By Kalki

• This is the story of the Maharaj of

Prathibandapuram,His
HignessJamedar-General,
Khilendar-Major,
SataVyaghraSamhari,
MaharajadhirajaVisvaBhuvanaSamr
at, Sir Jilani Jung Jug Bahadur,who
became known as the Tiger King.
• According to the Legend, when he
was born, the astrologers
proclaimed that having been born
under a particular star meant that
he would have to die.
• Hearing this the Royal Prince who
was then only ten days old suddenly
spoke, much to the astonishment of
all those assembled there.
• The prince wanted to know the
manner of his death.
• The Astrologer said that he was born in the hour of the bull.
• The bull and the tiger are enemies; therefore, his death would be caused
by the Tiger.
• Listening to this the Prince who was an infant growled and said, “Let
tigers beware’.
• The prince grew up with all education and became stronger. He was
crowned as the Maharaj.
• The Maharaja started out on a Tiger Hunt, Killed a Tiger and sent word for
the Astrologer.
• The Astrologer proclaimed that he may kill Ninety-Nine Tigers, but must be
careful with the 100th Tiger.
• The Tiger King challenged him. The Astrologer agreed to set fire to his
Astrology books, cut his Tuff and become an insurance agent if his
prediction became untrue.
• The King banned Tiger shooting except him.
• If anyone dared to kill a Tiger then all their wealth and
property would be confiscated.
• The Maharaja vowed that he would look into the state
affairs only after killing the tiger.
• In full swing he hunted the Tigers, many a times missed the
bullet but finally he won.
• One day A High ranking British Official
visited Prathibandapuram, who was fond
of hunting Tigers wanted to hunt but the
Maharaja refused permission.
• The British official even sent a message
that he only wanted to take a Photograph
holding a gun with the carcass a dead
Tiger.
• The Maharaja still refused. Now he was in
danger of losing his throne, as he had
prevented the British official in full filling
his desire.
• To resolve the situation, The Maharaja and the Dewan held
deliberations, and finally decided to get Diamond rings for the
British Officer’s Lady .
• They ordered some samples from Calcutta and fifty rings arrived.
• They were sent to her, but instead of choosing one, she retained
all and thanked The Maharaja for his gifts.
• The bill amounted to Rupees Three lakhs.
• The king was happy though he had lost a heavy amount; he
managed to retain his Kingdom.
• The King continued to Kill and was in short
hunting thirty Tigers.
• Now he decided to marry, ‘a girl in the Royal
family of a state with a large tiger Population’
and married.
• Every time he visited his father-in-law, he would
kill five to six tigers.
• He completed hunting Ninety-Nine Tigers, The
Maharaja’s anxiousness grew. By now, it was
difficult to locate Tigers any where.
• The Maharaja wanted to kill the Hundredth Tiger
and give up Tiger hunting.
• The Maharaja was worried about killing the Hundredth Tiger.
• One day he came to know that sheep were disappearing from a
Hillside village.
• He announced a three year tax exemption for the village and set
out for the Tiger Hunt.
• But he couldn’t locate and hunt.
• Many officers lost their jobs.
• One day he called the Dewan and ordered him to double the
Land Tax.
• The Dewan found a way out. He brought a tiger
from the People’s Park in Madras and kept it
hidden in his house.
• At midnight he and his aged wife dragged the
Tiger to the car and shoved it into the seat.
• The dewan himself drove the car and struggled
to pull it down.
• The next day the Tiger wandered in the forest in
the sight of the Maharaja and aimed at it.
• The tiger crumpled heap and the Maharaja was
overjoyed proclaiming that he had killed the
Hundredth king and hastened away in his car.
• The hunters come close and saw that the
Tiger rolled its eyes .
• They understood that the King had missed
the bullet and the Tiger had fainted out of
shock.
• Fearing that they would lose their jobs one
of the hunters took aim and shot it.
• The dead Tiger was taken in procession
through the town and buried.
• A tomb was erected over it.
• A few days later the maharaja celebrated his son’s third Birthday.
• He wanted to present his a gift.
• He went round for shopping but couldn’t find anything suitable.
He spotted a wooden Tiger in a Toyshop and decided it was the
perfect gift.
• The shopkeeper cleverly quoted the two annas worth Wooden
Tiger for Rupees Three Hundred.
• One day when the Maharaja and his son were
playing with tiny Wooden Tiger, it had tiny
slivers of woods standing like quills all over as
it was carved by an unskilled carpenter.
• One of the slivers pierced the Maharaj’s right
Hand and he pulled it out with his left hand
and continued to play.
• The next day infection flared in the
Maharaja’s right hand and in four days it
developed into a suppurating sore which
spread all over the arm.
• Three surgeons from Madras performed the
operation and declared, “The operation was
successful. The Maharaja is dead.”
• As the Astrologer had predicted, the
Hundredth Tiger killed him or took revenge
on the Tiger King.
 Let us think it over?
• If The Tiger King had not killed any Tiger, he
would not have died early!
• The Tiger King had killed the tigers
mercilessly!
• The wooden Tiger took revenge on the Tiger
King!