"Tracking Jim" - Notes on Jim Corbett, the famous hunter of man-eating tigers

The Corbett National Park, originally called the Hailey National Park when it was set up in 1930s, has been re-named after the famous hunter, Jim Corbett, who had lived practically all his life in the hills and foot-hills of Nainital in Uttarakhand. The family lived at Gurney House in Nainital in the summer months, coming down to the village of Kaladhungi (also called Chhota Haldwani), in the foot-hills, for winter. The Gurney House and the Kaladhungi bungalow have now been turned into museums in memory of the renowned hunter. It was also in the neighbourhood of Kaladhungi that Corbett had his first initiation in the ways of the jungle under his elder brother, Tom, who was in the Indian Postal Service. Corbett has written of these experiences in his two books, "Jungle Lore" and "My India" though there are some glimpses also in his other books.

Above is a picture of Gurney House, situated at Ayarpata, up on the hillside on the southewestern side of Nanital Lake. And given below is a picture of Corbett's bungalow at Kaladhungi, which has now been turned into a museum by the Forest Dept., Govt. of Uttarakhand. Kaladhungi is siutated on the road almost mid-way between the towns of Haldwani and Ramnagar.