Indians For Guns

Today is Maj Jim Corbetts bday.
Am a great fan of his and just love reading nd rereading his books - Maneaters of Kumaon , My India , etc.
In fact i have a few which have been handed down from my dad to me nd are quite old nd well read considering the dog eared condition.

Well anyway - Happy Bday Corbett Saab and Happy Hunting in the Happy Hunting Grounds !!!

Rohit.

Happy Hunting Grounds, that indeed brought back some memories from an old english text book at school where Corbett had an encounter with a snake in his bathroom. His memoirs are worth a read indeed. If you go to Mukteshwar, you can stay at the PWD rest house where Corbett used to live when he was on the tracks of the man eating tiger there.

hipp oray

lets not forget that he was not only a hunter but protector of wildlife as well.

I love the way Corbett calls the tiger a "Large Hearted Gentleman".

Cheers rohit.

I first heard of Corbett from my grandfather who told me stories about him whenever he visited us in Delhi and I never could have my fill of these. It was these tales and accompanying my father and his friends outdoors that sparked my eternal love for the same.

Unfortunately, most of us who shared his passions for hunting, fishing and conservation were born a bit too late to truly experience Indias vast forests and rivers.

Did you all read his very first bok Jungle Lore ( Jaico Publishing ) this was handed down to me from my father too along with Ahead lies the Jungle - Suresh Vaidya, Shikar by Khansaheb Jamshed Butt, Tiger of Rajasthan - Col Kesri Singh and Hints on Tiger Shooting by the sae author.

I still treasure those books.

Later I read other Corbett books - My India, Maneaters of Kumaon, Man eating leopard of Rudraprayag and a biography called Carpit Sahib.

Apparently a film has also been made on his life and times.

Memories - Oh so many of them.

I remember 1974, Woodseats hostle in Welhams BoysSchool, Dehra Doon. Mrs. Young our hostle Matron telling us group of six year olds stories of Jim Corbett carrying a heavy rifle and some nightjar eggs in the other hand, turning a corner and coming face to face with the maneater.

Then there was Mr. Wali our carpentary teacher, full of Shikar stories.

We were born much too late. What a place this area of Dehradoon and Garhwal hills was. Teeming with Jungle Fowl, Deer and big game. The entire belt of Kashmir, Kumaon, Garhwal, Assam, NE, Teria was full of wildlife.

About Kumaon and Garhwal Corbett says - beat any square kilometer of forest and a Tiger will emerge out ( about 1901 at the turn of the last century ).

Today this guarentee will hold true of someone beats 10,000 Square km of Forest.

Is it the same situation elsewhere ? No, game and hunting has grown in every other land be it North America, Uk, Europe and Africa.

We have been the poor sufferers.

Apparently a film has also been made on his life and times.

I haven't seen it but those who did said it was a load of old cobblers. If I am not mistaken it was released after I joined IFG, so that would make it quite a recent film.

I have seen a filim about one of his adventures in History or NGC and it was in bad taste. Anyone who enjoys reading his books will NOT like the film.

telling us group of six year olds stories of Jim Corbett carrying a heavy rifle and some nightjar eggs in the other hand, turning a corner and coming face to face with the maneater.

As I recall the tale, the tiger was stalking him and it was Corbett's sixth sense that told him the tiger was behind him, at which point he stood stock still and very gradually turned the rifle around and shot the tiger. He returned the egg.

Am sure that Rusty nd all the other avid anglers will like the chapter on "The Fish of my Dreams".

Rohit.

Hope Carpet sahib is out in the jungles, and hunting again with his friend Robin...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

perazzi";p="48014 wrote:Am sure that Rusty nd all the other avid anglers will like the chapter on "The Fish of my Dreams".

Rohit.

I remember it vaguely. Is it the one where he and a friend of his trek in the Himalayas to get to some fine mahseer? I also recall that they used to fish for mahseer in Nainital lake.

Unfortunately, I have a habit of gifting away my Corbett and Kenneth Anderson collections so am unable to verify.

Mack The Knife Bana";p="48029 wrote:Unfortunately, I have a habit of gifting away my Corbett and Kenneth Anderson collections so am unable to verify.

You might already know this, but both authors collected works are now available in 2 volume sets... The Anderson set (The Kenneth Anderson Omnibus Vol 1 & 2) is published by Rupa and the Corbett set (The Jim Corbett Omnibus Vol 1 & 2) is published by the Oxford University Press.

Cheers!
Abhijeet

Mack The Knife Bana";p="48029 wrote:

perazzi";p="48014 wrote:Am sure that Rusty nd all the other avid anglers will like the chapter on "The Fish of my Dreams".

Rohit.

I remember it vaguely. Is it the one where he and a friend of his trek in the Himalayas to get to some fine mahseer? I also recall that they used to fish for mahseer in Nainital lake.

Unfortunately, I have a habit of gifting away my Corbett and Kenneth Anderson collections so am unable to verify.

Or was it the one where he see some locals trying to catch some fish then he lands 2-3 in matter of minutes with his rod and reel..

-Inder

Fish of my dreams was a huge Mahseer in the Ramganga river near Kaladhungi I guess.

When i come to India this time I'll pick up the Corbett Omnibus and the Kenneth Anderson one as well.

Are AH Wheeler bookstalls still there or they are a thing of the past now on Indian Railways ?