The Tiger King

By Kalki
• This is the story of the Maharaj of
Prathibandapuram,His
HignessJamedar-General, Khilendar-
Major, SataVyaghraSamhari,
MaharajadhirajaVisvaBhuvanaSamrat
, 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!
 Prepared by
C Rajasekhara Reddy
PGT English JNV BU