Review: The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag by Jim Corbett

Jim Corbett's The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag is not just a story about the hunter and the prey but also an ode to the people of Gharwali. A engaging, hair-raising thriller written in an accessible manner. 

 

While wandering the streets of Lucknow, I saw a second-hand bookstall. Tired of reading non-fiction, I wanted a ‘light’ read and my eyes fell onto Jim Corbett’s The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag. Immediately, I bought the book and started reading. And it was riveting from the start.

Before reading the book, I had never thought leopards as man-eaters - which is true to some extent. As Jim Corbett mentions, “Leopards do not become man-eaters for the same reasons that tigers do…[Leopards] are scavengers to the extent that they will…eat any dead thing they find in the jungle.”

So what explains the proclivity of our main antagonist to become a man-eater in the book? Jim Corbett believes epidemic influenza that swept through the country in 1918 was one of the reasons. The leopard - which found food scarce earlier - got a rich supply and acquired a taste for human flesh. When normal conditions were re-established, the leopard started killing humans. And thus, the man-eater of Rudraprayag was born.

The leopard started its man-eating mission from 1918 until 1926. The official record claimed the leopard killed 125 people. But, Jim Corbett believed the number was higher. Irrespective, the leopard was a source of fear and suffering for the people of Gharwal during those eight years.

Jim Corbett made it his mission to track and kill the man-eater. He employed a variety of methods including setting up a gin trap, baiting with the live goat and even poisoning the bait with cyanide. Yet, the leopard escaped all the traps set by Jim Corbett, either through sheer luck or foresight.

There were instances when Jim Corbett escaped from the leopard - the hunter almost got hunted. Once, Jim Corbett and his two friends were stranded in the jungle at night with the leopard around the corner. Fortunately, they had boxfull of matches and lit each match for every step before reaching the nearest village. Without the light, they would have been sitting ducks.

Written engagingly, Jim Corbett creates the atmosphere of fear that Gharwalis might have endured. The book is filled with anecdotes and facts about the region, people, and animals. It gives insight into Jim Corbett’s meticulous planning as well as his views about the people and India in general.

And Jim Corbett reserves the highest praise for them, “A typical son of Garhwal, of that simple and hardy hill-folk…whose sons only those few who live among them are privileged to know. It is these big-hearted sons of the soil, no matter what their caste or creed, who will one day weld the contending factions into a composite whole, and make of India a great nation.”

No wonder the national park in Uttarakhand was renamed Jim Corbett National Park. The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag is not just a story about the hunter and prey but also an ode to the resilience and fortitude of the local hill folks.

Review: Kohinoor by Dalrymple & Anand

William Dalrymple and Anita Anand's Kohinoor is filled with mysteries, deceits, and murders but the lust and allure for the diamond has still not dwindled. 

“…blinded, slow-poisoned, tortured to death, burned in oil, threatened with drowning, crowned in molten lead, assassinated by their own family and bodyguards, lost their kingdom and died in penury.”

This describes some of the ways the owners of the Kohinoor - the world’s most infamous diamond - suffered. Kohinoor written by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand follows the journey of the Kohinoor diamond. The story begins in fables before exchanging hands between kings at considerable cost before finally settling today, in an anti-climactic fashion, in a locked room in the Tower of London.

The book is divided into two parts: The first part titled, The Jewel in the Throne, follows until Kohinoor rests in the East while part two The Jewel in the Crown follows the journey of Kohinoor into the hands of the British - where it still resides.

The origins of Kohinoor are shrouded in mystery - adding to its allure. Despite references to gemstones and jewels in Indian mythological stories, none matched the description of Kohinoor. Perhaps, the earliest reference to the Kohinoor was mentioned by Portuguese philosopher Garcia da Orto from the Vijayanagara Empire, “Many years ago I heard from a person worthy of credit that he saw on in Vijayanagara the size of a small hen’s egg.” While the description matches, at least the size, it is unprovable that the diamond referred to is Kohinoor.

Kohinoor suddenly appears in the hands of Babur and passed onto Humayun before disappearing again. It transverses to the Deccan to finally reach the hands of an unknown merchant, Mir Jumla - who presents it to Shah Jahan to curry favour. As the fog of mystery around Kohinoor is slowly removed, the murderous journey begins.

