Class 12th English, Chpater- Tiger King Explanation
The Tiger King
Author: kalki
Chapter Explanation:
The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram is called as The Tiger King.
When as he born, the astrologers predicted that he had to die one day, the ten days old Jilani Jung Bahadur (tiger king) spoke up, 'there would be some sense in it if you could tell us the manner of that death'.
"As the prince was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies;therefore, death comes from Tiger,"
Later when the prince Jung Jung Bahadur was crowned.
When the maharaja (now tiger king is maharaja as he is crowned) killed his first tiger and sent to the state astrologer and showed him dead beast. The astrologer spoke without fear, you must be very careful with the hundredth tiger. Maharaja said, "What if hundredth tiger was also killed?", astrologer replied, "I would tear up all my books on astrology, set fire on them and shall cut off my tuft.
From that day the state banned the tiger hunting by any one except maharaja, and also announced that maharaja would listen to all other matters after killing hundred tigers
Maharaja fought the tiger bare handed each time he won.
Once he was in danger of losing his throne. A high-ranking British officer wanted to organise a tiger hunt at partibandapuram. Maharaja refused permission, he offered bore hunt or any hunt other than tiger. The durai (that British officer) only wanted to click pictures with tiger maharaja can do the actual killing, maharaja did not agree to even this proposal. In order to save his kingdom, he ordered Dimond ring form British company of jewellers in Calcutta he sent the whole lot of 50 expensive ring to duraisani (wife of that British officer) and she kept all of them. In cost of three lakh, he was able to save his kingdom.
Within ten years he killed seventy tigers, the tiger population became extinct in the forest of pratibandapuram.
He called Devan and shared his purpose of calling, he wanted to marry a girl of not only a royal status but her kingdom should have a considerable number of tigers. Whenever he visited his father-in-law, he killed three- four tigers.
His anxiety reached to its peak when only one tiger was remaining.
There was good news for the king, that in his own state sheep began to disappear frequently. It was first ascertained that this was not the work of Khader Mian Saheb or Virasami Naicker, both were famous for there ability to swallow sheep whole. Maharaja announced three-years of tax exemptions, maharaja stayed there for days but unable to find tiger, maharaja ordered Devan (minister) to double the land tax
The king's anger frightened the Devan of losing his job, Devan brought tiger from people's park in Madras & kept hidden in his house. Midnight Devan & his wife dragged him the tiger to the car and left the tiger at forest where king was hunting.
Next day king shot the tiger as he had to be careful of hundredth tiger, the tiger crumbled down, later it was fount by the hunters that king missed the shot, tiger had fainted from the shock of the bullet, they killed him by themselves.
King commanded, that the dead tiger was taken in procession through the town & buried. A tomb was erected over it.
A few days later maharaja's son's birthday was celebrated, maharaja went to a shopping centre, spotted a shop where he found a wooden tiger, the shopkeeper told king a price much higher than its actual he thought that if he quoted low price than king would punish him under rule of emergency. King took it away without giving money stating it would be considered as offering form his side.
As it was not carved by a skilled carpenter, one of the tiny slivers pierced the maharaja's hand while playing with his son. Next day infection flared in the maharaja's right hand. In four days, it developed into suppurating sore. Three famous surgeons were brought from madras, they performed operation, The Tiger King died.
