A Tiger for Malgudi is a novel authored by R.K Narayan, originally published in 1983. The Tiger is a first person of novel who tells his life story after being taken by zookeeper.
A Tiger for Malgudi By R.K Narayan
Summary of A Tiger for Malgudi By R.K Narayan
The story of novel revolves around a character Raja, a tiger who was captured by Malgudi people to be in Malgudi Zoo. A tiger namaed Raja was born in an Indian jungle who has the quality to be a great leader since he was born. And soon he became a King of Jungle.
No had the courage in jungle to raise his voice against Raja. Every single animal in jungle were scared of Raja. Raja has spend his days of youth in Mempi Range Jungle. Raja was very strong but he never discriminate between anyone. He always follows the rules of Jungle. If any animal in jungle doesn’t respect Raja, he used punish him very badly.
One day, a female tiger challenges Raja in jungle. So its about Raja’s respect, Raja and female tiger fight ruthlessly and they end up injuring each other. They both fight till they make each other badly injured. We can’t tell who is the winner between them as they both fight and live.
There comes Tricksy Jackal who tells Raja and female tiger to be together as both of them are strong and fearless. Raja and female tiger listen to Jackal and decides to live together. As they day passes, Raja and female tiger became good friend. They also mate together and gives birth to beautiful tiger and tigress.
One day, Hunter comes in jungle and they kill the children of Raja. Raja was very sad, and angry on human being. Raja in anger goes towards a village of Human being. Thereafter, Raja started killing animals of all the villagers. There comes new character, Captain, a man who works in circus and knows how to control animals.
Captain and his wife, Rita starts torturing Raja ruthlessly. They train Raja and teach him stunts to play in circus. They teach one stunt to Raja in which he drink milk with goat and does not harm him. That stunt of Raja become very popular in Malgudi. One day, Raja was performing same stunt but this time he could not control himself and killed goat.
Captain gets very angry on Raja decides if Raja again kill a goat they he will not keep him with himself. The story now introduces new character, Madan, a film director who asks Captain to give him Raja. Madan is making a film and want to use Raja in his film for action.
Thereafter, Madan’s film shooting started, there is one scene in film in which Raja has to fight with strong man named Jaggu. On the other side, Jaggu is scared from Raja and decides not to do film action with tiger. To control Raja, Captain starts giving electric shots to him.
Due to electric shots, Raja lose his control and attacks on Captain. Raja end up killing Captain. Raja runs away from film sets and goes in Malgudi city. Raja was roaming freely in Malgudi but he wasn’t attacking or killing anyone. Raja just want to be free and he has no intention to take revenge from Humans.
Raja was following children and by following them he goest at a school of children. There he goes calmly at Headmaster office and sleep. When school teacher learns about Raja, they calls a hunter named Alphonse. The hunter, Alphonse, owns one gun but still he is fearing to in a room where Raja is sleeping.
The story now features new character, Master, a spiritual leader who comes at school and tells everyone to be quiet as everyone was fearing from Raja. The Master goes at Raja’s room without any fear. Thereafter, Master starts speaking in language which was understandable to Raja. The Master asks Raja to comes calmly with him. Raja stands up and goes with Master.
Everyone in school was shocked to see Raja with Master. They were shocked how Master has control Raja. The Raja and Master are talking with each other about non-violence and goes at mountain very far from village, Malgudi.
The Master and Raja spends lots of days together in caves of Mountain. As the time passes, Raja became very old and it is not possible for him to hunt for food. As Master saw Raja becoming old day after day, he calls one zookeeper who promises Master that he will take care of Raja properly. The Master advises Raja to go at Zoo and entertain children. At the end of story, Master tells Raja that one day they will meet again when their soul will loose their body.