Rarely seen,the most remarkable animal to be found in Indian hilly and plain jungles is the Pangolin, a surviving and living relic of the past ages. I came to know about this weird creature when I was a student of St.Mary's High School, Mount Abu in the year 1952, while reading the autobiography of Jawahar Lal Nehru, independent India's first Prime Minister. The book written in 1932, when he was a political prisoner in Dehra Dun gaol, humorously recounts his life in gaol. Since the gaol was small, as a special case political prisoners were allowed, morning and evening to go for a walk outside the prison gate for a view of mountain ranges, the fields and for a glimpse of the public road.One day as Jawahar Lal was standing at the gate talking to the Jailer, he saw a tribal on the side of the road carrying a strange animal on his shoulder. Noticing the curiosity of freedom fighter, the Jailer obligingly sent for the man. At close quarters, Jawahar Lal Nehru observed a mammal that seemed a cross between a lizard and a crocodile about 2 feet long having claws and scales. The awkward animal, very much alive had been twisted in the form of a knot and the owner had passed a bamboo stick through it and was merrily carrying it on his shoulder. He,called it ' BO' and when asked what he intended to do with it, the man smacking his lips and smiling from ear to ear confided that he would make 'bhujji'- a tasty curry out of it. It was after referring to some books on wild life that Jawahar Lal came to know that the animal was a Pangolin.
Being deeply interested in animals and more so in life history and habits of rare wild life and feeling that the Hills of Abu could be the home of the strange animal, I decided to investigate. I started with our milkman, a local tribal and drew a blank. Then I turned to a wizened Bhil woodcutter and struck pay dirt. The man smiled at the way I described the animal and confirmed having seen it on some occasions while collecting fire wood and called it 'Ban Rohu' -forest fish. Then he indicated the area where I should look, adding that I may be lucky to see the creature lolling in the sun. It being a warm afternoon during my school holidays in December 1952, I set off immediately carrying my air gun and Kodak box camera. The section that had been pinpointed was a small valley in the jungle,off Saal Gaon. The afternoon jaunt was a wasted hike. I did see an occasional rabbit skirting by, some wild fowls, painted partridges and many peacocks. Now more than determined, the next morning after breakfast, I set off again and was at the site around afternoon. It was warm and as I trudged along a not too defined path, I saw the creature lolling in the sun in full glory, camouflaged by the dry grass but as I mumbled 'Eureka' the creature stood upright for a moment and scuttled into the bushes. Now more interested and dejectedly, I loitered around for an hour, hoping for another glimpse of the recluse but no dice. So I returned resolving to get to the bottom of the intrigue. Now looking up a book on wild life seemed a likely solution. In my quest I went to the Public Library in the evening. My query about a book on wild life was Greek to the caretaker but he permitted me to browse the few racks of books available. . Not a single book on wild life existed. On seeing me depressed the caretaker suggested that I may try the elite Rajputana Club library. So I trudged to the exclusive club, to find it open but deserted. I explained my mission to the elderly caretaker and obligingly I was escorted to the library having hundreds of ornately bound volumes, neatly arranged in teakwood polished almirahas. The first almirah yielded what I was looking for- the book ' Jungle in Sunlight and Shadow' written by F.W.Champion, during his posting in Imperial Forest Service of India. A whole chapter suitably illustrated with prints of original photographs was dedicated to the animal.
Champion, a passionate lover of nature and wild life considered the Pangolin as the astonishing survivor of past ages. He had an exceedingly engrossing time in tracing and studying the animal as it spent most of its time under ground in burrows, rarely venturing out in day time. The animal with its armor consisting of thick scales overlapping like those of a fish seemed to have stepped straight out of a journal of ancient ages. The creature is a toothless mammal and so feeds on termites and all insects. Its flesh is regarded as a delicacy and also as an efficient aphrodisiac by tribals and jewelery such as rings crafted from its scales , when worn is termed as lucky charms.
The Pangolin, as a creation of Nature in all its finery, pleases, attracts and at times frightens and Mother Nature alone knows that it aims at and depicts.
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