A Tiger for Malgudi

by R.K. Narayan

A venerable tiger, old and toothless now, looks back over his life from cubhood and early days roaming wild in the Indian jungle. Trapped into a miserable circus career as 'Raja the magnificent', he is then sold into films (co-starring with a beefy Tarzan in a leopard skin) until, finding the human world too brutish and bewildering, he makes a dramatic bid for freedom. R.K. Narayan's story combines Hindu mysticism with ripe Malgudi comedy, viewing human absurdities through the eyes of a wild animal and revealing how, quite unexpectedly, Raja finds sweet companionship and peace.

Genres: Fiction, India, Indian Literature, Classics, Fantasy, Animals, Asia

160 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 1983

About the author

R. K. Narayan is among the best known and most widely read Indian novelists who wrote in English.

R.K. Narayan was born in Madras, South India, in 1906, and educated there and at Maharaja's College in Mysore. His first novel, Swami and Friends and its successor, The Bachelor of Arts, are both set in the enchanting fictional territory of Malgudi and are only two out of the twelve novels he based there. In 1958 Narayan's work The Guide won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, his country's highest literary honor.

In addition to his novels, Narayan has authored five collections of short stories, including A Horse and Two Goats, Malguidi Days, and Under the Banyan Tree, two travel books, two volumes of essays, a volume of memoirs, and the re-told legends Gods, Demons and Others, The Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. In 1980 he was awarded the A.C. Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Literature and in 1982 he was made an Honorary Member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.

Most of Narayan's work, starting with his first novel Swami and Friends (1935), captures many Indian traits while retaining a unique identity of its own. He was sometimes compared to the American writer William Faulkner, whose novels were also grounded in a compassionate humanism and celebrated the humour and energy of ordinary life.

Narayan who lived till age of ninety-four, died in 2001. He wrote for more than fifty years, and published until he was eighty seven. He wrote fourteen novels, five volumes of short stories, a number of travelogues and collections of non-fiction, condensed versions of Indian epics in English, and the memoir My Days.

-Wikipedia & Amazon.co.uk

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a tiger underneath the desk. The headmaster and the deputy are going to call in a sharpshooter when in walks a sadhu, a mostly-naked, Indian holy man. They say, "Who are you?" He says, do they know who they really are? That he's been trying all his life to find out who he really is.

A most unusual story. Hinduism, philosophy, a wife who wants to be nothing more than a wife and a husband who wants to exist on the spiritual plane only. And the tiger, the talking tiger he charms from under the desk in to a new life in the wild for both of them.

But then the holy man feels he will become entirely a spiritual entity, will die soon, and makes arrangements for the toothless old tiger to be looked after in a kindly zoo. He tells the tiger that the rule of life is separation, first from the womb and last from life. That is what life is all about and he leaves.

It is a wonderful story. The writing is impeccable, nothing could be improved. A very enjoyable read from an absolute master of language, plot and characterisation always with humour and always with depth, but with a light touch that belies that profundity of meaning.

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Tiger for Malgudi is a tiger's biography. His storey begins with him as an undisputed and untamed king of the forest, and then he is abducted and forced to obey his Captain in a circus, until voluntarily surrendering to a Sadhu.

The way the author depicts how a living soul must act and think is diametrically opposed to how we live day-to-day, with constant talking and listening but little thought.

The writer portrays the tiger's existence in such a way that it's difficult to distinguish him from the average human person. How he acts in the jungle to assert his supremacy over others, how he expresses hate toward those he can't catch or kill.

One of a kind and typical RK Narayan story..

[Vikas Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant piece by R.K. Narayan. The plot is quite different from his usual more acclaimed works. But what sets this novel apart is the sensitivity with which he deals with different aspects of the society through the eyes of a tiger. Brilliant read.

