Ah ! Those Tiger Cubs !!
I could still .recollect those velvety paws and innocent eyes. They were
our pets when we were 10/12 years of age.We had a "Chiriawalla"
named Gani who frequently visited our house to supply various rare
birds.Yes my father was a bird lover & collector and he constructed a
big cage-as big as a hallroom-on the terrace which we called "Pakhi
Ghor".
It so happened- we knew later -that Gani was aware of our father's
wish to present us tiger cubs.He finally arrived with a bundle from
where two cute puppy like cubs peeped out. The deal was done
and a big wooden cage with iron grills soon arrived.
Bhortu, our head servant was given sole responsibility for
their up keeping.
Within a month the cubs became restless and their mews
turned into snarls.
Our father decided to free them from morning till
evening from their cage. Then began a season of running
jumping- even scaring and scratching with snarls. Every evening
-before they were put to cage-the little ones left no stones
unturned to keep us to our toes.
An important incident , however, soon occurred.
Our uncle's house was just adjacent to ours and they too were
-proud of their magnificent cockatoos, frenchs etc. They usually
-showed off their big birds perched in giant stands near the gate.
Often we heard loud shrills from these birds. The cause was our
tiger cubs targeting them frequently.
The inevitable happened (in the mean while the cubs grew a
little bigger) when we encountered our uncle's wrath and
frustration. O God ! the very worst had happened. Their most
prestigious bird was killed by one of our cubs. They were so
furious that they even threatened to sue our father!
Finally the police intervened-as far as I could remember-and
after much negotiations- it was decided that the cubs should
be sent to the zoo.
There was another story running parallel to this one-that one
was wounded and the other one was left near Dum Dum. During
those days Dum Dum was kind of a forest. And there it was shot
down by a saheb !
where two cute puppy like cubs peeped out. The deal was done
and a big wooden cage with iron grills soon arrived.
Bhortu, our head servant was given sole responsibility for
their up keeping.
Within a month the cubs became restless and their mews
turned into snarls.
Our father decided to free them from morning till
evening from their cage. Then began a season of running
jumping- even scaring and scratching with snarls. Every evening
-before they were put to cage-the little ones left no stones
unturned to keep us to our toes.
An important incident , however, soon occurred.
Our uncle's house was just adjacent to ours and they too were
-proud of their magnificent cockatoos, frenchs etc. They usually
-showed off their big birds perched in giant stands near the gate.
Often we heard loud shrills from these birds. The cause was our
tiger cubs targeting them frequently.
The inevitable happened (in the mean while the cubs grew a
little bigger) when we encountered our uncle's wrath and
frustration. O God ! the very worst had happened. Their most
prestigious bird was killed by one of our cubs. They were so
furious that they even threatened to sue our father!
Finally the police intervened-as far as I could remember-and
after much negotiations- it was decided that the cubs should
be sent to the zoo.
There was another story running parallel to this one-that one
was wounded and the other one was left near Dum Dum. During
those days Dum Dum was kind of a forest. And there it was shot
down by a saheb !
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