In the hands of Shah Jahan, who became one of the greatest connoisseurs of precious stones, installed Kohinoor as one of the eyes of the peacock as part of the Peacock Throne - the most spectacular jewelled object ever made. Since the Mughals had untold wealth, Kohinoor was one of the many precious stones. It played second fiddle to Timur Ruby - considered to be more precious.

It was passed on to Aurangzeb after Shah Jahan’s death. Unlike his father, Aurangzeb was interested in conquests of kingdoms. The Kohinoor was now part of the Mughal treasury - one among many precious stones.

Kohinoor left the Mughal and Indian subcontinent after Aurangzeb’s death. Nader Shah, founder of the Afsharid Dynasty in Iran, invaded and looted Delhi in 1739 under inept Mughal ruler Muhammad Shah.

An incident, most likely an apocryphal, on how Nader Shah got the hands of Kohinoor. According to the story, Nader Shah - after successfully conquering Delhi - after discovering that Nader Shah had hidden Kohinoor under his turban offers a turban exchange as a mark of ‘friendship.’ Awestruck by the shine, Nader Shah names it Kohinoor or Mountain of Light. Even if there are doubts regarding the story, the outcome is without a doubt - Kohinoor leaves the Mughals and arrives in Persia, now Iran. 

Nader Shah sitting on the Peacock Throne; Courtesy: Wikipedia

Here onwards, death or immense suffering follows the owners of Kohinoor - also known as the curse of Kohinoor. Nader Shah wears both Kohinoor and the Timur Ruby on his armband. Later, in 1747 he is murdered in his camp. Shah Rukh, the grandson of Nader Shah, is believed to have hidden Kohinoor. Aga Mohammad, the former court eunuch, tortures Shah Rukh and later pours a jug of molten lead onto his head to extract the whereabouts of Kohinoor and other precious stones. It is unknown where Aga Mohammad ever got his hands on Kohinoor. Irrespective, he faces the curse and is eventually assassinated by two of his servants.

The murderous trail stops, albeit temporarily. Kohinoor finds its way into the hands of Ahmad Khan Abdali - Nader Shah’s seniormost Afghan general and founder of the Durrani empire - and begins its residence in Afghanistan for the next 70 years. Kohinoor is passed from one generation to another - from Ahmad Shah to his son, Timur Shah, who passes it to his son, Shah Zaman.

Deceit, perfidy begins. Shah Zaman is deceived and later blinded by his chieftain, Ashiq Shinwari. However, Shah Zaman successfully hid Kohinoor. It was later discovered by a mullah who was using it as a paperweight. Shah Zaman’s brother, Shuja, got hold of Kohinoor and wore it on his arm like an amulet. Later, Shuja is cheated and arrested by his former courtier and present governor of Kashmir, Ata Muhammad Khan. Yet Ata Muhammad is unable to find the whereabouts of Kohinoor.

Ranjit Singh, the first emperor of the Sikh empire, started eying on the Kohinoor. He promised to rescue Shuja in exchange for Kohinoor. In 1813, Ranjit Singh defeats Ata Mohammad and rescues Shuja. However, Shuja refuses to fulfil his part of the bargain. Ranjit Singh puts Shuja in a cage and allegedly tortures his eldest son until Shuja relents. 

Kohinoor rested quietly - at least initially - for the next 36 years with the Sikh empire. Ranjit Singh wore the Kohinoor strapped to his biceps. Once Ranjit Singh, out of curiosity asks Shuja’s wife, Wa’fa Begum, to estimate the value of Kohinoor. She replies: “If a strong man were to throw four stones, one to each of the cardinal points, North, South, East and West, and fifth stone vertically, and if the space between were to be filled with gold and precious stones, they would not equal the value of Kohinoor.” 

Ranjit Singh wearing Kohinoor on his right arm

The death of Ranjit Singh in 1839 sets the domino in motion with Kohinoor exchanging hands closely followed by murders. Everyone wanted the Kohinoor including the pandits of Jagannath Temple, Orissa. During the last days of Ranjit Singh, the Brahmins of Jagannath persuaded Ranjit to donate the Kohinoor to the temple. However, the promise was reneged later - with Ranjit’s questionable mental state as one of the reasons for the denial. Even to this day, pandits of Jagannath Temple claim the rightful heirs of the Kohinoor.

