Tributes to renowned hunter Jim Corbett who killed man eaters of Rudraprayag and Champawat etc killing hundreds of innocents
19 th April is Colonel Jim Corbett’s 78 th death anniversary who died today in the year 1955 at the age of 79 at Kenya passing his last days with his unmarried sister.
Born and brought up in Nainital, his father Christopher Corbett shifted here in 1962 joining as a postmaster of Nainital.
A renowned Brtish hunter, tracker, naturalist and an author Jim Corbett did a great service to the people of Garhwal and Kumaon regions by killing dreaded man eaters ( majorly tigers and some leopards) who killed about 125 people in Rudraprayag and 426 in Champawat and in all 1200 people of both Garhwal and Kumaon regions during British era, pre independence days.
The terror of these freely wandering man – eaters prowling for human flesh in the mountains of Garhwal n Kumaon was so much that the inhabitants were compelled to remain indoors most of the time.
The victims included children, women, young ones and senior citizens.
The author of several books viz Man eaters of Kumaon, by Jim Corbett ( 1944) Man eating leopards of Rudraprayag, Jim Corbett ( 1947) My India, Jim Corbett ( 1952), Jungle Lore (1953), The Temple Tiger and more Man Eaters of Kumaon, ( 1954), Jim Corbet’s India, Selections by by RE Hawkins (1978), n My Kumaon uncollected writings in 2012 and few others, hunter Jim Corbett lived in Nainital Gurney house, maintained even today in the same form bought by industrial Dalmias.
On 2 nd May, 1926 the terror of the the man eaters was so much that the inhabitants of the area and surrounding villages were compelled to live indoors not knowing whether they’ll come back safe and sound after going to work.
The then english collector of Garhwal region had no option but to call renowned hunter Jim Corbett to kill the man eater.
After reaching Rudraprayag, Jim Corbett erected a MACHAN at Gulabrai, and after several days of wait on the raised platform ( Machaan) finally targetted the man eater, killing it, to the rejoice of thousands of inhabitants of Rudraprayag.
Similarly, the man eaters’ terror stricken people of Champawat in Kumaon region too heaved a huge sigh of relief after the dreaded predator was killed who lynched 426 human lives.
Having a ancestral beautiful house known as Gunrey house in Nainital and summer house in Kaladhungi a gateway to Haldwani n Nainital, a naturalist, hunter, author n tracker before leaving for Kenya after his retirement left for Kenya to live with his lone sister donating his Kaladhungi bungalow to government which had been converted as a Museum to remember this legendary hunter, naturalist, tracker and author on wildlife.
He donated his land n farms to the poor of the area and to his servants as well, who were like his family members.
Jim Corbett was very much concerned for the local populace and villagers and used to help them financially as well.
He hated the corrupt people and hoarders and several of his correspondence reveal this fact through his correspondence to the then food and civil supply officers one being his close friend Mr. Negi complaining about hoarders urging for sternest action against them saying that these sinners should be hanged.
A legendary hunter, conservationist and author’s Jim Corbett’s Gunrey House was built in 1981 in Nainital giving the same look today with same furniture, his iron ( steel) bed, paintings on the wall purchased by the Dalmia family who visit here during summers.
Before leaving Nainital on 30 th November, 1947 accompanied by his sister Maggie sailing for Mombassa Kenya on December 11, he concealed his three rifles inside a pit covering with mud, bidding final adieu to hunting.
