JIM CORBETT Tribute

After following Corbett's footsteps and visiting several areas mentioned in his books, I was thrilled to spend an entire day at the Gurney House, his former home in Naini Tal which was currently owned by Mr. Prakash Verma who lived in New Delhi. Fortunately he was spending a few days in Naini Tal to escape Delhi's severe heat in April 2002. The building was kept vacant most of the time, except when visited by Prakash or his sister. It was amazing to see that almost all the original furniture left by Corbett was still there, including the hand made chair seats by Maggie, and several antlers and deer heads from Corbett's hunting days. A leopard skull was kept on the mantle, and a heavy book shelf made from a single log brought in by Corbett from Mokameh Ghat by train and by cart. Another shelf was filled with their crockery, used daily in their household. The piano belonged to Maggie was gone to Mr. Verma's sister's home. The Gurney House was sold to Mrs. Verma by Jim Corbett in 1947 before he left India for Kenya. Corbett offered one of his hunting rifles to Prakash who declined to accept it and now regretfully stated that it was the biggest mistake in his life.

I visited Kenya twice, and both times, Corbett's grave was repaired and restored in 1994 and 2002. I spent two nights in Paxtu cottage by special arrangement with the Hotel management. Corbett spent his final years from 1948 to 1955 in this cottage, part of it is now a museum named after Baden powell. A color portrait of Corbett I hung on the mantle of this cottage in 1994 had disappeared in 2002. The hotel staff and management had no idea how it went missing.

Corbett was a frequent visitor to the Tree Tops, a game lodge made famous by queen Elizabeth. I visited Tree Tops three times and photographed a very large group of Cape Buffaloe, few elephants, waterbuck, wild pigs and several baboons. An old log book kept at the Tree Tops had several entries made by Corbett, one in particular made on 5th February 1952 when a young lady climbed the tree as a princess, and climbed down from the tree next morning as a queen. That page was signed by the queen, prince Philip, Pamela Mountbatten, Commander Parker, Eric and Lady Sherbrooke Walker and Jim Corbett. It was here when Corbett called up a leopard right in front of the hut for other visitors to see. (For details about this incident and much more about Corbett, please consult the book: UNDER THE SHADOW OF MAN EATERS: THE LIFE & LEGEND OF JIM CORBETT(1997) by Jerry A. Jaleel, available through Jim Corbett Foundation, 1306- 39 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6L 2M7, Canada (email: safaribooks@shaw.ca).

Visiting places where Corbett lived and roamed brought great pleasure to me, as I have been a great fan of his ever since I first read his MAN EATERS OF KUMAON in 1958, My curiosity took me to several lands where I met his surviving friends and relatives, and received first hand information about the man and the legend. Establishing the Jim Corbett Foundation was a very long dream for me until it was materialized in 1994. Hope you will join the Foundation and extend your support for a noble cause.
Thank you,
Jerry A. Jaleel F.R.G.S.
Director
The Jim Corbett Foundation (Canada)