Pig Sticking in the Ganga Khadar

[prashantsingh]

The last of the Skinners lived and died in Mussoorie a few years ago. Apart from Delhi the family also owned property in Hissar and a big estate called Sikandar Hall (Mussoorie). (Skinners was called Sikandar by his native lancers).

-- Tue Apr 06, 2010 3:47 pm --

Dear mundare ,
Thanks for the info. Looks like I missed the last "Khadir Cup".

[nagarifle]

also there was a painting of the skinners horse doing some amazing stuff on horses. the painting was hung in Army museum in London. i have a copy somewhere try to get it out of the trunk one fine day.

[HSharief]

This reminds me of videos on Google about hog "hunting" to eliminate the menace in some parts of us by shooting them down with rifles while flying over them in choppers. Very Different though

[panther]

[quote="prashantsingh"]The last of the Skinners lived and died in Mussoorie a few years ago. Apart from Delhi the family also owned property in Hissar and a big estate called Sikandar Hall (Mussoorie). (Skinners was called Sikandar by his native lancers).

Although the information is irrelevant to the topic (pigsticking) still, I thought it wouldn't be inappropriate to update our readers knowledge. The descendents of the extended family of Col.James Skinners are still living in Merrut, Dehradun and Pakistan. Though some have migrated to Australia & Newzealand after independance. Brig. Alexender Skinner chaired the Indian Ex-Serviceman Board for several years before his death in 1999 in England. It wont be out of context to mention another distinguished anglo-indian cavalry family the 'Gardners'. The descendents of William Gardner (raised Gardner's Horse in 1809-presently 2nd Lancers) & Alan Gardner still lives near Etah.

-- Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:31 pm --

The property/fort owned by Skinner's family in Hansi once belonged to George Thomas -a free lancer from Tipperary who carved his own independent kingdom of 'Hurriana' in 1790's. The fort orignally known as Georgegarh, and was given to James Skinner by Sir David Ochterlony after the death of Geroge Thomas in 1803. Curiously, this free lancer was famous for slaying Lions with a blow of his sword.

[nagarifle]

thanks panther,
very interesting write up, its good to know the founder of the regiments, which still exit today, and some odd odd facts makes it very interesting to read.

[prashantsingh]

Many Anglo-Indians migrated to Australia after independence.
One of the play grounds of the famous "Doon School" is called the Skinners grounds (upper and lower). The last of the Skinners (probably in this part of India) died a few years ago. He used to live in Mussoorie (32 kms uphill from Dehradun). One of my friends who is an officer from Skinners Horse attended the funeral.
The Gradners still live in Dehradun. They own two reputed schools and one of them was an M.P. (Member of Parliament) till recently. There is 1 seat in the parliament reserved for anglo-indian.
(adding to the irrelevent info).

[nagarifle]

In 1827 Skinners Regiment was known as the 1st Regiment of Local Horse and had just been awarded the Battle Honour 'Bhurtpore' for its part in the reduction of the fortress at Bharatpur. Skinner himself being made a companion of the Order of the Bath.

[prashantsingh]

Legend has it that the Bharatpur fort would not be conquered untill a long snouted crocodile - the freshwater Kumbhir had drunk out the moat. The first assault by the British forces was carried out in 1805. It took the British more than two decades to finally win Bharatpur.
There is an interesting story of how some native foot soldiers managed to carry back their Regimental Flag (also called Regimental Colours) inspite of heavy firing from the enemy lines. The flag itself was nothing but a piece of cloth,tattered by bullets and stained with blood. New colours were presented to this Regiment and the old ragged colours were ordered to be burnt. On inspection the old flag was found missing.Who could have possibly stolen a piece of rag?The incident was forgotten.
Twenty years later the same battalion was asked to attack the fort. The fort finally fell and when the flag was put up on the fort , they found that the soldiers had carefully stiched the pieces of the old , torn and battered flag on to it..........Finally Revenge.

-- Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:57 am --

It is said that the torn pieces of the "old flag" were handed over by fathers to their sons , so that one day they (the sons) could take revenge of the battle they (the fathers) had lost.

[nagarifle]

wow

[shooter]

Legand has it that Rana Pratap met his lady love (and later wife) on one of his Pig sticking trips in the jungles of Mewar.

this is romantic indeed. what we do know for a fact is he lost his brother in a pig sticking event. (rajkumar shaktisingh claimed the pig was his and in the resulting quarrel left mewar). He had 11 wives (plus minus 2 according to various sources and love marriges werent common amongst royalty then.

-- 08 Apr 2010, 10:56 --

Some of the famous Hog hunters in the last century have also been from the state.

Maharana Bhupal Singh, descendent of Maharana pratap lost his legs to polio since childgood, he was paraplegic. Despite that he was a legendary rider and great pig hunter.
He hunted >1000 wild boars with a lance pig sticking (not with rifle-thats separate).

[prashantsingh]

ha ha ha.
You know why I am laughing Shooters.
The story I read (in an old book) about the Maharana meeting his lady love goes something like this. I will keep it short.
The Maharana is out pig sticking on his famous horse Chetak.
He comes across a big fellow and goes for him. Gets first spear. As his horse slows down and turns back to the kill, Pratap finds a beautiful lady astride a white Arabian mare (holding a bow and arrow) standing by the side of dead animal. On closer inspection they find an arrow (shot through the heart) sticking out as well.
What follows is an argument between the two of them.
And unlike Rajkumar Shakti Singh who decided to leave Mewar.The Maharana decides to get married to this lady.
How romantic.
But probably not as romantic and famous as Prithviraj Chauhan and Sanyogita's love story........and like Maharana Pratap, Prithviraj also had a number of wives.

[Rothers]

Hi guys,

I found your posts through my saved search for 'pigsticking'. I was a British cavalry officer, and recently left the service.

I am currently in Argentina where I have bought a property and am currently building a lodge styled on an indian cavalry mess, with accommodation in thatched bungalows.

We will offer polo on site at the lodge in Buenos Aires, with some of the worlds best shooting on the doorstep.

We will then be running a tent club on the Pampas (almost identical to the gangar Kadir), where we will be pigsticking wild boar using Argentine polo ponies. You will also be able to hunt blackbuck, axis deer, red deer and puma with a rifle.

We hope to re-start the Kadir Cup once a year.

We will be open in 2011. Please message me if you are interested.

Charlie

[Sakobav]

Hi Charlie

Welcome aboard and do post in the welcome introduction section. Thats a great plan good luck and just for kicks how big the ticket would be to avail these facilities. I have been reading a lot about dove shooting ranches in your neck of woods.

Best

[sat]

Pig sticking at bhinai, rajasthan.

Seated on white mare is late raja kalyan singhji of bhinai, left horse - bikram singhji, standing (r-l) gopinath, zorawar singh.


toothpick holder



Have a few more images from that era, will load them up once I find them, also have some 16mm b&w film footage which I need to trasfer to dvd.

[prashantsingh]

Wow Charlie. I am looking forwards to see your project come up. I am sure you will have quite a few takers from India. Last year a small group of friends went to Argentina to play Polo with the clubs there. They came back with some fantastic memories and amazing snaps of the grasslands (Pampas) there. Argentina probably has one of the world's best Polo players.
Thanks Sat for the snaps. They are just wonderful. Thats a beautiful white mare Raja saheb is sitting on.Look at her expression. She surely looks the most alert and intelligent equine in the group.
The toothpick holder is cute ......though I wish that toothpick jutting out of the boars backside was not there...ha ha ha.