Hunting as a Leisurely Sporting Activity in Colonial Bengal: A Historical Discourse

Abstract

Hunting from age old times is prevalent in the Indian subcontinent. It is also considered as a manly sport which involved a team of men exercising their masculine powers upon the beasty of the jungle. Tiger hunt was something which was looked upon as super masculine activity. Before the institutionalization of hunting, it was a common practice as a form of entertainment. The colonizers however played an important role in institutionalization of hunting. The control of the forest by the Raj also added a new flavour in the sport. Bengal was covered with numerous forest lands and mangroves. Thus, the sport gained popularity among landed potentates who frequented these jungles with a large team as a part of their leisurely activities. Sometimes they took up gun for protecting subjects from the aggression of wild beats. These team members were also efficient hunters though they were sometimes not duly recognized. Contemporary sources including official records and hunting narratives reveals plenty of facts regarding the wide spread acceptance of this institutionalized sport.