I am not much of a wildlife enthusiast, but I was curious about this book and wanted to know more about the achievements of this famous hunter-naturalist, Jim Corbett. At the very outset, unless you are interested in jungle lore, you may not enjoy reading this book because it is replete with the description of Corbett s experiences with the creatures of the jungles in the Kumaon region. It is basically all about human-animal conflict, recorded with great accuracy and detail of more than a century ago. The hill-people of Kumaon are simple folk and hospitable according to Corbett. They show great faith in Corbett’s ability to put an end to the reign of terror that the man-eater has unleashed on the people of Kumaon. Corbett on his part, decides to help the people even if it means putting his life in jeopardy.
As you turn the pages, you read about a wealth of information that Corbett gives about the birds and animals of the jungle and how they go about in their day to day survival. Mainly this book talks about the fascinating and spine-tingling tales of pursuing and shooting tigers, and leopards, who have turned man-eaters, in the Indian Himalayas. Corbett, the hunter, tells you about how you can outwit tigers in their own game by adopting ways of stealth and stalking, while hunting them down. This book contains some famous stories that have stood the test of time, like The Bachelor of Pawalgarh, The Chowgarh Tigers. Written with brevity and with accuracy for detail, it takes you on a fascinating ride deep into the forests of the Himalayas. You may at the same time feel a bit nauseated at the detailed description of how, for example, the tiger makes a meal of a young girl from the village, so also of the Chowgarh tigers, as they feast on the flesh of a white cow, fallen a victim while grazing. There is a lot of blood and gore, so to speak, but you also learn a lot about the sport of "man-eater hunting on foot". Another gem of advice for hunters that Corbett gives is that, "it’s never safe to assume that a leopard is dead until it has been skinned".
Corbett turns a naturalist from being just a hunter as he finds a new meaning to his life as he goes about helping the people of Kumaon in dealing with the menace of the man-eating tigers or who are also called "shaitan" in the native tongue. He also has a good word to say about dogs as he feels that they have a big heart and that they are the most faithful friend man has ever had. This is in context of his pet dog, Robin who helps him in his hunting endeavors and which gives the book a much needed diversion from the stark description of the blood and gore that this sport entails. He was fondly known as "Carpet Sahib", because he was a British colonel and a well-known figure in colonial India. In the final analysis, this book is worth a read, as they are not only established classics but have by themselves created almost a separate genre. They provide a first-hand information about the exotic flora, fauna and the village life in this obscure and treacherous region of the sub-continent.
It is also not just a compendium of facts, but an exciting ride into the forest cover of the Himalayas. It is a fitting tribute to Corbett, of having named the National Park after him, for his tireless efforts to conserve the big cats, that include tigers and leopards.