[Austin George · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique book which has a tiger as the main character. First the life of the tiger in a jungle is portrayed, how he lived as the king of the jungle and how other animals feared him. He led a happy and content life with his tigress wife and cubs. One day the tiger is captured by humans and taken to a circus. Thus begins the misery of the tiger who is tortured and starved to do circus stunts by his master. As I read the book I felt bad for all the animals in real life being whipped, hit and starved in order to make them do circus stunts. The tiger eventually escapes unable to tolerate the torture and goes onto terrorise the residents of Malgudi town where the circus is located, with many a comical scene. A kind sadhu (sage) with mystical powers befriends the tiger and leads the tiger away into the mountains where they live together for sometime. The sadhu is able to commune with the tiger by his powers. When he is not meditating he teaches the tiger about the mysteries of life, God and philosophy. The tiger eventually goes onto live in a zoo on advice of the sadhu as the tiger has reached old age and no longer able to hunt game.

Read it if you are into nature and animals and like a bit of tragicomedy. A light read which can be enjoyed by both teenagers and adults alike.

[Deepika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I was whimpering about my inability to read more books this year, something pushed me to start reading 'A Tiger for Malgudi', which I bought in last year's annual book exhibition. After almost a year of hibernation in my wardrobe, the tiger Raja chose to befriend me. :)

I'm a big fan of R.K. Narayan and who wouldn't like the poignant stories of 'Malgudi Days'. 'A Tiger for Malgudi' is the second book that I read of R.K. Narayan and I must say that he didn't cheat me. He has now made me ask for more of him. The ecstasy and the big-sigh moment that I experienced while reading 'Malgudi Days', grew upon me when I read 'A Tiger for Malgudi' too. I love animals and philosophy and this book gave me the pleasure of learning more about both in around 170 pages.

One might think that I have overrated this book. But I couldn't give anything less than five for this marvellous tale that was gripping and insightful at the same time. And you have to forgive me, because at the end of the day, I'm an animal lover. Any book that's got animal in it and if it's a touching and beautiful story, it will certainly be given high rating by me. It's a word of caution to you!

Even if you aren't an animal lover, give it a shot for this has so much philosophy to offer. Lose yourself in the thought-provoking dialogues that are written in the simplest form, which, in my opinion, can only be penned by R.K. Narayan.

On a rainy day, I finished reading this book at work. And on the same day I realised that this book did some inexplicable magic to the soul and mind! It could have been the rain that played with the mind! But I think it was just the word of R.K.Narayan that piqued my emotions and made me feel better.

And finally, I'm even more thankful to the book for I was suffering from readers' block for around six months and 'A Tiger for Malgudi' came as the best cure. I closed the book and I found it hard to realise that I don't live along with Raja and the Master in the woods. I have a life that I have to carry on and there is a wicked world that needs my existence. I refuse to claim a piece of my heart that I left with Raja and the Master! Sigh! If I couldn't forget Attila, the dog that appeared in 'Malgudi Days', I can't stop thinking of Raja, the tiger, the protagonist of 'A Tiger for Malgudi'.

The book has myriad of brilliant dialogues. But I would love to quote this one, which represents my mindset too. "Man in his smugness never imagines for a moment that other creatures may also possess ego, values, outlook, and the ability to communicate, though they may be incapable of audibe speech. Man assumes he is all-important, that all else in creation exists only for his sport, amusement, comfort, or nourishment."

'A Tiger for Malgudi' has it all to season your brain and soul!

[Gorab · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the weakest works of Narayan, and still enjoyable.

Why weak?
- Circus part was lame
- School part was super lame
- Both of these make up around 70% of the book

Why enjoyable?
- First person narration by Tiger. At parts funny and interesting.
- The conversations (mostly monologues) between Tiger and his master were funny and soothing.
- Reminisces of characters from his previous books, which were not needed and added deliberately. Still enjoyable :)

Overall:
Avoid. Not up to the mark and nowhere comparable to his other works.

[Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75-star

A bit disappointed for some reason, I had no choice but kept going. To amuse myself and enjoy reading the story, I tried to be worry-free due to an error related to typography, that is, from this sentence, "This sounds like a mere metaphysical quibble, but it is a plain, literal anser (sic) to the question." (p. 8).

To continue . . .

