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: Kenneth Anderson also wrote a book for children and I have one copy that I picked up from a second-hand book seller. The title of the book is "Jungle Tales for Children" and was published by Echo Books and IBH publications in 1971. It contains 5 stories namely- "Bruno, the Sloth Bear", "The Brave Hyaena (sic)", "The Wise Old Elephant", "The Lone Jackal" and "The Love of an Elephant for His son" : The language is tender and full of love for the creatures of the forest and also, his message for the children displays his remarkable moral nature. And I quote: : " Should you like these stories and enjoy reading this book, there is a great favour you can do me in return. Will you do it, please? It is quite an easy thing that I ask of you. : "Learn the lessons taught here, and make up your mind to be kind to all animals and birds, And tell your friends to be kind too. : "When you grow up into men and women you will be surprised to find that not did you do me a favour, but you have done something that will reward you very greatly in your everyday life. You will have built up a character for each of yourselves; and that is something far more precious than money or gold! : I wish we keep the same message in mind whilst relating these stories to the next generation. : : Hi Dushyant, Iam in Bangalore,and i wiil join you. I have already visited Diguvametta. My visit details as follows : : : : Hunting the Ghost of the Hunter : : Jungle adventures have always fascinated me from my childhood. My grandfather, Sri.D.V.Nagaratnam, was DFO of Ooty in 50’s and my jaunts with him in the jungles of Mudumalai as a young boy , must be the reason for my interest in jungles. He even christened one newborn elephant as Jayaraman, my name and it is still alive in Theppakkadu camp. : : Reading the jungle lores of Jim Corbett and Kenneth Anderson, in dim lit houses of green Kerala, I wished to see the places where they hunted. This wish was fulfilled recently in Aug 2003, when myself along with good friends Dr Sastry and Ramadas, drove to from Bangalore to Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh in search of the ghost of Kenneth Anderson. : : The spirit of Kenneth Anderson, still lives in Diguvametta. As you drive in the wonderful scenic route ( Bless the contractor and engineers who laid it !), the Nallamalai range of jungles start from Gajulapalli. From here till Diguvametta, the winding ghat road goes through thick forests where tigers and panthers roamed freely 50 years ago. This is where Kenneth Anderson hunted the in of Diguvametta, a man-eating panther ( page 87 , Omnibus Vol I ).Chenchu tribals have there camp at Pacharla, a hamlet on the road, where you can buy designer bamboo sticks with intricate patters woven on the stick by burning them with delicate hand movements on a fire. : : As you drive along, chugging train to Guntur accompanies you. This is a new broad gauge line, with ghost towers and tunnels of old metre gauge line of Anderson days high above the road like sentinels of yester years. The green forests with good road and virtually no traffic, is the one of best drives in India.The mountain road joins the plains at Diguvameeta. : : As you enter the hamlet, you will find on the left,the historic Forest Bungalow, steeped in jungle lores. The compound is overgrown with weeds. Jungle with thick undergrowth starts from the 3 foot high pat wall in front yard hardly 50 feet away from the verandah.In one corner of the front yard, you will find a tombstone which reads : : “MISCHIEF” : : A Lovable Little Friend : : 14 th May 1911 : : This pet dog of a British Collector, named Mischief was killed by a panther on this spot. The official shot the panther along with the dog in the same spot. He got a tombstone specially made from England and placed it there. Many years later, the Caretaker Aleem Khans sister daughter , young girl Peeaaree was told this story. She used to place flowers every day, till late one evening while placing flowers , she was killed by the panther on the same spot. Kenneth Anderson dressed as an Indian, sat on Mischief’s grave and tried to kill the panther in vain. He later killed it in the railway tunnel high in the mountains. : : Myself and my friends sat silently on the pat wall listening to the sounds of the jungle. We could feel Kenneth Anderson sitting on the verandah in the chair, wife of Aleem Khan filling the tank above the roof of western room for his shower. Aleem Khan’s dog begging for crumbs near Anderson’s chair, the excited voice of Peearee placing flowers on Mischief’s grave and the growl of the in of Diguvametta. : : From the gate of the Forest Bungalow, across the road, you can see the outer signal of Diguvametta railway station, and water spout of steam engine era. On this outer signal, the gangman was killed by the panther, while he was lighting the signal lamp at 6 P.M. The railway station at Diguvametta has not changed from Anderson days. : : The few hours we spent at Diguvametta was an unfogettable experience of a lifetime. Luckily, the location is unspoilt till today.

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