In the footsteps of ‘Carpet Sahib’

Lalit Mohan

Dense forest, perennial streams, tall reeds on river beds, temperate climate and plenty of game — this is the natural habitat of the tiger. It is here that gun in hand, in dark nights, alone he pursued his prey. Not for him the safety of the machaan. Edward James Corbett followed them on foot to make sure that he did not get the wrong animal. And in this manner ‘Carpet Sahib,’ as he was lovingly called, rid the villagers of over a score man-eating tigers and leopards between the years 1907 and 1938 and so earned their eternal gratitude. The animal sanctuary, set up originally in 1936, was renamed Jim Corbett National Park in 1957 as a tribute to the great hunter Jim Corbett. 

This is now a 1282 sq km reserve located at the foothills of Uttarakhand. Rich in flora and fauna, its wildlife includes tigers, leopards and wild elephants. The Ramganga flows through it and the Kosi river marks its eastern boundary.

The town Ramnagar is today the headquarters of the Corbett Tiger Reserve. Close to it is the Dikuli village on the Kosi river. On its banks are a string of hotels and resorts. In the monsoons, the river is a raging torrent but at most times, a crystal clear stream jumping light foot from rock to boulder as it rolls down its gentle slope.  

Any trip to the park has to be planned well in advance because entry into the five ‘zones’ where tigers are likely to be found is strictly rationed and slots are grabbed as soon as the 45-day window for booking opens.

The five zones are Dhikala, Bijrani, Jhirna, Dhela and Durgadevi, all located west of Kosi. Each area has two safari tours a day — early morning and afternoon. The seats available in these can be 30 or 15 respectively. If these are already booked, then one can do the Sitabani circuit, which is to the east of the Kosi river. There is no restriction on the number of visitors here but the chances of spotting a tiger are also remote.

However, one can get a feel of the forest even here. And it is a rough ride. The morning safari is the best for viewing animals, but in open jeeps the wind chill can get to the bones. In the jungle, all one has to drive on is a track strewn with stones and boulders. The jeeps jump and lurch madly for two hours through a forest thick with teak, sal, mango and a variety of other flora. A few shallow streams have to be crossed and there is no knowing the size of the rocks submerged in the water.

At the apogee of this round is the Sita Mandir. Legend has it that it was here that her sons Luv and Kush were born, in the ashram of Rishi Valmiki. Luv came first. Once, Sita requested Valmiki to keep an eye on him while she went to the river for her bath. The muni nodded his head but his mind was preoccupied in writing. Seeing this Sita took Luv with herself. After some time when Muni looked up he found the child missing. In a panic he made a baby from Kush grass and infused it with life. When Sita returned, the Muni was surprised to see that Luv was with her, so he asked Sita to take care of Kush also as her own.  For real-life stories, however, Man Eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett himself is the ideal book to read to get a feel of the jungle and the man who made it his karmbhoomi.