The Story of Asia's Lions - Divyabhanusinh

The story of a Lion by Divyabhanusinh is an attempt to cover the travel of the lion over time to its present restricted domain in Asia, particularly in India. The author first distinguishes the Asian lion from its African cousins and then gives illustrations of lions in ancient monuments, documents and sculptures. By this a background of the lion in human culture can be obtained. The lion being resident of an open country habitat and openly seen with its large mane and pride made its home in human culture as king of the jungle, outstanding the secretive tiger and other top carnivoures.  The same majestic pride and the strength of lion gave it a place in the kingly honours among the rulers who ruled the subcontinent, including the British. The book gives reference of the lion both being hunted and being used as a symbol of strength and valour.

The book accounts the decline of the lions in India due to severe hunting after the advent of the British in India. The lions which once roamed the parts of northern, western, middle and a part of eastern India (Palamou), got confined to the western parts at Gir where in the efforts of people like the Nawabs of Junagadh saved them from extinction. The names of Nawab Rasulkhanji and Mahabatkhanji stand among the pioneers who saved the lions from the onslaught and their survival at Gir. The book also records the attempts of Maharaj Madhav Rao Sindhi to reintroduce lions in its lost habitats. The records provide an excellent background for the current reintroduction efforts in India.

The book gives record of the first attempts made to estimate or sensus the number of lions at Gir, the first ever in India. The trailing chapters deal with the problems in the current reintroduction attempts along with the issues that prevail at Gir like the cattle issue, issues in resettlement of the Maldharis and other tribes, poaching and the threats that might be faced in future like epidemics that might wipe out the entire Asian lion population.

In the book, the author has concentrated extensively on illustrations of lion representing the royal patronage right from the time of the Egyptian pharaohs to the present generation which sometimes may take the reader off the track. But, when considering from a historical sequence point, the book covers them completely and a clear picture of the path of the lions has been successfully tracked down to the Gir.