[Selva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical R.K.Narayan. Story told from the perspective of the tiger, so that is new. Worth your time.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4 - Afternoon Drama:
By R K Narayan, dramatised by Ronald Frame.

Now the companion of a Sadu, an ageing tiger looks back on his life. A rich evocation of Indian life in the 1970s, this comic narrative views human absurdities through the eyes of a wild animal.

Directed by Lu Kemp.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00770hp

[Srinivas Veeraraghavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been eons since a book REALLY moved me. Maybe, that has a bit to do with my erratic reading flings of late but nevertheless, I felt a warm glow within when I was done with this fine piece of writing. RK Narayan is a Master at getting it just right. His works straddle between melodrama and artful absurdity but never veers perceptibly to either side. It's fiendishly difficult to pull it off but Narayan does it with ridiculous ease.

This might just be the finest work in his oeuvre. Although I'm partial to 'Swami & Friends', this is Narayan at his absolute zenith. His penchant for dry, earthy humour and musing over deep philosophical issues in characteristic, gentle language but trenchant originality works perfectly here.

Beautiful! If nothing else, this Book reminds me to get into my usual reading habits soon!

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I wish I could give more than 5 stars for this book!

(Review to follow soon)

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A good story, written by the famous Indian writer R. K. Narayan. I wanted to read this book, since I had seen and purchased it nearly ten years ago. The reason being that of a philosophical discourse taking place between a tiger and an ascetic, in the hills; and pretty much also for my love of felines.

The story was nice. The narration alternates between Raja's and a third-person. Most of the story is Raja, the tiger, narrating his past from his experiences in the jungle, the circus, and the film-shooting. It was interesting to read from a tiger's perspective, and that is well done. However, to me slightly disappointing was the philosophical discourse that was supposed to take place between the tiger and his ascetic master. This was too less, and is only a part of the last few pages in the book. Hence my lower rating, although a very strong three stars.

From this story we also come to know about how a ringmaster handles the training of a tiger, and also how animal interactions can take place between species in such moments. I was glad that the animals do not literally speak in English amongst each other or with humans in the course of the book, something that I do not really enjoy due to the nature of that kind of situation - something too unnatural I feel. Most of Raja's and other animal's feelings have been expressed in English though, for the sake of understanding to the reader.

Another reason why I enjoyed the book is due to my love for felines. My love for felines is due to my ability to connect with them and understand their nature, and not as much for their cuteness factor. With that said there has been a time when I used to dream of possibly keeping a tiger as part of the family. But as we all know that is a tough task to handle, as well as pretty much not possible in this era of their dwindling numbers. Reading this book satisfied much of this feeling.

This was only my second (non sci-fi) xenofiction title that I have read so far, the other being Anna Sewell's Black Beauty.

[Poorvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

a nice smooth and thought provoking book. this booked showed the world through the eyes of an animal, a tiger. this tiger had gone through everything, the pleasure of the wild, the dread of seeing hunters, the feeling of revenge when his family was hunted , the horrors of a circus and in the end the enlightment by a holy man. This made me sympathize for all animals in circus and hate hunters.
time worthy read for every kind of animal lover : )

[Sankrutyayan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having read half his collection of novels, A Tiger in Malgudi is certainly clear of what it wants to convey and there are only few instances of Malgudi in the end. This is a deep insight into the life of circus animals and how they would feel and express their misery if they had a voice of their own. Despite protagonist being a Tiger, the story telling was lucid and simple like all other Narayan’s works.

Simple things are hard to express in words, that Narayan does the best. The intentions of the Master were noble regarding life and were expressed to the required extent.

The characters are so naive; they are all from countryside and from an era of monumental change in India. Thus they can neither believe anyone nor disregard their views. There is a constant state of confusion on to whom to rely upon and whose views would matter. The submissive nature of villagers still exists owning to the ignorance regarding the matter.

The Master says, “If you brood over your improvements rather than your shortcomings, you will be happier.”

Narayan uses – I thought that this man was unsteady, alternating between occasional sanity and general madness.

Oh how he uses the accurate phrases to describe the predicament the best to the reader! I wish I was one of those masters in literature, thus I could write how simple Narayan’s writing is.

[Malacorda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le avventure di una tigre raccontate finalmente dal punto di vista della tigre stessa. Il risultato è davvero ottimo, scorrevole e, per quanto non sia reale che una tigre parli in prima persona, incredibilmente realistico.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dramatised by Ronald Frame.

Description: Now the companion of a Sadu, an ageing tiger looks back on his life. A rich evocation of Indian life in the 1970s, this comic narrative views human absurdities through the eyes of a wild animal.

A talking animal book so those who dislike that genre, this is a book to avoid. There is a subtly preachy tone, however that didn't stop me appreciating this understated and gently amusing story. Rating=three tigers

[scl.ashx · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

"A Tiger for Malgudi" by R.K. Narayan is one of those delightful reads that sneaks up on you with its charm and simplicity.

The story follows the unlikely friendship between a man, T. G., and a tiger, which may sound odd, but trust me, it works.

The beauty of the book lies in its warm, human touches—Narayan’s ability to make an animal seem almost human, and a man almost mythical. What stands out? First, the wit in the writing that keeps you chuckling.

Then there's the peaceful, almost magical Malgudi setting.

After you finish, you'll walk away thinking about the wild side of life and the surprising places where freedom and confinement meet. Definitely a 4/5!

[James Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once more the great story-teller R. K. Narayan mesmerizes the reader with a tale from his humane corner of the world. It is a corner of his own creation and like other fictional worlds its stories are a delight to read. In this, short novel. we find a narrative for those who like their stories told from the animal's point of view. In this case, a Tiger for the small town of Malgudi; a tiger who is trapped first for a Circus and later sold for use in films. You will be cheering for him as he seeks his freedom. While I have read several stories about Malgudi and its denizens from the pen of R. K. Narayan this one is unique in its perspective and wit.

[Vijay · Rating 5 out of 5]

R.K.Narayanan saved me from the hardy boys and their ilk. This novel in particular helped me make that shift to real books. The narrator is a tiger... this still impresses me on the concept front. Although I read it many years back I can still recall the conversation between Raja (the tiger) and his friend, the Sadhu towards the end. They discuss theology and Raja envisions God to be a powerful tiger with many arms and fierce fighting skills. The Sadhu observes that for every creature on earth, God is a stronger form of themselves... R.K.N...

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was not one of my favorites, but it had its good moments. I especially loved the banter between the "Captain" and his wife, or R.K Narayan's dry observations on the ironies of bureaucracy and red tape.
The story did not hold much interest in me apart from these instances, and a few of Raja the tiger's monologues.

There are a lot of insights in the book - some hidden and some lying right out in the open. It's good for a one-time read, but it does give me the feeling that I might take away something new each time I read it.

[Shruthi Mudireddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow! Narayan at his best! Every Indian should read the complete bibliography of Narayan's, otherwise it's sacrilegious! I've never read anything so sensitive, that too, from a tiger's perspective! And to top it, Narayan has such a wise sense of humour that gets you tickled at the most unassuming circumstances! A majestic tiger, a beautiful village of Malgudi, a satanic circus runner and a profound sage, all in this wonderful fable of Raja the Magnificent!

[Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book from the perspective of a tiger's life. In my view one of the best RK Narayan effort.

[Kesu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why our society needs a Tiger? It is necessary to get a tiger to keep every hate monger and devil at the bay for a better living. A tiger for Malgudi is an amalgamation of Spiritual allegory, psychology, the human-animal relationship, and a bit of humor. The story is one of a kind where Raja (the protagonist tiger) starts narrating his autobiography while laying in the prison zoo in his old age. Unlike other tigers, Raja possesses a soul, can think, analyze human behaviors, can adapt, and finally, he is intelligent. Raja's story is about his complete life cycle, how his life evolves from 'the lord of the jungle' to a spiritual, soulful, truth seeker tiger.

The autobiography evolves in four phases. In the first stage, Raja narrates his jungle life, his youthful vigor, and pride, and how he becomes 'the lord of the jungle'. The second stage is a bit of happiness, grief, and a lot of loyalty. In this stage, he watches the tigress and his cubs get killed in front of his eyes, the pangs of separation from his family, trying to take revenge only to discover the human are real devils and not the jackal or Chimpanzee. This stage also delves upon his circus life, his loyalty towards his captain, and his filmy life. When the greed of his captain becomes Raja's worst enemy and greatest blessing. In the third stage he narrates his journey after killing his captain and fleeing from the movie set only to come across the Yogi; his master who takes Raja with him for his better life and a spiritual transformation. Stage four is about the evolution and counting days of his remaining life in the Zoo only to reunite with his master in the afterlife. Stage four is deeply based upon Raja's evolution from the transformed self to attain humane qualities.

From the surface, it might feel like a philosophical allegory but researchers found it more of an Indian contemporary post-colonial allegory. The stages of Raja's autobiography can be similar to India's resistance to the British in form of Gandhi's non-violent resistance. Where Raja portrays the Indian, killing of his family denotes the British regime's atrocities, disciplined circus life resonates with British education and other impositions on the common mass only to take a higher ground by the British. Killing his captain and attaining spiritual and humane qualities circumscribed the Indian Independence and India's role in the post-colonial world. (Source - Google)

A tiger for Malgudi is a riveting tale of the human-animal relationship, psychology, human greed, lust, the fame that too with spiritual guidance. Every village needs a tiger to instill fear; only to make a better living place for every living being, not to fall in the toes of fake money-launder gurus, not to kill a fellow living beings for any silly turn of event. Lastly, A tiger for Malgudi asks the readers in between pages,
'will you leave your God's chariot to save yourself from a tiger or do you accept your killing as your God's blessing?'

[Dhwani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read A Tiger For Malgudi with @craartology some days back and I have mixed opinions about this title.

We all think about Malgudi and Swami and his friends when we hear R. K. Narayan's name. This title is different from the ones we expect when we read R. K. Narayan's name on the cover.

This is the story rather an autobiography of Raja, a tiger who used to reside in the jungles of Mempi Hills. He is captured and made to perform in a circus. Later on, he is made to perform in a film. Once he escapes, there is a havoc created, as he is trapped with the headmaster of the school in the town. After numerous failed attempts, a guru helps the people by slowly guiding and controlling the tiger and taking him to the hills along with him.
Their souls seem to move in alignment.

This book gives you an idea bout animal cruelty. It paints a picture that is very sad to see. Initially talking about the tiger in the jungle, then the circus and film set, the transition of the environment that the tiger is in makes you feel a hatred towards humans as a species. I kept looking for those eccentric characters Narayan is famous for writing. Sure, this book is not a usual Narayan title but it's interesting, something different.

If you're expecting the quaint Malgudi town with its eccentric characters to hold you over, this isn't the book for you!

If you're wanting to just read an R. K. Narayan title, you can pick this up!

[Sanjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel has tugged on all my heartstrings.

The story has humour, sarcasm and philosophy.
I think no sane person will ever dream of harming a tiger after reading this book. Also, readers will build a greater connect with the world and nature, after taking a ride with RK Narayan’s Tiger.

The tiger, who is the hero of this novel, was born and brought up in a jungle. He was a mighty tiger who went on to mate and have kids. But one day, humans arrive in the forest and kill his family. More tragedy follows and he was captured by a circus. There starts his story of immense suffering and humiliation which ended when he killed his Captain and was rescued by a Sadhu. The sage talks to him like a human being and the tiger too is transformed in his presence. The ending of the story is gratifying and heartfelt.

[Anie Gpn · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most memorable stories. This book is not only the life of the tiger, but also the emotions, actions and feelings of the tiger. The tale is revealed by the tiger himself. There's no question about the life in Malgudi. It touches intensely on the life of circus animals and their suffering and emotions. Besides being the tale of a tiger, it has a human dimension, and one feels delighted to read it. One feels joyful as the tiger finds freedom, and the story continues to progress.