Kharak Singh, the eldest legitimate son of Ranjit, took over the reign of the kingdom and became the newest owner of Kohinoor. His louche behaviour along with his love for drugs, drinks and dancing girls made several enemies. He was slowly poisoned to death. His son, an 18-year-old Nau Nihal became the next king. A charismatic young leader shortly died of an ‘accident’ when a structure collapsed on him. Sher Singh, the half-brother of Kharak Singh, became the next king. On a hunting expedition a year later, in 1843, a gun ‘went off' and killed him. Duleep Singh, a five-year-old son of Ranjit Singh became the next king. With the Kohinoor strapped to his soft little arm, Duleep sat on his mother’s lap while she (Rani Jindan) ruled over the empire.

All this while, the British were eyeing the Kingdom and the Kohinoor. They felt it was the opportune time to wage a war and succeeded in subduing the Sikhs. It later came to be known as the First and the Second Anglo-Sikh War - the latter resulted in a set of conditions by the British including “the gem called the Kohinoor…shall be surrendered by the Maharajah of Labor to the Queen of England.” The passage of Kohinoor from Lahore to England was - like its journey so far - eventful. The ship Medea - which was carrying Kohinoor - was struck with storms and a cholera epidemic, almost sunk the ship before making its way to England.

Disappointment and dismemberment follow. Kohinoor is shown in an exhibition of 1851. However, initial excitement to see the famous diamond was replaced by disappointment due to its dim radiance. This highlighted the difference between the East and the West. Most Indians, including the Mughals, liked their gems as close to their natural state and original size. In contrast, the British were more interested in the sparkle and bringing out the ‘fire’ within. The British hired Dutch masters to cut Kohinoor and make it sparkle again. The cut was a disaster and a success. In terms of mass - it was cut more than halved from 190.3 metric carats to 93 metric carats. But it sparkled. 

After the second Anglo-Sikh war, Emperor Duleep Singh was separated from his mother and placed with a British Resident. Later Duleep Singh was exiled to British at the age of fifteen to keep him away from his mother and make him an ‘Anglophile.’ He even converted to Christianity. While Duleep enjoyed a decadent lifestyle in Britain, the loss of Kohinoor must have hurt him.

Duleep Singh, who never saw Kohinoor since the time the British took it away, goes on to make a strange request. He states, “I would give a good deal to hold it again in my own hand…I would like to have it in my power to place it myself in Her Majesty’s hand.” Duleep is shown the Kohihoor, holds it in his hand and looks at it carefully against the sunlight. Despite having strong emotions, Duleep places the Kohinoor into Queen Victoria’s hand. “It is to me, Ma’am, the greatest pleasure thus to have the opportunity, as a loyal subject, of myself tendering to my Sovereign - the Koh-i-Noor.” And thus, Duleep officially gives away the Kohinoor an adult that was snatched from him as a child.

Duleep is severely affected by this event. Kohinoor represented to Duleep — the pain of losing his family, his empire and his culture. Angered and cheated by the British, Duleep started drinking heavily and leading a lavish, unsustainable lifestyle. In 1893, Duleep Singh - who wore Kohinoor around his arm as a young boy - died pennilessly.

As for Kohinoor, it was believed that women could wear it with impunity but not men. It has been placed on the crown and is rarely seen by the public. It now sits at the Jewel House in the Tower of London. 

Kohinoor in front of the cross on the Crown

Review: Stories of the True by Jeyamohan (translated by Priyamvada in English)

Stories of the True follow the lives of people steeped in idealism despite facing immense challenges and ethical dilemmas. 

Franz Kafka’s quote, “A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us”, is the best way to describe my feelings after I finished Stories of the True. Written by Jeyamohan in Tamil and translated by Priyamvada in English, it is a collection of twelve short stories - and follows the lives of real people filled with idealism despite being fraught with economic, social or/and ethical challenges. Some stories will make you laugh while others will make your eyes swell up in tears. However, it has two constant feelings: suffering and hope.

