Tribal king wants to rebuild his kingdom

The Royal couple heading the world’s last surviving aboriginal tribe, feels uncomfortable in modern clothing at a city hospital here an...

The Royal couple heading the world’s last surviving aboriginal tribe, feels uncomfortable in modern clothing at a city hospital here and is yearning to go back to rebuild its tsunami-ravaged kingdom.

King Jirake and his Queen Surmai, who rule over 47-odd Great Andamanese are sure that they can strike back at the devastation. ‘‘We want to get back into our leaf carts. This is not very comfortable,’’ said the 62-year-old king, pointing at his stripped shirt and trouser.

Nestled in the forests of Strait Island, 250 km off Port Blair, the village was inundated by the tsunami as the hunter gatherer tribe ran atop the nearest available hillock. Considered as the first tribe on earth, Great Andamanese date back 60,000 years.

Story continues below this ad

Princess Tango, has another queer reason to return to forests. ‘‘Though all eight of our tribal houses were broken by the tsunami, the television is intact. I have not seen movies for a long time. And so I want to go back fast,’’ said the 25-year old.

Tango loves films and all bollywood actors, Shah Rukh Khan being her favourite.

Anthropological experts say, the tribe is highly exposed to communicable diseases and unhealthy drinking habits which they have acquired with civilization. — PTI

In Odisha, Modi mounts ‘loot tantra-vs-bachat utsav’ attack on Congress over GST

India1 hr ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday hailed the revised Goods and Services Tax (GST) structures, saying the era of “double bachat (saving) and double kamai (income)” has arrived under the Bharatiya Janata Party rule. Addressing the ' Namo Yuva Samabesh' in Jharsuguda, Modi accused the Congress of indulging in “loot tantra (tactics)” while in power.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS