime an abscess had formed in his head and he became delirious in the jungle.
Despite all these handicaps, and against all odds, Corbett found the man eater and put an end to its career. Corbett was under treatment in a Lahore hospital for three months. When discharged from the hospital a typical Corbett wrote ''...restored my hearing sufficiently for me to associate with my fellow men without embarrassment and gave me back the joy of hearing music and the song of birds''
While Corbett was hunting the Mukteswar man eater, he arrived at Dabidhura. His men were without meat for several days. After meeting with his old friend, a priest at the local temple, Corbett asked him if there was any prospect for hunting around there. The priest told him that there was 'temple tiger'. Corbett had no plans to shoot his tiger and told the priest so. But he laughed and advised Corbett that he had no objection of the sahib's attempts to shoot the tiger, but no one would be able to bag the temple tiger.
At the same time, the temple tiger started to attack the cattle in the village. He never did this before. When the domestic stock started to deplete, the villagers approached Corbett for help. That's how the temple tiger came to Corbett's life, who was armed with a brand new .275 Westley Richards Rifle. A seasoned shikari like Corbett would normally have no difficulty in tracking down a new cattle killer, right? Well, you will have to read the story to find out the answer. Was the Temple Tiger real, or it had some super natural powers?
The story of Panar man eating leopard is incredible. It killed and ate no less than 400 human beings according to the records kept by the British officials. Questions were asked about this cunning animal in the House of Commons. A heavy bounty was declared to kill this leopard. Corbett went after the animal, but first he made sure the government had withdrew all the rewards.
The Chuka Man eating tiger was another cunning animal which killed several human beings. After many days and nights of tracking, without food or sleep, Corbett was able to outwit the man eater. It's left canine tooth was broken, result of a gun shot from one of the hunters- the reason for any normal tiger to become a potential man eater. Other reasons for a tiger turning to be a man eater is old age, and disability after fighting with porcupines.
The Temple Tiger has been in print since it's original publication. The first edition (1954) in very good condition now commands over $100.00. The best edition is by John Culler & Sons (US), with red leather binding, banded spine, gilt pages, color map and silk ribbon in addition to numerous specially commissioned illustrations. Culler printed all Corbett's books except Tree Tops, and their 5 volume set now commands over $1500.00 US or appx. Rs.75000/
The original edition contained several priceless photographs, taken by Corbett and Jean Ibbotson, wife of Sir William Ibbotson. In later editions, these photographs were replaced with illustrations by Raymond Sheppard.
The government of India awarded him a rare distinction - The Freedom of the Forests- he was allowed to enter any reserved forests in India without a permit. They also awarded him C.B.E., and O.B.E. for his services in the armed forces and for his humanitarian works. Jim Corbett was never knighted. Officially he was called Colonel Corbett, while the villagers addressed him as 'Carpet saab'. To his friends, he was always Jim.
In India, paperback edition of Temple Tiger is available in almost any book stores for about Rs.150. I have seen them in New Delhi, Naini Tal, Bombay, Madras, Calicut, Cochin, Kottayam, Palghat, Trivandrum, Thekadi and Ram Nagar during a recent visit. I collected several copies of his 6 books, and my friends were delighted with them.
Corbett's style is so unique and flawless. He possessed supreme narrative skills, and knew how to relate a story without boasting, and yet several of his stories were rejected by Blackwoods magazine (Scotland) in the 1920s by thoughtless editors as Corbett was quite unknown! He was an unassuming man, always modest, a great jungle detective, a crack shot, a champion of the underdog and above all a superior human being. Although born to Irish parents, India will always remember him as one of her own sons!
This will conclude reviewing all 6 books by Corbett- published in English language - as set out by this writer. Thank you and I hope you've enjoyed reading them.
