Book Review: Jungle Lore (Jim Corbett)
Book Courtesy: Universal Book Club
When you hear the name “Jim Corbett” first thing comes in
mind is ‘Man-Eater Tigers” and why shouldn’t it come when a great person like
Corbett devoted his whole life to save the hills and villages from the terror
of these treacherous creatures. Last week I got to read his lesser known book (at
least in my circle) “Jungle Lore” which has introduction chapter by Martin
Booth who made a documentary on Corbett. It’s not a review of the legendary
Corbett’s book; I am just saying what I felt during and after reading the book.
Firstly it’s not Corbett’s autobiography but Jungle Lore is
considered as Closest to his biography that makes it interesting read. If you
know about Corbett, you will expect stories of Hunting and man eaters, but Jungle
Lore is more like his personal diary that you found in a cottage, situated in Shivalik
Hills, and now you are reading it with most pleasant weather you can ever
imagine. The book holds Corbett’s love towards nature and India that is
overflowing in every page of it.
Secondly, if you don’t know much about wildlife, you might
find trouble in maintaining the flow because names of specific birds and trees
often directed me to “Google God”. But it helped in enriching the information. Also
if you have little urban upbringing, there are many stories waiting for you
that are often considered as “myths” to other side of the world. Yes the
haunting Stories of jungle are there. And if you ever had any such experience,
the detailed description is enough to send a shiver in your spine.
During the read I was amazed with the detailing of jungle he
wrote, about plants, about animals, even the sound that birds make, was
explained. I always considered Jim Corbett as a hunter but after Jungle Lore,
my perception changed. Now I consider him as a naturalist who actually learned
everything about nature by living closest possible to it. And if you look
jungle from Corbett’s eyes, you will find it alive and breathing.
In every chapter you will get amazed by the observations of
Corbett that he wrote flawlessly. However book seems little slow while reading.
Some may consider it boring, just because the minute level of Jungle is really
unknown for people like us. But if you want to know the jungle and the nature,
Trust me, Jungle Lore won’t let you down.
Book is full of many small and big incidents that happened
with him in his young age. You can read how he learned to shoot, and how he felt
when he first hunted down an animal. Corbett always said about his sixth sense
that he called as “jungle sensitiveness” that was developed after his close
association with jungle for almost all of his life. And after reading it, I can say Jim Corbett was one of the
first person to realize that the jungle with all its beauty is an aesthetic
element which needs to be preserved in its natural wild form and the heart of
’Jungle Lore’ echoes a deep cry that tell we have lost the respect for Mother Nature.
Now very less of the forests are left, once where Corbett roamed
with his gun hanging on shoulder, has been destroyed. The majestic tigers that once
ruled the jungles are now struggling to save their existence and the graceful
leopards are now only remained a shadow of their past existence. For me ’Jungle
Lore’ is one of the best attempts by the author to reunite man with Nature
again.
-AnSh :)
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