One of the standout stories is A Thousand Armchairs - a story about a Nayadi bureaucrat struggling to do the right thing for his tribal mother. Nagam Aiya’s manual of 1906 describes Nayadi as follows: “Nayadis. Since there’s a belief that it’s polluting to even lay eyes on them, they cannot move around during the day…they stay huddled like pigs, inside pits that they dig up…[and]…at night, they get out and hunt. They eat anything…rats, dogs…They cover their genitals with the spathe of the Palmyra tree”

The protagonist suffers. Separated from his mother at a young age, he clears civil services and become a bureaucrat. Despite trying to run away from his past, it follows him like a shadow.

The constant reminder is the armchair - which serves as a powerful and painful motif. After joining as a bureaucrat, the tall throne-like armchair is replaced by a simple wooden chair. It is a reminder that a bureaucrat from the Nayadi caste - a lower one - deserves a lower-grade chair.

However, when his mother sees him sitting on the same wooden chair, she cries, starts beating her chest, and screams, “he will kill you.” What did the armchair mean for the Nayadi? A community pelted with stones simply for stepping out of the drain, sitting on the armchair meant death.

The protagonist suffers immeasurably at home and outside. He is shunned and shamed by everyone while his mother tries to drag him back to the garbage dumps. And written in the first person, the reader suffers - at least I did, albeit temporarily. So did Jeyamohan.

 

Courtesy: www.jeyamohan.in

 

Initially, Jeyamohan wrote the story in the third person. Unhappy with the final product, he rewrote the story in the first person. As he mentions in an interview, “When you write the story in first person, empathy enters the story…Feeling another soul’s pain is fundamental to literature — if that is not possible, literature will suffer.” When the real-life protagonist of A Hundred Armchairs read the story, he wrote a letter to Jeyamohan saying he was sorry the author had to suffer, even if they were only imagined.

The theme of suffering comes from Jeyamohan’s life itself. After losing his parents to suicide six months apart, a twenty-four-year-old Jeyamohan describes his mental state during that time: “I had suffered the harshest of sorrows that a human being can be faced with. Death, ignominy, loss of my home, my land, my people and endless wandering…I set out to kill myself [and] headed towards the railway track.”

Amid despair, Jeyamohan stumbled on hope. The epiphany came in the form of a worm on a leaf: “Here is a being for which every moment of this life is of utmost significance. Death may be right beside it, still, it has its own purpose in this world, a purpose that can be fulfilled by no other…On that day, I resolved that there would be no more sadness in my life.”

Another story from the book, Elephant Doctor, is a hagiography of Dr V. Krishnamurthy (Dr V). He was a pre-eminent conservationist from Tamil Nadu who dedicated his entire life to the elephants. Told from the point of view of a forest ranger, it follows Dr K’s journey to gathering information about the forest and treating wounded animals - especially the elephant. He was a doctor, comrade, friend and admirer of the fantastic beasts. Once Dr K remarked about the elephants, “What a divine being. If there should come a day when there are no more elephants in Tamil Nadu, what’ll our culture amount to? If that should happen, we might as well throw the entire Sangam literature into the fire.” 

 

Dr Krishnamurthy (Elephant Doctor)

  

Elephants face several human-caused injuries - none more innocuous sounding than stepping on a shard of a glass bottle. Within two days, the wound will form pus, maggots will enter it, transport the pus inside - and likely kill the elephant. When one of the elephants visits Dr K with this injury, Dr K treats the wounds and administers the antibiotics.

Dr K died in 2002. Despite holding the record for the highest number of elephant autopsies and the highest number of elephant births supervised, world never recognized his contributions during his lifetime. But he never sought recognition from humans. After treating the injured elephant, the story ends with the herd of elephants forming a semicircle and trumpeting in unison. It was a fitting tribute to the Elephant Doctor.

There are other stories like Aram - The Song of the Righteousness, where a capricious publisher refuses to pay an impoverished author until the publisher’s wife intervenes. Or The Meal Tally, where the restaurant owner generously serves meals to his customers in exchange for voluntary payment.

Despite pain and suffering, it is the ability to think beyond oneself and work for others that makes someone stand out. Each character embodied Aram - in their own way - by holding idealism as their core tenet. It is such stories that renew faith in humanity.