[Tamara Agha-Jaffar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Tiger for Malgudi by R.K. Narayan is a delightful tale told in the first person of Raja, the tiger. Raja looks back on his life, beginning as a cub in the jungle. He roams freely, striking fear in beast and human alike. But his life changes when he is captured. Incarcerated, bullied, cajoled, and starved into submission, he becomes an obedient circus star, Raja the Magnificent.

While on short-term loan to a movie producer to co-star with a muscular Tarzan-type, Raja decides to make a run for it. He finds temporary refuge under the desk in the headmaster’s office of a local school. Crowds gather in panic. There is talk of shooting the tiger when a sannyasi (someone who has renounced everything in life) enters into the fray and quietly walks out of the building with a docile tiger in tow. Raja and his master lead a quiet, solitary life in the mountains where his master teaches him some of the principles of Hindu mysticism. They grow old together until a now aging, toothless Raja is sent to a humane zoo to live out the rest of his days in peace and comfort.

Threading throughout the story are Raja’s contemplations about life and human nature, all of which are imparted to him by his master. Raja observes our foibles with humor and depth.
Seeing the world through the eyes of a tiger brings into focus just how foolish and short-sighted people can be.

The accessible and simple language couches some profound insights about human behavior, the arrogance of human beings, and their exploitation of animals. Laced with humor, irony, and satire, the novel gently offers some profound philosophical precepts on opening the door to a meaningful life by ridding oneself of superficial distractions.

Recommended.

My book reviews are also available at www.tamaraghajaffar.com

[Asra Ghouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some stories which you don't forget. No matter how long it has been since you last read them. A Tiger for Malgudi classifies as one such story.

Although Malgudi was introduced to me via Swami and his friends, I remember less of him, for some incomprehensible reason. Perhaps I had found this story more humourous than Swami's.

The story is narrated by a tiger, Raja, who recounts the story of his capture by a circus owner, his escape; people's reactions on finding a tiger roaming free in the streets of Malgudi and finally his recapture by a monk with whom he lives happily on the hills.

“He did not treat me as an animal which sat before him in respectful silence trying to understand his words”.

Narayan’s Tiger resolves for once the enigma of his novels. The writer, elusive so far regarding his attitudes and commitments, persistent in his denial of philosophical strains in his novels, has at last put in concrete form his convictions and attitudes. It does not mean that there is total change in the tone of this novel. On the other hand, it bears the usual stamp of humour, irony and satire plus a serenity which is admirable. Narayan’s hall-mark humour shines through in this novel too.

An enchanting novel!

Oh yeah! My love for tigers originated from here!

[Jaanaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

We can safely say that just as how any number of generations cannot change the fact that Dame Agatha Christie is the uncrowned queen of the quintessential British murder mystery untouched by time ,R.K.Narayan has and will always been the uncrowned king of Indian fiction.Such simple plot narratives about incidents that can happen in our own homes or towns ,with crystal clear prose that bring out the idiosyncrasies and follies of human nature.All characters in a R .K Narayan novel will resemble someone we have met in our pedantic daily routines of normal life.This is a wonderful book by him and I enjoyed every bit of it.It speaks of the spiritual transformation of Raja the tiger from a wild young animal to an enlightened soul under the guidance of a master whom he discovers in the latter part of a life filled with tribulations and disappointments. My heart was with Raja throughout the journey and I was disappointed a little bit when it ended with him still in the circus.This is a must read not only for Narayan fans and animal lovers but also for the spiritually inclined.

[Saranya ⋆☕︎ ˖ [hibernating] · Rating 2 out of 5]

So... a tiger walks into Malgudi… no, REALLY

Raja, our striped protagonist, offers a roaring good look at philosophy through fur. He’s less about eating people... more about existential crises and the search for inner peace (with a side of circus life). Turns out... enlightenment is hard... especially when you're a big cat. Forget your average pet story... this is about finding your guru, even if he speaks!!!
Definitely worth sinking your claws into.