THE MAN WHO FOUGHT WITH A TIGER

Photos: Read 2b happy.

 

THE MAN WHO FOUGHT WITH A TIGER

By LB THAPA

We must have watched such scenes on movies and TV screens where a valiant hero wrestles with a tiger and overpowers him. Such battles are glorified to show the courage and strength of the hero in movies. But real life is always different from reel life. In real life, no one would dare mess with the king of the jungle, who is equipped with deadly arsenals, making him one of the deadliest predators. Due to their indomitable strength, agility, and sharp claws and teeth, tigers can kill their prey bigger than their size. 

But sometimes what normally seems impossible can become possible. Something similar happened in the recent past when a man at 67 fought with a grown-up tiger and subdued him. This sounds a bit unrealistic, but it is true. This incident took place on April 25, 2024, in the dense forest of Patichaur, Myagdi. 

Man Bahadur Magar is a resident of Myagdi-2, Patichaur, where he lives with his family. Man Bahadur Magar was not aware of what would happen to him on April 25, 2024. On this very fateful day, he was destined to fight with a ferocious tiger. 

“It was early in the morning, and as usual, after having had my morning breakfast, I went to the nearby forest to collect some fresh leaves and grass for my cattle. I climbed a tree and cut a few leafy branches. Then I cut some fresh, green grass and kept it in my corn basket. My basket was almost full, and I adjusted my strip around the corn basket to take it home. In the meantime, I saw some lush, green grass on the other side of the creek. I immediately decided to cut all the grass for my cattle. But as soon as I approached the grass, to my amazement, a huge tiger sprang out of the grass and attacked me without any warning,"  said Man Bahadur Magar with confidence. 

Man Bahadur Magar had never thought that he would be attacked by a tiger in the forest near his house. Because in the past there were no such reported incidents of tigers attacking in the village. So, the people of Patichaur never hesitated to go to the jungle to collect grass and firewood. 

“The forest is not as thick today as it used to be in the past. Moreover, the habitats of wild animals are being encroached upon at a rapid pace. Due to this reason, most of the wild animals move to nearby villages to prey on domestic animals,” opined Man Bahadur Magar. 

Man Bahadur Magar served in the Indian army, and he retired in 2000. After completing 22 years of service in the Indian army, he is now living a retired life in Patichaur, Myagdi. Man Bahadur Magar had an outstanding service record while serving in the Indian Army. When asked how he happened to fight with the tiger, Man Bahadur narrated his entire story. 

“I had an excellent career in the army. I took boxing seriously and won many medals for my battalion. Then, on May 3, 1999, the Kargil war started. My battalion was called on to join the Kargil War on July 3, 1999. The enemy had occupied the peak of Tiger Hill, located in the Drass-Kargil area of Ladakh. They fired on us from the top of the Kargil hill. But, being a Gurkha, I was not scared of the bullets and cannon fire. I was wounded, as were some of my fellow soldiers, but we continued climbing the rocky mountain, and finally our troops successfully captured Tiger Hill. Now I am retired, but a soldier is always a soldier. That’s why, when the tiger attacked me, I forgot that I was a 67-year-old man. I fought valiantly with the tiger like a soldier," said Magar triumphantly.

When asked if he thought he would be mauled by the tiger at some point during the battle, he said, “The tiger’s attack was unexpected, and I was not prepared for such a sudden attack. But as soldiers, we are well-trained for such an attack. I treated the tiger as an enemy who had ambushed me. I immediately started thinking and acting like a soldier," said Man Bahadur and continued. 

“On the first attack by the tiger, I fell to the ground. Then I realized the tiger was trying to hold my neck. With the help of my left hand, I pushed the tiger’s neck back and hit his head with my grass-cutting sickle. The sickle rightly landed on his head, and it was a hard hit. Perhaps even the tiger was not prepared for such retaliation. The tiger left me and stood in defensive mode for a while. That gave me enough time to stand on my two feet. I held my sickle tight and was ready to defend myself. My instinct suggested not going offensive because tigers have a high degree of reflexive ability. Thus, I got ready for a defensive attack. The tiger leaped to hold my head within his fearsome paws. I stood firm and charged my sickle on the head of the tiger. It again landed perfectly on his head. The tiger fell to the ground even before he could reach me. I saw the tiger trying to stand up on his four legs. Before the tiger could jump on me, I began swinging my sickle across the tiger. By doing this, I also significantly wounded the tiger’s front paws and legs. 

“When I was swinging my sickle frantically, the tiger grabbed my right arm, and the next moment the sickle fell from my hand. Without a sickle, it was not possible to attack the tiger. The tiger took advantage of my weakness. He bit my arms and hands, and suddenly he went back and grabbed my lower skull. His bite was tough, and I found myself unable to do anything. Then suddenly I realized that if soon I didn’t swing into action, the tiger would go for my neck. My sickle was lying a bit away from me, and it was not possible to get the sickle. Then suddenly an idea flashed into my mind, and the next moment I grabbed the tiger’s head with both of my hands and tried to puncture his eyes. The moment I found one of his eyes, I pushed my right hand’s thumb straight into his eyes. 

“The moment my right hand’s thumb pushed his eyeball, the tiger grew in pain and released my skull. As soon as I was released from his grip, I reached up to my sickle and held it tightly. I noticed that the tiger did not feel well with his one eye. I took advantage of his weakness. I immediately charged my sickle on the tiger’s head with all my strength. My sickle perfectly landed on his neck; in fact, I intended to hit his face. I hit him two more times on his head, and the tiger was on the ground. He was unable to stand on his feet. He tried a few more times, but to no avail. Now I prepared to land a lethal blow to finish him off. 

“With much effort, the tiger just managed to stand on his four feet, but it was still unable to stand properly. He wobbled constantly. I held my sickle tight and collected all my strength. I was sure this hit on his head would be enough to kill him. I drew my sickle high and was about to land it on the tiger's head. In the meantime, I saw two small cubs near the bush. I immediately understood why the tiger had become so aggressive toward me. My sudden presence in the bush must have scared the tiger. She just wanted to protect her cubs from any intruder. I abandoned the idea of killing the tiger and decided to take my steps back. 

“I was also injured, so I left my corn basket there and went to my home. I was very tired and exhausted. That’s why I sat on the porch and began smoking a cigarette to relax. In the meantime, my wife came out, and she was surprised when she saw me drenched in blood," explained Man Bahadur Magar. 

At the age of 67, the courage Man Bahadur Magar displayed and fought with a tiger with a small sickle, as a weapon, must be praised for his valor and indomitable courage. If he were scared and hopeless, the tiger must have eaten him for sure. In most cases, timely decisions and courage help us save our lives. The incident of Man Bahadur Magar is an example of how courage and quick decision-making power can help us in a difficult situation.

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